I spent the morning completing a raft of forms and questionnaires documenting where I’ve lived, where I’ve worked, and what trouble (if any) I’ve gotten myself into these past several years.  I then I had to provide names, addresses and phone numbers for individuals who could vouch for my whereabouts, employment status, and general good character.

Having filled in all the blanks with all the information requested (often redundantly), I was off to Camp Kim to have two complete sets of my fingerprints inked onto paper.  With that task complete, I carried all my documents over to the Security Officer on Yongsan Garrison.  He wasn’t in, so I left them with his KATUSA.  Provided all my “t’s” were dotted and “i’s” crossed appropriately, I will be given a link and password for eQIP, the “Personnel Security Investigation Portal”.  As I understand it, I will then enter virtually the same data that I delivered on paper today.  Gotta love the government!

This process is necessary so that I may be given access to the military’s computer network.  As simple and mundane as my current workplace responsibilities are, I’ve only been doing half of them since I am unable to enter data into the GoArmyEd application.  A co-worker has been graciously doing that portion of my job, but of course my boss would prefer I be fully functional.  It’s all a little frustrating since I previously held a “secret” clearance which was supposedly archived when I retired.  Alas, all that documentation has mysteriously disappeared.  I blame Edward Snowden.  Bastard.

Anyway, having taken care of business (on my own dime by the way) I headed on over to the commissary to restock the larder.

Here’s what I bought for $104.46…

Here’s how I carried said groceries home…

And here’s how they looked when I unpacked them…

Obviously, I love the benefit of shopping in what is essentially an American grocery store. But schlepping the shit home is a real pain in the ass.  Today I took the 143 bus to Gireum.  The bus stop is several blocks from the commissary gate (and the commissary is a block or so from the gate).  I had the good fortune of having a seat on the bus, but it was still a 45 minute ride.  There was a heater blowing right under my seat directly onto my bag with my frozen foods, but they seemed to weather the trip okay.  Another three blocks walking from the stop in Gireum to the apartment, and my arms were screaming. There’s got to be a better way.

We have what appears to be an oven in the new place, so I excitedly set about baking up a batch of walnut brownies.  Alas, either it is not a convection oven or it was in broil mode because within five minutes there was smoke and burned brownie batter.  Damn it.

At least the steaks and samgyapsal turned out okay…

And the view while grilling wasn’t bad either…

And so goes another day in paradise.