Life of a Contractor

It has been a roller coaster ride, fast and furious, exhilarating and scary for the past 10 days. I knew when I accepted this contract it was short as I was completing the contract of a person who left prematurely. Not to worry, I was told..we have had that contract for years and even tho' there is no guarantee, we expect it will be renewed. My contract expired September 30, 2009 and there was no signature on the new proposal.

I was in the parking lot ready to leave base, not knowing when or if I would ever enter again when Col. Snyder came running and screaming "the contract has been signed." I was escorted to systems for a new ID card and was told everything was good to go until 12.31.09. Not really "good to go" because I had already lost all of my security clearances and when I returned to work 10.1.09, my computer was locked. It is absolute hell gaining security within the US Military system.

I sat on my balcony early in the week, contemplating my fate. I am not ready to leave Europe. That was my conclusion after heavy thinking, no thinking, over sleeping, no sleeping, over eating, no eating. But now, I have until 12.31.09 before I have to repeat this scenario again.

To relieve stress, I participated in a 5K walk for breast cancer awareness, I went to the gym and worked out on the eliptical for 45 minutes, I enrolled in a cooking class in Italy over Thanksgiving holiday and I booked my flight to Ireland for Christmas. This will pretty much put me up to 12.31.09.

I have options. I can apply for a GS position (good chance I would secure a job) or I can expect that my present company will be awarded the contract in January, which is a new 5 year contract, or hope that if a new company is awarded the contract they will want to retain me. Another possibility is none of these happen and I leave. I don't want to leave and I don't think it will happen. If it does, hey...I'll know how to cook really good Italian food and you can all come to dinner.

Ciao!