Back in the saddle

It's nice to be back in New Hampshire, but after a year in Buffalo, I've had to reacquaint myself with the realities of rural life. One jarring realization was that it's more than ten miles to the nearest store that's open past 10 pm. Additionally, you can't watch the Yankees on television unless it's a national broadcast, since New Hampshire is considered "out of market." On the plus side, though, the lake/foliage/stars are magnificent. You just can't get scenery like that in Western New York (though it certainly has pockets of great beauty). But most importantly (and on the subject of great beauty), Ellen is here, which no place else can boast!

Just before the wedding, I was rehired by the same ambulance company for which I worked following my college graduation. My New York State paramedic certification does not transfer to New Hampshire or Vermont (where the company is physically located, although it operates under New Hampshire protocols), so I am in the process of "transferring my card," as they say. Given the considerable amount of bureaucracy involved, things are actually progressing relatively quickly at this point. Hopefully the process will continue to go smoothly.

While I wait, however, I am doing my junior/senior time at work. Whenever an ambulance company hires a new paramedic, he gets paired with a more experienced paramedic while he gets acquainted with the equipment, company policies and procedures, etc. It's an orientation of sorts, coupled with an informal evaluation of skills. As junior/senior time can often take a number of weeks, I'm fortunate to be able to do it now. This way, once I test out for NH/VT and my paperwork all goes through, I'll be able to go online right away.

In other news, some malls in Brooklyn are trying a new tack in the war on teenager loiterers. While there are no doubt legitimate reasons for pursuing such policies, all I can think of is the Neighborhood Watch Alliance from the film Hot Fuzz.