Those Who Thank

As I only have a few weeks left in my contract for this career, I am beginning to have my season-end review meetings and what not. While this is a time for my superiors to debrief the summer with me and impart advice that will help me in the future, it is also a time for me to reflect on how the last few months have went.

One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is how different some people take law enforcement. I believe tactical communication to be one of my stronger skills and even though I have a tendency to draw out the conversation, I like to think that I can very accurately relay my respect and understanding to people, even if they are in contravention of the law.

While this definitely helps in most situations, it does not ensure total safety from the wrath of the public. I have been yelled, sworn out, and cursed at for issuing a written warning. On the flip side, I have also been thanked and acknowledged by a person for issuing a ticket to them, and for handling them with said respect.

At the end of the day, I believe I have established a very black and white way of viewing my job. As my supervisor has stated, good people still break the law and the good people will be the ones I catch more often, as bad people know how to get around law enforcement. My job is not to discriminate; it is to enforce a standard. While I do use discretion as needed, I still hold consistency. 

I believe the people who accept their warnings or disciplinary paperwork with humility and remorse are the people who I will likely never encounter again. For many people, it can be difficult for their pride to be issued paperwork by an individual several decades younger than themselves, on a matter they have been partaking in since well before my parents were even married. But there are those who still accept it gracefully, and I believe that allows them growth as a person.

For those who do not accept it as easily, I believe it may simply incite hostility and spite. I have had people remark on my youth and try to link that to incompetency, and make every possible case as to why it isn’t possible for them to break the law. At the end of the day, this person may learn from it, but I believe it less likely so.

To sum up all of this, I think it can be related to mastery; namely the tenant which states that one should remove resentment from masters to grow. While I will by no means say I have already become a master on the subject, it is my profession, and it is a two way street. While I have to consistently learn and grow from my interactions with people and what they can teach me, those who approach it with the same mindset can actually benefit from it.

Catch Up

 I was able to get a good chunk of my current research paper done during a period of ambitious go-getter-ness, and it occurred to be blogging has really slipped away from me lately, so here I go.

As I write this, I am still trying to figure out what to write about. It's not that I have nothing to write about, however. I actually have a lot, but each topic doesn't feel complete enough in my brain quite yet. Something I do feel like I should talk about is that, while I did say blogging has been slipping away from me, over the last few weeks I have seen it slipping and have not been able to catch it. 

I fear that I have fallen into the same slump that has ended my blogging routine almost flawlessly in previous years. Simply put, I struggle to push something back into motion. The longer it stays out of motion, the harder it gets to move again. I am sure many of us have experienced it in some form or another. Once I miss a week, the following weeks become continuously easier to miss. Tis a wicked poison indeed.

So why, for the first time ever, was I able to find the motivation to write a blog all on my own after said slump? I am going to assume (for the sake of fluffing up my ego just a smidge) that it is because I am in a very stable state overall, emotionally and mentally. I feel a little bit more responsible for my actions and what I do and do not do. I actually felt increasingly more guilty for every day that went by where I thought "a blog can wait until tomorrow", which is something that I begrudgingly admit did not occur to me in the past. 

All in all, I think it is pretty cool I was able to blog again all on my own, after a pretty short period of time (comparatively, at least). Also, I apologize for any poor sentence structure, the extent of my motivation does not account for proof reading.

Monthly Mini Challenge - August

Hey team, I meant to post this yesterday as an official issuing of the challenge for today, but I was having some issues with service.

As such, this months mini challenge is…

1500 punches! 

As always, watch your health and operate in a manner that is beneficial for you; if you can easily exceed 1500, I encourage you to do so.

As I am issuing this challenge half way through the day, I believe it best for it to start tomorrow. As always (again), you do not have to complete it immediately, but it should be done as soon as you can within a 24h period.

Happy punching :)