Doing this out of order

So I started a blog....I guess it's the 21st, social media thing to do these days.  I'm just putting myself all out there in cyberspace I suppose.  I don't really do blogs very much...as a matter of fact the only one I read regularly is Megan's blog.  Not really sure how often this will be updated or if it will be updated.  I did know that I wanted to put some feelings out there in terms of Sept. 11th and all the hubbub surround that event.

So what will this space of interwebs turn into.....not really sure.  Perhaps I'll pick up some skills at graphic design and publish them here.  Or maybe I'll use it as a spot to hock photos that you might like to decorate your wall space.  I could potentially use it as a means to warn the world about the impending world take over of monkey's.

More than likely I'll just use it to fill up space that I would ordinarily use Facebook to fill up with links.  Maybe I'll just comment on random links that I find and add witty feedback to them and add comedic value to things that already exist.

So where does this leave us?  I suppose it leaves us in a situation where I feel compelled to give some sort of background on myself (it might lend some credibility to WHY you might want to read this blog.)

My name is Drew.  I am currently employed as a 9-1-1 operator for an agency in Central Florida.  I recently got done with an 8 year obligation to the Florida Army National Guard as a Public Affairs Specialist (what is that you say?  What does that job do?  It means that I took pictures, wrote stories and got to see all the cool things the Army does for a living without being required to actually DO those jobs.)

Really took this photo and really met Joe Theisman...class act that guy.
(U.S. Army Photo by Pfc. Andrew Hillegass)

In those 8 years I spent 6 months working for a public relations mission out of the Pentagon called 'Operation Tribute to Freedom' that ran from 2003-2011.  Got to do a lot of neat things during that time in D.C. and put a lot of great men and women in touch with their hometown people to share their own experiences.  It is probably, to this day, one of the most satisfying things I did during my time in the Guard.  I also spent a year down at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay working in the Public Affairs shop there.  My time there mostly dealt with arranging and escorting members of the media that were interested in seeing the detention facility down there.  That would be one of the more challenging jobs I had during my time in service.  Between all that I did quite a few stints on State Active Duty for FL in 2004 mostly.  I missed out on the fun that was Hurricane Katrina in 2005 while I was recovering from ankle surgery to remove a benign tumor from the bone.


I developed a love of photography as a result of my time in the military and have tried to keep on top of it since I separated from the Guard.  I enjoy going out and discovering things to take photos of, I'm not a big fan of shooting people (not cause I'm not good at it, it's simply I'm no good at it. This was something that I learned when I was going through training at the Defense Information School at Ft. Meade, MD.  You learn very quickly during photography week, who in the class can just capture a person with a photo and who is going to have to work at it a lot.......I would be the latter.) so I just stick with shooting random things and hoping for the best (ok, so maybe not hoping for the best, but I'm still surprised by some of the shots I WANT to get never turn out, but ones I didn't give a second thought about tend to be the ones that are awesome.)

This may or may not get said for some of the calls that we get (Google Image Search)

In between the time I joined the Army and the time that I got out I started my job as a 9-1-1 operator.  I don't think there is a job in the world that is as much fun and as strange as this job.  Contrary to popular belief this job is not as stressful as you might think.  Not every call is a Rescue 9-1-1 call, but that's is not to say you don't get your fair share of interesting calls in a shift.  But the training you go through in someways is like military training, you train like you work (or fight for the military) and you work like you train.  It's that method that makes the job feasible, it all becomes a type of mental muscle memory game after awhile.  The pay for the job is also nice and helps to make what stress you do get worth your time.......mostly.


Let's see what other types of facts might there be out there that make this posting a little bit more interesting.....hrmmm....ah

FACT #1  I've did actually go and see Titanic more than once when it was still in theaters.
FACT #2  I did not engage in underage drinking nor illicit drugs before I was 21.
FACT #3  I once defeated a Bengal Tiger armed with nothing more than a shoe.
FACT #4  I am possibly one of the most musically diverse people around that does NOT actually play an instrument.
FACT #5  I do a lot of bad voice impressions, but I don't do any GOOD impressions.
FACT #6  I suffer from a bad case of always being right....even when I'm not.
FACT #7  I can fake confidence with the best of them I thank Sgt. San Andreas for teaching me that valuable piece of information....even if it does lead directly into FACT #6.
FACT #8  I have never beaten any Mario, Zelda, Metroid or any NES or SNES game.
FACT #9  I am hopelessly addicted to sports video games despite my lack of athletic ability.
FACT #10  I give my friends SOO much grief for playing World of Warcraft, that if the day comes when I do break down and give into my Geekdom....I'm not sure I will be able to handle the subsequent harassment...warranted...but still.


And that is the story I have for you.  I leave you with that wealth of information for you mind to wrap it's head around, best of luck :)