I had my first make it or break it test yesterday, my big Mission Analysis Brief. Here's how my instructors motivate my class:

"Thirteen people failed this last time." Way to motivate, instructors. Clearly none of you were involved in such activities as cheerleading (guilty), show choir a la Glee (guilty), or had Disney character filled dreams as a child (guilty again).

After what felt like dozens of meltdowns and nightmares where I wake up standing next to my overlays briefing ISR plans, I somehow found another form of motivation (finish practicing and get to read from my September issue of Vogue) and passed with a "Superior" rating. Whoo hoo!

To add to my stress free joy, I FINALLY got to leave my hotel room and move into my swanking furnished condo. Tip for all those coming to Fort Wegotcha, bug the hell out of TDY Housing to get a place. How grateful I am to have a fridge...and a washer and dryer that do not need quarters to function...and an actual address that I can receive letters at...and Internet. It's the little things in life, huh?

As much as this makes me smile, TRADOC has a knack for taking any activity that slightly resembles the dreaded three letter word of F-U-N and making it the least F-U-N thing possible.  Today I am wargaming, which sounds like it should be F-U-N but let's throw 12 pages of rule on top of it, four hours of running the same course of action over and over, and then having to brief it and all F-U-N is gone. I miss the days of playing Battleship or Risk without the fear that someone is going to chew me out afterwards.

Let me continue to perfect my grumpy face and take this no F-U-N thing seriously. Then when I get outside these doors and I will break into cheer (Almost done with MOD B! Hooray hooray for me!) and song ("Oh happy day!).