my journey, destination unknown
While it was not a goal of my current portion of my Happiness Project, it is a lovely side consequence. Though we bought a simple table and chairs to replace my beloved mission table (now living with a friend), we hadn’t eaten at the table much since we moved to Decatur. I didn’t have the…
Someone asked me the other day if the Christmas panic had reached me yet. For the first time in a decade or longer, the answer was “No. I’m on top of it.” And I plan to keep it that way. What has made this holiday season the least stressful one that I’ve had in recent…
How many times have I said this over the past 10 years? I cannot even count the times… Over the past couple of years, I’ve been working hard to finish up projects, transfer projects, move on. Just to give myself a little bit of breathing room. Find the things that truly are worth my time….
While I haven’t been out on a “DAT response” to a fire in some time, I have actually spent three afternoons at the main office learning how I can assist there. While I do hope to go to fires on occasion, I finally realized the unpredictability and the six-hour shifts of being on call doesn’t…
The past few months have been a bit chaotic. Holiday season, snow day after snow day and then winter break. As such, I have barely stayed caught up at work and fallen behind in all my other projects, including volunteering. I am frustrated that I’ve spent all this time on trainings and have done so…
This past weekend, Chloe’s gymnastics gym hosted the big “state meet” for a number of levels, not including Chloe’s. We “gym parents” have been inundated with emails for weeks now in regards to what we are required to donated and what our required volunteer shifts will be. I find it a bit off-putting to call…
This weekend is the Fall Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector Blitz here in Decatur. As a member of the Fire CAPS (Citizens Assisting Public Safety) team, I am welcomed and encouraged to join along. While in the past, I’ve ridden along in one of the big firetrucks, yesterday I was lucky enough to get to ride with…
I woke up nervous. I couldn’t shake it. My weeks of CERT classes back in April were going to be put to the test. What if I did everything wrong. But I put on my jeans and sneakers, grabbed my backpack and headed out to DeKalb Fire/Rescue HQ. I soon saw people I knew from…
Moving forward in my volunteering this week. After a week out of town for September break (where I happily saw a Red Cross office just outside of Savannah), this week I dove back in to my training. Last Saturday I went to a training on the new assignment tool — akin to attending a training…
While we were on the beach the other day, Chloe and I watched some kids playing in the surf and the tidepools on skimboards. Chloe, of course, wanted to give it a try too. The store in town had rows and rows of boards. I agreed; skimboarding looked right up her alley. After choosing the…
As I’ve written before (volunteering: red cross and volunteering: red cross – Step 1), I’ve been working towards becoming a Red Cross volunteer. And after the 9.5 hours I’ve volunteered in the past two days, I suppose I am no longer “working towards it” but I am one — as a trainee on the Disaster…
Labor Day here in Decatur means, at the minimum, Dragon*Con and the Decatur Book Festival. This year as with last year, Rob and the girls have gotten a hotel room at Dragon*Con in order to have a comfortable place to crash during the day and to allow them to spend more time with friends and…
Last week, I completed my CERT Class. While I’m glad to have my Thursday nights back, I’ll miss heading to the class and learning more about disaster response each week. While I’m still hoping to volunteer with the Red Cross, I think I’m going to not sign up for any more classes right away. For…
A few months ago, I wrote about how I’ve longed to become a Red Cross volunteer for decades (decades?!?). A couple weeks ago, while I was working as a public safety (Decatur Police and Fire CAPS) volunteer at the Arts Festival, I was introduced to a Red Cross volunteer, and I begged for an introduction….
In fact, it actually began last week while I was in New York City. Trying to fit in an eight week class, even with our greatly reduced travel schedule, is a big challenge. Especially for an anxiety ridden person like me. Will I fit in? Will I make a fool of myself? Am I going…
I admit. I’m a dork. Through and through. While I am what I am, it is not worth trying to fight it. I am so much better now that I am willing to embrace it. And tonight, I found my way back home to congregate with my Fire CAPS friends. We didn’t do much ……
Years and years ago, back when I was in college, my parents did a very cool thing for me. They gave me a summer “on”. If I promised to work a volunteer job for the summer, they would help pay for my rent, car insurance and food. I only had to promise to work a…
With our move to Decatur a year and a half ago, our travels have dropped off dramatically. For one, Chloe is now not only in school, which hugely curtails our adventures, but she’s also on the gymnastics team. In addition, finances are tight as we’ve been carrying two mortgages. Although I’m disappointed about not getting…
Last week, I stopped by the police station after our high school tour, and I was presented with a new raincoat, jacket, hat, vest, and badge. Now that I graduated from the ‘citizens’ police academy”“, I can start to volunteer at many of Decatur’s events. I haven’t had radio or traffic direction training yet, but…
One of the goals/reasons for moving to Decatur was to give the girls more opportunities to be able to get places and do things on their own. Camille usually walks or walks home from homeschool classes (since it is two miles away, I usually drive her one way or the other). She goes to the…