Mission accomplished, you might say. I survived Afghanistan with no major dramas. I did well, on the whole. I got recommended for promotion, but I was going to be given one automatically anyway. My trade group is now pretty much given Lance Corporal free with their cornflakes since we merged with the technicians. I at least have the consolation that I earned mine. At least I have people interested in moving my career forward. I never had that feeling back at my previous unit. Back there, I was shoved on a low priority det and left to rot. I had to fight every step of the way to advance my career and I'm pleased to see it's not the same everywhere.

I've done a little writing, but nothing I'd display on here. For example, I wrote a porn story starring two people who use a message board I visit as a joke. It was cute and all and I managed to finish it, but it's hardly something I'd show off.

My Vectra failed it's MOT with the ABS system, which meant it was too expensive to repair. I bought a Peugeot 206 instead. In less than a week, my little brother stained the upholstery with anti-vandal paint and I managed to bump somebody at a set of traffic lights. My pretty new car isn't so pretty right now. Just my luck.

The most awesome thing that's happened in the last few months was a visit to see my girlfriend in Texas. We had ten days together and it was really, really nice. Just little things like watching a film together were so much nicer with her. I'm already missing her like crazy. She was going to come over before Christmas, but we're having to put it off for a while. I'm disappointed, but we've waited longer. I'll live.

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