So Brooke and I took a tour of the State Police Academy down in Albany this past Thursday.  A trooper who we know was nice enough to take time out of his day to show us around.   It was very interesting to see how everything is done, but definitely made me a little nervous as well as excited.  It is run just like a military boot camp and everything is extremely strict. You must walk in straight lines everywhere and salute all officers. Your room must be perfect all the time with things like your shoes all pointing out on the shelves, your closet door has to be exactly 3 inches open, soap has to be standing on end on the sink. Oh and you can’t close your door until after 10pm, so no privacy at all, not that you’d have any with up to 3 roommates anyway. So that would be a HUGE adjustment from life as it know it now.  No relaxing on the couch at night with a beer playing video games and wrestling with Alivia.  No sleeping in my nice big bed with Brooke next to me, just 3 other guys in separate bunk beds.  Plus I will most likely be one of the oldest recruits since the cutoff date is 30.  I’ll be trying to keep up with guys in thier early to mid twenties who still haven’t started feeling the effects of aging on thier joints. LOL  So for those of you who don’t know yet, once you hit about 28 everything is a little stiffer and cracks a little more.  I’m sure I’ll be dubbed the “old man” of the class and have something to prove from the get go.

Oh yeah, the biggest shock was that they have computers in the rooms with internet connection, but they aren’t allowed to use it! You can’t even call anyone during the week. So for six months its weekends only with the family.  I guess that would be better though since you want to focus completely on academy.

One thing that was a bad idea to do was check out the memorial wall when we first got there.  They have this room with pictures of all the fallen troopers and a book with the stories of how they died.  Not a good idea to have let Brooke read through it.  It was interesting though that about two thirds of the deaths happened because of automobile accidents or freak accidents, not violent deaths at the hands of a criminal. Either way I hope it doesn’t happen to me.

So if this whole thing pans out I will hopefully be called to take a Physical Fitness and Psyc Test around December/January.  Then if I make it through the whole process and get selected the next class will start in August of 2009.  Kinda a long way off, but atleast I will have plenty of time to get in better shape.  And after taking Brookes bootcamp class this morning I definitly am not in as good shape as I thought. So for the next several months it’s gonna be pushups and situps until I can do them in my sleep. That way I will be ready for the Testing and not blow it like so many people do cause of nerves.

So at first the experience was kinda sureal and like I was visiting a sort of hardcore college, but once I saw the recruits walking down the halls it had a different feeling.  This is one of the toughest police academies in the nation and only a small percentage of people make it in, and even a smaller percentage actually graduate.  That was a reality check for me and made me really think “wow,  could I really make it through this?”  But that’s what intreages me to the position.  It’s a challenge and is something that will push me to my limits both physically and mentally.  Probably more mentally than physically this will challenge me because, my nature is to be very laid back and passive. I have always tried to avoid conflict if possible and that is something that has always bugged me and I have struggled with to fix my entire life. Being a trooper  will definately force me to change that personality characteristic, which is a big reason I am looking to do this. In a way it will be my right of passage into a meaningful career and will establish an important part of who I am as an adult.  Since gratuating from college I have been working in sales and have always felt that I have not been working at my real calling. I have never gained any real satisfaction from my work, and felt like I was wasting time and my real purpose was to do something different.  There has always been a burning desire to do something  that really matters, to be someone whom people looked up to and appreaciated. And to have a career that was both fulfilling and exciting.  Work has been the one major void or empty spot in my life.  I know having a relationship with Christ is what your suppossed to fill your void with, but this is different. If you have read Wild at Heart you will know what I am talking about. This will be the beginning of  my life  adventure that every guy has  that burning desire for that never fades or dies out until you act upon it.  So I’m sure that this will be the most difficult and proudest accomplishment of my life (outside of being a father that is.)