So tonight I found out I've been laboring under a serious misconception. I thought I had all the ICS/NIMS classes I needed. Turns out I only had one.
So, since I'm not doing much in the next few weeks, I will be spending some serious, quality time with the ICS websites, taking -200, and -800 (just did -100) this evening. How fun!
On Facebook, I'm reading about all the people who are going back to the Ice, and finding that I really want to go back. Impossible now, what with school starting shortly, but someday. Perhaps after the wedding?
On the school front, loan has been applied for and sent to the school, which has to certify it. Arguments have been made with the registrar over the status of my Eng Comp class, which I took, and can't prove, since not even I keep a syllabus for 12 years, and King's doesn't have the course description online (it seems that class is no longer offered). So I'll be making some phone calls in the coming weeks to see if the department chair has something to help me out.
I seem to be in a strange place at the fire house. I'm a probie, and therefore subject to all the normal rules regarding probies (curfew, no staying overnight, no hanging out in the lounge, etc), which is just fine by me. I need time to get acquainted with these people and learn my way around THIS particular station. And I'm not flaunting my long-time certification either...in fact, I'm trying to downplay it. But I've been cleared to ride as OIC by all the EMS officers, routinely asked to help out on probie nights, and other things that seem to belie my probie status. It's a tough position to be in, and I'm still trying to work it out. I really am trying hard to remind people that I do still have probie status, but it's hard when you are so far ahead of some of the other newer members. And it's hard to have to keep reminding the officers that I haven't been shown how to sign in on the log book, given a passcode to get in the door, or gotten the ability to sign on to the station computers.
Though I guess that could be taken as a good sign....
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Craziness
This summer has been nutty.
Between working 10+ hours/day, 5 days/week, trying to get stuff in line for school in the fall, getting things together at the fire house, and getting stuff ready for vacation, I've barely had time to breath.
I dropped to part-time at the ambo company, and actually haven't been back since just before vacation. Last week wasn't good, what with getting things back together at the house after vacation, and with C's parents coming up for a visit. They left this morning, so I can relax a bit again. I like them a lot, but they are very...MidWest, and I am not, so I feel as if I always have to be on good behavior. No swearing, that kind of stuff.
Fire house stuff is going well. I got excused for the meetings and such I missed due to work, and have already been signed off as an OIC. Which is funny, since I still don't know what the hell is going on, and everyone kind of just assumes that I know what's going on since I've been doing this so long. But I've hashed things out with the EMS Captain, who was in my refresher course last year, and he's on board with everything that's been going on, so no worries on that front. Tomorrow night is drill, and the first one I'll have been to, so it should be interesting. The only things I have to do between now and then is get an account on the state's online reporting system, and make sure I'm up-to-date on the new protocol updates, and I should be good to go. Aside from that pesky 'probie' status of course.
Vacation was wonderful, if a bit wet the first week, but it was everything I needed and more. If anyone is uber-curious about what I do in my spare time, check out my pictures.
As for school stuff, I have placed out of the computer class, thanks to a quick run to the bookstore to buy an 'Access for Dummies' book. The class just covered the Microsoft Office Suite, and it seemed rather silly to me to take a whole semester class just to learn one program. So I gave myself the quick, 2am crash course version, which seemed to work, since I found out today I passed the challenge test, and can remove that class from my fall schedule. Today was finding funding, which I did, and am just waiting because C has to cosign my loan. Tomorrow will be a trip to campus to argue with the registrar, who have muddled up my transfer courses, and are telling me that I have to take several credits-worth of classes that I have already taken. Parking permit has been obtained and will be mailed here (though it doesn't go into effect until the second day of classes, so I have to remember to bring quarters for the meter), and once the loan is fully approved, the only other thing is finding the money for books.
Which brings on a mini-rant. I know books are expensive...I remember my eyeballs bugging out at having to pay over $100 worth of books for one class. And I figured things would be more expensive now, given that it's been nearly 10 years since I last bought books. But seriously..nearly $1000 for books alone? And that's including the used price for those I could get used. Amazon, thankfully, has prices that are a bit more sane, and the chair of the program sent us a link to another place to get books a little more cheaply, but still. It's a bit ridiculous.
I do still need to get a bookbag and notebooks and so on. But things are slowly coming together. I'm beginning to get excited.
And on that note, a plug...For those of you who don't know, EMT-extraordinaire and far-more-prolific-than-I blogger Epi is also attempting medic school, and is having some financial difficulties. While my own adventures prevent me from helping her out right now, I'm asking all 2 of my readers to consider helping her our. She has a recent post up that explains all. Please, help an incredible EMT move up the ranks.
Between working 10+ hours/day, 5 days/week, trying to get stuff in line for school in the fall, getting things together at the fire house, and getting stuff ready for vacation, I've barely had time to breath.
I dropped to part-time at the ambo company, and actually haven't been back since just before vacation. Last week wasn't good, what with getting things back together at the house after vacation, and with C's parents coming up for a visit. They left this morning, so I can relax a bit again. I like them a lot, but they are very...MidWest, and I am not, so I feel as if I always have to be on good behavior. No swearing, that kind of stuff.
Fire house stuff is going well. I got excused for the meetings and such I missed due to work, and have already been signed off as an OIC. Which is funny, since I still don't know what the hell is going on, and everyone kind of just assumes that I know what's going on since I've been doing this so long. But I've hashed things out with the EMS Captain, who was in my refresher course last year, and he's on board with everything that's been going on, so no worries on that front. Tomorrow night is drill, and the first one I'll have been to, so it should be interesting. The only things I have to do between now and then is get an account on the state's online reporting system, and make sure I'm up-to-date on the new protocol updates, and I should be good to go. Aside from that pesky 'probie' status of course.
Vacation was wonderful, if a bit wet the first week, but it was everything I needed and more. If anyone is uber-curious about what I do in my spare time, check out my pictures.
As for school stuff, I have placed out of the computer class, thanks to a quick run to the bookstore to buy an 'Access for Dummies' book. The class just covered the Microsoft Office Suite, and it seemed rather silly to me to take a whole semester class just to learn one program. So I gave myself the quick, 2am crash course version, which seemed to work, since I found out today I passed the challenge test, and can remove that class from my fall schedule. Today was finding funding, which I did, and am just waiting because C has to cosign my loan. Tomorrow will be a trip to campus to argue with the registrar, who have muddled up my transfer courses, and are telling me that I have to take several credits-worth of classes that I have already taken. Parking permit has been obtained and will be mailed here (though it doesn't go into effect until the second day of classes, so I have to remember to bring quarters for the meter), and once the loan is fully approved, the only other thing is finding the money for books.
Which brings on a mini-rant. I know books are expensive...I remember my eyeballs bugging out at having to pay over $100 worth of books for one class. And I figured things would be more expensive now, given that it's been nearly 10 years since I last bought books. But seriously..nearly $1000 for books alone? And that's including the used price for those I could get used. Amazon, thankfully, has prices that are a bit more sane, and the chair of the program sent us a link to another place to get books a little more cheaply, but still. It's a bit ridiculous.
I do still need to get a bookbag and notebooks and so on. But things are slowly coming together. I'm beginning to get excited.
And on that note, a plug...For those of you who don't know, EMT-extraordinaire and far-more-prolific-than-I blogger Epi is also attempting medic school, and is having some financial difficulties. While my own adventures prevent me from helping her out right now, I'm asking all 2 of my readers to consider helping her our. She has a recent post up that explains all. Please, help an incredible EMT move up the ranks.
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