I have not been writing much on the blog because I am serving on promotion panels, which are sapping all my psychic energy. I am on the “threshold panel” which recommends FS-01 officers from senior Foreign Service. There is a lot of reading to do and lots of things to consider. It really is making me sad. So many great people and not enough places for all of them. It is like a deadly serious game of musical chairs. Some people’s careers will end because of our decisions. I make the choices as best I can and it is my responsibility to do it, but I find it harder than I thought it would be.
I have learned an amazing amount in just a few days. There are things I thought that were wrong about how the system works, but mostly it is just a different perspective. After the panels are over, we can talk and write about the process in general terms, but not yet. For now suffice to say that the process really is as fair as we can make it. I was very impressed by that and will do my best.
Seeing all these good people makes me wonder how I ever made the leap. It is truly a humbling experience, but it also makes me proud to be a member of such a group.
Anyway, if I write less for the next couple of months that is why. I write about what I am thinking about and right now I cannot properly do that.