we finally are almost fully staffed at work, which is a relief. we're still short one staffer on LOA and one admin, but we're up to full with contract officers. i'm helping with the training of the newest one, since she is my level and will be doing similar work. i like training, especially since it makes me review the processes myself on a start-to-finish basis. i'm a little concerned with my advancement potential, though... i'm just fine with where i'm at for now, but i'm not sure that i'll be able to advance with an advanced degree. almost everyone else on the medicine team has a master's or a JD. i'm afraid that not having a master's degree is going to hold me back, even though i've more than proven that i'm capable. i'm tempted to look into stanford's continuing studies master's program in liberal arts, just for the fun of it and to have the master's degree on my resume (this is likely the only way i'd be able to have a master's from stanford, since the regular master's programs are not geared towards part-time students).

yesterday was the culmination of the stanford summer choir's performance of the armed man, and i think it went really well. it's a really great, contemporary piece with lots of emotion and instrumental weight. it's a dark subject but i think it's done very well. it turns out that our performance of the piece is the first time the whole thing has been performed in the US! the masses (four of the movements) were premiered at carnegie hall about four months ago, but they didn't do the whole thing (thirteen movements). so we were the first! very cool.

two of my teams are playoff-bound. yay a's and earthquakes! will someone pleeeeease step up and buy my boys in blue? they need an owner so they can stay in san jose. if i had the money, i'd buy them up in a second. it'll break my heart if they leave :(

yay special day! :) and yay for carrot fishing!