I officially established New Hampshire residency this week. It was a little sad, to be honest. I've been a resident of New York State for all of my twenty three years. On top of that, the NH driver license isn't nearly as cool-looking as its NY counterpart. Looking on the bright side, though, NH is a great place to live and I'm looking forward to establishing outposts of Yankee pride in territory generally considered "Red Sox Nation."
Living in Hanover for four years as an undergrad did not fully prepare me for small-town New England life. Being the site of an Ivy League college, Hanover tends to be more cosmopolitan than other parts of the state. (I mean this literally: Hanover is populated by citizens of the world.) But I'm not in Hanover anymore. On Tuesday, I paid a visit to the Enfield municipal building to obtain proof of residency so I could get my New Hampshire driver license.
"Hello, I just moved here this week, and I was wondering if I could get a proof of residency to show the DMV."
"We are the DMV."
"Great. Then can I apply for a driver license?"
"Oh, we don't do that here. You have to go to the DMV."
Eventually I not only secured the proof of residency (and, the next day, my license) but also registered to vote, obtained a transfer station permit and signed up for a library card. And don't get me wrong, I think New England and New Englanders are terrific. But before my time in New Hampshire is through, this New Yorker is going to prove that you can get there from here.
About Me
- Robert
- I'm a 2009 graduate of Dartmouth College who loves Jesus, my wife and all things Northeast.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Moving
I packed the car last Sunday for another trip down I-90 to New Hampshire. This time, though, I wasn't simply visiting for a long weekend. At long last, after being too many months and too many miles apart from Ellen, I was moving to New Hampshire for good. Needless to say, this knowledge greatly alleviated the aggravation of packing. With one final goodbye to Buffalo, I folded my lanky frame into the car and set off for home.
The drive itself was straightforward, although I was combating rain for most of the trip. At times, the rain would strike the windshield with deafening ferocity. This flummoxed the noise-canceling feature on my hands-free headset, but when impeded phone conversation is the worst misadventure to befall you during a road trip, things aren't looking so bad (though don't get me wrong, I would much preferred to hear what Ellen was saying and vice versa).
I'm still settling into the apartment (I'm staying with my pastor until the wedding and will join Ellen in our apartment after the honeymoon), but the unpacking is going fairly smoothly. It's certainly a pleasant chore, and the best part is the company. It's hard to believe that after so much time apart, Ellen and I are finally back in the same area. Exciting times!
In other news, the New York Knights defeated the Boston Blitz 4-0 in the opening match of the 2010 U.S. Chess League season. Congratulations to all the Knights players and good luck in Week Two!
The drive itself was straightforward, although I was combating rain for most of the trip. At times, the rain would strike the windshield with deafening ferocity. This flummoxed the noise-canceling feature on my hands-free headset, but when impeded phone conversation is the worst misadventure to befall you during a road trip, things aren't looking so bad (though don't get me wrong, I would much preferred to hear what Ellen was saying and vice versa).
I'm still settling into the apartment (I'm staying with my pastor until the wedding and will join Ellen in our apartment after the honeymoon), but the unpacking is going fairly smoothly. It's certainly a pleasant chore, and the best part is the company. It's hard to believe that after so much time apart, Ellen and I are finally back in the same area. Exciting times!
In other news, the New York Knights defeated the Boston Blitz 4-0 in the opening match of the 2010 U.S. Chess League season. Congratulations to all the Knights players and good luck in Week Two!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Graduation party
Saturday was the graduation party for the day and evening paramedic classes. The event took place at our instructor's home. It was a lot of fun to see (almost) everybody one last time, and I always welcome any endeavor that will give me a break from packing. Our instructor has a beautiful home located on the edge of a lagoon, and while I personally did not partake, a number of my classmates availed themselves of his peddle boat (there was also a canoe).
Although dark clouds had been looming ominously all day long, the rain fortunately held off for the majority of the celebration. And even when it did start to drizzle, we all huddled under the tents and managed to remain dry. There was no shortage of food or conversation as we reminisced about the year gone by. Near the end of the party, the instructors convened us one last time to hand out the class awards. I was delighted and honored to learn that I had graduated first in my class.
