Displaced

Definition:to move or put out of the usual or proper place.

Right now I should be sleeping since I have to get up at about 4:30am for work. They placed me on dayshift after finalizing at work. For someone who has worked graveyards over 4 years this is a BIG change for me. I'm feeling so out of place and lost right now. Sleep will probably be the biggest challenge for me and getting my noggin in the right proper order. Dayshift is so different from graveyards, the types of people you deal with and the whole attitude of the place. For someone to enjoys the change in travelling I'm completely dreading this change in my schedule. But as an old history professor of mine used to say "this too shall pass".

Gnome Day

I had given my trainer a Gnome in a box last week. Today when we arrived at work we noticed the gnome was missing from its usual stop on top of the TV. So my trainer created this poster:


One of the other guys from work even got really creative:


We think we know who took the Gnome and are not awaiting for the "ransom" note. I'll keep you posted on the happenings. But it was a good way to keep our spirits in cheerful mode as I especially needed the cheering up after finding out I was assigned to Day-shift.To top the night off when I got home and watched 'Will&Grace' it was the episode where Will brought home his garden gnome. LOL

Fun at the Fair

I know this is a week late. But so much has occurred and life gets busy. Last week when Allison came over to visit we went to the California State Fair in Sacramento. Actually Allison went ahead with Haney and his daughter, while I waited for Anne and her crew to come along. Then my friend "Poodles" joined us there. It was a pretty large group but we all had fun. I wanted to hit the fair due to a craving for funnel cakes, a craving I've had for about two years now since the last time I ate them in Santa Monica (coincidentally with Allison too!). The food at the fair was so worth the extra hard workout my trainer had me do at the gym! Besides funnel cake, I had a bearsoaked polish sausage with ketchup and relish, gelato (pistachio and dulce leche flavor), bar-b-qued corn, pink lemonade and some chocolate samples. We visited the livestock area where I got to touch a cow who then tried to lick me, some goats wearing these funky coats that reminded me of the 80's exercise video, pigs, horses and sheep. There was a horse show that we arrived to late due to the lines at the gelato place (but that gelato was so worth it!), lots of exhibit including one for Merced County that had a singing Elvis doll which totally cracked me up, a large chicken for Solano County, and Weird Al Yankovich was singing at the fair that night so while I ate my funnel cake I listend to something he call music. Frankly he is not my cup of tea, but it was nice to sit down on the grassy area and relax with high sugar content food. =)

Mama Mia! movie review

This weekend I went to the movies with my friend and watched Mama Mia. A total chick flick for sure. Now I grew up in the late 80's so I was not familiar with ABBA like those before me but I must say their songs are rather catchy. Though there was that band "A*Teens" during the 90's that I listened too and had an album with some ABBA songs. The scenery in the movie was also worth watching it from my point of view, but then that is no surprise to those who know me. =) Overall the movie was pretty decent, lots of catchy song, plot was okay loved the surprise ending and the singing at the end cracked us up. Amanda Seyfried is a good actress and who knew that Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan could sing. That was a pleasant surprise! I knew Colin Firth had some musical ability and he does sing in this movie also, though I didn't like what they did to his character. But oh well Hollywood must have their twist I suppose.

Here's a clip from youtube:

Rough night

Tonight was pretty rough at work. My trainer had me doing some scenarios and I felt like such an incompetent person because I was not copying what he was saying and left out information, which is not a good thing when one of your job description is to be a scribe. Then we had several high priority, high stress type call on what was supposed to be a nice quiet channel. Go figure, the one time you want a nice easy channel so you can train and you get all the calls you don't really want! But overall it was a good night for training since we had to go tactical on one of the calls, which was a first for me and rather exciting. Now I'm so tired that all I want to do is have a good cry and some chocolate. I withheld on the chocolate but we shall see about the tears.

Graveyard

There have been different studies on the affect of working the graveyard shift and people's health. Because people who work on this shift go against the natural order of things and their circadian clock is tossed out of whack it may seem at times that they get the short end of the stick. People who work graveyard are more likely to get some form of cancer, they are under more stress both mentally and emotionally, they have a higher tendency to get dependent on some form of stimulant pill, etc. as plenty of studies show. But in some fields it is necessary to have the graveyard shift and there is no way to go round about it, especially in the law enforcement field.

I have spent the past 4 1/2 years on graveyards and let me tell you I love it. Yeah the hours are not that great if you want to have some form of social life, especially if you work the weekends (which I did!). Originally the main reason why I went to graveyards was because it was the first permanent spot that opened and I wanted a more "stable" schedule. Also the people at my job who worked graveyards were more laid back and younger. So that made it very appealing! I found that the people on graveyards at work tend to be more of a family than the other three shifts. We fight and fuss with each other but when the other shifts start "attacking" us, all of us would defend one another and protect our shift. Working in the Law Enforcement community you find yourself already part of a big family as soon as you sign those papers, but there are different sectors in that community. Being a Dispatcher and that field is quiet narrow and small, it takes a special person to be a Dispatcher and not just anyone can do the job, it is a tough job and the training is hard but this is another topic to be covered another day. So to be a Dispatcher and work the graveyard shift, you are in a different league from the others. Quirky people work graveyards and at times those quirks can get to you. But once you understand each other and learn how to tolerate one another, it does not bother you as much.

I know I'm rambling but the bottom line is this : I miss graveyards already! Last night was my last night on graveyards until I finalized training. I knew that getting this promotion meant that changes would be happening in my life but still it is hard to say goodbye to something you have been used to for 4.5 years. Most of my friends from the Field are on graveyards, I know their little quirks and their voices. Now I'm going to be on swing-shift for a month and though this is good for my training (it is the busier shift) it means I have to get used to a new set of people, habits, etc. Still I must remind myself that this is all for the greater good and I'm hoping and praying that as soon as I finalized I can return back to graveyards. =)

A poem by Robert Frost

A Time to Talk

When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don't stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven't hoed,
And shout from where I am, 'What is it?'
No, not as there is a time talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.