In the great scheme of things... I am doing okay, time wise, except I keep getting people saying, I would like you to do X, then don't give me a time.
I half expect to have everyone want me to be available on one day, for a 3 hour period, or some equally stupid thing. On the bright side, I finally dropped one volunteer job I had been doing for about, uh, 12+ years, possibly as long as 15. Getting sort of tired of it. I just felt someone else could do the job, why must I? And, amazingly enough, not one, but two people stepped up to do the job!
W00t!
At the substation, doing my receptionist bit for the deputies again. Had this gent come in, and ask me if the email for a particular deputy was correct. After a bit of futzing about, I was able to double check it, and it was. He then asked if he could phone said deputy directly. I said no, but gave him the voice mail that we are supposed to give out. (Volunteers are not to give out direct numbers unless told to by said deputy.) Then the gent asks if said deputy is on duty today. After a quick check, yes, he should be on, this evening.
After a long pause, he glared at me, and said, "You know, I have been trying to get a hold of him for two days. Maybe I should do something bad so that he will show up immediately..." I didn't say a word. I just used the you are saying something stupid, I will wait until your brain reboots look that I have found to be effective. If I had been in the mood, I should have said what I was thinking, "Gee, maybe some people ARE doing something bad, and that's why he can't just jump on your request." But I decided to just keep my mouth shut.
He did get the hint, from my glare, and blushed slightly, mumbled, "maybe not...", then left. (Am I good, or what?) ;)
(Don't answer that...)
I am pleased to say scale day was one pound down. Getting back to exercising actually helps! (Today, especially. I had no motivation. If it weren't for Rudee, I might have gone back to bed. It was that bad...)
So. Other than our house and the biggest part of our property smells like a forest with the compost, all is pretty much is as usual.
And for some of the comments I don't know if I got to:
John... about the socks. Email me, "rencatus at yahoo dawt com", let me know what you are thinking of.
Bon Bon. Here is the lead in about the cougar from my blog. Feel free to peruse...
http://egginmypocket.blogspot.com/2009/12/cougar.html
http://egginmypocket.blogspot.com/2009/12/cougar-cougar-cougar-cougar-oh-and.html
http://egginmypocket.blogspot.com/2009/12/cougars-end-warning-some-graphic-pics.html
If I missed anyone else... Um. I guess you can always leave a comment?
(sheepish grin)
Showing posts with label volunteer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label volunteer. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Cop Shop, and what I can talk about.
Due to an agreement I have to sign, I can't really discuss specifics when I am doing my bit here at the substation. (It's not as glamorous as it sounds, I just can't discuss what people talk about, as it could affect convictions... So, keeping one's mouth shut is a must. Surprisingly, this isn't all that hard.)
But there are some I can talk about...
The lady that came in wearing shorts on her head. And the deputy that talked to her didn't even blink. When I asked him about it, he just replied cryptically, that isn't the weirdest thing I've seen... (Which really makes me wonder what he HAS seen...)
A gent that came in wanting to know how to contact... the FBI. My 'curious kitten' button was pushed, but you DON'T ask why. Just get the info. Found it, (we are about 2 hours + from the nearest FBI office, if you are interested), and gave him the info. AND HE WALKED OUT. Not fair! Of course, now I have fodder for some wonderful fiction on that he was reporting a Ponzi scheme, or that it was some international fraud that he had info on, or, or, or... (But still wish I knew what he wanted it for...)
Trailers have dozens of spots where you can find the identification number. And you can get rather dirty trying to find it. A wise deputy suggested, perhaps looking up the manufacturer online, and getting them to tell where they'd hidden the number could alleviate dirty uniforms in the future... (Glad I didn't have to do that. Rain and mud can make a green uniform brown very quickly!)
We have a Brand Inspector. And I still am not sure if it's a him, or a her, as the name is "Kim". Since I have a question about a brand for a story I'm writing, perhaps I should call and find out!
Giving a small child a Junior Deputy sticker badge to entertain him while his mother is busy is fine, but you really have to pay attention to what they do with the sticker before the child leaves, or you end up scraping a sticker off the door for the next half hour. The lower, have to kneel into a squat, part of the door...
Quite a few deputies can eat like starving teenage boys. And it's amazing how they zero in on the substation when the volunteers have potlucks...
