Yesterday, although a really nice Saturday but I started my day after about only three hours sleep by going to the first day, of 6 days, of armed guard training. It was held at a local indoor range facility and was supposed to run from 0800 until 1700. You can most certainly rest assured that we were not let out early at 1PM (nod, nod, wink, wink, nuff said). The time spent in the classroom covered firearms safety and some shooting basics. There were donuts and coffee for the students, supplied by the head instructor (three instructors in all, all nice guys). Later there was pizza for lunch, also courtesy of the boss. There was also some, bullseye shooting, slowfire at 7 and 15 yards, we fired 30 rounds at each range. Then we were outta there and I headed to Costco for a miserable hour or so of weekly shopping.
Today, I was back at the classroom with the other 11 students. They decided to cover the very basics of shooting today because some of the guys in the class ;lacked the basic skill sets to get by. I think about half the class is made up of retired LEOs but you could have fooled me as I would say that about 75% do not shoot worth a plugged nickel (and they surely could not plug it). Mind you, I am not bragging about my shooting, as far as I am concerned I sucked compared to how I shot before cancer. That took a lot out of me and I id not practice much after that and have not practiced much for about a year and a half now. First, because I said due to the cancer and treatments and recovery, later on up through now because of the price of ammo. This class is costing me $700 plus 600 rounds of 9mm ammo (that I had on hand but will have to replace at today's ridiculously high prices). So, my shooting abilities have really slacked off. I will qualify, probably with the 2nd to third highest score in the class but I am nowhere near my best of 2 or 3 years ago.
Besides not shooting enough, I have not worked out at all in the last year and a half or so since the cancer and treatments. I had some shoulder and neck pain today while shooting and my arms were shaking and I know all that need be done to correct that is some sweat producing exercise, maybe a couple to a few times a week. I am long overdue for that and will be looking to join a local gym this week. Not only will it help my shooting, it is going to help my health in general. I sure will miss the free gym in my office from back when I still was a fed but I figure a private gym is sure to have nicer and younger babes whom I can get behind in the next row of treadmills as I walk, jog or run. Gotta do something to keep my mind active while bored to tears on the treadmill.
Back to the armed guard training, it recommences next weekend and will run one more weekend after that. Six days in all and if they go like yesterday and today, it will be a fun learning experience. I have forgotten or just not thought about one or two things of which and instructor reminded me. I also learned one or two new things so far. I am taking the course because there seem to be a decent number of pretty good paying armed guard jobs out there in my area. Since last July, I have been working as an unarmed guard at a library. Being a library cop and wet nursing a bunch of high school kids while they are in the library, which is the biggest part of my job, is not for me. There do seem to be some good opportunities for me to increase my salary 1.5 to 2 times what it is currently at the library and get me out of the HS kid nanny business. That would be excellent; so, I figure the expense to take this course is well worth it. If really lucky, I will double my salary and get a job like Asa Breeney's. If you are older like me, you may remember him. He was the local bank guard in Mayberry, on the Andy Griffith show. One of his best episodes was episode 13 of the 1962 season, it aired on Christmas Eve, December 1962. If you have NetFlix, you can watch it online and see for yourself that which I aspire to become for my second career (or maybe you can find a clip of it on YouTube).
All the best,
Glenn B
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