Training Day in Denver

Today was horribly boring. Up early to get to classes. For some reason, the HR department didn't have half the paperwork I had sent in, and they seem to have lost my W-4, so I had to spend a bit of time this morning filling out paperwork. They also gave us little bracelets with our names on them, that we have to wear until we leave tomorrow. They're the same kind of things you get at amusement parks and stuff. Then it was off to the IT room to start up my account and fill out my expense reports. Hopefully I'll get the money for my boots back and the dental expenses soon.

Then it was the actual orientation classes. BORING!!! It was good information, but it was presented pretty dryly, and the instructors just read off the slides. They did, however, mention that there are 2 scientific presentations every week (Sunday and Thursday), and tours of the Crary Lab every Sunday. Rock. On.

They gave us a huge break for lunch. I didn't do much except meet some new people and play a little Civ 4. The afternoon session was an hour of harassment training. But we got released at 2, and got back to the hotel. I packed my uniform and rearranged some things in my bags to even out the weight a little bit. Talked to mom, and cleaned my gaiters (they were dirty and you have to have your camping stuff as clean as possible before going).

At 4, the other firefighters here and I took a nice walk to the local Target. I got my cold sore medicine, and some more lib balm, and a new CD (soundtrack to Harry Potter 5). We stopped at a little Mexican place called the 3 Margarita's, and had some fairly decent, if bland, Mexican food. One of the other guys and I headed back to the hotel, while the other guys headed over to check out a store called 'Scuba, Underwater Phantaseas.' My stomach just hasn't been right since that BBQ at the Dallas airport, so I wanted to get back to the room.

I've almost finished repacking. I have to wait for my gaiters to dry, and for things to finish charging, but other than that, I'm ready to leave tomorrow. Training tomorrow is all about safety. Which is ironic, since we are the ones who deal with safety. But at any rate, we sit in class for 4 hours. Then it's back on the shuttles for the trip to Los Angeles. It's kind of strange, actually. We get taken to the airport sometime before 2pm, probably, but our plane doesn't leave until after 5pm. We land in LA at around 6-ish, and then we leave LA and head to New Zealand around 9-ish.

I might be able to post again tomorrow, depending on the connectivity at both airports. Other than that, you will all have to wait till I actually get down there.