Tech problems

This has not been a good day by any stretch of the imagination.  It all started yesterday at 4PM when I got a text message saying my cellphone would switch today to ATT. I would have to use my new phone.  Problem: I was on the road for business and would not be home until late Tuesday.  The new phone was at home. So after about 1 1/2 hours on the phone, both cell and hotel line, it came down to "we are sorry, but there is nothing we will do about it." You are out of luck.  I asked to talk with a supervisor to lodge a compliant, and mostly got put on hold, and then dropped.  This morning, I was told to go on line to ATT.COM and I could email a compliant to management.  So I did, but you first must have an account with them, and you need a password, so I asked for a password, and they said they would send it to my cellphone, the one that was over 100 miles away.  Not to my email address, but to the phone that I didn't have.  I also had the option of getting it by U.S.Mail.  Brilliant!!  By the time I left the hotel, I was so angry with that company that I could spit nails.  Thankfully, my day with my customers went okay, only had one I couldn't connect with be cause of NO phone.  But, all was not well, the new computer has taken to locking up with the mouse pad.  Just stops working.  Soooo, you shutdown, mid project, reboot and start all over again.  This only happen three times today, or about once every third customer.  Made for a long day, now I am home and the "high speed" connection is running at about half speed. Gave up trying to download some data from the office, might try before bed and just let it run until done.  My wife thinks I should go to bed and hope for a better day tomorrow.  Tomorrow, yipes, that is the day they reprogram all of our radios at the department.  Me and electronic are not on friendly terms, and we have 16 radios to do, not a good sign.  Have been getting very frustrated with a number of pending items, none are that big, except maybe one, yet nothing is coming together that will bring them to a resolution.  Hate to be a nag, but sometimes I need to be, just so that new things don't pile up on the yet to be done stuff.   Have long internal discussions with myself on what direction we should go inregards to the next apparatus.  The more I think, the more I feel we may need to address two areas of need at the same time.  I think to do that the best way would be to purchase used trucks, as the need for these trucks, while they are needed, the use would be somewhat limited in scope. But buying a used truck that someone else spec'd, well thats not any fun, and you miss all of the fun and attention that buying new brings.  Well, having been on two committees that spec'd new trucks, it was not all that much fun, but rather very trying, frustrating, and in one case created a lot of hard feels, some that linger yet, almost four years after.  I think if I had it to do again, I would only buy used, that way you know the flaws right-up front.  That new truck that was such an ego builder, you will find any number of things wrong with it within the first month you own it, and you will be stuck with it for most likely the next 20 years.

Time to catch-up

It has been almost two weeks since I last posted anything and a lot has happened.  We made a trip to FDIC, took my wife along for the first time.  Must say that she was a trooper walking around all day looking at stuff that had interest to me, but little to her.  We got watch several firefighters do the combat challenge course, turning in times under 2 minutes.  Oh to be 25 again.  Also got her picture in the tiller seat of a TDA.  We also went up in a Supthen 100 foot platform.  Great ride, she took a picture looking down the ladder at 82degrees, but just held the camera over the edge.  She did comment that it wasn't bad at all, and was very smooth.  But hey, its a Supthen what else would it be.  She spent Saturday with her cousin who lives in Greenwood, just south of Indianapolis, and they went shopping.  She wanted to get some outfits for a couple of twin boys that our friends in Ghana just had.  Then of course after we got home, she had to buy something for their brother and sister.  I hope that the package gets there okay. Can't wait to see pictures of them.  It has been a slow couple of weeks at the department.  Things that need to be done, seem to be bogging down and taking a lot longer then I think they should.  Hope to get to interviews in the next couple of weeks.  Have missions stuff to take care of for church,   and a meeting tomorrow night with a deacon friend to talk about some things.  I am vice-chairman this year in addition to being missions chairman so have a fairly full plate.  What else is new.  Saw 2/3's of my children this weekend, as my youngest daughter had a birthday party for my bride.  Was good to see them, but sure wish the other two had been able to attend.   This week my wife went and bought our cemetery plots.  I joke about it alot, but really, I am slowly trying to get things in line for when that day comes that I need that piece of ground.  This week we got news that a young man in our church, maybe 25, has liver cancer.  They are running more tests to see how far advanced it is, but for some reason this had really hit me hard.  I know him and his folks, but would not call them really close friends, but still I think of my own children and how would I handle this if it were them.  Part of me is more than a little upset with God, but than realize we are all living lives that are but a vapor.  That this place on earth is not what it is about.  When I think of death, my number one concern is not me, but rather how my family will handle it.  How will they be effected,  how will they go on.  I see a friend whose husband was a very good friend of mine, someone I miss a lot. I see how she as had to cope with his sudden death, and I think that is one of the reasons that I want everything in place for my wife in case that happens to us.  I have spent some time in the last few days wondering just how to handle the transition in the department.  I think over the next few years, I need to put more on my deputy chief, so that slowly but surely he starts to make his imprint on the department.  My concern is that I am not sure he wants to handle the mundane stuff, the everyday operations, bills, personnel decisions and all the other stuff that comes with being at the top.  Was in the office today and it looks like they are going to hire the young lady that was my choice for the job.  When the day comes that I leave this job, I think I will feel good about having her take my customers if it works that way.  As I write this tonight, I am listening to a play list of songs I like, and just now Twila Paris is singing Days of Elijah.  One of the lines is "there is no God like Jehovah".   I need to remember that as the next few weeks play out.  Back to FDIC,  the show seemed a little down this year.  Maybe it was just that there was more room in the convention center this year with the new building.   Spring is slowing coming, that means yard work, something I hate.  Also need to get my new grill together, my wife found some T-Bone steaks in the freezer from the last steer we bought.  They will be good initiation for the grill.   Had our taxes done last week, and we are getting some money back.  The tax man looked at our figures, income and deductions and told me that our list of charitable contributions might get us audited.  According to him, it was alot higher than normal for people with our income.  Told him  that I wasn't worried, as I had all the supporting paper work.  He said, I sure hope so.  Which reminds me that I need to have my wife sign the papers so I can send them back.  They have been setting in my desk for almost a week.  Could this be Alzheimer's first little signs or do I have too many irons in the fire.   Time to do some paper work. 

