Day of Remembrance

I woke up this morning warm and comfortable next to my girlfriend and my first waking thoughts were looking back at how I had woken up a year before. I wasn't dating at the time so I was alone, and my radio chirped with a weird call requesting ALS for two students found on campus in "cardiac arrest". Something about the dispatcher's voice might have been wrong, but not enough to give me any conscious pause; I looked out the window at grey skys, the wind was howling and snow flurries were blowing horizontally past the window. Instead of going back to sleep I got up and showered, but when I came out I had already forgotten about the wake up call. I was probably five minutes from leaving for work when dispatch came back on requesting all available rescue personnel respond to a shooting on campus. I figured the "cardiac arrests" were a shooting then, but couldn't understand what good we were going to do about an hour later...nevertheless I threw on my jacket that has "rescue" printed across the back, ran out, and of course the reason for the delay is now well known.

Today is a brilliant sunny day, warm, students wandering about with the day off...and as everyone was gathering on the drillfield for the "remembrance" ceremony, the campus looked as much as it ever has like a place where shit like last year just doesn't happen. Knowing it did happen is the hardest part...just one more thing trying to chip at the perception I've always had here that you can leave your car unlocked, front door ajar, and walk alone through the dark on your way home at night. In my opinion, it's a perception worth keeping even though it isn't always true. So for my remembrance of the ones we lost I am going to fight fear by leaving work early and enjoying the day. And maybe propping open any locked doors I happen across.

Bird in the combustor

Yes, this happened two years ago. Whatever. I just found the photo and thought I would share.

David and I had walked out to start some experiments and somehow this bird has flown in thru the exhaust stack and into the test section.

We released it and eventually it was smart enough to fly out through the loading door in the lab.

Passed the NR-EMT-I tests

Took the written test last Thursday and managed to pass that. They don't even give you a score, so who knows how close it was or was not. Then spent most of Saturday at the practical test; eight stations with 11 different practical skills tested. Managed to get past that too, so as far as I know I'm an NR-EMT-I now.

Of course I still have to wait for the paperwork to come in the mail for it to be official. And apply for VA reciprocity. And get the local MD to accept me. And get cleared by the squad.

Yep, practicing at my new level is right around the corner :)

Hokies vs. Yankees

Ok, didn't turn out to be a very competitive matchup, but who really thought it would be?

The important things were that they came and played, and that everyone enjoyed the experience. They came for the right reasons.

The day had a buzz of excitement and awkwardness about it at the same time. I never really let it out of my mind that this game only happened because of the tragedy of last April 16th. I found myself wondering several times how it felt to be a Yankee, here for the purpose of showing support for the Hokie spirit, and at the same time knowing you are going to demolish the team.

Anyway, as far as I could tell everyone played a sportsmanlike game and I've got nothing bad to say about anyone. Alison and I had awesome seats and a wonderful time. I can't imagine I'll ever have a better view of a professional baseball team...row E behind home plate. We could hear the players talking with each other and almost hear the talk between the batters and the umpire at home place. Neat-o :)

I kept my own scorecard for the first time since high school. I wound up mostly remembering how to do it to which was a surprise...I may start doing that again when I go to games. With most scoreboards becoming so advanced, they tell you what batters did at previous at-bats, I kind of felt it wasn't worth it. But doing it again reminded me how much more you can "see" when you have to keep track of the details.

Check out additional photos in the gallery.

Black Valentines

Mourning the victims of another senseless killing.

It's been a week of mourning really. This Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of the drowning death of my friend Ron Simmons in a Florida cave. As most of my closest friends gather this weekend it's difficult not to reflect on the fact that some of the best are gone for good.

And somehow the black day of February 14 is now further darkened by another mass murder at a university, this time in Cole Hall at Northern Illinois. Seven victims, including the shooter, that will all be missed by their families, friends, and lovers this Valentines day. I don't want to read about it, or learn the intimate details of their lives via CNN. I lived through the heartless, self-promoting news coverage and speculation when the spotlight was on us and it makes me ill reading a story, written by these same piranha , about the same thing all over again. It's enough to know these innocent people lived and died too young; I send only my wish that everyone involved draws from one another the strength to continue on.

If possible, on an even more personal note, my girlfriend and I found out only two days ago her dog is suffering from an advanced canine lymphoma. Melba has been in the doggie ICU at the veterinary med school since then, and started chemotherapy last night. She's tired, clearly uncomfortable, and no one knows at this time how well she will respond to treatment. I've known Melba since she was a tiny puppy crawling around the bottom of my sleeping bag on a cold winter night and I'm as attached to her as I've ever been to any pet of my own. It's hard, particularly knowing she's fighting this thing scared and alone in a kennel at the hospital. And we've felt alone at home without her.

All these things make me appreciate even more those I care so much about. I'll close by saying I miss my mom for many reasons but one is that under conditions such as these she would always find strength others never believed she had to carry on. She would quote Scarlett O'Hara and say, "Tomorrow is another day.” And she carried on.