%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |  I travel the country on business, sometimes the world. Come see where I've been. |
|
Talk about perks, my job has one of the best ones I can think of! I travel in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I am a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and teach classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2 way radio communications. I'm qualified to deliver approximately 30 different classes, but about half of those are 'Legacy' classes, and are not in demand anymore. My students are technicians, those who maintain, program, calibrate, and repair large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I get to travel, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where am I this week? This probably won't have daily entries, but I will make entries when I get to go somewhere, and keep an updated list of coming trips. My schedule changes faster than the weather, so don't be too surprised to see me list an upcoming class, only to remark later on that it is cancelled, or delayed. Delays are fine of course, but a later date might mean that someone else gets to go instead of me,,, Well, here we go with this, let's see where it takes us.  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
| Locale: Bloomington, Illinois May 17th, 2021 Well, my three weeks of vacation/recuperation from surgery are here. Vacation is this coming week (week of May 24), with surgery Wednesday of that week. The surgeon said I need a minimum of a week afterward to recover, and that some people need two weeks. My manager didn't want to take any chances, so has scheduled me for those two weeks off. Whatever will I do with three weeks of no responsibilities? Well, I will work on things (for my career), when I want, as much as I want, etc. I won't be sitting around idle. I have a course I want to qualify to deliver, and another I want to upgrade the materials for. So I intend to be busy. Plus, it's spring, time to plant, pull weeds, etc...  The week of Memorial Day is one full of meetings for us, albeit on-line meetings. I don't have to be there, but will most likely attend some since there are subjects being covered I want and need to know about. New courses, new products, etc. Plus, it's a chance to chat with instructors I haven't seen in over a year, time to renew acquaintances. I have to say I'm getting used to being at home all the time, though I do miss traveling. When I was told I have this Myeloma, I considered retiring, From what I've been told, this is not a very aggressive Cancer, and responds to treatment better than many. Still, it is what it is, I have this disease, so why not retire? Then I considered what's really going on right now. Thanks to a manager who appreciates my work, knows I can still add value (Gee, I HOPE I add value) to the department, why should I retire? I mean, I'm being paid the same salary to remain at home and teach from here. It's not like I'm going anywhere soon, unless I want to go. I plan on visiting one of my daughters in Alabama in August, and will most likely go to New Mexico in October for the Balloon fiesta. It started the year I joined the Navy, but of course was not a big item that first year. I've never seen it, and with everything that's going on, I want... no, I NEED to see it. Face it, for me, it's a bucket list item. When we are young, we feel almost immortal, that we have all the time in the world. As we age, we realize that's not the case. I've embraced my mortality, and accept it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking forward to my end of time, but I do realize it will be here, probably before I'm ready. Enough about all that, I look forward to what every day may bring. In Closing I have been home since the second week of January, and will be home the rest of this year more than likely. As I've said though, it's all good. I'm alive, and really feel well, a lot better than I felt in January/February. Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!  Jim Dorrell |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
Enjoy!
I then went to Taiwan for two weeks; but, although that was nice, it wasn't 'home'.