I Got The Job

      Well, as I write this, I only have 1 more week with my current company. That means only 4 more days out at the Space Center. It's been a fun ride, but it's time to move in a somewhat different direction. I will miss it out there as well as the people that I met. Some of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to work with.

     I've decided to kind of just emerse myself in the experience out there and just soak it all in. The only thing I didn't get to actually see that I wanted to, was the crawler actually moving. It always seemed to happen either late at night, or early in the day when I wasn't there. If that is my only missed experience, I'll take it. I did get another creepy photo last week as the front moved in for what has been the coldest snap of maybe the last decade here. The VAB always looks incredibly spooky when you can't see the top of it.

      I did get to hear a few stories of the inside of the building from a former security officer that worked over there. I thought my building was active. He told me about a night on a New Years Eve when he was the only one in the building, and he stood at the bottom in the very center and what was happening. He said it was like the first day of the Apollo mission, with voices being heard from all directions, footsteps running around and, elevators going up and down all by themselves. I would really like to spend a night in that building to experience that just once. I did get a little action on Friday night in my building. I went into an area and climbed to the highest point of a set of stairs and just listened, then I heard it. It sounded like to men talking about something in the very far corner of the room. The thing is, you can never understand what they are saying, it's just words that you can't quite put together. I stayed up there for a few minutes listening, and then walked back down, when I hit the floor was when I lost track of the voices. It was wild. People that I've mentioned this to have each asked me if I was scared, and the simple answer is no. I've always thought of it this way, as long as I'm not touched, I have no problem. Now, the first night which was Thanksgiving night when I experienced the voices and what not for the first time. I do think it drained a lot of energy from me. I felt physically ill the next day, but it only lasted a single day. From all the paranormal shows I watch, they always say that you should deny spirits permission from doing such a thing, so that next day when I was feeling ill, that's exactly what I did. Yeah, you feel really weird talking to open air and saying, Hey that wasn't cool what you did, and you can't do the any more, but if it works it works.

      Enough about the ghost stories, As I said, I have one more week with the companies and then it's on to the new armed position which just happens to be 11 minutes from my house. I will be making quite a bit more money than I have been, which is sorely needed, and I will also save money on gas going to work each day. From what I can gather, I'll more than likely be working 7 days a week for a while. I have no problem with that. I have a lot of bills to catch up on and get things moving in the right direction. The new boss has already told me that I should tell him when I feel like I need a break and then he will hire someone else to come in. This property I'll be on, I will be the only officer on duty. They have been going without for a few weeks or even a month now. He also mentioned that he wants me to be there on the weekends because that is the busiest time and then even if he hires someone else, I would be the lead officer on the site. The site was considered a rough area not too long ago, but it has been cleaned up quite a bit and is looking good. They just opened a brand new fire department across the street, so that is really convenient. My schedule is going to be sporadic, which means that I will be working in the morning to afternoon some days and then afternoon to night on others. It's just to create the illusion that there is an officer always there despite me being the only officer. I know, it's a little bit of a weird situation with me being the only security presence there, but it's going to be ok. 

     My uniform is going to be quite a bit different from the military style shirt and slacks that I've been wearing. I think I mentioned that I'll be looking like Meal Team Six. I'm really hoping you get that reference. It's the look that you see most of the, how should I put this delicately, the racists pieces of garbage that protest with military gear and long rifles. That seemed delicate enough. Anyway, the basic uniform is khaki cargo pants, a black polo (company insignia on it) a plate carrier ( or tactical vest ) and a duty belt with my weapon. He did mention that he wants me kitted out to look proper. Not that I would have to use any of the items, just that the more stuff I have on my vest and belt, the less likely anyone will mess with you. I get the idea. I will mostly have medical supplies with mine. Useful tools so to say. I will of course have my firearm and magazines on my belt with my baton and handcuffs as well. No, I don't have arrest privilege with this job, the handcuffs are more that decoration type of thing, but if an incident does arise where the police are on scene, I can have them at the ready for them to use if they need multiple pairs. My vest will have a blowout kit ( trauma kit ) with the proper supplies to save a life, a not pad and pen, and of course a flashlight. I'll probably stow a knife or two on there as well. Oh, and before you ask, you probably will never see a photo of me in uniform. It's just not my thing. Unless you see me in person, you will never know what my work attire is like.

     Ok, it's been a while for this, but I have a Favorite Song of the Week. I know, I've been a bit lazy with this part of it all. Anyway, it's that time of year again when Kurstin & Grohl get together to celebrate jewish artist and Chanukka. Each year the post 8 videos, one for each night with a different song written by a jewish artist. Last years was the first year that Dave really got his daughter Violet involved and she was outstanding. I have become a big fan of Violet and her ability to simply sing anything. She has a bit of a mimic quality to her, that she will take whatever cover she is singing and not only sing it in the style but in the voice of the original artist and this year's song was no exception. I proudly present to you Janis Eddy Fink's classic, "At Seventeen", Preformed by the one and only Violet Grohl.