I am always amazed with people's attitudes about the deputies. I hear about the 'big, bad lawman (or woman)' thing, and how they have no sense of humor, grouchy, etc.. But then the deputies deal with people who come in with a chip on their shoulder, ready to fight, or just with an "Stupid Cop" attitude, what do they expect? I have had to deal with this, as well. I told one of the deputies, they either pay attention to the 'volunteer' on my right pocket, or the star on the left, and neither one is helpful, at times. He chuckled, and said that wasn't uncommon. He also had noticed that I tried to be unfailingly polite to a person that was unfailingly rude to me. He reminded me that I didn't have to deal with someone in that way. If there is a problem, I could just ask for a deputy, and tell the person I was not going to deal with them until they settle down and behave.
Wow.
I don't know what my expression revealed at that point, but he looked at me, then said, however, there ARE limits...
Awww... Shuckydarn!
Deputies have very interesting stories. When they are telling one another about various items, bet your bottom dollar, however, they are paying attention to who is around and listening. They were discussing a new police car that was being talked about as a future replacement, eventually, for some of the cars now. I listened, then looked it up online. One of the deputies walked by my desk, and bellowed to the back, "YEAH, SHE LOOKED IT UP!!", making me blush and squawk, simultaneously, and all the deputies crack up. I noticed that the deputies have been quite good about letting me see info on what they do (when they can), how they do it, and so on. I even met the newest police dog. (He is such a cutie, and thinks I am the world's best leaning post, just like my dog Rudee. Rudee, however, was very jealous and vacuumed me thoroughly when I came home that day.) I think they are happy to share what they can, if you show you are interested.
In truth, I have found deputies in specific, and the different police I've dealt with in general, to be... Human.
Astounding, ain't it?
Some are jovial, some serious, some... unique. Some need some time off... Or something. But they do what they need to do, they put in the time (sometimes they put in overtime) with a lot of effort and (most of the time) humor, compassion, or seriousness, as the situation calls for.
Case in point. A woman came in, and airily told me she "needed a deputy, and wasn't going to talk to me". I told her I at least need to have a general idea of the topic to let the deputy know what he was dealing with. She sniffed, and said, "Drugs", in a tone of voice that implied I wouldn't know a drug if I ate it. I went in back, and let the deputy on duty know, he had a twinkle in his eye, and said, come up and watch. I followed him up. He made a grand gesture of putting his elbows on the desk, putting his head on his hands so he was eye level with the lady and said, loudly, "Sooooo, drugs! Buying or selling?"
After she finished gasping, and I stopped laughing, she settled down, and was actually quite friendly, and he was able to get the information he needed. And I was amused the rest of the day...
I have become the local fount of information for people, this has led to some unique conversations with deputies. For example, you can handcuff a one armed person. Or someone in a wheelchair. Why that I have these questions come up is beyond me, but I get 'em, and most of the time, I can find a deputy that will give me an answer, if not busy. I draw the line at asking deputies about bathroom 'stuff', however, I figure, if someone is THAT interested in the subject of toilets and toilet-ry, well, they can ask a deputy up close and personally.
I will even get one for them...
But there are some I can talk about...
The lady that came in wearing shorts on her head. And the deputy that talked to her didn't even blink. When I asked him about it, he just replied cryptically, that isn't the weirdest thing I've seen... (Which really makes me wonder what he HAS seen...)
A gent that came in wanting to know how to contact... the FBI. My 'curious kitten' button was pushed, but you DON'T ask why. Just get the info. Found it, (we are about 2 hours + from the nearest FBI office, if you are interested), and gave him the info. AND HE WALKED OUT. Not fair! Of course, now I have fodder for some wonderful fiction on that he was reporting a Ponzi scheme, or that it was some international fraud that he had info on, or, or, or... (But still wish I knew what he wanted it for...)
Trailers have dozens of spots where you can find the identification number. And you can get rather dirty trying to find it. A wise deputy suggested, perhaps looking up the manufacturer online, and getting them to tell where they'd hidden the number could alleviate dirty uniforms in the future... (Glad I didn't have to do that. Rain and mud can make a green uniform brown very quickly!)
We have a Brand Inspector. And I still am not sure if it's a him, or a her, as the name is "Kim". Since I have a question about a brand for a story I'm writing, perhaps I should call and find out!
Giving a small child a Junior Deputy sticker badge to entertain him while his mother is busy is fine, but you really have to pay attention to what they do with the sticker before the child leaves, or you end up scraping a sticker off the door for the next half hour. The lower, have to kneel into a squat, part of the door...
