Okay, so I still haven’t caught on to this whole continuous communication idea. I was supposed to write to you while I was in Georgia, and here I am in Washington D.C. So as you can guess, I am now a proud FLETC graduate. What excitement! What thrilling news! Whatever.

The worst thing about graduating from FLETC is leaving behind all these new friends I made. A little more than half our class came from different agencies, so the likelihood of seeing any of them is much more slight than seeing my Diplomatic Security class. Especially since they have to train with me in the DC area for the next four months or so. Furthermore, they all have to return to New York City in November for the U.N. General Assembly. Good times had by all, I swear.

In any case, my Papa Smurf left me on 7 December – Papa Smurf being Dennis, our class president, elder and mentor. That was the saddest thing for me for one reason or another. I really enjoyed getting to know him and I am sorry to have let him leave. He sped out of the FLETC gates no more than ten minutes after graduation….

Well, there’s no use crying about it now (although there wasn’t a dry eye in the house last Saturday for graduation). I am in Washington D.C. – actually, Arlington – and loving it! In fact, I live in a mall. How cool is that??

Technically, I don’t live IN the mall, but I do live in Pentagon Row, which is right next to the Pentagon City Mall. The apartment is quite nice, and if you’re really pleasant to me when you ask, I may even give you my address. So beg, dammit!

Well, whatever. I just finished arranging my apartment just so (I moved in yesterday), and now I have to get to sleep as I will be up again sometime around 4:45AM. Just so I can go play with firearms…yay.

I hope that makes you all dream those happy little dreams of safe, safe, SAFE boys and girls…

Good night, my darlings,
Ryan

P.S. The holidays are here! I finished my Christmas shopping and now have a mound of presents to wrap! What fun….oh, and if you have the time, go by our house in Philly and check out our decorations…