In sum

Today I took up the somewhat dubious, but no less entertaining, opportunity to summarise my life since Office Cadet School. The class is putting together a DVD of photos etc etc. It's fascinating to see what everyones been doing and how we've variously transformed from 21 years ago! In the spirit of total transparency this is how I described the last 21 years of my life:
"After graduation and two somewhat dull years as a Transport and Catering Troop Commander I left the Army in 1989 and went to Victoria University of Wellington. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women’s Studies I spent time working as a community newspaper journalist and wondering what to do next! Through a series of events I re-enlisted in the Army in February 1994, as a Specialist Officer in public information. I spent six months as the Assistant Public Information Officer (Army) – working for Bernie’s father, George. Then through an even more bazaar series of events I deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as the Public Relations Officer for the First New Force to deploy as part of UNPROFOR. Eight months later I arrived back in New Zealand having grown up a lot and generally looking for something new to do. I went back to my role as Assistant Public Information Officer (Army) and left the Army, again, in 1996 to take up a role in Treasury as the Assistant Director Communications, where I was involved in selling airports and the like. Was then head hunted into the Communications Director role at the then Ministry of Commerce, which we subsequently transformed into the Ministry of Economic Development. Somewhere in there I completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.
I leapt out of the public sector and into Fletcher Challenge in Auckland as the Communications Manager for Fletcher Building, just as they were pulling Fletchers apart. Ultimately joined the ranks of the redundant and got employed as a Communications Consultant for Sweeny Vesty in Auckland. Got lured, somewhat foolishly, from there into Fonterra and, with some relief got made redundant. I returned to Wellington, set myself up in my own consultancy while I completed a Masters in Diplomacy and Trade from Monash University in Australia.
Ultimately my dream has been to come and live and work in the USA so I entered the green card lottery and got selected. Arriving in the USA in September 2006 I lived on a Ranch in New Mexico for seven months and now reside in California. I have an online military museum dedicated to women who have served (www.bracketsw.com) and I am planning to buy a touring motorcycle by the end of the year. Currently I am writing a book and wondering what to do next. To say I am a restless soul would be an understatement! Along the way I have travelled a lot, drunk a lot, eaten well and fallen in and out of relationships. Right now happily single and content to keep it that way."
Okay to be fair it naturally has a professional focus. Still it more than amused me to think about what I had done over this time. Can't say I've dwelled long anywhere and those of you reading, who were involved in various phases, could add your own colourful potraits I'm sure! Nice to have a sense of no regrets - that in itself would seem to be an achievement worth celebrating.