We finished up the camp today and the end of the week is “the reveal”. The kids don’t know we’re military and first responders. We sneak away at lunch and come back in uniform with our cars. The kids were shocked that I was a police officer. They seemed to enjoy seeing all of the stuff and getting stickers, playing cards, and temporary tattoos. The goal of the camp is to show kids that we are regular people. A lot of these kids are taught that we’re bad and to avoid us. That’s obviously not true and this experience helps us show them that. One of my other group leaders asked the group if I was scary since I was a cop. They all said no and one kid said I was a big teddy bear. That was the best response I could’ve hoped for.
In other news, I received an offer to be a physical education teacher at my wife’s school. The position is only for one year, but I accepted it. I’ll have to find a new place to work for the 22-23 school year. This camp had a group of boys who were age 10-14 and a group of girls of the same age. Those kids need me. A lot of them came from our Children’s Home which is a facility that houses a “child in need of care”. One girl told me today that she recently rode in a police car. I, of course, asked why and she said because the police picked her up from school to take her from her mom. These kids are playing against a stacked deck and it flat out sucks. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared to make the switch, but I need to do it. It makes no sense financially. If I held on to my current job for a few more years then I’d be vested and get 25% retirement benefits. I’m also taking a pay cut, but I can’t resist the opportunity. I need to be in a school working with these kids daily.
I’m feeling a similar way. I’ve mentioned here and there, both generally and in my own life, that many Natives are struggling. I’m sure it’s quite similar to the kids you see in the situations your job puts you in.
Certain things like the military, law enforcement, etc. have an appeal to me, but teaching also does. Very little money in that field, especially in my state, but I think having strong male role models is probably one of the best, if not the best thing for kids. Being who I am (race, background), I feel like I have a real opportunity to be a positive impact on kids. I think those other jobs are important, and we need people to do them, but if you can get to a kid while they’re young and still have a chance, you can maybe prevent them from turning into the types of adults who we see now.
I personally have some hang ups with cops. I absolutely do not believe that all cops are racists/bad people. Far from it. I’ve just never had a good experience with one myself. While I don’t actually know you, I find just about everything you say you do as a father and a cop to be things that I can respect, and I admire and appreciate your desire to help the kids coming from these horrible backgrounds, and willingness to take that on despite the sacrifice. I know you’re a Christian too, and I think that that’s an absolutely Christian thing to do. We’re here to serve one another, and love the people who deserve our love the least when they need it the most. If you can change even one kid’s life, you’ll have done a good thing, and I truly hope that this ends up being something you feel content with and proud of doing.
You’re a good man, dude.
EDIT: I don’t know if I worded the first half of my post well. Not to turn it into a race thing, I’m just saying that being Native myself, I feel like it’s a doorway into helping Native youth, since we’d share that connection.
I hate to say this, but the military can be ruined by the people who control your fate (I’ve heard multiple friends voice their opinion of their experience and it wasn’t good) and law enforcement is being bullied into submission. If our prosecutors would hold people accountable instead of choosing not to charge them when there’s good evidence then the job would still be appealing. We all wanted to help people but it doesn’t feel like we’re doing that because there’s no justice for victims of property crimes. Person/violent crime gets all the attention but the majority of those victims don’t even care (at least here).
Back to military, I think the branch and positions affect the experience drastically.
This is true. There’s nothing more powerful than a successful role model from your background. I’ve actually been surprised by how much I’ve impacted kids during a couple short interactions in the weight room. I thought being a white guy would minimize that, but believe it or not, most kids don’t care about race.
The problem with humans is that we carry baggage. People who have a bad experience with police carry that to their next interaction with police. It’s a different cop but they act like it’s the same person who hurt them.
Cops do the same thing. They go to the same type of call with the same type of people and treat them like the last group even though they’re different. Cops also carry baggage from call to call, day to day, and so on. Bad things stay with you and affect your mood. Cops are humans, too.
Ever had a bad morning and snapped at someone who had nothing to do with it? Unfortunately that happens in police work. A cop can go to a call where a mother abused and neglected her three year old. It’s hard to understand how someone can do that. It hurts you; it makes you mad. Well, later in the day you’re on a call with a struggling mother and young kids and you snap at her like she’s the previous mother. She’s not, but you’re still hurt and the situation feels all too familiar.
I’m not condoning or defending any of this behavior, but people forget that cops are humans, too. I’m fortunate enough to see this and mitigate these behaviors in myself. My first training academy gave us some great advice (we were Troopers) - if you make multiple car stops in a row and everyone is a jerk then you need to step back and think. What’s the common factor in all those infractions? It’s you. Perhaps it’s time for a break and take a look at how you’re acting.
