The Math-Jeebies

Week 5 is down, and one more week to go until we hit the halfway mark! Man that seems like forever.
So far, ALETA has been nothing like I expected. I think if everything we learned weren't put at a 3rd grade level, at least a month could be cut out of training. This experience hasn't really increased my confidence in cops. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good, smart, decent people down there, but roughly 1/4 of the class are a waste of space on earth. Makes things a bit tedious.
This week was Accident Investigation week, which I had a hard time getting in to. First, there was a fair bit of math involved, and I'm very sensitive to getting the Math-Jeebies. Second, I just couldn't see how AI is relavent to me as a Park Ranger. I've seen one accident in my career in parks, and it involved a girl driving an old Mustang on ice trying to make a curve but instead meeting with a park sign. It was in such slow motion that about 4 of us discussed the accident before it happened:

"Think she's gonna make that curve?"

"I dunno...kinda icy out there and you know Mustangs and ice..."

"She might make it...boy she's sure cranking on that steering wheel..."

"yeah....oops....not looking good..."

"Ooo! Yep, she got it."

"Guess we should go out there and see if there's any damage."

"No damage...she just bumped it"

"Hmm...well, guess we should go push her car out."

"Ok"

Definately nothing we needed charts, graphs, measuring tape, and a scientific calculator for. And if there ever IS a big wreck that needs an investigation, we just call up the Sheriff's Dept. and they bring an AI team - much more highly trained with the latest equipment and computer programs....or the State Troopers, who have the same. Sure won't need a park ranger with her piddly accident graph.
So, to say the least, it was a tedious week. The Math-Jeebies struck, but I was quickly able to beat them down when I figured out that I was a math genius compared to some of the morons in the class.

The only other thing we covered was pressure points in Defensive Tactics. I'm starting to hate that class. I can figure out how to hit someone without actually HAVING to hit someone, or BEING hit myself. I was lucky enough to be paired up with this older guy who looked like a lumberjack on steroids. I kick him, and he barely moves. He kicks me, and I'm extracting myself from an Ashlie-shaped indention in the concrete wall. I looked down the line and see Travis faring no better...I think there were about 4 Travis-shaped indentions in his section of concrete wall. Later, after inflicting more punishment on each other (I got Lewis *the Lumberjack* good with a shin-kick manuver), we came to the pinnacle of the classroom lecture - the dreaded Brachial strike. Basically, it's slapping the crap out of someone just below the ear on those nerves. I whacked Lewis the Lumberjack, and he of course didn't move, which meant the instructor wanted me to hit him harder. After a few more attempts and no reaction from Lewis (except for a bad "I just crapped myself" look), I was finally able to quit, but felt like a failure for not knocking him even out of his stance. Then we switched partners. Lewis whacked me, and I went down like a sack of potatoes made of lead, seeing blotches and stars and fighting for consciousness, thinking, "What the HELL???" Luckily that was the last manuver for the day, but we still had to take the test over AI. I don't know HOW I passed that test...I don't know my score yet, but they let us know if anyone flunked it by putting up SS#'s on the board after the test. I found myself leaned over my test, in a fog of pain, trying to comprehend the simplest questions. I didn't start feeling remotely better until a couple of hours later when we stopped to eat. Next thing to dread - pepper spray. It wasn't this week like I thought, but the week after next...just another thing to look forward to.

So next week - CPR and First Aid. Which should be boring as heck because I'm certified to teach it. At least the test shouldn't be a problem.*sigh*