Let the World Take Note

7/6/08 The Pilot Program

Eight weeks ago, I announced the commencement of an Inspector Training Pilot Program with the department. Tomorrow marks the completion of those eight weeks, and though the program shows no signs of ending, I am taking the opportunity to note the accomplishment of many and the disappointment of some. When we began (Damon, Lloyd and I) were very gung-ho and excited. We are still as committed today as we were May 12th though we have encountered numerous obstacles to the achievement of our goals, namely to provide the very best atmosphere for quality training, and we have had to deal with our limitations of time, space and equipment. All in all, I am very proud of the way we have handled all of the day to day problems involved with an endeavor of this scope. We have been, in my opinion, fully utilized. I have averaged 72.25 hours a week for the past month of June, a month in which I celebrated my 50th birthday. As I take stock this morning, I see how the concentration on my passions, namely poetry, song and theatre, have completely taken a back seat to the more practical and mundane office of training new inspectors. As ever, I am seeking balance. Rehearsals for Small Craft Warnings begin next month. I have about a hundred and fifty headshots waiting to be sent out and need to think about ordering more. The banjo and the guitar both gather dust. I cannot tell you what’s in our ice box. To decompress over the last 8 weeks we’ve taken in the new Indian Jones flick (Nuke the fridge!), and a reading of a new play by an exciting unknown playwright Joe Musso: Blood Water about Post Katrina New Orleans. To say the least the last eight weeks have been often demanding and even grueling at times. I feel exhausted, elated and frustrated. Last night we took in Neil Labute’s latest offering: reasons to be pretty. It was good to be in a theater again watching interesting work. I miss all my friends with whom we spent far too little time on my birthday. I miss long summer days with nothing to do but go to the gym and learn a new play. My candle burns now at both ends and in the middle but it's all for the cause: Independence?