Some of you have probably noticed the new logo on the site here. The past year saw a lot of effort go into this blog, including the adoption of a new motto: Esse quam videri – to be rather than to seem.
EMS Stories: The Do Not Resuscitate
Welcome to EMS Stories! Today I would like to talk about a call that highlights the importance of advanced directives like the Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form.
5 Steps to AMAG – (Actually) Make America Great
Many of you are dissatisfied with the results of last year’s Presidential election. As a political atheist and card-carrying “unaffiliated” I don’t have a dog in the fight. Most of you have sworn allegiance to a particular party, so allow me to offer you a bit of encouragement. Regardless of who holds the office of the President, the power to “make America great” resides where it always has: with The People. Here are some outstanding ways we can actually make America great.
Narcan and Choices
Last year I attended a very, very good tactical medicine class that I paid for out-of-pocket. One thing that interested me was a student question about Narcan: “why would you bother saving their life?” I have been fascinated by that question ever since, and it came up again recently. I wrote this article in May of 2020. For some reason I shelved it and forgot all about it until I read this last week. Since I wrote this article I’ve had the opportunity to administer Narcan several times on the job. My opinion hasn’t changed.
How to Be A Bad Teammate
I recently realized the importance of having a good partner at work. Your partner can make or break your day just by the attitude he or she has. There are people I would do anything to work with again, and people I would do anything to avoid working with again. That got me thinking about being a teammate in general. I’ve had a bit of a journey – frankly, I haven’t always been a good teammate. Though I’m sure it comes naturally to some of you, it was a skill I had to work to cultivate. Today I’m going to share some tips on how to be a bad teammate.
Military Guys Can’t Teach CCW
I recently saw a post on a gun blog† that said military and former military personnel are unqualified to teach civilian firearms classes. There is a kernel of truth to this statement, but while the words have traveled widely, their meaning has been left in the dust. Let’s look at the argument that military guys can’t teach CCW, then let’s clear this up, shall we?
2021: Goals for The Year Ahead
Good morning and Happy New Year! It seems popular to talk about how you “don’t care for New Year’s resolutions.” Honestly, I think that’s because most people can’t stick to New Year’s resolutions or are afraid to commit publicly to them. Just because you can’t stick to yours doesn’t mean I can’t stick to mine…so here are mine for the coming year!
2020: An Outstanding Year in Review!
Twenty-twenty was a total “dumpster fire” in most peoples’ book. Coronavirus and associated quarantines/lockdowns/etc, the election, insane ammo prices, riots… The past year just seemed to keep on coming up with ways to make people unhappy. Happiness is a choice. Though a lot of shitty stuff happened this year, 2020 was an outstanding year for me personally.
Grilled Tri-Tip Roast Recipe
Several months ago I posted an article with some of my favorite recipes. The cover photo was a gorgeous tri-tip roast…to which I did not provide a recipe. Some of you wrote in asking how I cooked it. This is one of my bar-none favorite cuts of meat, and I finally took the time to document the process.
Respect for the American Flag
Today I’m going to talk, just a bit, about my brand of patriotism and my view of the American Flag. Then I’m going to talk about a few versions of the American flag I’ve seen lately. This has been eating at me for a while; on Labor Day weekend I saw the flag in the featured image, which prompted me to write this.