And then you wait.

I should have known better. I logged into the system to apply for the Foreign Service Officer Test, because it said I could apply last Saturday, only to find out that I can apply, but  not fill out my application for another couple of months.

There is a lot of waiting in this whole application process. I used to think I wasn't a patient person, but after a couple of years of doing this, I have come to be ridiculously patient.

Meanwhile, I go to work and sit in my cubicle for the greater part of my day. I escape twice a day to take a walk around our campus at work, it's a multi-facility campus. On one of my walks I run into a coworker, Buddy, who has recently procured a medical marijuana card, although legal in our state, is not acceptable for application into the Foreign Service (it's illegal after all).

Buddy recounted his first experience walking into a dispensary, wide eyed and curious. The worker asked Buddy if he was new to "all of this" meaning smoking pot. Buddy laughed and said, well no, I'm not new to this, miming smoking, but I am new to this, and motions to the walls covered in varietals. They laugh and the worker helps him find a strand to meet his medical needs, and tells Buddy, as a new client, he gets a freebie. Buddy, for his freebie asked for the "good stuff" to use when he didn't have to be at work and his kids were gone.

Buddy tells us about trying the "good stuff" and how he wasn't feeling any pain and his wife thought he was hilariously stoned. He turned around and in all seriousness admitted that marijuana might be improving his relationship with his son.  See Buddy has a stressful job, he is part of the leadership team, we all feel a bit of stress, and when he gets home normally, he doesn't have time or energy to talk to his kid or give him the attention the kid normally wants. Buddy says, now that he's smoking, and the kid doesn't know, they end up having the best conversations after work.

It's a random story, but one that I thought insightful. Who would have guess smoking marijuana could make you a better parent? I suppose that's not a typical result, but still, it's an interesting take away.

And these are the conversations I run in to as I wait to fill out my application. I wonder what will happen tomorrow!