Report From Ladder Company 40 Day 140 and 141

Hi Team! 

Sorry I have been making a lot of double posts lately.  It's not that I don't want to blog, I am just choosing to go to bed a little ealier and have been very busy during the day, for the most part.

Tuesday, Not much to report.  I drank barely two quarts (but that was the minimum goal, right?) and I slept very well.  It was not an exercise day but I kept busy and active.  Thats 3 for 3.  Nothing exciting to report for the day.

Wednesday:  Well, I did well on sleep.  I went to bed early Tuesday night and got an extra  hour.  YAY ME!  I drank lots of fluids, probably closer to 3 quarts.  I did NOT get my workout with Coach Alex.  I did make an attempt, but I decided tossing cookies was workout enough.  :(   I woke up tuesday morning with a sore throat and by the time I was ready for work my stomach was churning.  I went to work and after my shift I drove to the mall to meet Coach Alex.  I figured I would at least try to do my walk.  I barely got parked when the cookies were tossed and I called Coach to tell her I was not walking.  I went home and went to bed.  I woke up at noon, had some yogurt to put something on my stomach and drank some tea.  Then I went to work. (No subs available... staff/child ratios to keep)  I did okay the rest of the day.
But that puts me 2 for 3.  Or maybe 2.5 for effort. 

I did post on the Crusty Jakes on Monday that I had been elected secretary of the fire buff battalion and had been issued my coat and phone.  I posted a picture of me in the coat and mentioned that I probably won't be issused bunker pants and boots for a very long time as the city budget is in the tank.  I checked the thread Tuesday and a chief from Detroit posted in my thread that he might be able to scrounge me a pair of boots and pants!  OMG!  That BLEW me away!!!!  This man knows my background, somewhat.  He has a business in audio visual technology/advertising and is hiring ff's police and ems people to work for him all over the country.  (EASY work, GOOD pay, works well with ff's rotating schedules and requires no financial commitment from you to get into the job:  if you want to know more about it ask me!  He's still hiring!)  He hired me so he knows I'm a wannabe and that I want to go to school etc.  Even so, I was so surprised  and tickled by his offer!    The "guys" on the Crusty Jakes are SO supportive.  I LOVE them!!!  I am posting a cut and paste of the thread I started there so you can see why.

The title of the post is:  A FEW BABY STEPS FORWARD

I wrote:
Hi! I just wanted to share my recent successes.



I was recently elected Secretary of our local Fire Buff Battalion and issued a FD ID badge and Fire Buff Battalion phone so that I can now respond to fire calls and serve with the canteen unit. I got my coat but due to budget issues may not get my boots and bunker pants for a LONG time.


So.... I'll get wet. Sigh.


Even better though...


Yesterday I was accepted into the EMT program at my local community college. (I finished all the pre-requisites over the weekend). I start class in late March.  I suspect most will be half my age in the class. I wish I had done this 25 years ago, but I'm not letting anything stop me now!

ROOKIELZ Wrote:

And the chant starts.


"Go Flash Go!"


Every step no matter how small is another step closer. If you want this bad enough, nothing will stop in your way.
And as for the age of the others in your class?
So?
You have kids. They probably are in the process of putting you through as many hair raising experiences as they can. It actually helps in the long run. You've done vomit, diarrhea, sleepless nights, organizing, multi tasking. You know a yell of frustration from one of true pain without even being in the same room.


You've got the upper hand here, IMHO.


Now, go gettum Flash!

cjminick390 wrote:

Sounds like you are off to a great start.

Ladder8 wrote:

Go Flash!

depchief135 wrote:

Very nice!

capfiremedic wrote:

Canteen....


Never seen one. We aren't that well thought of until called, then it's "What the hell took you so long?"


Good deal though, study and learn well. You'll do fine.

(Note:  I wrote Cap back and told him I thought well of him!)

Chief54 wrote:

Hey flash! Maybe I can scrounge up some bunkers and boots. What size boots? I have your address from your application so if I can get them I can ship them to you.


Also I'll be in Seattle just before I do the Firehouse World Expo in San Diego on 3-1-10 or just after, to work on a display for Microsoft and to find out if FF can build and install them. how far are you from Seattle?

I wrote:

OMG! That is a very nice offer! Might be a tough one to fill. I wear a women's size 6, (Mens 41/2 ) shoe. Don't know what the correlation is to boot sizes because I've never owned a pair! As far as how far am I from Seattle? Not very! I am 1- 1 1/2 hours away (to the south) depending on traffic. It would be great to meet you in person either way! You have my cell number if you want to call me.



fireball wrote:

i'm very happy for you.congrats.

MikeWard wrote:

Congrats on the gear.

You will do fine in the EMT course.

kjohn23 wrote:

comgrats

Dalmatian90 wrote:

Nice.

nwfdcapt26-respctdajob wrote:
 
You're only too old when you're dead! Never let age hold you back. Often it's only the condition to what you aged to, and not the the age you've reached.
 
Scrappy wrote:
 
I'm the oldest in my paramedic class by 6 years. I'm nearly as old as one of hte instructors! Age means nothing..in fact, most of the 'older' EMT students I know do better than the young kids, and are better EMTs. As for boots, I had to buy my own because I take the same size and my dept didn't have them. It's a write off on your taxes...
 
(Note:  Not as a volunteer with the fire buffs it isn't.  Sigh)
 
drkblram wrote:
 
Scrappy, just thinking about it, in my EMT-B class. we lost almost 1/2 the class. The VAST majority were "college age" kids. The adults (use 24+ for this situation) had maybe a 10% drop out rate.
 
I wrote:
 
Thanks guys for all the encouragement. I am definitely not dead yet!



And another thing I have on my side is that I know what it is like to have let my dreams go. The youngin's have no idea how hard that can make life.


I'm not letting go again!



So, now you can see why I hang out there!  They know who I am and what I am up to and they allow me to be a part of their family.  I keep telling you I am very blessed and this is just more evidence of it. 

THANKS BRO FOR SENDING ME THERE!!!

Stay safe!

Hotflash out.