A class picture was taken and goodbyes were exchanged; in time each of us took his leave. It has been a memorable and rewarding year full of challenges and growth. I got what I came for and met some remarkable people along the way. I look forward to staying in touch and hope we all meet again soon.
Although dark clouds had been looming ominously all day long, the rain fortunately held off for the majority of the celebration. And even when it did start to drizzle, we all huddled under the tents and managed to remain dry. There was no shortage of food or conversation as we reminisced about the year gone by. Near the end of the party, the instructors convened us one last time to hand out the class awards. I was delighted and honored to learn that I had graduated first in my class.
A class picture was taken and goodbyes were exchanged; in time each of us took his leave. It has been a memorable and rewarding year full of challenges and growth. I got what I came for and met some remarkable people along the way. I look forward to staying in touch and hope we all meet again soon.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Paramedic!
I passed the New York State written exam Thursday night, which means I am now a certified paramedic!
Things started off with an early dinner at Dinosaur BBQ in downtown Rochester. The entire day class and most of the night class, along with the instructors and the clinical coordinator, caravaned down for the pre-test repast. I'd never been to Dinosaur before, but I'd heard great things. Its reputation, I can now say with confidence, is well deserved. The barbecued brisket sandwich, cole slaw and fruit salad left nothing to be desired.
After dinner, we made the ten-minute drive to the Public Safety Training Facility at Monroe Community College, which served as the testing site. There are numerous testing locations around New York State, but only four offer on-site scoring (Albany, Syracuse and New York City are the others). The advantage to on-site scoring is that your test is graded as soon as you turn it in and, if you pass, you receive your certification card on the spot. If you are not participating in on-site scoring, your exam is mailed to Albany, where it is hand-graded and the results returned to you within six to eight weeks. Forget that.
The exam itself consisted of 235 multiple-choice questions, of which ten are ungraded "pilot" questions. These are questions the state is considering using on future exams, but which it first gives to us to gauge their difficulty. You never find out which ones were the pilot questions, but they don't figure into your final score anyway. Of the 225 graded questions, the first seventy five are Basic Life Support level. A score of 70% is required to pass this section; if you fail the BLS section, you fail the entire exam. Assuming you pass the BLS section, you then must score 70% or better on the paramedic section to successfully pass the exam (if you pass the basic section but fail the advanced, it would count as your recert and your current certification would be extended for three years).
I won't receive a more detailed score breakdown for a little while, but I do know that I scored 89% on the BLS section and 91% on the paramedic section. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to receive my scores. As it turned out, everybody in both classes passed comfortably, with no one coming within even ten points of the minimum. The results are a testament not only to how hard we worked and studied all year long, but also to how well our instructors prepared us.
We waited for all of our classmates to finish--it was a four hour test, although our times ranged from just over two hours to three and a quarter--and then voyaged back to Buffalo, where Cole's Bar had been selected for the "after party." I didn't stay deep into the night, but it was fun celebrating with my classmates and (now former!) instructors. And since I had to drive home, I limited my exuberance to two large glasses of ginger ale. Best ginger ale I've ever tasted.
Things started off with an early dinner at Dinosaur BBQ in downtown Rochester. The entire day class and most of the night class, along with the instructors and the clinical coordinator, caravaned down for the pre-test repast. I'd never been to Dinosaur before, but I'd heard great things. Its reputation, I can now say with confidence, is well deserved. The barbecued brisket sandwich, cole slaw and fruit salad left nothing to be desired.
After dinner, we made the ten-minute drive to the Public Safety Training Facility at Monroe Community College, which served as the testing site. There are numerous testing locations around New York State, but only four offer on-site scoring (Albany, Syracuse and New York City are the others). The advantage to on-site scoring is that your test is graded as soon as you turn it in and, if you pass, you receive your certification card on the spot. If you are not participating in on-site scoring, your exam is mailed to Albany, where it is hand-graded and the results returned to you within six to eight weeks. Forget that.