Random stuff

Well it is nearing the end of March and I have only posted once so far this month.  Maybe that means things are slowing down, or I am.  Was out of town last night for work, and wouldn't you know it but we get three calls.  Nothing for 10 days when I'm around and then, I'm gone and BOOM.  From what I see on the reports, everything went well, fire call was an assist, that found us not needed.  Jaws call was also to another department, extracted two people from a car that left the road because of ice.   The a down tree this morning that they handled quickly.  Tomorrow my wife and I leave for FDIC, we also plan on visiting her cousin while we are gone.  Will be back Sunday evening.  Fire prevention hasn't been settled yet, but looks like I will need to write a very detailed job description before we do anything else.  Training has gone well so far this year, but realize there is so much to do, and so little time to do it.  Passed my fit test again this year, and that is bring with it some questions about who does and who doesn't wear an air pack.  Have asked our executive board to write they ideas of a policy so we can get something in writing before we have a bigger problem.  Have 4 applications back and one more expected soon.  We will start interviews soon, but first must clearify how we will do it, and settle on the questions we will ask.  I fear we have two many lose cannons on the committee that we will never get the real answers we need to make an intelligent decison.  Today I was part of the interview process for my company to hire a new rep.  We interviewed two young ladies, and they were as different as night and day.  Both I think could do the job, one would catch on very quickly as she already has experience with a competitor, the other would take longer to bring up to speed.  I think that one however has a bigger up side for the company in general.  On a personal note, the one young lady impressed my very much with her demeanor, and the way she presented herself.  I also sensed that I had much more in common with her then the other young lady.  Tonight after I got home, I checked facebook for both of them.  Both had limited information available, but found it interesting in checking the pictures they had posted, one had quite a few pictures, with I would quess almost 2/3 of them involved her in a party setting with plenty of alcohl present.  They other  while fewer picture, most showed a person of various interests, and none that I would label as being of a questionable nature.   Their pages kind of confirmed my thoughts that while I think both would be an asset to our company from a sales point of view, I think the one would be an asset in many more ways in dealing with our customers.  I isn't my decison, but I would rather turn my customers over to that young lady  rather than the other one.  Hope my bosses make the right decison.  If they chose the other one, I know that what ever the first one ends up doing, she will be very sucessful.  I just think in the long run and looking at the bigger picture she would be better for our company overall.  Need to finish up some stuff before tomorrow so I can leave without to much stress.  Will let you know how the conference goes next week.

