Absent WithOut Leave-
I offer my sincere apologies to the Crossfire/SWAT community for my extended absence. I might have posted a Notice Of Departure had I known I would be away from these boards for so long! I have had so much conflict at work, that I could not bear the prospect of reading more of it here, so I have stayed away; selfish, perhaps, but necessary at the time.
I have recently just emerged from the fight of my professional life to keep my job as an engineer; despite the fact that I was hired for the position with my employer's full knowledge that I had no real qualifications for the job when I was hired nearly a year ago. I have managed to learn enough about a new engineering discipline to fulfill my duties, but not without a heavy cost in mental fatigue, and constant tension with my boss over the minute details of day-to-day operations.
Up until last week, I was among several people who were convinced that we would be the next to be fired. I discovered that my boss has gone through over 300 empoyees in a 5-year period (either fired or quit), in search of the "perfect" employees, and he has only a 40-man shop! No one seems to be safe, since even highly-qualified people are fired for mistakes that are not entirely their own responsibility. And yet, this last week I am told that I will be the project manager of a multi-million dollar project that will take all year to complete (and do my other work besides!), so it appears that I am needed after all.
Crossfire & SWAT have still been in my thoughts, though I have not been here to make a contribution to discussion, or complete the work I began to do to collaborate on a transition team. I will continue to support this community to the extent that I can, which I hope will be more and more often, now that the crisis point has passed for me. I hope to complete some work I promised to OP, now that I have some holiday time, and I look forward to beginning fresh with the new year.
My finacial & moral support for OP & this community have never wavered, and will continue into 2010, as long as I have a log-in! I only hope that people can look to the new year as a new horizon, forget the troubles of the past, and rebuild what has been for me a haven of recreation and creativity. I cherish all the relationships I have made here, and I look forward to many more hours & days of fun with all who will look forward to what CF can be once again. 