The exam itself consisted of 235 multiple-choice questions, of which ten are ungraded "pilot" questions. These are questions the state is considering using on future exams, but which it first gives to us to gauge their difficulty. You never find out which ones were the pilot questions, but they don't figure into your final score anyway. Of the 225 graded questions, the first seventy five are Basic Life Support level. A score of 70% is required to pass this section; if you fail the BLS section, you fail the entire exam. Assuming you pass the BLS section, you then must score 70% or better on the paramedic section to successfully pass the exam (if you pass the basic section but fail the advanced, it would count as your recert and your current certification would be extended for three years).
I won't receive a more detailed score breakdown for a little while, but I do know that I scored 89% on the BLS section and 91% on the paramedic section. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to receive my scores. As it turned out, everybody in both classes passed comfortably, with no one coming within even ten points of the minimum. The results are a testament not only to how hard we worked and studied all year long, but also to how well our instructors prepared us.
We waited for all of our classmates to finish--it was a four hour test, although our times ranged from just over two hours to three and a quarter--and then voyaged back to Buffalo, where Cole's Bar had been selected for the "after party." I didn't stay deep into the night, but it was fun celebrating with my classmates and (now former!) instructors. And since I had to drive home, I limited my exuberance to two large glasses of ginger ale. Best ginger ale I've ever tasted.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Chess update
The last remaining game has finished in my correspondence chess tournament. Although I concluded my games at the end of June, my final tournament standing was not definite until the other players had finished too. Now it's clear that, as predicted, I tied for second place and picked up eleven correspondence chess rating points. I was seeded sixth out of seven players at the start of the event, so I'm pleased with the result overall (although I made poor moves at critical moments in my two losses and ought to have put up a tougher fight). All the games were fun and instructional, however, and I'm looking forward to playing in another correspondence chess tournament soon.
There isn't much in New Hampshire in terms of over-the-board chess tournaments. Many of the tournaments that do exist are scheduled for holiday weekends, which often makes it difficult to attend. In recent years, though, Alex Relyea has done an admirable job of organizing new events across the state. Hopefully I'll be able to attend more of his tournaments in the coming years (my lone participation in one of his tournaments was the 2008 South Burlington Plus-Score, which I won with a 4-0 score). For now, however, my priority is preparing for the wedding and then settling into married life.
For those of you not keeping up with Icelandic paternity litigation, the DNA test results have come back in the Bobby Fischer paternity case. The former World Chess Champion was exhumed from his grave in Selfoss, Iceland earlier this year to settle a suit brought by his former partner, Marilyn Young. Ms. Young alleged that Fischer fathered her daughter Jinky; the DNA testing proved that he did not.
In other news, the Ben & Jerry's store in Hanover closed over the weekend. Its replacement, Carnival I Scream, is slated to open tomorrow. While I'll be sorry to see Ben & Jerry's (and especially Free Cone Day) go, I'm looking forward to visiting its successor!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Black Eyed Peas
Part of my last-full-week-of-work duties involved a standby shift at HSBC Arena on Wednesday. I hadn't been to an Arena standby in a while--not since hockey season ended--but when the Black Eyed Peas came to town, I answered the call. All in all it was a fun concert. Even though I didn't know every song they played, it was a high-energy performance and an exuberant crowd. The concert was more of a production than the Elton John/Billy Joel show I saw in the early spring--costume changes and dancers and multimedia components--but it rarely detracted from the music itself. I hear Nickelback is coming to HSBC sometime in September ... I'm going to have to figure out a way to get on the schedule for that show.
With my departure for New Hampshire only days away, I've reluctantly begun to pack. Ordinarily, packing is pretty straightforward: I grab half a dozen trash bags and stuff all my belongings in them. Once I arrive at my new abode, I begin the arduous process of sorting through everything and weeding out items I no longer want or need. This year, I'm trying a different tack and sorting through everything before packing it up. I'm hoping to spend less time unpacking on the other end; there's certainly enough else to occupy me in the last days before the wedding!