It isn't getting any better

Can't believe it has been almost two weeks since I put something  down. The night after my last entry, we were 2nd in on a working house fire.  Early Sunday morning,had a long run, we were RIT, water supply and a little of everything else. Our engine at the dry hydrant couldn't get a draft, the other fill site also had problems but eventually caught a prime.  Roads were a sheet of ice, and cold.  Cleared just in time to make church as I had to make a special announcement about the upcoming missions conference.  Later the week met with my fire prevention guy along with a couple of board members and asked for and received his resignation.  Sure hope the guy gets his act together, as I sure do not need to do his job.  Had a health fair to do this week, and all I can say is we showed up and got it done.  I really believe the man has no clue to how bad the situation had become.  I doubt if anyone will take the job, so my guess is for the rest of this year its mine.  Before we give this job to someone else or back to him, we need a better job description written, and much more planned supervision and over site.  Into that you read Chief.  The mission's conference that I was working on came off great. Have had several positive comments, really enjoyed watching the passion come out in the parts that my committee had.  I said that we now have the most informed and knowledgeable committee our church has ever had.  Had our company's annual meeting this week, so that took a couple of days away from work, also had an ice storm one day so that was a day spent not making calls.  So I find myself a couple of days behind, with a busy week next week.  Fire Board is Tuesday night, and we have training on Thursday.  My training officer will be gone so that means the assistant gets to lead.  Into that you read Chief.   Still not sleeping well, like about 6 hours then awake.  This morning make a decision to go back to sleep instead of getting up, and got an extra 3 hours.  Felt a lot better until early afternoon than ran out of gas again.  Have been trying to put a handle on what has been creating the stress level, and I think a couple of items were the problems with my prevention guy, and while that is settled so to speak, just put a little more burden on yours truly.  Also, the missions conference was a lot of work and some stress, but that is over. But, I think the one thing that has really been stressing is that I think we may have a small infestation of bats in our house.  I think it maybe in a small portion of the attic we can't get to, a small dormer. We had one in the basement two weeks ago this coming Sunday.  I caught it and got rid of it, but the more I looked on line the more I think that it may be living in the house, and have found a way to the basement possibly through the walls. I do not like bats, and my wife is scared of them.  Now I feel that my house isn't safe and don't like to leave her alone, and also don't like going to the basement at night.  I really think this is part of the problem that I have been having.  Sent a email to one company about removal, but they have failed to follow up on the contact.  In checking, there are not alot of companies that do that kind of work, and do it in our area.  My arm is feeling somewhat better, but not sure about some other stuff.  All my tests from my physical came back okay, but have noticed my legs swelling a little more than usual.  Also, last night had my blood pressure taken twice, and both times it was higher than normal.  Not bad, but high than it usually is.  But then it was taken by a couple of EMT students.  So go figure.  Need to plan some stuff for training meeting and also get my ducks in a row for board meeting. 

End of the month

It got busy here on Thursday, we had a garage fire that was of a minor nature, started down in the garage and then extended to the attic.  Homeowner put out the fire in the garage with a garden hose, and was trying to put it out in the attic when we got there.  It was burning in the insulation and had burned the truss and a couple of stringers completely through.  I used the vent saw to open the hole so we could get in the remove about 5-6 garage cans full of smoldering insulation.  Used the water can to foam it down and left.  Just as we were getting on scene, the ambulance dispatched with us had already arrived on scene and told us "nothing was showing", so I canceled the mutual aid companies, and no more then did that, and one of them got hit with a fully involved structure fire about as far in the easterly direct as the first call had been to the west.  I released our 2nd. engine, tanker and squad to respond to the assist on the house fire and handled the garage fire with just our three man engine company.  That night was followed by my being awaken about 2:30AM with the worst leg cramp I have ever had.  I ended up setting up and reading until about 6AM.  Read about half of the book Ghost Mountain Boys. I have read the book twice before, but it holds special meaning to me as it is about my dad's outfit in the first year of the war.  I guess reading about what these guys went through made my leg cramp pretty trivial.  Worked part of Friday, didn't feel well in the morning so only got about six customers seen in the afternoon.  Spent part of the day reading a book call" Against all Odds" by Jay Walsh.  He is a semi-retired missionary, I think most missionaries only semi-retire, who served almost 40 years in Bangladesh.  I have been spending a lot of time, like hours and hours both reading, and on the Internet, and on the phone doing research about some of the long term missionaries our church supports.  Need to present information about them the first Sunday in March.  Have 6 of them and I get 6 minutes to do it. From what I have found, I could spend 30 minutes on each and in some cases not even do more than scratch the surface. The more I find out about them, the more amazed I am as to what God can do with what we would call ordinary people. Went to bed early Friday night, and wouldn't you know it, just before midnight we get a vehicle fire next to a building.  People had plugged in their diesel van so it would start, and the block heater shorted out and set the van on fire.  PD was first on scene, and got most of it with their fire extinguisher, and we finished up the overhaul with just a couple of cans.  I was a little worried that I might not get back to sleep, as my portable radio didn't work ( dead battery) and my car wouldn't start.  Had to move the truck and take the wife's van, so no lights or siren.  Really slow response.  Anyway, my Lt. had it handled,  we cleared and I went home and was back to sleep almost as soon as I hit the pillow.  Sleep late today.  Worked on a bit of everything today, listened to my play list that I have complied.  Need to have a meeting the first of the week with my soon to be ex prevention coordinator.  I need to remove him and hope that after I talk with him he will resign, would rather he do that then have to remove him.  Its snowing again here just hope this week the roads are clear as I have a lot of miles to go to get caught up with work.

