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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2008 > February > 21 > Entry
More tales from training class
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Most of you know that training classes can be brutal but Public Information Officer training has been a lot more interesting that I assumed. If anyone figures this training to be fluff or a waste of time, look at the press conferences held after Columbine and Virginia Tech, good examples of what not to do. Stress training was Wednesday meaning hostile reporters and hopelessly ridiculous follow up questions. Good stuff.
In Emmitsburg, Md., Wednesday, it started snowing about 11 a.m. putting about three inches on the ground which caused me to run down the hallways screaming for the schools to close and everyone to stay off the roads after they empty the stores of milk and bread. Most of my classmates just looked at me like I had three heads.
During lunch I watched the local news and found that none of the reporters were rushing to show what snow looked like and nobody closed the schools.
The attendees in this class are from all over the country. The only ones who freaked out were me and the guys from Florida. We went outside and took pictures and then rented a U-Haul and bought the Food Giant out of milk and bread just out of habit.
The folks from Alaska were mildly amused at my panic, calling it a warm February where they’re from. They were so smug. I got revenge in the form of my intent to send them our state flower, Kudzu. “Just plant it in the house right before you go out of town. It hardly grows.” By the time they get back it will look like something out of “Jumanji.” Make fun of us will they? I bet they can’t even spell Lynyrd Skynyrd, those mooseheads.
Comments
By Cindy
February 21, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this
omg Steve…guess what!?! I was just talking about Lynyrd Skynyrd too! I said it in the comment on your other blog…that last one, before this one…hehehehe.
Great minds think alike! and so do we! :)
muwaahaha (Cindy’s evil laugh)
By Mack
February 21, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
You’re frightening the children, Cindy.
By ElBubba
February 21, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this
OK, I get it, it’s humor… I’ve put away the soap box. Sometimes my liberal bias and fear of government just take hold of me and I go off the deep end.
You know what I’d really like to see? Lt. Steve as a reporter, covering the White House. (my evil smile:) El Bubba
By Mrs. Warren
February 21, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
Steve - that is hilarious. I am imagining what it would look like if you and a bunch of policemen from Florida were running around up North in the snow in a state of panic. Hilarious!!! we need some comic relief here at my office! we’re just down the street from the station!! P-Ridge!!
By Mrs. Warren
February 21, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
Steve - that is hilarious. I am imagining what it would look like if you and a bunch of policemen from Florida were running around up North in the snow in a state of panic. Hilarious!!! we need some comic relief here at my office! we’re just down the street from the station!! P-Ridge!!
By Cindy
February 21, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
See Steve…El Bubba just needed a little reminder. I knew he’d come back to us…he’s a sweetie pie. He just wanders sideways every once in a while.
By Tom T
February 21, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this
Steve, is this one of those trainings that Homeland Security “suggests” us PIO’s attend? The one I went to was a giant snooze-fest…..except for the part where they told us how to deal with a hostile media. Personally, I prefer the old-fashioned belt-fed weapon approach!!
By Ron
February 21, 2008 6:48 PM | Link to this
Steve,Don’t let the northerners fool you,they too buy the markets out of bread and milk before a storm.Difference is that they have a reason.I’m talking about real northerners,Minnesota,Maine,North Dakota,etc,where when it snows,it can really snow.You’ve never lived until you’ve looked out your window at the snow that can accumulate during a serious nor’easter in Maine.
By Charlotte Fairchild
February 21, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
Hey Steve,
Canada is awarding grants to study eradicating kudzu since it is in Maine, and Washington State and if we really do have Global Warming, it is supposed to be in the Great Lakes Region in about 10 years. It can withstand -20*F. Kudzu is a survival plant and China used it during the Great Leap Forward (Kerry Britton, USFS) and so they have less than we do because it hasn’t recovered since 1958. Great food after nuclear fallout or drought because the root goes down 9 feet.
Related to soy (56 Million acres) but we only have 7 million acres. I love to speak about kudzu, and how to use it, get rid of it, eat it, wear it, make paper, soap, candles out of it, and the medicinal uses. Kudzu kwestions search will find my blog.
By CubbyBlues
February 22, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
Lt. Steve - The only thing you’re missing here is the 30 mph traffic because of the ran…..it’s raining, oh crap, I forgot how to drive. Let me turn on the hazard lights so everyone can see I am paranoid.
Tension breaker, it had to be done. That is all.
By CubbyBlues
February 22, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
Lt. Steve - The only thing you’re missing here is the 30 mph traffic because of the ran…..it’s raining, oh crap, I forgot how to drive. Let me turn on the hazard lights so everyone can see I am paranoid.
Tension breaker, it had to be done. That is all.
By Fred
February 23, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
Cindy said: “He just wanders sideways every once in a while.”
Fred wonders: Is that like living an alternative lifestyle?
By ElBubba
February 23, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this
Fred, It’s an alternative ‘thought-style’. El B.
By Cindy
February 24, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
El Bubba took the words right out of my mouth…when I read what you said Fred, I thought “It’s an alternative thought-style”…then I saw where El Bubba’d done typed it. Dernit. :)
By Fred
February 24, 2008 11:33 PM | Link to this
That’s scary. Are we sure Cindy isn’t El Bubba in a go ask Alice kinda way?
By Cindy
February 25, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
what is “go ask Alice?” and no I ain’t El Bubba…I support the use of tasers…haha. El Bubba’s cool though.
By Fred
February 25, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this
LOL Never mind Cindy, wrong movie……. and I can’t remember the name of the one I am thinking of…….
By Salann
February 25, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
Fred:
I think you mean “Sybil” - multiple personalities!
Yes, we Yankees go running for the bread, milk and eggs when it snows - the standard joke is that we’re going to make French Toast.
By RUChinadoll
February 27, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
Lt Steve, You’re my hero. Do you have a son?