Memorial Day

This Memorial Day was more bittersweet for me than most others have been. With my little brother gone with the Marines I found myself reflecting on the true meaning of the day more than usual. I have never really thought of it as just a vacation from school like some people I know. But this time it truly made me think of the men and boys my brothers age who died so that I can live and have the freedoms I do have.

Later in the day I went to a party with my friends. Some of whom are enlisted and some of whom were missing from the party because they are currently in deserts in other countries. One got back from field training the day before and one left for 4 months the next day. Playing kickball and swimming and dancing with these men who have just left boyhood and who would be leaving soon was also sad. Everyone made sure to give them a few extra hugs for the road.

I almost had to use my EMT Training more than once at the party. We play this game that is a mix of wrestleing, tag, and frogger. It leaves major bruises and more than a few people had to tap out before they got hurt. Playing it in the water was even more dangerous. It had less of a danger of simply getting bruises but more a danger that someone would be held under water by accident.

All in all it was a good Memorial day.

Silly Police

Disclaimer: I have no problem with law enforcement personel. In fact I have many friends who are in law enforcement.

So at 0645 this morning I was driving down the hwy in Fond du lac. I was going maybe 70(at the most) in a 65 zone. Yes I know I should have even been going that fast but I was keeping up with traffic. And then I made the mistake of trying to pass the car I had been following for an hour. As I was passing him I saw the trooped ahead of me and took my foot off the gas and let it drop to 65. At this point the guy on my right flew past me. And after I got in the right hand lane again the trooper pulled me over.

He took a good look at the box that was taking up most of my car and then told me he was giving me a written warning for speeding. Yeah right. I know he did not clock me speeding. I figured he had pulled me over because he didn't think I could see well enough to be safely driving with that box in my car. In fact he tested this by pulling up behind me so I could not see him out of my side mirrors and then turned his lights on so that he was only in my rear view mirror.

So now for the first time in my life I have gotten in trouble with the law. I am more angry that he pulled me over for going 1 mph above the speed limit when all the cars around me were going faster. And he could have just said that the box looked dangerous and not given me a warning.

Grrrr

Reciprocity

For my summer job I was getting all ready and packing. Buying sunscreen and soap and such things necessary to live somewhere for 2 months. And then my boss sent me an email. Dear Freckles I sent your credentials into the health department and they have decided that you are not qualified enough. Apparently in this state being a NREMT is not enough. So now I have to prove that I took a class and have the WI EMS bureau fill out paper work on me to send to them. And then I will get a number that will allow me to take a refresher course and test to be a legal EMT in the state I will be working in all summer. That is all fine I can do that. The problem is this state is a 10+ hour drive for me and I have to take the refresher course there. And with enough time to fill out all the necessary paperwork and have it all filed and cool before I am supposed to start working. I have 1 month.

Well here is hoping for Reciprocity to go quickly and everything to fall in place easily.