Stress level times 2

I think it is time to retire, this week has gone south with a bullet. Between cell phone problems, computer problems, people problems, and everything else I have had it up pass my eyes.  I have a new cell phone coming but who knows when it will get here, as of now I turn the old one on for a few minutes several times a day to get messages.  That works about as well as a one armed paper hanger.  I can go several days without anything important, and then, BOOM, they want me to go three different directions all at the same time. The computer is acting up can't make entries, and as such the imformation just keeps piling up and someday I will need to spend (waste) a day just doing computer entries.  I had a system that worked well for me, but NO, we need you to use the system we bought so everyone can us it.  That is such a joke!!. It seems that with these days between work, fire department, and everything else coupled with a very sore shoulder and arm, plus a couple of sore feet, which I  don't know why they hurt, my days are becoming one big pain.  I have finally decided to relieve my Prevention person of his responsibilities if he comes up with a place to live inside the area.  One way or the other he is done as of Wednesday.  The guy is okay as a firefighter, but he can't handle his personal life, and he flits for idea to idea and never sticks to anything for very long.  Found some information that he has in fact been living not where he said he was for for longer than he said he was.  I wish he would just move away and solve that problem for me.  At training meeting Thursday, we talked about the low response numbers, and wouldn't you know it, the most talk about that and other people who should join the department came from a guy who makes less than 12% of the calls.    I drives me up the wall when he can set there and run is mouth about people, yet he lives closer than many and you will hardly every see him on a call.  Yet have a meeting where food is served and he is ready to go.  We will see this time, as he will need to report back on what was covered at the meeting this time.  He better take notes or not go.  I lay awake nights thinking about how do I get enough people on the department to insure that we have at least the bare amount of firefighters we need.   Maybe it is time for me to quit, I can't seperate this from anything I do.  I wonder sometimes if anyone cares beside me.  My deputy has procrastinate for almost a year about station maintenance, his low cost fix for the northside snow problem was wiped out in about 15 seconds when the snow came off the roof.  There went about $200 in materials and labor.  I have piles of stuff on my desk that need my attention, yet I am too old to pull all nighters.  My office is cold, I usually work with a sweater and coat on, use to use the little electic heater, but that things sucks juice like a drunken sailor drinks beer.  Bill was up by almost $30 this month and the only thing differnet was that I use it alot last month.  Sleep good for the first time in about a week last night.  Has been about 5-6 hours and then I wake up and my mind starts to go 90mph for the rest of the day.   Have missions stuff to do tonight yet, but have to go away for the evening, so it will get done either late tonight or early tomorrow morning before church.    Hope we don't get a call tonight as I will have no way easy of going on it, even though I will be half a mile from the station.  This week has been so bad, that I find myself starting to snap at my wife.  NO GOOD.  We did have a nice supper out on Valentines day, but since then it has gone down hill.  Hope next week is an improvement.  Almost to the point of telling everyone off.  Not quite, but the thought has crossed my mind. 

