In Transition

The time has come to stop dreaming and to get down and dirty with patrol training. My last day in the courthouse was Thursday. I had a lot of conflicting emotions. Everyone was telling me that I would be great on patrol and they had been happy working with me. I believe them the they were happy to work with me. I do not know whether they believe that I can make on patrol or not. When I tried out for the Patrol list last year they all said the same thing and it came as a surprise that I did not make it on the list. But that is just me scared that I may not make it on patrol.

I was touched though at the caring that everyone showed. Most of my co-workers took some time out to talk to me personally. One female co-worker in particular was overcome with emotion as she told me that she was worried that I would be, "Chewed up by Patrol." I never knew that I was that cared for by my co-worker. It was hard to know what to think. I was very sobered by the experience.

Today, we came back from the ranch. It was the only vacation that I could have in the next few months. We relaxed, had fun, and did nothing at all to stress us out. I feel like it was not long enough but it was worth it and I hope that we can benefit from it. The next few months will see.

Beginning the Journey

I have a lot to be nervous about since I found out that I was the finalist for a position at work. I decided sometime last year that I wanted to move on with my career. Working the jail for years that I did and working in the courthouse has given me the confidence that I can do the job I was trained to do. It has not been easy to come to this conclusion. There are many that I work with who have no desire to move on to new challenges or new positions. They are happy to do as little as they can to earn a paycheck. There are many reasons for their attitude. They may be tired of working, burnt out by the evil in the world, or maybe just lazy. Whatever the reason for there attitude I have found myself becoming susceptible to it. I never thought that I would be good enough to make it in the Patrol division.

But now it is a new day, I am going to be transferring to Patrol in 5 days. I want to blog my way through the experience. So here it comes I hope that I can keep it up. :)

The Ice Cream shop

My wife prevailed over me again and I found myself driving to the local ice cream shop to get her favorite. As I pulled up to the parking lot, it was packed which was startling. The shop parking has never been more than a third packed in my experience. When I walked up to the door it became apparent why the shop was so inundated. A group of women of varying age were standing just inside the doorway. They wore denim blue tee shirts with words Trading Bases printed in black on the front and a number on the back. The line that they formed wound all the way to the entrance. I merely had to open the door and I was in line. To
The women were all talking in enthusiastic victorious chatter. Clearly they had won the game and were here to celebrate the victory. Scurrying about the legs of everyone in the ice cream shop were a myriad of children. The children were chased by the corresponding myriad of fathers, grandfathers, and grandmothers. Exasperation was on the face of a few of the fathers. The fathers were trying to catch the eyes of their wives trying in vain to pass off the kids back to the women. But the mothers in blue ignored or were oblivious to the attempted hand offs of children. The ecstasy was pulsating of the Trading Bases players. Life can best be summed up in this one moment in the ice cream shop. Even when life seems to want to drag you back down into it you have a choice to resist it. We join a team or start a group in order to get out of life's grip. We need to feel as though we still got something to give us more purpose than raising kids and working. Sometimes we get to feel that purpose pulsating through your body. Hold on to it try not to let go.