Moving downstate, the New York City Department of Transportation just released a report analyzing more than 7,000 crashes from the middle of the decade in which at least one pedestrian suffered severe or fatal injuries. The report concluded, among other things, that left-hand turns were most likely to result in fatal collisions and jaywalkers stood a lower chance of being run down than people using crosswalks (these are not necessarily related. After all, it's hard to picture hitting a jaywalker while turning left in the middle of a block). The correlation-causation disconnect applies here, as it does to any statistical compilation, but it's nevertheless interesting to hear five years of collisions tell their tales.
In other news, football season is almost upon us. The New York Giants defeated the New York Jets in their preseason matchup Monday night. This is a great time of year to be a sports fan.
With my departure for New Hampshire only days away, I've reluctantly begun to pack. Ordinarily, packing is pretty straightforward: I grab half a dozen trash bags and stuff all my belongings in them. Once I arrive at my new abode, I begin the arduous process of sorting through everything and weeding out items I no longer want or need. This year, I'm trying a different tack and sorting through everything before packing it up. I'm hoping to spend less time unpacking on the other end; there's certainly enough else to occupy me in the last days before the wedding!
Moving downstate, the New York City Department of Transportation just released a report analyzing more than 7,000 crashes from the middle of the decade in which at least one pedestrian suffered severe or fatal injuries. The report concluded, among other things, that left-hand turns were most likely to result in fatal collisions and jaywalkers stood a lower chance of being run down than people using crosswalks (these are not necessarily related. After all, it's hard to picture hitting a jaywalker while turning left in the middle of a block). The correlation-causation disconnect applies here, as it does to any statistical compilation, but it's nevertheless interesting to hear five years of collisions tell their tales.
In other news, football season is almost upon us. The New York Giants defeated the New York Jets in their preseason matchup Monday night. This is a great time of year to be a sports fan.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Firsts and lasts
Yesterday was the end of (hopefully!) my last full week of work as an EMT-Basic. I'm working one day next week and then taking my paramedic exam on Thursday. If all goes well, I can turn in my exam results to the Human Resources manager and switch job classifications on the spot. There's a training program at the company where new paramedics are paired with senior medics for orientation and training; this process takes roughly a month, depending on call volume and other factors. Unfortunately, I'm moving to New Hampshire four days after the exam.
It's possible to remain part-time with the company (which requires fifty two hours of work per quarter) even from afar, but as far as I can tell, no one has ever tried to do their new-medic orientation on that schedule. I'm waiting to hear back from the operations manager as to what that would look like for me. Trying to do my training in fifty-two hour spurts every three months could take a long, long time. I'm not even certain that I'll try to stay on, though I'd like to, but I'm going to wait to hear back before making a final decision.
Not all of the hospitals in Buffalo have helipads, so from time to time the helicopter is forced to rendezvous with a ground ambulance to bring a patient the rest of the way to the receiving hospital. Yesterday I got to do my first airlift-assist. The second the chopper was on the ground, we rushed out with the stretcher, speedily transferred the patient and then rushed back to the ambulance, crouching down under the rotors all the way. The whole process took maybe three minutes. It was just like a scene from a movie, only cooler because it was real life with a real patient.
In other news, the U.S. Chess League is about to get underway. The New York Knights open the season against the Boston Blitz next Monday at 7 pm. You can bet I'll be watching!
It's possible to remain part-time with the company (which requires fifty two hours of work per quarter) even from afar, but as far as I can tell, no one has ever tried to do their new-medic orientation on that schedule. I'm waiting to hear back from the operations manager as to what that would look like for me. Trying to do my training in fifty-two hour spurts every three months could take a long, long time. I'm not even certain that I'll try to stay on, though I'd like to, but I'm going to wait to hear back before making a final decision.
Not all of the hospitals in Buffalo have helipads, so from time to time the helicopter is forced to rendezvous with a ground ambulance to bring a patient the rest of the way to the receiving hospital. Yesterday I got to do my first airlift-assist. The second the chopper was on the ground, we rushed out with the stretcher, speedily transferred the patient and then rushed back to the ambulance, crouching down under the rotors all the way. The whole process took maybe three minutes. It was just like a scene from a movie, only cooler because it was real life with a real patient.
