badger_14

Oh I had no frame either - the only other stick I've used was a plastic-bladed mylec street goalie stick. I despised it. It flopped like a whale fin at seaworld. The ones I have now were found in a neighbor's garbage and belonged a goalie half a foot taller than me, and they're still miles better. The heaviness has been really helpful for me (a terrible novice goalie) - I feel like I know where my stick is at all times, and it helps ground me as to where I am, and I'm also in no way inclined to try and stick save everything. I suppose (and here is where more knowledgeable people should chime in) since you're not trying to get flex for shots or anything (unless you are Tom Barrasso) having a stick that feels balanced is more important than weight per se. Let us know how they work out. :)

The two sticks I have are wood, one is wrapped in fiberglass, the other is just (as far as I know), painted. No foam core. This is what I can say about wooden sticks: 1. I can't speak much for the difference between these and composite in play, because they're all I've ever had. 2. Both my sticks are pretty heavy. It has taken me some time to adjust to using the stick for long periods of time (e.g. street hockey), and if I haven't played in a while, I'm back to square one and my hand gets numb. (ymmv - I have nerve damage in my blocker hand from previous injuries). 3. It is easy to be reminded to keep one's stick on the ice because the damn things weigh a ton and you wouldn't want to heft it anyway. 4. The ball/puck makes a solid thump when hitting them, and I would say they absorb the energy pretty well and don't give up rebounds. (as a goalie, however, I give up lots of rebounds. It's not the stick's fault though).

As soon as I can. I have to submit my payment and get the formal authorization to test, then I'm on that like white on rice.

Congrats, that's great!

The word is in: I passed my NREMT practical exam yesterday! I still have to take the cognitive/written, but passing the practical is a huge weight off my shoulders.

Good luck!

Hey, if someone wants to come be my patient for the exam, or help me practice, I more than welcome it...

Since Friday morning: my mom broke her hip, my patient for my exam backed out on me leaving me scrambling to find a new one, and the hockey I was looking forward to to keep from strangling people was cancelled. This is not the relaxing weekend I had hoped to have.

As a member of MSH, if I pass on the first try, expect me to celebrate with as much hockey as possible. Likewise, if I fail on the first try, expect me to vent my frustrations through as much hockey as possible.

Officially finished (and passed) my EMT-Basic class tonight. Certification exams are a couple of weeks away, but I still feel pretty proud of myself for making it this far.

They're mostly college students living on campus, but yeah, for the most part you're correct. They really don't venture out of their bubble that much. Our EMT-Basic programs in the US aren't as competitive to get into as the paramedic programs in Ontario - you sign up, you pay, you attend. If you pass the course, you take the national practical and national written. A lot of the kids do the thing where they try to wheedle extra points on quizzes out of the instructors - "does spelling count", "what if it isn't that exact wording", etc. Hopefully, they don't pass, because I don't want to work with them.

Miserable week all over the place: got very, very sick after street hockey on Saturday, made a bunch of dumb mistakes during practicals on Sunday and Monday, went to the doctor to find out I have an infection in my leg for which I have had both oral and IV antibiotics (third and hopefully last session tomorrow), and it also looks like I'm not coaching this year because guy in charge is making clear he just wants parent involvement in the org. Which is totally fair and I don't begrudge them that at all, it's just disappointing because I enjoy hockey and coaching.

Our class building is on top of a very large hill...

It's about 2/3 of the class. I can only hope they won't make it to the national exams. It's totally okay to strap the offenders to longboards and just leave them in the hall, right?

Example: There's a guy in my class who is trying really hard, but just plain lacks the physical coordination to perform the skills correctly and efficiently. I wouldn't want him passing the NREMT and working on an ambulance with me, but I do respect that he's honestly trying. I don't think he'll pass the NREMT, though. I have no respect for the kids from the college (or, the 'kids' closer to my age who are also putzing around) who don't take the course seriously, assume they can breeze through, and complain when they do poorly on quizzes and exams. I don't want to be a cranky 'old' (I'm 28, I don't get to complain yet) man about the young people these days, and I think it's simple naivete as much as anything. The course is hosted by an expensive, exclusive private college and the kids don't get out of the bubble that much. Maybe a field trip to the Shattuck hospital or Boston Medical Center would help.

The instructors do know, and have collectively taken a stripe off the class for messing around. It doesn't seem to have made a dent in the offenders particularly. Luckily, they will probably fail the national exams and not certify, or even better, they'll fail this course and not even make it to the national exams. What irks me most is these are the college kids who intend to go on to nursing and medical school. I'd like to know where they plan to practice so I can avoid those areas/hospitals.

Not feeling too charitable toward my classmates tonight. They don't pay attention during lecture/demonstration - mess around on their phones and chat with each other instead. Then they don't know what to do when we're practicing, or they straight out don't bother to practice and just sit around socializing. Which is a serious wrench in the works when you need to practice, say, stabilizing a patient on a short (spine) board and transferring them to a longboard.

Tom Magliozzi, brother of Ray, co-host of NPR's Car Talk.

(Former) Boston Mayor Tom Menino (Oct. 30th)

Sweet! Let the other players know if you need to stop for a drink - when I play street pickup, at least in the summer, they refer to water breaks as 'goalie breaks'. I'd like to think they'd be accommodating if you let them know, handwave or whatever, 'hey, I need break'. If you collapse of dehydration, they have to put up with the shooter tutor again. ;)

One of the evaluators for our practical skills assessments (EMT-Basic) found me during lunch today to specifically tell me I was doing an excellent job and was among the best he'd seen in either class group. Still plenty to work on and practice of course, but it's a nice confidence booster.

An all-night ER visit for a gastritis flare-up, a sinus infection, one major migraine in the middle of EMT class practicals, a round of antibiotics and a new antacid regime, this has not really been the best week.

Ouch! That sucks. Glad it'll work out, though.

So sorry to hear that. You never do get enough time with them. :( She's not hurting anymore, but that doesn't help you or the family. All sympathy.

Seriously. I like a chance to go shoeless as much as the next person, but there's a limit. I have a classmate in my EMT class who goes barefoot (or sock-footed) in lectures and occasionally during practicals. Keep your shoes on, for others and yourself, who knows what's on these chairs/floors.