School Is In Session

I used to hate school. I realize hate is a very strong word, but it used to aptly describe my feelings about anything academic. My mom will certainly back me up on just how much I disliked school growing up. Even having been home-schooled from sixth grade through high school (with plenty of flex time to work and travel), I still could not stand school. When I graduated in 1998, I told myself I was done with school forever. I had no desire to go to college. Zero, zip, nadda. Before I go any further I do want to make one thing clear. I had never been opposed to learning. I have always loved learning. In fact, I would say that I have always been a sponge for knowledge. I just always hated learning under the formal setup that came with schooling. There too often appeared to be a lot of repetition that served no other purpose than to burn me out while not providing any real educational benefit. Of course, it certainly does not help that I had a slew of less than stellar teachers during my elementary school years that simply dismissed my learning style and labeled me a "problem child". Not wanting a repeat of teachers like that was definitely a driving factor in my staying away from higher education after high school. Instead, it was off to the work force for me.

When I joined the Air Force in 1999, I became enrolled in an Associate Degree program through the Community College of the Air Force. This wasn't something I necessarily would have chosen to do. When an enlisted Airman completes technical training, they are automatically enrolled in a program that was inline with their career field. In most career fields, technical training provided for half of the required credits towards the degree. Since I maintained communications equipment, I was enrolled in the Electronic Systems Technology program. Even though this sounded somewhat interesting to me, it had never been more than something to do to fill a block. If I ever wanted a chance of making Senior Master Sergeant (E-8), I was going to have to have that A.S. So early on I took a few CLEP tests to complete my general education requirements. I had no desire to sit in a classroom and I certainly was not looking to learn anything new. I simply wanted to knock out the requirements and get the degree. After those initial CLEPs in my first two years of service, I stopped working on it and didn't give it much though.

Fast forward to 2009. When I started getting ready to test for Master Sergeant, I realized that I had better finish out my associates if I ever wanted a chance of making the next rank after that (no longer a goal anymore). I had two more course requirements I needed, math and speech. I can't tell you how many times I wish I had taken the speech CLEP back in 2002 after I had graduated Airman Leadership School. With the requirement to do several speeches during that course, I would have been primed and ready to knock out that CLEP. Alas, schooling was not in the forefront of my mind at the time. So I decided to tackle math first. Math had always been my worst subject. If my hate for schooling as a whole was strong, then my hatred for math was even stronger. I took two math CLEPs that year and failed them both. After failing the second CLEP, it became inevitable that I was going to have to take a class if I wanted to fulfill this degree requirement.

Towards the end of 2009, I took a yearlong deployment to try and get a new assignment. After a few months of being in the desert, I decided that I might as well make the most of the time I had and try to better myself a little. With that in mind I signed up to take a math class. That class right there was the turning point in my attitude about education. My professor was this little, old Bulgarian lady. She was bright, eccentric and funny. Most of all, she was able to break down math in such a way that it finally clicked for the first time with me. After 8 weeks in her class, two things happened; 1. For the first time in my life I actually enjoyed math somewhat; 2. I wanted more schooling and the opportunities that would open up as a result of education.

Skipping ahead to the present, I have since completed my A.S. in Electronic Systems Technology. As I type this up, I have just completed two courses this week that puts me a little more than half way to my Bachelor of Science in Fire Science Management. I'm currently maintaining a 3.9 GPA and I'm on tap to finish my degree in 2015. Now I'm not typing all this to try and boast. After reading how I used to feel about schooling however, you can see that I'm justifiably proud of how far I've come. For the first time in my life, I am enjoying my education. Now I'm slowing down a little for this next semester and only taking one class while my shoulder heals. Come next semester though, I'll be back up to two classes. So what's to come? Working on schooling has helped me to formulate new goals. As soon as I complete my undergraduate degree, I plan on steaming ahead right into a Master of Arts in Emergency Management. This will open up many more avenues of employment post-Air Force and will also allow me to fulfill another dream, to teach college-level fire classes.

