Status quo

Last week was pre-service training for me at work. I had to endure 40 hours of training over every possible aspect of my job, including verbal de-escalation and physical management techniques, First Aid/CPR/AED, employee benefits, and cultural diversity. I have sat through many pre-services that were downright boring (no offense to Mr. Arnold), but this was painstakingly insipid. There were times when I did not think I would make it, especially when some of the new staff who are about as funny as chilled shrimp attempted to make a joke. This happened quite often. Apparently they felt that the material needed their precise comic commentary. They were quite wrong, both about the need and about "humor" of their "commentary". It is all over now, and I should receive a stinking big check for all the overtime. Praise.
I did get to do something extremely fun, however. I ran the "Stamina Run" with the students on Saturday. The Stamina Run is a 3+ mile run where you stop every couple hundred yards to do 20 reps of an exercise, including standard push-ups, boot-slaps, sit-ups, crunches, wide-spread push-ups, diamond push-ups. lunges, leg-lifts, flutter kicks, 8-counts, rock-climbers, and a few others. I can't tell you how much fun that is. If you have never ran 2 miles and then attempted 20 V-ups, you need to stop what you are doing and go do it right this very second.
Everything is dandy at home with the kids and Jenni. They are staying pretty busy, swimming at Aunt April's condo, riding the train at the nearby park, and visiting Grammy and Pappa up in Loveland. I really enjoy being at home with them for 3.5 straight days. This morning I woke up to Addie standing right in front of me saying she was stinky.
Please feel free to comment on the blog or email me. I would be thrilled to hear from some of our Mass friends.
That is all.

All the live-long day

I finished my first full week of work last Sunday morning. I am about to start on my second in a couple of hours. As you may know from my previous post, I am working at a place called ROP-RVYSC. My hours are a bit strange. I work Wednesday from 1p to 10p, Thursday and Friday from 6a to 10p, and Saturday from 7a to 10p. ROP-RVYSC is a type of boarding school/treatment center for kids coming out of Denver Youth Corrections. It is a very regimented program, almost like a military school. Many of the kids are in the school that is on site. Some of them are in vocational programs. My position is called Coach/Counselor. I am there when the kids get up and when they go to bed. Most of the time I am simply supervising their activity. For I couple hours each day I sit in on one of the vocational classes, which presently is welding, and make sure the kids are present and on task Each day the kids have to run 3 miles. I get to run this with them, if I so wish. Some days they run on a track. I tried to run it with them but did not make it the whole way. Others days they run on a 2.9 mile cross county loop called the adrenalin Course. I was able to complete this, only because we ran as a group and the pace was very slow. I will assuredly get in good shape here (They have a workout room that I go to on my break). In the afternoons they have a period for sports. Since there is a school there, they have all the high school sports a normal school would have. Right now I am helping out with soccer, which means I get to stand on the sidelines and make sure the kids who are not on the field are behaving. In a few weeks basketball starts, and I hope to work with that.
It is very interesting work. I think that I will enjoy it. These kids have tremendous needs and problems, obviously. Yet, they are not unlike any other person. Most of them act real tough and cool, and do their best to pretend they do not care, but I think it is all a facade. Whenever a student gets in trouble, they get to do exercises (a bit more intense than copying a dictionary in detention). They do not like doing these, although some students get sent there often. All in all, these kids are just like the kids at Twin City Christian School, except they cuss much more, and they really are gangsta's from the ghetto.
The staff is pretty interesting. I work with a group of 23 kids. There are two other staff members that work on my group during my shift. One of them was on vacation last week, so I haven't met him. The other is a nice family man. He is very helpful. None of the people I work with are Christians. Sometimes, I don't know who cusses more, the staff or the kids. It is an environment I am not used to at all.
If you think of it I could really use yours prayers. Pray that I can keep a strong testimony among the staff and the students. I need to make sure to guard everything I say and do. Pray that I can establish my authority with the kids. These kids have already tested me. They love trying to confuse me, and telling me information about the program that isn't true. They look for any excuse to not do the things they need to do. I need to focus on being tough in implementing the program. Pray also that I can give good advice to the students. Each day they have a group meeting where they deal with whatever issues they are having. It is a chance for students and staff to confront each other in areas where they are not acting as they should. It is a chance for us to give what they call "positive feedback." I have already sneaked in some Biblical advice, and hope to do so in the future. I hope that I can do so and many sow some seeds. I don't think I have the ability to do any overt witnessing, but maybe I can give some good godly advice.
I will continue to keep you updated. There is much more to say, but I must go. Please leave a comment, and ask questions. I want to here from you.
That is all.

Third of July fireworks

Last night, my family and I went to a Colorado Rockies game, after which we saw a fireworks display.

(Not the actual display.)

