It's A Small World

It seems my reading materials are either feast or famine. I have gone stretches with only one book to read, while I have gone other stretches with a multitude of reading options. Currently, I have the multitude of options available. I have been put into the rotation the USA Today newspapers along with the rotation of Men’s Health Magazine. Add these to the current book (Harry Potter) I am reading, and I have so many options available. This is very positive, and I spent the latter part of last night reading the USA Today newspapers before retiring to sleep.

Waking up this morning, it was once again my usual routine. The weather was anything but usual with warm, humid temperatures accompanied by a very warm wind. This was, indeed, unusual, but I still got through my burpee/pushup exercise. I did get my usual good sweat going, and it was a great way to start my day. Along these lines, I was asked why I do 90-plus minutes of burpees along with 90-plus minutes of running on the other days. My answer is quite simple because these exercises put me in the right frame of mind each day. Could only 45 minutes of exercising provide me with this? Maybe, but I do feel compelled to do the 90-plus-minute routine. I know I am obsessive about my exercising, and I also know I need to seek more balance in my life. The exercising I do also helps me to pass the time quickly, and in this environment, this is essential. When I rejoin my family in 6-1/2 months, my intention is to seek the balance I lost. I will continue to exercise; however, this will be in conjunction with a balanced life. At the present time, my balance is certainly out of whack, but I am making strides every day.

The rest of the morning was very routine, and there was talk of my crew going on a hike this morning. While we were on the fire this past Sunday, another fire captain evaluated our crew. The consensus was that my crew needed work with conditioning, so our replacement captain was going to take us on a hike this morning. Hiking is my favorite part of being an inmate /firefighter, and I get enthused when I am told the crew will be hiking. This morning, that enthusiasm was tempered when our hike got cut short. We had to be at our project at a certain time, and a long hike would have delayed us. Instead of a long hike, the crew raced up a hill which took all of five minutes. I was the third to arrive at the top as my specialty is distance. Since this was a very short hike, I barely broke a sweat in spite of the warmer-than-normal temperatures. I am always amazed as to how heavily some of my crew members breathe. I also breathe heavily when I first start up the hill, but the longer I go, the more relaxed my breathing becomes. Even the captain was breathing very heavily, and he continued this on the way down. I was hoping for a longer hike, but anything is good, and today was certainly good.

After the brief run up the hill we were on to the project for the day. We went to a property owned by the water district and were responsible for cleaning it up. According to the replacement captain, the camp is paid by the water district for the work we do. These projects seem to be priority, and today was no exception since it took precedence over the hike. Once again, I found myself with a weed trimmer in my hand, and I was cutting weeds around the property. I did this all morning, and with the very hot and humid temperatures, keeping my attitude was a challenge. Thankfully, I am able to go off into a “zone”, and I play a little game with myself as I am weed trimming. The game playing worked wonders as the morning passed quickly enough. Prior to lunch, I finished my entire weed trimming and was placed on picking-up-the-trash duty. Most of this entailed raking the unkempt property. Once again, I played a game with myself and kept moving.

Lunch was over, and the captain wanted to work on the crew’s stamina. Yesterday, he had two crew members simulate a fire line where they cut line for about an hour. This was due to the fact that the evaluation we had on Sunday stated that the crew needed conditioning. Another crew member and I were next in line for the extra conditioning. We also simulated a fire line and cut line for 45 minutes. When I was finished, I was talking with the captain who had asked me if I was tired. My response was, “no”. He responded, “You’re not tired? I am tired just watching you.” No, I wasn’t tired, but I was hot. I didn’t mind the simulated exercise as it added more to my day. I am in good condition, and my stamina is very good. I always do what I am told in this environment, and today was no exception. I am always looking for way to improve my conditioning, and this exercise was fun. I continue to speak with the captain, and the conversation turned towards my previous employer. I came to find out that I had met the captain’s ex-wife at my previous employer. She worked for the insurance carrier my previous employer used at the time I worked there. I remembered her coming in for a proposal, and I knew her bosses very well. It truly is a small world, and everything is connected. We talked for a while about his ex-wife and other related items. It really is amazing how everything is working out for the very best.

The day was done, and it was back to camp. When I arrived back at camp, I found a job change form on my bed. My friends had spoken to the C/O responsible for the hiring/transferring of the in-camp positions. They put in a good word for me, and now it is up to me to speak with this C/O and express my interest in the bathroom porter position. The question I have asked myself is do I want to clean the bathrooms for the next six months or stay as an inmate/firefighter? It really doesn’t matter which job I perform because I will make either job work very well for me. I can clean the bathrooms for the next six months, and I can remain an inmate/firefighter. The next question is which one is better for me? This seems to be a tossup, but right now I am leaning toward the bathroom porter because I would have more time to myself. Six months is a short time, and it will be over very quickly. Tomorrow, I intend to speak with the C/O and see what happens. I will keep everyone posted. One more thought; by transferring to the bathroom porter, my family and friends no longer have to worry about my whereabouts. I will always be available for visits, and I can get into a rhythm with the fabulous GA meeting/visits. This is certainly very positive.