In other news, the U.S. Chess League is about to get underway. The New York Knights open the season against the Boston Blitz next Monday at 7 pm. You can bet I'll be watching!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Buffalo anniversary
Today is the one-year anniversary of my arrival in Buffalo. Looking back, it doesn't feel like a year. Or maybe it does. Time is hard to measure retrospectively. As things wind down, I'm finding myself starting to say goodbye to people and places that have become familiar parts of my Western NY life. It's a little strange and a little sad, but the world is a smaller place than it used to be, and goodbye less final.
Since I'm moving out of Buffalo in sixteen days, I'm scrambling to get in all the touristy activities I haven't done yet. Yesterday, a college friend and I went to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo's art museum. We had a lot of fun; the Albright-Knox has a respectable line-up of big-name artists in their permanent collection--Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet--as well as a number of painters and sculptors I've never heard of (which admittedly isn't saying much).
I played in the Sardinia Open chess tournament today. In my first tournament since the end of January, I tied for first with a score of 2.5 - 0.5. At times I felt slightly rusty, but overall I was pleased with my play. Here is my favorite game from the event, a Round Two victory over Albert "Pat" Patterson, rated 1764.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 0-0 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Qd2 c5 8. d5 a6 9. Be2 Rb8 10. g4 Ne5 11. h3 Ne8 12. f4 Nd7 13. h4 Nc7 14. a4 Nf6
15. f5 b5 16.Bf3 bxc4 17. h5 g5 18. Bxg5 e6 19. h6 Bh8 20. Bh4 exd5 21. Qg5+ Black resigns.
If you can think of any can't-miss Buffalo attractions I should visit before moving back to New Hampshire, please let me know!
Since I'm moving out of Buffalo in sixteen days, I'm scrambling to get in all the touristy activities I haven't done yet. Yesterday, a college friend and I went to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo's art museum. We had a lot of fun; the Albright-Knox has a respectable line-up of big-name artists in their permanent collection--Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet--as well as a number of painters and sculptors I've never heard of (which admittedly isn't saying much).
I played in the Sardinia Open chess tournament today. In my first tournament since the end of January, I tied for first with a score of 2.5 - 0.5. At times I felt slightly rusty, but overall I was pleased with my play. Here is my favorite game from the event, a Round Two victory over Albert "Pat" Patterson, rated 1764.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 0-0 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Qd2 c5 8. d5 a6 9. Be2 Rb8 10. g4 Ne5 11. h3 Ne8 12. f4 Nd7 13. h4 Nc7 14. a4 Nf6
15. f5 b5 16.Bf3 bxc4 17. h5 g5 18. Bxg5 e6 19. h6 Bh8 20. Bh4 exd5 21. Qg5+ Black resigns.
If you can think of any can't-miss Buffalo attractions I should visit before moving back to New Hampshire, please let me know!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
New York in the news
New York was in the news quite a bit today. For starters, the state legislature finally passed its budget. This would ordinarily be unremarkable, were the budget not 125 days late. The latest budget ever to be turned in, according to The New York Times, was passed on August 11, 2004. This year's edition avoided that dubious milestone by the narrowest of margins. I maintain that California remains the most dysfunctional state, but this budget fiasco certainly didn't help New York's standing any (neither did temporarily relinquishing control of the AL East).
The state legislature also passed a bill that would count prison inmates as residents of their pre-incarceration towns and cities, rather than counting them as residents of the town in which their prison is located. I'm not philosophically opposed to the idea--it makes some sense--but there's one part that confuses me. In some circumstances, individuals with felony convictions are not permitted to vote. What then is the purpose of redrawing Congressional districts to better represent people who cannot vote for their representatives in the first place?
On a more positive note, Tuesday's New York Times also featured an article about an experimental treatment for cardiac arrest patients: Induced hypothermia. The article, which was satisfactory but superficial, focused primarily on the implementation of cooling therapy in New York City. Apparently they piloted the treatment with local hospitals and are now beginning to train prehospital providers in its use.
Induced hypothermia is an interesting and promising treatment. Current research indicates that the actual mechanism of clinical death among cardiac arrest patients is a buildup of lactic acid and other toxic byproducts of cellular respiration. By lowering the body temperature, the reasoning goes, the body's metabolism is decreased, thereby slowing the release of these toxic byproducts. Early results from this new therapy are encouraging.