We had a really good time. We arrived at the game at the perfect time, during the seventh inning stretch (FYI: the best time to arrive at a hockey game is at the beginning of the fourth period). Thus, we had to watch only 2 1/2 innings, or the equivalent of three college basketball games. The Rockies were playing the San Francisco Giants, which looked surprisingly small from our vantage point in the nose bleed section of left field. It may of been right field. I don't know which is which and truly care more about the sock size of Nomar Garciaparra. We were priveledged to see the Honorable Barry Bonds "at bat". Everyone booed when he stepped up to the plate. Someone yelled out, "Too bad they don't make steriods for your brain, you moron!" but he didn't hear me. We were all anxious as the pitcher flung the cowhide (I think that is the right expression) towards home plate. I was hoping that he would hit a homer and that somehow I would end up with ball. If this happened, I would "arrange" a career ending injury to befall Senior Bonds (I know a guy who specializes in such "accidents"). I don't mean anything life-threatening or appearance altering. Just a simple knee or shoulder mishap from which the 62-year slugger old could not recover, even if he were another, or the Incredible Hulk's brother. Thus, I would be in possession of Barry "The Fake Muscle" Bonds' last home run. I would then wait a couple of weeks to sell the ball on eBay for a cool 500 large. This seemed like a fool-proof plan. Unfortunately, Barry "The Fool" Bonds popped up into the infield and was out. How insenstive of him. Some other things happend at the game, and some team won, but I wasn't paying attention.
The fireworks display was good. It wasn't great. The kids liked it, and that is what is important. The best part was when Barry Bonds caught one the fireworks in his mouth. When it exploded, the sparks came out his nose. I don't know how he did it, but it sure was cool.
That is all.

Making progress

I have made some real progress in my transition here. The other day I went to the Drivers License Place to get my Drivers License. That was a Titanic-load of fun. I decided to go at 11:00 a.m. thinking that everybody would be at lunch. They were. Unfortunately everyone in the Denver Metro area chose to eat their lunch at the Drivers License place. This was not a problem, though, since ostensibly half the staff of the Drivers License Place was at lunch at another location. I was glad, because government workers have to eat too. I stood in line next to a guy who had some sort of a complaint for the Government of Denver, which apparently is run by communists who are out to get him. I told him that they are and that I am part of the master plan to ruin his life. He was upset because, when you need to change your address in Colorado, all you get is a blank sticker on which to write your new address. He felt they should give you a sticker with your address printed on it. "They can't afford to give you a sticker, but they can afford to give you an $80 ticket." He said this several times to anyone within a mile radius. Each time the amount of ticket raised. "They can't afford a sticker but they can afford a $500 ticket. Know what I mean?" I can't tell you if he was able to rectify his situation because my brain exploded after 20 minutes of his asinine complaints. At one point he turned to a lady who was foolish enough to respond to him and said, "You know, in ten years, we are going to be the minority." I looked at him and said, "Not a chance. There will always be far more idiots than normal people." At any rate, I did complete the required 2 hour wait and apply for my license, which cost $15.60, or enough to buy at least 2 stickers, if they so chose. Here is my picture:
On the job front, I have one. I will be working at the Rite of Passage--Ridge View Youth Services Center (or ROPRVYSC, pronounced Roper-Viskey). ROPRVYSC is a treatment center/boarding school for troubled teens. The kids that are there are coming out of Denver Youth Corrections. I will finally be able to put my ghetto experience to good use. My position is called Coach/Counselor. I get to "hang" with the kids throughout the day. I see them to their classes (there is a fully-functioning school on site), and to their meals, and to their afternoon vocational lessons, and to their sports lessons. I get to run 3 miles with them each day. I am not sure of the totally of my job. I will be starting on Wednesday. I work 14 hours a day for 3.5 days a week, which means I get 3.5 full days off. I do not get to carry a gun, or mace, or a mace, or one of those telescoping metal sticks with which to hit people. But I do get to wear shorts and sneakers all day doing my best Mike Weston impression. I will be sure to post after my first week.
That is all.

Night on Bald Mountain

We (that is myself and my wonderful family) spent this past weekend up in the mountains. We were just south of Buena Vista, Colorado, at a place called Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort. That is Mt. Princeton behind us in the picture. It is one of Colorado's 54 14ners (that is, fourteen thousand foot peaks). It was gorgeous up there. I love being in the mountains. I love mountain nights. The temperature can drop 40 degrees sometimes. Everything is so lovely. We were up there for the wedding of Jenni's cousin. We had a great time. The kids loved it, though they didn't sleep much at all.
I took many pictures, but that fact that I have a cheap camera and I am not a good photographer led to the result that none of them turned out well. Here is one of the better ones. It only gets worse from here.
We are preparing for a big Fourth of July weekend. We are going to see a Rockies' game and some fireworks (or sparklies, as my kids would say) tomorrow. We will spend the Fourth with my parents in Loveland.
Take care of yourselves. That is all.