A touch of klass.

One pastime that I have been finding comical is watching people desperately attempt to hold onto their youth. Growing up is a part of life and watching people attempt to fight this is absolutely great!

Recently a friend of mine and myself attended a stunning spectacle that I had never known about. A thing called a "day club". Now there is nothing I love more than people watching. It is seriously one of my favorite hobbies next to glue sniffing and drinking chemicals from under the sink. I love watching the awkwardness of humans as they attempt to interact with others. It's all the fun and excitement of a night club except after getting tuned up all day, you have to stagger in the daylight where people see how ugly you really are. 

Back to the day club. So my friend and I arrive and are immediately faced with a fire inspectors wet dream. A small venue that is completely over crowded. The station night club fire races through my head. I start planning my escape, specifically how I will defy physics and narrowly escape death. 

Once inside, the attendees appear to be all people (although some were as intelegent as animals) in their mid to late 20's up to their 80's. Which I have to give it up to the 70 year old man walking around with not one, but two women on his arm. Both in their 20's I might add. 

In an attempt to battle the sea of people who are all still wearing their dresses and ties from the night prior, I am approached by an inconsiderate schmuck who just assumed that I worked there. I immediately took his order and promised a round of drinks on the house as a result. (It's all about heads up ball playing kids). 

As the brief afternoon went on, my friend and realized that although it may be cool at the time. The night at the Roxbury lifestyle was not for us. 

We immediately retreated to the local

Buffalo Wild Wings for a debriefing. This lifestyle may work out for some people, however it's nothing that myself, and thankfully my friends are interested in. But I do find it great that as the young grow older so does the bullshit. Then again it is quite humerous listening to these people bitch and moan when daddy cuts them off. That quick reality and the fact that it's a cruel world really makes me smile. 

Now this makes me sound like a jaded old man, and I assure you that I am not. I can completely understand the party phase of life. From 21-23 live it up and have a great time. Just a few tips to help with this phase of life. 

1. Change up the places that you go to. The reason you don't get carded and the bouncer knows your name isn't because your cute or cool. He sees you atleast once a weekend. Being the person that everyone knows will always be there is nothing anyone wants to take on. You will remain alone and with your bar. 

2. Don't be that guy/girl. Everyone knows that person who constantly posts photos of them in the club and bar. First reason is that there's nothing cute about alcoholism. The second reason is that it makes you look like a person incapable of having a social life. Anyone can go to a bar and take selfies. If you like the place so much, apply for a job there. 

3. Don't go out with your hopes up. One thing that I learned at a very young age was of you don't go in with high hopes then you are less upset when things don't work out. So when you post that it's going to be such an epic night and you and your buddies are going to have a blast, I assure you into will end in missed opportunities and made up stories of a make believe good time. The sad reality will be that you and your friends went out, Bought all of your own drinks, and didn't meet anyone new. You then went home by yourself to your single bed and alone once again. Epic night. 

4. Police your own. Everyone has the person who always goes over the top. In my group of friends we have a character that we will refer to as "JCR3". When we go out with our friend he transforms into JCR3, however we have become well versed in how to deal with him and how to diffuse situations that may arise. Web you can't control yourself that's when the authorities step in, and then I am called to scrape your friend up off the street or even better the bathroom floor of the bar. 

5. Dress to impress but don't be stupid about it. I am all about suiting up and I can appreciate someone with a sense of style. However if you are going to dress to the 9's when you go out, actually wear your clothes. I find nothing more disgusting than seeing someone start shedding clothes the minute they arrive. This is most prevalent in females that take off their shoes within minutes of arriving at the club. It's unattractive. 

6. Don't be a dick.  That's self explanatory. 

7.  Don't act like you own the place. A sense of confidence is nice but if you are going to act like the place owes you something and you are a VIP, you can pay for my drinks hot shot. 