Stress Plus

Have had an interesting last two weeks, besides having computer problems, I think the drive is on its last legs, have not been feeling all that well.The office says that I should get a new computer, but when is anybodys guess.  Have a  back plan for most of what I do, but will need to get my files  on a flash drive so as not to lose them.  The company stuff while easy to replace is a bit more of a problem as I need the computer almost everyday for customer orders, inventory, and other need it now stuff. For my large accounts, not having it available is NOT an option I want to deal with.  Have been working on missions conference stuff a lot for the last few weeks.  Have a bunch of emails from missionaries I need to put into a useable form for our conference and hopefully a few more to come in.  Really think this conference will be one of the better ones we have had.  Also, have a couple of (retired) missionaries in our church.  They went to the field in the early 80's and then God saw fit to bring the home because of an accident.  We have decided to honor them this year, not some they really want, but something that I and the committee felt was needed by our church.  Had a long talk with them last week and explained what we wanted to do, got their blessing and offers of help. Hope todo this in late June, I think maybe fathers day. Have a banner that I placed over the freeway on the day they left for the field. Hasn't been seen by anyone but me since that day, plan on using it as a way of starting to tell their story.  
The weather here has been really wintery.  Got lots of snow on the 2nd, spent most of the day just blowing snow.  Would not have gotten far if we had a fire call during the storm.  Measured 14" on the ground Wednesday the 2nd. at noon.  Did have a call about 10am that morning, but right on the main road.  Turned out to be just a down wire, but had to drive the fire trucks almost a mile to find a place to turn around.  Have been dealing with my personal problem almost daily, looks like we will be losing one and maybe both.  In talking with my district board last night,  told them I felt we needed to remove the fire prevention guy regardless even if he meets the residence requirement.  Just too many people are talking about this and it is not good for moral of the other firefighters.  We need to spend more time on recruiting new members and do not need old ones who are creating problems the whole town is talking about.  Looks like I will be the bad guy as they have left it to me to make the choice.  The man has been less then honest with me too many times to cut him any slack.
Have been having a problem with my left shoulder and upper arm.  Pain today is quite a bit less then the last few days, but still I am mineful of how I use it. Not sure what the problem is as I can't point to any one thing that would have caused it.  Last night, felt pain in the left shoulder and arm and across my back into the right shoulder.  Not sure what the problem is but it really is effecting my work and my energy level.   Might just be old age catching up with me.
With no TV, which by the way has almost be a year, find that I read more.  Have been rereading the book Ghost Mountain Boys, and cross-checking it with a book on New Guniea by Edwin Hoyt and also Dad's book on the 32nd. division.  Couple that with Google maps and I think I have a pretty good idea of the area where my Dad was shot during the Second World War.  It is hard to imagine the terrian of New Guniea being the way it is talked about in the books when you look at the Google maps.  On them it looks almost like terrian around here.  Been interesting and somewhat soul searching as I read and ponder what they went through.   It seems like I am always trying to answer questions, after the people who knew the answers have died. I think when they were living, I was too wrapped up in me and realize what I was missing or ignoring.  Spent the day or most of it at the station,  got some things done, but not near enough.  Wish I could just spend about 6 months working on stuff.  Once it was done, things would go much smoother.  Then I could maybe just enjoy the job, or maybe retire.  Got an email today from Steve Mills, he and his wife are missionaries to TOGO,  right next door to Ghana. He is a PA and she is a nurse. Can not believe what they and the rest of their staff go thru in the course of their week.  Just reading about their week makes mine seem quite insignificant.  Also, ready a book by Jay Walsh titled Ripe Mangos,  talks about some of the people and ministries in Bangladesh. Right after I read that, we got a letter from Geo Collins, his son in law.  George works with national churches in countries that do not readily accept missionaries.  He also spent 8 years is Bangladesh.  Anyway, he wrote about the passing of a pastor's wife that he had know from his earlier days there.  The name stuck me, and I looking in the book that his father in law had written 30 years before.  The lady's story was in the book about her coming to Christ and her eventual marriage to a young pastor.  Found that interesting.  My wife has been looking at a lot of our pictures from early in our marriage.  As I look at the skinny kid she married, and the cute little girls and boys of our youth, I find my self wishing they still we little.  Wishing that the days had not gone so quick.  Wishing I had realize sooner that I was important in their lives, and not just what I could provide.  Wishing I had found more of my fulfillment in being a daddy to them rather than a person who got things done for other people.  Some how top cows, a well equipped and trained fire department and farm bureau leader seem kind of empty.   This week brings a fire meeting, with annual elections, my report is short and contains no big surprises, just care on and watch the dollars. The week after will set the course for several iitems that must be faced.  Hey that's way I get to wear the white hat, and get the BIG dollars.   Yeah   right.