     I am so looking forward to Violet's first album. I should remind you that Dave has said that he really wants to be in Violet's band. Anyway, if you enjoy that, you should really go on the deep dive and watch all the years that they have done this. I believe this is the 3rd year. They started during the pandemic to make music and celebrate something that generally isn't celebrated by the whole, and music is always something that can bring people together and expand horizons. 

    Ok, that's it for this week. I'm not exactly sure what my schedule will be next week, but I will try to write again on Monday either after my first shift of the new job or before. I hope you have a wonderful new year full of new adventures and great success. Peace in and goodnight.

New Ventures On The Horizon

      It's been a few weeks, cause I needed to save things up. Not a lot happening in my life with still a good deal happening. I know that is a very odd juxtaposition. No I didn't just want to use that word, which is why I'm not typing it out again. I do have a picture for you from the job site which I thought was pretty cool and I can share with you, I just can't tell you all the juicy details that I know about it.

     That is the Mobile Launch System, that was holding the Artemis rocket. You may have heard that it took some damage during the launch which is why it too them so long to move it back to the VAB. They had to make sure it was stable for transport. Speaking of transport. If you zoom in at the bottom, you can see NASA crawler 2. If that isn't one of the biggest examples about how massive the Artemis rocket is, I don't know what else to show you. The crawlers are massive vehicles. Easily the size of 8 city buses in 2 columns of 4 side by side, and I think I'm understating there. This also shows just how enormous the VAB is as well. That is getting ready to go inside Bay 3 of the VAB and you can't even see the rest of the structure in the picture. It has truly been a pleasure and an experience to get to see these types of things up close like this. Not everyone gets to see stuff like this, and I will miss it.

     Yes, I said miss it. I may be in for a change of scenery. As I sit here writing this this morning, I'm preparing for an interview for an armed officer job. I'm really hoping to get it because the pay is over a third more than what I'm making now, and I kind of need it. I've been in some pretty desperate financial situations lately, and this can start a change in the right direction. I always saw my current job as getting my foot in the door of security, and now it's time to step through that door a little more. 

      There's also the fact that my old supervisor that moved on to another site has put in a transfer to have me move to his site. It would be a pay increase with a supervisor that I really enjoyed working with, but not quite as much as the armed job. The benefit is of course the supervisor and the general safety of the position. I know the armed job brings a level of risk but I knew that when I pushed myself to get my armed license. This is what I worked so hard for, plus I feel I can bring something to an armed position that will perhaps change the culture of the area in a positive way at least in the regards of how they see security officers. I did it at my current location. I can see it when I'm at the desk with other officers and people say hello or good bye to me and the other officers look perplexed. I see a security officer as someone that is there to protect life and assess of the client. We are also a representative of the company and have to be a positive reflection of that. We can't be some smug bossy asshole that is just telling people what to do. When I approach people I'm usually asking them what I can do for them, rather than telling them what they can do for me. I think that approach goes a long way in how someone responds to you and I've proved it with how people see me even though I'm the security officer with a sleeve of tattoos, shaved head, and stretched lobes. Instead of all of that, they see my professionalism and how it lifts their opinion of the position I hold.

     Enough about the philosophy of security work. Oh, on a quick note, I will get a cooler uniform if I get the new job. The Chief wants his officers looking the part, and is going to have me in khaki's (cargo preferred), polo, and a tactical vest. So basically I'm going to look like Meal Team 6. I joke, but I actually make it look good, cause I'm basically physically fit. The tactical vest or plate carrier if you will is there mostly for form and not function. I want be carrying ballistic plates in mine, it's there for holding my badge, and a few other items I may need. Namely my flashlight and tourniquet. I of course will also be wearing a duty belt that will hold my weapon, magazines, and baton.

     As I stated before is that my goal is to never have to actually draw my weapon. I will default to deescalation first, baton, second, and then my firearm as an absolute final resort. I would much rather use my tourniquet and life saving skills long before I ever use a weapon. I'd prefer to save a life than take a life. That's why I'm continuing to seek out life saving training. If I can get my financial situation under control I'm really going to look into going to EMT school, not to become an EMT or Paramedic, but to further enhance my skills as a security officer. Did you know that there is an actual position known as an Armed AEMT Officer? That is an armed officer that is trained in Advanced Emergency Medical Skills. There are even higher levels of EMT training like TEMT, which is a Tactical EMT. I can't remember the acronym but there is even a teaching EMT that is trained to be able to train. They are not only the ones that train other EMT's but they are the ones that offer the public outreach courses like "Stop the Bleed". Did I ever mention that I think it is a truly valuable class and that everyone that has the time and desire to be a force to save a life in an emergency situation should absolutely take that class. Anyone can take it and they are generally free to the public, because hospitals want people that are on scene that can provide simple trauma care in an intense situation. Most of the victims that die in active shooter situations die from bleeding out. If someone was there that had taken a "Stop the Bleed' class, as least 1 life could have been saved with the potential of many more, because you could provide simple instructions for others around you to help out other victims. It is a truly worthwhile class to take.

     Ok, I'm going to call it a day here and hope that I can write next week to update you on how this job interview goes. The problem is that I may not have internet next week, so I may not be able to post anything. Regardless of what next week brings, I will get internet back at some point and will update you then. Peace in and goodnight.