8. Don't be somebody your not. That's what costume parties are for. 

9. Be social. If you are going to hit the town, be open to conversation. Get it through your head that not everyone is trying to bring you home to bang. It's okay to talk to another person. You never know who you may run into when going out. Believe it or not, there aren't always bad intentions. If someone is treating you like a gentleman accept it. Don't brush him off like he's only trying to sleep with you. That will leave you in the dust faster than you know it. 

10. Know your limits.  Don't be that person who is spilling their drinks on everyone and puking on themselves. It can pretty much destroy your chances of any success of ever seeing that person again. Also you never know who is watching you. Don't be the next viral videos. 

Follow my advice or don't. In all honesty, I really don't give a shit if you do or not. But one thing that I learned at a young age is to learn from other peoples mistakes. It will take you further with less damage. Once you hit 24 it gets a lot less cute, so live it up while you have the time before you look like your holding on to your youth by the skin of your ass. 

What a rough one...

As I sit in my bus waiting for the bell to ring, my head is filled with a shit ton of emotions that I don't know quite how to convey.

As many know, the fire service recently suffered an tremendous loss of Captain Barnas. A firefighters firefighter. The man made the job his life, and his determination to master the job is something that can never be matched. Over the last several days I have caught myself having minor breakdowns. I have worked at several fires with him and have attended numerous fundraisers and social events. No matter when you saw him, he always proudly donned a jersey city fire t shirt or job shirt, along with his captain ball cap. One notable thing, was that no matter how bad the circumstances, he would always greet you with a smile. 

I can say I had a better working relationship with him in jersey city. He was a captain who looked out for everyone, not just his guys. Despite the tension between jersey city fire dept and the medical center ems, he still had your back where other captains would turn away or make sly comments. Captain Barnas, unlike other captains, would always take the time to make the fire departments presence known and would assure every patient he saw, that they were in good hands with us at the MC. He was one of the few to offer a helping hand to the emts and would stick around on scene to make sure the newer emts were alright before leaving. Now to those reading this and that don't know the job, they don't understand the value that this has to those of us working the streets. 

When you are out there and doing, it's the little things that make all the difference. Currently moral is beginning to hit a lull. We are not hearing any news on our future and the troops are growing very tired. With a higher than normal call volume in what is usually the slower part of the year, One can only imagine how bad this may become once the busier part of the year approaches. Now as if the job didn't come with enough stress, there is even more on the horizon with a union that loves to stir shit, and a hospital that takes this out on the employees. Those who do not look out for others best interest are in charge and seek personal gain. It is something that I no longer wish to have my hard earned money go to such a poorly run organization. 

It's issues like this that have drove me to weigh out my options. Is it worth my time to stay in such an organization? Anyone who knows me, knows that I was aspiring for management and judging by the direction that the organization is going, that is something that won't happen for a long time. As I've witnessed time and time again, great employees become frustrated and leave before they are given a chance to change the norm. 

But I digress. As I attended the wake and funeral, you cannot help but be amazed at the efficiency that was shown by all agencies involved. The funeral procession was orchestrated in such an amazing fashion. The drummers dirge performed by multiple bands from all over the east coast was amazing. Witnessing dozens of pipers and drummers all walking with such sorrow and they alternated beats between one and the drummers had such a powerful effect. It was a truly a beautiful send off. 

I personally have taken a step back and realized that I have become quite distant from the dream job that I always had in sight. I've grown comfortable in my ems skin and let the fire in my life burnout due to drama caused by the wash women of my volunteer department. As with many things, the dinosaurs are going to hold back any form or progress by any means possible. But this is a topic within it's own. 

This is the way we get by. As a result of  all of these things I am going to be taking on a new job opportunity. One that will leave my budgets tighter than now and force me to work even more. But it's a foot in the door with the organization I've wanted to be a part of for more than a decade. This is going to present a great deal of challenges but it's something that I feel was offered for a reason. One thing that I learned recently. Is to never pass up an opportunity.