This has a lot to do with the way I view the world. I believe in traditional families with both parents in the home… and marriage. I understand that things happen and that’s not always possible, but parents can still do their part and make it work. What I can’t accept is the lack of trying. I see almost intentional acts that lead to bad homes for kids. Getting pregnant and having a kid with a deadbeat dad is a mistake. Doing it five times is a pattern of behavior and a choice. I wish everyone had a strong family but they don’t. I feel like there are young girls who need a father’s guidance and young boys who need a father’s discipline and accountability. For example, there were 14 year old kids at this camp. There was one girl who stood out - she was tall, athletic, and cute. I’m pretty sure she’s living in the Children’s Home which is like a mini college for kids who have been removed from their homes. That girl doesn’t comprehend what she’s up against. She’s getting lots of attention and who doesn’t like that? The problem is that she likely doesn’t know what’s good or bad attention. If someone doesn’t teach her how to navigate the next four years of her life then she’s at a high risk of leaving high school as a mother… or not finishing at all.
I want to stop that. I can’t be their father but I can teach them. If I earn their respect and prove that I care then there’s a chance that they’ll listen just a little bit.
On the flip side, I can teach those knuckle head boys how to treat a lady. Some might actually listen.
I understood immediately and you’re right. I imagine there aren’t a lot of high paying jobs on the reservation, but that’s something you have to figure out. Don’t chase money but you have to be able to take care of your family. Lack of money causes stress and that can take its toll. If there’s an alternate path that still allows you to be involved with the youth then look at that. You could also find something that is good for your family and volunteer with the youth.
I’m lucky enough to live in a state that pays decent compared to the cost of living. I’ll be alright. I could make more as a cop, but you have to remember the breaks. Even with a short summer, teachers get 11 - 12 weeks off each year. And then there’s the getting killed part. I shouldn’t have to worry about getting ambushed while working on a computer anymore.
No kidding! It’s a bit stressful but there’s only so much I can do. There’s some inevitable wait times for mail, processing, etc.
I’m not sure if it’s accurate to say I completed this cycle. I hit all the upper body stuff but my lower body plan was not executed.
WARM UP
10 pull ups
10 ab wheel rollouts
10 rev crunch
2 rounds
OHP
80 x 5
105 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 6+2+2+2+2+1 myo reps with BW SQUATS
4 x 25
INCLINE BBB 50%
100 x 10 x 4
100 x 21 Too easy.
DB SHOULDER PRESS
45 x 6 x 3 sets That last set of Incline was detrimental to this.
DB LAT RAISE
25 x 13+5+5+5+5+5 Didn’t exactly hit failure (in terms of how it felt) but the height of my reps dropped below my standards for a full rep.
INCLINE DB SKULL CRUSHER
25 x 22, 10, 6+3+3+3+2 350 style and made the last set myo rep style.
Good session
Haven’t done any cardio since last Sunday so I should feel fresh tomorrow at basketball.
Starting Cycle 8 tomorrow and it will be BBB Upper Body Challenge with who knows what kind of lower body training. I might do Training Maximally for 1/2 squats, deadlift, and power cleans. I also might do the 5x3 @ 90% BBB option for those lifts.
I appreciate all the encouragement, gents. Thank you! For some reason, I’m not content doing a job where I can show up, do my work, and leave. I know I can do more for the world and I feel like I’m not fulfilling my potential if I just punch the clock.
Random Check-In
It’s been a while since I took any measurements of this old body so I decided this morning was a good day for that.
The big jump on the lower quad measurement might be due to me moving the tape up a bit. I think I’ve been measuring just above the knee but that seemed like it was below the muscle so I moved up a couple inches.
I’m happy some measurements grew and I’m not unhappy with my weight or abdomen size. I’d like to get that shoulder width (circumference) to grow but that’s a tough one.
I’ve decided that I’m going to do the BBB Challenge on upper body and Training Maximally on lower body.
WARM UP
RFESS x 12 ea x 2 sets
pull up x 10 x 2 sets
RDL 135 x 10 x 2 sets
DEADLIFT
185 x 5
210 x 5
240 x 3
275 x 2
295 x 1
315 x 3 I’ve decided TnG reps are out until my back is back to normal. I can tell that it’s the quick change from eccentric to concentric that’s going to hurt me.
HANG POWER CLEAN
185 x 2 x 2
195 x 2
205 x 2
215 x 1
225 x 1
235 x 1 Same issue here. I have to start these from a dead stop; no dip at the beginning.
PULL UPS (MYO)
15+3+3+3+3+3
INCLINE DB ROW (MYO)
75 x 10+3+3+3+3+5
INCLINE DB SHRUG
75 x 10
REV DB FLY (R/P)
30 x 15+7+5+4
Great first session of this cycle. Training Maximally is the way to go for awhile. It’ll keep the reps low and let me maintain good form. It also shouldn’t trash my legs so I should feel decent for basketball.
I think the combination of high rep bodyweight lunges and no weighted squats has improved my hips. Nothing hurts when I go up the stairs and I can’t say that if I do the opposite.
Well, I looked forward to this all day and ended up feeling like absolute garbage. My muscles felt OK in terms of fatigue, but they hurt in key areas. I can play with tired legs but pain definitely kills my motivation. I played three games with a game of rest between each because we kept losing. League starts next week so I better figure something out.
