If I were President!

So I was laying in bed last night watching television, and due to having the “basic” cable package there were not many channels to surf. The Democratic National Convention was being broadcast on all of the local stations - so out of sheer boredom I watched for a bit. I chuckled to myself at how ridiculous this whole election year has been - but also a bit pissed because this garbage was being shown in place of quality TV programming - like Jerry Springer, one of my personal favorites. It got me to thinking what things I would change if I were President!
Do you ever wonder what you would do if you were President? Would you try and raise taxes? Lower Taxes? Truthfully, if you were to ask me right now, I would say I do not know.
So what do I know? If I was as smart as the people running the country, or soon to be, I’d be running the country. So I must not be that smart…….or, am I? Are you? You might be thinking - Jason, the average citizen isn’t qualified to lead the country. REALLY? Can the average citizen balance their checkbook? Most do. Would the average citizen pay $640.00 for a toilet seat? I think not.
Does the average citizen think we need leaders who would spend the average citizen’s money responsibly, someone like, oh I don’t know….let’s say, an average citizen? (I just like saying average citizen).
If you do, then support my plan! I call it Jason’s Democracy. Here is what we do, we cancel all elections. No more voting. Instead we pick our “leaders” just like jury duty. You open the phone book, start calling people, and take what you get! If you don’t have a good excuse you have to be a “leader” - president, senator, congressman, etc - for a month.
No more campaigns, no lobbyists, no undue influence. Jason’s Democracy would work because we are a lot smarter and our politicians are a lot dumber then we think. Sure, with Jason’s Democracy you might end up with some perverts, schnooks, deadbeats, drunks, nincompoops, numb nuts, lame brains, bozo’s, crack heads and whores, but that is what we’ve got in there now and we can’t get rid of them. With my plan if you get an idiot for a leader, they’re done in a month and then you can call someone else.
This is a great plan - sure, a pharmacist who became, oh let’s say a Senator, for a month might vote to invade Canada because they have cheaper prescription drugs, or a pro-gun guy might want his own stock pile of arms to scare kids out of his yard - but most of the people in Congress will be sane and say, NO, and here’s the beautiful part - all leaders would have to go back home in a month and face their neighbors who have to live with the laws and tax cuts that produce the lousy schools and roads and whatever else they voted in. And that my friends, is when Jason’s Democracy get’s interesting!
Thanks for letting me vent for a moment, and now it is back to work for this government employee. Ha ha

10 Years

OK, so I know this is a little bit late - but I still think worth mentioning. Amber and I celebrated 10 years of marriage on March 31, 2008. This has to be some sort of miracle, who would have ever thought someone would put up with me for that long!! I am sorry for all those who bet good money thinking she would have left me long long ago!!
For this momentous occasion we took a trip - yes, just Amber and I - no kids - to Mexico. A special thanks needs to be given to Robyn for all her help with this - she is the BEST sister ever. We spent a week in Puerto Vallarta and it was wonderful. It rained everyday - all day except on Friday when we flew out, but it was still very relaxing. It was fun just bumming around and hanging out with sweet, sweet Amber. While here I got my first ever massage! This little latino girl worked my body over till I could barely walk - very similar to my high school days, only this time I was sober!! It was very relaxing and I am hooked.

Amber is the greatest thing in my life, and I look forward to many, many more years with her! I love you Amber!

Alabama Training

I attended my first training with the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama June 23-27, 2008. I was instructed in the area of Weapons of Mass Destruction Crime Scene Management for Emergency Responders, Weapons of Mass Destruction and HazMat Evidence Collection, and then one day in "Cobra Alley" where I got to work in a "hot" environment where actual biological chemicals are used. The training was some of the best I have been to in a while. I did survive Cobra Alley, and look forward to my next training there!

Training

So I have been getting alot a crap from people because I have not updated the Cole Family Blog. I would like to thank Amber for her recent post - but for all those who have been requesting an update here you go!! Also, if you just logged onto our blog, you will notice the added music - I thought I would add a few of my favs for your listening pleasure! Also, I need to make a clarification from Amber's post - I was in training in Louisville, and did attend some good training - but I also took full advantage of what I like to call "networking". And while some nights the "networking" kept me out till the wee hours of the morning, I still made it to all my classes. It really was a GREAT time, and was very much needed for me. It was wonderful to visit with lots of my old friends, and of course meet many new ones - (Thanks to my new Michigan buddies who picked me up on the side of the road and drove me down to 4th Street).
I was released from the Bishopric yesterday - Amber and I are so excited about the free time I will now enjoy! It is crazy to think that both she and I have been in major leadership positions since we have been married - over 10 years now - so this is a well deserved and much needed break! I am really hoping for a calling in the nursery - that way I can hang out with little Bennett boy - not to mention I will get a snack each week (including fast Sunday - which is a beautiful thing since we have the dreaded 1 to 4 schedule).
Work is always very busy, and keeps me on my toes. I enjoy every minute of it, and love what I do. I have 3 trainings upcoming - I am doing the Crime Scene Academy in September - attending and teaching at the Tri-Division Conference in Phoenix Arizona the end of September - and then doing the Advanced Crime Scene Academy in October. Also in October I am hosting The Science of Fingerprint Identification course. In November - just after Thanksgiving I am heading back to Anniston, Alabama for additional training with Weapons of Mass Destruction - this will be another hands on training and I get to go to "Cobra Alley" again. "Cobra Alley" is the only area in the US where you work with live chemical agents. They suit you up, to include full respiratory gear, and go into rooms with monitoring equipment to detect the chemical. Last visit I was exposed to Serin Gas and VX Nerve Agent. It is pretty wild, and quite the adrenaline rush.

Hello friends and family, I am so sorry we haven't updated in so long, we will be better. Right now Jason is in Kentucky at a training, he's having a good time, I think this one is more play than work but he deserves every minute of it. I started my first week working, teacher training. I was very nervous but that was wasted effort as I have enjoyed myself completely. I barely know the staff but there is already such a feeling of unity and excitement. Everyone is very committed to make learning fun. Our worry is if our building will be ready, it is still under construction and it will take a miracle to get us in on time. But they profess that many miracles have already happened, so they have faith that it will be done. But we will not have much time to set up the rooms, which is minor, but for me being new I would have loved time to re-arrange the room a few times. The kids are doing well, excited for school to start, so they can see their friends and not be so bored. I love you all and will be better and keeping up.

Amber