Near Death Experiences...

This would be the first of my recent near death experiences:

What's wrong? Step around, step over, figure it out! I left you 3 inches on the right side...

It was pitch black in my hall way and on my stairs when I went to step down the other day. This is a new spot the monsters evidently had just discovered and I did not expect them to be there. At all. I nearly killed myself and squashed both of them in the process.

Dexter says, "I have vertigo when you take photos from this angle".

Serves him right. It's a miracle he hasn't fallen down those stairs and killed himself all on his own with his swagger, his butt that goes the opposite way that his head is going and his crooked tail. None of these are conducive to balance; his cerebellar hypoplasia is very distinct these days.

But his sister says I'll protect you. In her blurry, out of focus way.

In other news, I finally, FINALLY, made it official, sucked it up and got PB a tag with the name "Baby" on it. It almost killed me. Another near death experience. When the girl making the tag asked me what kind of dog I had, I'm certain she expected me to say a Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Puggle etc. so I just smiled wanly and said, oh a sheepdog of sorts. But there's nothing to be done. It's his name and it stuck and he needs to have a tag so here you have it:

Officially documented. It only took me about 18 photos to get one you could semi-see because it reflected so much. Yes, I was bored that day.

My last near death experience this week was a result of the physical test I took in order to apply for the bomb squad position I have been coveting. The weight of the bomb suit, the heat you generate inside it and the feeling of claustrophobia were negligible. The frustration of trying to unscrew little tiny screws on a circuit bored and then put them back wearing gloves 3 sizes to big while not being able to see out of the helmet nearly killed me. I don't like being slow and not being proficient at something and by the time I had to connect the circuit and battery at the end, I wasn't too concerned as to whether I had the green wire, the blue wire or the red wire. I guess that would be important in the field though...I'm sure I sucked down at least twice as much air out of the SCBA tank than anyone else, gritting my teeth and muttering to myself.

This looks awfully scientific. I will actually have to pay attention in class.

To my surprise, I was selected for one of the two positions which means I will have the dubious pleasure of spending 6 weeks too many in Alabama at the FBI Hazardous Devices School. Prior to that, I have 4 weeks of training with the FBI here in Seattle and a one week prelude in Alabama to the full 6 week course. I like to think of it as an attempt to mitigate the culture shock. But I am very excited - something a little more challenging and intellectual than what I've had lately at work. And although it's assumed that we do this job to diffuse bombs, I really just want to blow stuff up! But I didn't say that on the oral board...