The Cayman Islands need an embassy. Bad.

After a difficult March, my wife and I decided it was time for a vacation - and vacate we did, to Grand Cayman. We hadn't been to many places in the Caribbean before, including Grand Cayman, but it was very nice as you'd expect. One thing we didn't realize was the huge difference between the east and west sides: the east was more calm and laid back but fewer amenities, while the west was more active and had more of a night life. Definitely worth considering if you have a chance to visit sometime. Also, if you're into snorkeling, check out Testudo’s snorkeling blog, although of the places we had the time to visit, our favorite was Cemetery Beach. Anyway, the strangest part of the trip came on the first morning after we got there. I had just showered when I realized that, of all things, the place smelled like Kabul. I checked my clothes, looked around, then realized I hadn’t used my underarm deodorant in my travel bag since the Kabul trip. Yeah, I just wrote about my armpits.  I’m not proud.



I took this at Cemetery Beach.



Back at work, things are as busy as ever, and seem to be getting busier.  I don’t think it’s just me, the other new hires that came in with me seem to be having the same experience.  I did my first Technical Evaluation Panel for a project’s proposals – in this case, a set of prequalification submittals.  It’s interesting to process proposals not only from the other side, but to experience the federal process versus the municipal approach I was used to in my previous job.  Not necessarily better or worse, just different, and equally as tedious.  Especially having prepared who-knows-how-many proposals myself and knowing how much time goes into a responsive proposal effort, it’s only fair to read them.  Rating each one on each evaluation criteria is predictably time-consuming, but oh well.

One day while I was in the bathroom - where all the most important conversations happen anywhere - two guys walked in as one was saying to the other, "This is a great place to work: there's always something broken that needs fixing. You can go home at night with a real sense of accomplishment." The other guy responded with a semi-surprised, non-committal grunt.  Huh, I just wrote about my bathroom experience.  This post is getting worse.

I recently saw someone on the bus with an odd smartphone: she'd printed website articles to read. Inexpensive and effective, but weird.  It still seems a little strange to see almost everyone on the buses and trains staring down at their smartphones, although I only notice it when I look up from mine.

If you’re interested in the a travel-size sample of this job’s experience without becoming a permanent hire, today these job opportunities as an Architect Personal Services Contractor (PSC) and as a General Engineer PSC were posted.  These vacancies are only open until May 17, so jump on it!

(This post written while listening to Jack Johnson Sitting, Waiting, Wishing)