Civic Duties

Today I attended my Skywarn weather spotter training class for this year. I was unable to attend last year due to management training. Since weather spotters are required to update their training ever 2 to 3 years I wanted to make sure I went this year. Plus it's always nice to get a refresher. I'm glad I went as the speaker discussed the National Weather Service's new Storm Based Warnings (threat based polygon warnings) and some features on the website. I had already read about the new warning system, but it was good to hear how local emergency management is handling the new system.

After the seminar I headed to Waterville where the Red Cross was having a blood drive. I've been meaning to go and donate for a while, but factors always seem to be against me. I lucked out today, they were having a blood drive just minutes from where my Skywarn class was. I haven't given blood since I was in highschool. I've felt guilty about that. I've even joked that since I'm O Neg that the next time I made it to a blood drive they were going to strap me down and take two pints instead of one. Which is funny because in the years since I've last been, they're actually able to do that now. Actually they take two units of red blood cells and give you your plasma back (along with extra saline). I'm a champ, so I gave double. And the best thing about giving two at once is, well obviously, I got two taken care of in one day. Now I just have to remember to go again in 112 days.

Of Green Beer and Suspicious Bites

Hey, how's it going? I realized that it has been almost a month since I last blogged. What's been keeping me away? Well, honestly, there's been a lot of nothing going on lately. A lot of nothing really. I mean scads of nothing. Days like today where I spent an extra hour at work, but did not even start writing the crew schedule due to the fact that our entire computer systems decided to stop working properly. Now I'll have to go in on my day off to do it. *sigh*

**One of my friends and I went out on St. Patrick's Day to have a few green beers. I spent the day considering the adoption of all manner of holidays by Americans as opportunities to wear (or do) things and drink. St Patty's? We wear green and drink Halloween? Dress up in costumes and drink. Cinco de Mayo? Well we don't usually dress up (although there's probably some bro's wearing sombreros) but we eat mexican food (before we drink), and drink. 4th of July: blow things up, cook animals over open flame, and drink. Thanksgiving: Eat (A LOT) and drink.

Well, I honestly think that we need a few more of these types of days to fill out the year. I have a few suggestions:


President's day - wear powdered wig or top hat & beard, and drink.
Blockbuster day - this would be the Friday in May when the year's big summer blockbuster hits theaters and we dress up like characters from that movie, watch the movie, then drink. So this year we all dress like Indiana Jones.
First Day of Summer - Wear thongs (whichever type you like) and drink.
Columbus day - Wear period clothes, go to an established bar, claim that we got there first and discoverd it. ;) OH, and drink.

**I got bit by something last week, and it wasn't love. I was sitting at my desk when I felt a sharp pain in my arm. I thought maybe I burned my self at work, or cut myself, or whatever, and was just now noticing. That is until I got up the next morning and I had a deep purple welt about two inches across on my arm which the following day was even larger, but red instead of purple. The only explanation I could come up with was a spider bite (I think I've been bitten before and had a bit of welting, but never that bad). This leaves me with two thoughts. One, it's possible that I'm sensitive to spider bites. And two, there may be something legged and bite-y lurking in my bedroom.

Nothing really exciting going on.