Quite a few deputies can eat like starving teenage boys. And it's amazing how they zero in on the substation when the volunteers have potlucks...
I am always amazed with people's attitudes about the deputies. I hear about the 'big, bad lawman (or woman)' thing, and how they have no sense of humor, grouchy, etc.. But then the deputies deal with people who come in with a chip on their shoulder, ready to fight, or just with an "Stupid Cop" attitude, what do they expect? I have had to deal with this, as well. I told one of the deputies, they either pay attention to the 'volunteer' on my right pocket, or the star on the left, and neither one is helpful, at times. He chuckled, and said that wasn't uncommon. He also had noticed that I tried to be unfailingly polite to a person that was unfailingly rude to me. He reminded me that I didn't have to deal with someone in that way. If there is a problem, I could just ask for a deputy, and tell the person I was not going to deal with them until they settle down and behave.
Wow.
I don't know what my expression revealed at that point, but he looked at me, then said, however, there ARE limits...
Awww... Shuckydarn!
Deputies have very interesting stories. When they are telling one another about various items, bet your bottom dollar, however, they are paying attention to who is around and listening. They were discussing a new police car that was being talked about as a future replacement, eventually, for some of the cars now. I listened, then looked it up online. One of the deputies walked by my desk, and bellowed to the back, "YEAH, SHE LOOKED IT UP!!", making me blush and squawk, simultaneously, and all the deputies crack up. I noticed that the deputies have been quite good about letting me see info on what they do (when they can), how they do it, and so on. I even met the newest police dog. (He is such a cutie, and thinks I am the world's best leaning post, just like my dog Rudee. Rudee, however, was very jealous and vacuumed me thoroughly when I came home that day.) I think they are happy to share what they can, if you show you are interested.
In truth, I have found deputies in specific, and the different police I've dealt with in general, to be... Human.
Astounding, ain't it?
Some are jovial, some serious, some... unique. Some need some time off... Or something. But they do what they need to do, they put in the time (sometimes they put in overtime) with a lot of effort and (most of the time) humor, compassion, or seriousness, as the situation calls for.
Case in point. A woman came in, and airily told me she "needed a deputy, and wasn't going to talk to me". I told her I at least need to have a general idea of the topic to let the deputy know what he was dealing with. She sniffed, and said, "Drugs", in a tone of voice that implied I wouldn't know a drug if I ate it. I went in back, and let the deputy on duty know, he had a twinkle in his eye, and said, come up and watch. I followed him up. He made a grand gesture of putting his elbows on the desk, putting his head on his hands so he was eye level with the lady and said, loudly, "Sooooo, drugs! Buying or selling?"
After she finished gasping, and I stopped laughing, she settled down, and was actually quite friendly, and he was able to get the information he needed. And I was amused the rest of the day...
I have become the local fount of information for people, this has led to some unique conversations with deputies. For example, you can handcuff a one armed person. Or someone in a wheelchair. Why that I have these questions come up is beyond me, but I get 'em, and most of the time, I can find a deputy that will give me an answer, if not busy. I draw the line at asking deputies about bathroom 'stuff', however, I figure, if someone is THAT interested in the subject of toilets and toilet-ry, well, they can ask a deputy up close and personally.
I will even get one for them...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Mitigating guilt...
I was invited to a volunteer dinner, to which I haven't been doing a bit of stuff for, for at least... Since January? At least. So, I decided to get some quick projects done up for them, so I feel that I am not just 'eating for free'. So here is my two Fu dogs, modeling some baby hats I just did up. I get 4 hours per hat, (Which I think is stupid, if I take an hour to make a hat, I am to put down four hours. If I take 15 hours to make a hat, I put down four hours. They said they average the work hours, so it's fair to everyone. Stupid, stupid, stupid. But I digress), so I have 8 hours, and can eat with a clear conscience.
I would have modeled the hats on something bigger, but I have carefully packed away some of my 'models' while cleaning the craft room. And right now, can't find them... Oops.
I would have modeled the hats on something bigger, but I have carefully packed away some of my 'models' while cleaning the craft room. And right now, can't find them... Oops.
Mr. and Mrs. Dog present: Hats!
And if Knittingwolf is reading this, I will be getting this out to you soon!
(Dorothy not included...)
So, my needles have been sort of busy of late. I have been knitting on this lapghan to try and get it finished, but the hats were just finished, yesterday, and I decided to knit myself some socks, to celebrate. Sad, but true...
Hi, I'm Cat, and I am a knit-aholic...
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