I had been wanting for some time to get a little more active in the community since moving to Athens. Several months ago I attempted to re-enlist into the West Virginia Army National Guard and I thought that was going to work out ok, but I failed a second, more intensive physical because of my knees, so that idea was dead in the water.
There's a volunteer fire department, and it's almost directly across the street from my apartment. In the year I've been here I've met and have become friends with most of the members and on my nights at work and sometimes my off time I can be found at the firehouse shooting the shit with my friends. One has been after me to join up for a while now and I would always find an excuse not to. To tell you the truth, I really don't dig the idea of running into burning buildings, and really don't handle ladders all that well.
But last night after a long bullshit session at the station and many cups of coffee, my friends there finally got me to agree to fill out an application and at least come to a few meetings. They are a bunch of great guys really, and my friend did say "Hey, you're here all the time anyway..."
Well, we'll see how this goes. My maternal grandfather was the Fire Chief of Camden, New Jersey a long time ago and I remember as a child getting the toy fire trucks and shit like that for Christmas and Birthdays. You'd think he wanted me to become a firefighter or something... I was a cop for a while, why not a firefighter? It's not like they get a whole lot of tall buildings burning fully involved a lot.
But I'll tell you what is nice, moving here only a year ago and making enough friends that actually go out of their way to get me into their organization and treat me like I've been here all my life.
It's really nice to feel welcomed and at home, something I never felt in the nine years I was in Arizona.
Go here: http://athensfireandrescue.org/
A few other notes I'll mention now. Starting Friday, I'm going to start something new, "Funny Foto Friday". I'll be posting a funny picture every week. Sometimes I'll comment, sometimes I'll just leave the picture speak for itself. You won't be disappointed!
Also, I might have found a new place. There's a small cottage halfway between the office and my apartment that has been sitting empty since last year when I moved into town. I found out last night it's been for sale for over five years but apparently somebody died in it, and now nobody wants anything to do with the place. That doesn't bother me so I'm going to see if I can get to look at it later this week. It's small, but it's just me and I really don't need much. I'm just sick of apartment living. Once you've owned your own home, it's hard going back to living in an apartment.
Copyright 2005 Thomas J Wolfenden
There's a volunteer fire department, and it's almost directly across the street from my apartment. In the year I've been here I've met and have become friends with most of the members and on my nights at work and sometimes my off time I can be found at the firehouse shooting the shit with my friends. One has been after me to join up for a while now and I would always find an excuse not to. To tell you the truth, I really don't dig the idea of running into burning buildings, and really don't handle ladders all that well.
But last night after a long bullshit session at the station and many cups of coffee, my friends there finally got me to agree to fill out an application and at least come to a few meetings. They are a bunch of great guys really, and my friend did say "Hey, you're here all the time anyway..."
Well, we'll see how this goes. My maternal grandfather was the Fire Chief of Camden, New Jersey a long time ago and I remember as a child getting the toy fire trucks and shit like that for Christmas and Birthdays. You'd think he wanted me to become a firefighter or something... I was a cop for a while, why not a firefighter? It's not like they get a whole lot of tall buildings burning fully involved a lot.
But I'll tell you what is nice, moving here only a year ago and making enough friends that actually go out of their way to get me into their organization and treat me like I've been here all my life.
It's really nice to feel welcomed and at home, something I never felt in the nine years I was in Arizona.
Go here: http://athensfireandrescue.org/
A few other notes I'll mention now. Starting Friday, I'm going to start something new, "Funny Foto Friday". I'll be posting a funny picture every week. Sometimes I'll comment, sometimes I'll just leave the picture speak for itself. You won't be disappointed!
Also, I might have found a new place. There's a small cottage halfway between the office and my apartment that has been sitting empty since last year when I moved into town. I found out last night it's been for sale for over five years but apparently somebody died in it, and now nobody wants anything to do with the place. That doesn't bother me so I'm going to see if I can get to look at it later this week. It's small, but it's just me and I really don't need much. I'm just sick of apartment living. Once you've owned your own home, it's hard going back to living in an apartment.
Copyright 2005 Thomas J Wolfenden
10 comments:
That's cool that you're getting involved. And that you may be buying a cottage! Congrats!
Tina & Cortney: Jury's out on both counts... The cottage is still iffy, I have to get approved for a mortgage and if that fails trying to talk the owner into a rent-to-own contract. But it being empty for so long, he might bite just to get rid of it.
I want the cottage! I dont care if Jim Jones had his first trial run at his kool-aide party there. LOL
Congratulations!!!
The cottage would be nice. apartment living sucks.!!!
I think you've been watching too much Rescue Me, Denis - I mean, Tom. But if you are SURE you want to save kittens from trees and possibly run into burning buildings, by all means... lol
And as for the cottage - a person DIED in there? You'd better call a priest to exorcise the place. What would Sister Mary Regina Catherine Novena say??
I found out last night it's been for sale for over five years but apparently somebody died in it, and now nobody wants anything to do with the place.
There's probably a ghost in there.
Ghosts are cool.
You've got a great opportunity with that cottage. You'll have the coolest place in town on Halloween, you can blame the restless spirits for any lapses in housekeeping, you can help spread the myths about the cottage and then sit back and laugh when kids dare their younger brothers to walk all the way up to your porch ... you may even get a chess partner out of the deal - or a pal for Uncle Harvey to hang out with.
Of course, that also means that they might spend the entire evening talking loud and possessing various household objects for laughs, but I think overall the benefits outweigh the risks.
Dammit! I hate being the last to comment!
Like Dirk said, there may be ghosts there, so you won't be alone after all! (Plus, I'll send the lizard over:)
Honkeie: Jim Jones, huh? That's someone you don't hear of every day...
Linny: Yes it does. Especially when you can hear EVERYTHING through the walls
Dasi: It's not that at all, just feel like I should do a little something from the community... And it was Sister Mary Adolph Eichman and Sister Mary Hienrich Himmler of the Order of the Blessed Bleeding Hearts of the Stormtrooper...
Dirk: Ghosts are verry cool!
Kev: I love your idea, and yes, the pluses outwiegh the minuses.
Cheryl: Aint it though?
Cantellya: See, now you're not last, I am... And just the lizard? ;)
Actually, now I'm the last one to comment.
If you want to be a fireman, do it, but it takes a big man to do that. I couldn't do that or even want to be married to someone who does that.
Someone died in there? Oh, hell no. Forget that. I'm already scared of everything I can't see.
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