Houskeeping

 In a couple of weeks it will be a year since I began this blog. Although there was a large blank spot between December and May with no posts, I have kept up some fairly regular posting, and this post should be around #89. At this point I am still not sure why I am doing this or where it is going. Obviously my writing habits have seen all sorts of changes as I try new things and see how each style affects me or elicits a response from the reader. It has been interesting. I also cannot overlook the therapeutic effects of allowing me to vent from time to time. Putting it 'out there' and leaving it lie has had some benefits for me, and therefore, those around me as I am not as grumpy as I might be otherwise.
 That 6 month blank spot back last winter can be attributed to 2 things: 1) I was going through a rough patch over a patient/friend/co-worker and nothing "creative" was coming to mind during that period (you all read about in the posts in December & May), and 2) It was my 'busy season', although I didn't realize that until this morning.
 I am busy all the time. I volunteer to help out with a lot of stuff and rarely turn anyone down when they need my help. But in the late fall and through to the spring I also join a group of instructors who visit Departments all over the area to bring them their annual OSHA 8 hour Refresher training. We do this either in 2 nights of 4 hours each, or a single day. Sometimes it is like having a second full time job without the burden of a paycheck.
 I enjoy teaching. It is a lot like patient care in that you have a responsibility to deliver a service that meets a high standard, and many times YOU are the only one who knows if you did a proper job. Each year I work on a new 1 hour program segment to keep it totally fresh. For the last several years I have had some stuff that has brought very positive feedback. Each year it gets harder, and each year is completely different from the previous years. This year's session is from a completely different direction and when I came up with the idea, I was hesitant to broach it to the teaching team for review. They looked it over, shrugged their collective shoulders and said, "Well, lets give it a try, this one is all about how you deliver it." With that in mind, I gave the pilot delivery a couple of weeks ago.

 We had some technical issues with the projector which broke the flow a little bit, but it came off pretty much as planned. I didn't get  a lot of feedback from the students as I have in the past, but I could also see that I had them thinking, which is always the goal. The subject matter is as serious as it can get and I was glad to see that nobody was dozing off. I got good participation from the class with questions and comments, and for me that was a key sign. We rolled this session out at a Department that I always have a hard time with. The group is a fine bunch of people, but they never really participate in the sessions, they just want it over. This time was different and I got the feeling that I really got through by making a direct connection between the subject we were discussing and the types of jobs they have done in the past. It pays to know your audience.
 Anyway, as I enter my busy season and add 2 nights of teaching a week to my schedule of 2 company meetings a month, a department meeting, officers meeting, drills, duty days, and a handful of other things, please don't be surprised if my posting drops off. I'll try to do better than last year, but I can't make any promises. I am hoping that after the end of the year, when I turn my Officer's seat over to someone else, things might ease up a bit.
 If you don't see me posting as much, just drop me a comment. I don't get many of those and it will probably wake me up. Of course you can always go read some of the many, many better blogs out there. I have close to 50 in my reading list these days and you should too. There is a lot to learn and think about out there. You really shouldn't miss my pitiful contributions too much. Let's just take it a week at a time.
 Be well, Stay safe,
UU