My only beef with the article--besides failing to give a suitable overview of what the treatment entails and why it might be effective--is that it barely mentions Buffalo's induced hypothermia program, which is much further along than Manhattan's. Whereas New York City paramedics are just now receiving training in the procedure, some ambulance companies in Western New York have been using it on the street for months. I did part of my field internship with one such agency, but I didn't have the opportunity to employ the treatment during my ride time.
The state legislature also passed a bill that would count prison inmates as residents of their pre-incarceration towns and cities, rather than counting them as residents of the town in which their prison is located. I'm not philosophically opposed to the idea--it makes some sense--but there's one part that confuses me. In some circumstances, individuals with felony convictions are not permitted to vote. What then is the purpose of redrawing Congressional districts to better represent people who cannot vote for their representatives in the first place?
On a more positive note, Tuesday's New York Times also featured an article about an experimental treatment for cardiac arrest patients: Induced hypothermia. The article, which was satisfactory but superficial, focused primarily on the implementation of cooling therapy in New York City. Apparently they piloted the treatment with local hospitals and are now beginning to train prehospital providers in its use.
Induced hypothermia is an interesting and promising treatment. Current research indicates that the actual mechanism of clinical death among cardiac arrest patients is a buildup of lactic acid and other toxic byproducts of cellular respiration. By lowering the body temperature, the reasoning goes, the body's metabolism is decreased, thereby slowing the release of these toxic byproducts. Early results from this new therapy are encouraging.
My only beef with the article--besides failing to give a suitable overview of what the treatment entails and why it might be effective--is that it barely mentions Buffalo's induced hypothermia program, which is much further along than Manhattan's. Whereas New York City paramedics are just now receiving training in the procedure, some ambulance companies in Western New York have been using it on the street for months. I did part of my field internship with one such agency, but I didn't have the opportunity to employ the treatment during my ride time.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Ellen's final Buffalo visit
Ellen came out to visit this weekend for the last time before I move back to New Hampshire. We had a terrific time, combining a belated birthday celebration with sightseeing and low-key time together too. On Saturday, we went to watch the Buffalo Bisons take on the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs in AAA minor league baseball (the Bisons won, 4-1). Watching a minor league game is a much different experience from attending a major league stadium; for starters, the minor league stadia usually have about one quarter the seating capacity of their big-league brethren. This means you can get much closer to the action without spending a fortune. In fact, it costs the same amount of money to watch two Yankees games from field level ($250 per seat) as it does to buy season tickets to the Bisons ($505 per seat for seventy one home games). Then again, you get what you pay for. Unless A.J. Burnett is pitching, anyway.
On Sunday we crossed the border and went to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. What an experience. We'd been to see the American Falls in February, but the Horseshoe Falls are considerably bigger. The weather was perfect for waterfall-watching: Sunny and clear but not too hot. We bought tickets for the Maid of the Mist boat, which was incredible. It first took us past the base of the American Falls before turning and heading right up to the bottom of the Horseshoe Falls. The wind and spray from the waterfall were pretty ferocious, but we had a terrific vantage point from which to appreciate the Falls. I'll post pictures soon.
Ellen is on her way home now, sadly, but it's only three weeks until I head back east for good. And I won't be hurting for things to do between now and then, so hopefully the time will pass quickly!
On Sunday we crossed the border and went to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. What an experience. We'd been to see the American Falls in February, but the Horseshoe Falls are considerably bigger. The weather was perfect for waterfall-watching: Sunny and clear but not too hot. We bought tickets for the Maid of the Mist boat, which was incredible. It first took us past the base of the American Falls before turning and heading right up to the bottom of the Horseshoe Falls. The wind and spray from the waterfall were pretty ferocious, but we had a terrific vantage point from which to appreciate the Falls. I'll post pictures soon.
Ellen is on her way home now, sadly, but it's only three weeks until I head back east for good. And I won't be hurting for things to do between now and then, so hopefully the time will pass quickly!
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