I'll close here by saying that I'm proof that it is certainly never to late to go back to school. I sometimes look back and wonder why I had not begun this earlier. I like to think it happened when it was supposed to. Here's to getting an education and making your dreams become reality.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Getting Rebuilt

So as many of you may already now, I'm having surgery on Monday. They will be doing laparoscopic surgery on my right shoulder to A. see if they can find out what is wrong with it, and B. to fix anything wrong that they might find. All of this stems from when I was deployed back in 2010. Doing something extremely stupid while trying to move furniture by myself caused me to dislocate my shoulder. I had it popped back into place by a chiropractor after getting back to the states later that year, but it has given me continued problems ever since. I actually allowed myself to come off of profile during the Spring of last year and just barely made my minimum pushups. That was a little too close for comfort. After that I decided that I better get it checked out again. While some might seek to get out of PT stuff, I just want to have full use of my shoulder again. I want to be able to exercise, pick up my daughter and perform my duties as a firefighter without the constant nagging pain I currently get if I work my shoulder beyond a minimum amount of movement. I realize that there is no guarantee, but I'm hoping and praying that this will help set me on the path to that.

While I'm not particularly looking forward to the pain I'll be in immediately following the surgery, or the fact that I'll be in a sling for at least a week, I'm looking forward to 30 days of free leave from work. As I'm able to move away from the sling, I'm hoping to get out and use my camera some. It would certainly be a much needed boost as I've gone through slumps this past month. I'm also really looking forward to spending lots of extra time with my family. It will be nice to maybe take a day trip here or there with them to DC or Baltimore and not have to deal with the throngs of weekend tourists. Then too there is the time out of work. I could make a whole separate post about that, but I will simply way that after 13 years in and 5 years wearing the rank of Technical Sergeant, I am quite disappointed at how exponentially my level of responsibility has dropped here in my new assignment. As an E-6 I'm currently doing the work of an E-3 or E-4 as my primary duties. Years of busting my tail only to be given what is essentially an entry-level job. It is quite disheartening to say the least. I know I won't have to do it forever, but it looks like I'm stuck with it 'til at least February. So needless to say, 30 days away from that mess is quite welcome, whatever the circumstances.

Here's to an upcoming week filled with heavy drugs and lots of sleep!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Firefighter Warshaw

Firefighter Warshaw, originally uploaded by T-3 Photography.

Via Flickr:
While I have portraits of me in fire gear, they are from my previous department in South Carolina. With that in mind, I figured it was time for a portrait with my new company.

Here I am posing next to Engine 282.

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's day will be upon us this coming weekend. Anyone who's known me long enough, knows that this day is deeply important to me. For those who don't yet know me, you will soon find out. Now for many people here in the United States, March 17th is just an ordinary day. For others it is an excuse to get ridiculously drunk from copious amounts of green colored beer. For others like myself, it is a chance to celebrate our ancestors and our heritage. Don't get me wrong, I will certainly be imbibing a few thought-enhancing beverages on the 17th, but the day holds a little more meaning for me than that.

Now I am indeed a mixed-breed as my online moniker implies. From what I've been able to figure out over the years however, Irish is the dominant feature of my ethnic makeup. Even if it had not been the biggest piece of the pie, it was certainly the most celebrated in my family. This is particularly true for the men on my father's side of the family. We've always taken our Irish heritage very seriously. So much so that my grandfather, Thomas Treacy Warshaw Sr. was once elected Irishman of the Year by the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick of the Jersey Shore.

Since the passing of my grandfather in 1995 and the passing of my father, Thomas Treacy Warshaw Jr. in 2008, the holiday has taken on new meaning as a time to celebrate and toast our ancestors. Indeed there will be a shot of Jamesons for both my father and grandfather this coming Saturday as I remember the influence they had, and continue to have on my life. I always think about them, but on Saint Patrick's Day they are always at the forefront of my thoughts.

Back in 2007, my wife and I were able to experience Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland during our belated honeymoon. There we were able to see a very different type of celebration than that experienced in the United States. While there are indeed parades and alcohol to be had, the holiday is very much a religious one. Indeed the day was born out of the celebration of Patrick for his bringing of Christianity to pagan Ireland. I've been interested to find out recently that English-born Patrick's initial stay in Ireland as a kidnapped slave was thought to be in or around County Mayo where it is believed that my ancestors hail from.

While I do not go overboard in dressing up for Saint Patrick's day, I always ensure I am wearing at least a little green. This year, I have chosen to show my support for both the Irish and firefighting. In many areas of the United States, these two subjects are very much intertwined. With that in mind I'll be sporting a Dublin Fire Brigade shirt this year.


I wish everyone a safe and happy Saint Patrick's Day, a celebration for those who are Irish and those who wish they were.

Tá mé Thomas Treacy Warshaw III. Tá mé mac na hÉireann go deo. Sin mo scéal agus tá mé ag cloí leis.