It is a Monday, Day 9

Argh.  Today was a Monday, for sure.  Didn't sleep well last night, the alarm clock went off far too early, and the teachers got into even harder topics.  Thanks to a good walk and help from today's birthday boy, I have been able to get refocused.  Panic hit this afternoon and I considered throwing away my "problem" and starting over again.  As said, I have refocused, pulled my wits together, and realize this would be quite the wrong thing to do.  So, tonight, work on homework and my required 10-12 page paper formatted per APA (American Psychological Association) which has all these silly rules about indenting, spacing, using italics, not using italics - really????  This stuff matters?  Check out this PDF at WHO KNEW? It's moments like these when I realize a college education (beyond the token first year I attended) would have really helped me out today!!  I will get through this - and be better because of it!!

Had a great walk after class - although very hot and very humid.  These walks have become mandatory for my sanity after sitting all day.  Went north up a new road and captured these two images.  I also added a few others from the weekend.  Hope your Monday was kinder.

The two-toned home!

A mansion by the Lake.

Happy Birthday Michael!

Today is Mike T's birthday!!  Send him a text, give him a call - happy birthday, dear Husband!!

Day 6 (Friday) & Day 7 )

Thanks to Captain Martin for a ride to the car rental shop on Friday.  This is what it looks like to be a Philadelphia Fire Department Captain!!  Beautiful truck!  Got to Scott and Stephanie's house Friday night around 6pm and discovered the same truck, different color!  Nice trucks!

 

We picked up Janet and all enjoyed a very nice meal at Bristol Harbor.  The evening was just the right temperature, the dinner delicious, and the Mark West wine delicious.  Saturday, Scott's birthday, started off with a great walk along Canadagua Lake, a giant breakfast, ride on the lake, and finished with a feast.  Oysters, shrimp, clams, and lobster along with fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, and a great salad was enjoyed by all.  We sat around a warm fire and watched the full moon rise.  Happy Birthday Scott! 

 

Here are some of the weekend pictures. 

 

 Baxter.  The fat goat.

Future home of VonBacho's Italian Restaurant.......(ask Stephanie!)

The Birthday Boy and his Bride in the Boat!!

What beautiful homegrown tomatoes.

Feast.

Enjoying his birthday with lovely Stephanie!  Thank you both for a fantastic break from campus and spending time together!  Good luck getting back into the swing of work!



Day Five

Theories and statistics.  The X and Y Theories.  Means and modes and bell curves.  Decision making.  Leadership types.  We are in the groove now!!  I have identified "my" theory - Theory Z developed by Japanese author William Ouchi.  Who knew all this kind of thinking has been going on?!!

Tomorrow is a short day.  Car is rented for a get-away to celebrate Mike's brother's Scott's birthday!  It will be so great to hook up with Scott and Stephanie.  I do believe the photograph content is about to get a different look.  There  may be no Day Six posting, with traveling and all.  We'll see.

Tonight's walk took me to the west out into the country.  It is a nice walk but the road has zero shoulder.  A little frightening when cars and trucks go zooming by.  Here are some shots from the walk.

Gees flocking up to fly south.

Emmitsburg Volunteer Department

Day Four

Promise me, dear and loving husband, promise me, Mike T, that you too will come to this place.  To walk across the bricks etched with names of our fellow brothers and sisters who have died - some for good reason, some needlessly.  Promise me that you will sit in the white-walled classrooms and listen to the instructors teach - some better instructors than others.  That you will look across at your classmates and see yourself in them.  You will hear their worries and their complaints and realize these are yours too.  And know, like they know, that what we do is an amazing privilege.  And know, like they know, that we are bound by trust and respect and knowledge.  Because with knowledge, we can keep each other safer - demand on it - and be around another day to help out others in need.  With knowledge, we can build stronger organizations and stronger teams.  Promise me you will come here one day soon.  You have earned it, you deserve it, and it will complete you as a firefighter.

The Theory Flow Chart.

Explain and Predict - that's Theory.

Scenes from a walk in the Emmitburg Park. 

Queen Anne's Lace waiting to become  puzzle! I love this image.

Nuts!

Inky Cap Mushrooms in the Nun's Lawn!

Squirrel's dinner bench.

 

Day Three

Dug in.  That's how today feels.  Dug in, doing work, trying to process, hearing much about Theory.  This is instructor Tom emphasizing the importance of image and public perception. 

The humidity and temperatures eased today.  It felt, as I remember, like the beginning of fall.  A really nice day to have to spend cooped up in a training room.  Still, that is why we came here.  To learn.

Last light, Building H, NFA Campus

Homework is finished.  Tonight's walk  took me down the alley ways off Emmitsburg's main street, both north and south directions.  This photographic challenge will get harder now the easy streets are done.  I was especially surprised and delighted to find datura growing out in front of the Catholic church.  Very pretty flower.

 

Wildlife sighting!

Interesting similarity of lines in the two above images.

Have a nice night.  Thanks for viewing my blog!

Day Two

First day of class.

There are 16 of us in this class.  Several are Chiefs, many Battalion Chiefs, some Captains, and a few Lieutenants.  A room full of thinkers. 

Two instructors work with us to help us grasp theory.  Theory - The two main purposes of theory are to explain and to predict.  A few of us are feeling a bit woozey!!  Our assignment is to come up with a problem (at work) which we can have influence to make change.  This is not an easy task.

Our day was finished with a briefing at the library.  The NFA library is a very unique and specialized library with its topic specific to our service.  I imagine I will be visiting this place once or twice in the next couple of weeks.

 

My head was spinning by now.  This is what was seen when one looked up!

 

 





 

I have limited time to decide.  What problem shall I tackle?  I query my class mates over a beer and discover some are opting for easy problems - changing a color on their helmet.  Updating a policy to reflect better practices.  There may be some serious wisdom here.  I need to stretch further.

 

 

Dead locust on the dorm step.  Apparently he had a big problem.

Sycamore bark at sunset.

 

A walk up the streets of downtown Emmitsburg to complete the day.

 

 

NFA student contemplates his problems!!  



Day One

Greetings Blog Followers.  Day One.  As a way to get to know my new camera better, I have assigned myself to a 14 day photojournalistic task.  Each day, while taking this class at the National Fire Academy, I will post pictures and thoughts from the day.

 

Shrine to Fallen Firefighters.

Today, of course, a big travel day.  Michael and I got up (with a groan) at 4:15 MST.  A quick shower, double check on luggage and items and we were off to the airport. Jackson gate below.

Today I learned there are 7 flights that commence from the Jackson airport between 4:30 am to 7:30 am.  The airport was a zoo!  I got checked in and through security without a hitch. Below, luggage at the Dulles baggage area.

A short hour in Ohare, one gin and tonic and some oriental lunch, and all aboard to Dulles.  The FEMA van showed up on time (the fire academy is under the FEMA umbrella) and several fellow students and I made our venture north to Emmitsburg, MD without incident (despite the rather aggressive operation of a van).
Two images below captured while standing in line at O'Hare.

 

 

I am now checked in and settled into Building F, Room 204.  Down the hall is the Fire Marshal from Eureka, CA - where Larry and Donna Ulrich live.  There is a place to put our business cards next to our doors.  I snooped as I made my way down the hall! 

 

Images from the campus here at the National Fire Academy.

 

 

 

Room 204, view of work area.