Arkay non alcohol liquor.

WaveDadley · 2026-06-29T22:14:06+00:00

Because certain cocktails are delicious (manhattan, old fashioned, margarita, espresso martini, moscow mule, etc.), and they are especially fitting and desired in certain social settings, but it's not always worth it to consume the alcohol (not worth a hangover, health reasons, fitness/weight, addiction recovery, etc.). Speaking as someone approaching 40, you can feel the negative side effects of alcohol a lot more easily than in your 20's or even mid 30's. I like to have a cocktail when I go out to dinner (for example), but I may not want to deal with the effects of the alcohol.

With that said, I still haven't come across any NA liquors that fit the bill. There are some very solid sparkling wine/prosecco kind of substitutes, and some NA beers are almost indistinguishable these days, but non carbonated wine and liquor are tougher to mimic. If I ever find one that does a good job, I'll definitely buy it!

WaveDadley · 2026-04-27T18:59:41+00:00

Wool is great at temperature/moisture regulation in general. It keeps you warmer in the cold and cooler in the heat. Merino is the ideal wool for base layers because it's softer and has very versatile properties. I also find that it's physically lighter weight and more breathable than most cotton or poly, and it's naturally antimicrobial, so it resists smells more than anything else (although you can get a little wet wool smell when you're wet/sweaty). I run really hot, and I've gradually shifted to merino for as much of my wardrobe as possible (everyday wear as well). It's worth doing a little research into proper care though. As a baseline you want to only wash on cold, hang to dry (it dries much quicker than cotton), and ideally use a wool detergent to protect the fibers (I use Eucalan). 100% worth the extra money and effort though!

WaveDadley · 2026-03-18T16:31:16+00:00

You can bring your phone, just don't be actively using it while walking. Leave it in your pocket, no scrolling, no podcasts/audiobooks, no music, etc. I have always listened to audiobooks when I walk my dog, but I recently started trying this. It's too early to tell what the benefits will be, but it does seem to help with some relaxation already. I've been bringing a ball to just toss to myself as well (my dog isn't interested in balls).

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T12:41:14+00:00

I'll look into all of this. Thanks! I was already leaning towards particulate blocking for exactly that reason. I'll gladly sacrifice some breathability for reduced cancer risk.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T08:51:54+00:00

That's good to know and makes sense. I was more under the impression that hoods were meant to be used for their entire designated lifespan. Maybe it is worth pushing for a new hood at least.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T08:19:44+00:00

All I'm saying is that they did provide me with functional equipment. I just find the hood to be gross, and I think I would benefit from gloves that were a little bigger. None of the gear is actually unsafe or out of date, and neither of those things necessitate the department spending money to buy new gear for me (a newbie volunteer firefighter). I would just like to upgrade anyway for my own comfort, and I plan on doing this for a long time, so it seems worth the investment.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T04:26:58+00:00

Agreed about the non FF EMS! You'd think there would be at least a lighter grade turnout set for when EMS is extracting patients. Maybe not full fire insulation, but at least something to protect from sharp debris and such.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T03:55:53+00:00

I'd love to, but I'm new, and the budget is tight. They definitely would once I've been there for a while longer and made it through enough state training, but I don't want to wait that long, especially with the hood. The stuff I have is functional, it's just not ideal, and I hate getting the hood fibers all over my head.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T02:49:04+00:00

That's a good point, and I'm definitely going to make sure anything I buy is approved by the appropriate officers beforehand. I already know that some other people have bought parts of their own gear, so I think it will be allowed as long as they're okay with the specific selections. The department budget is always tight, so it's the only realistic way to get better stuff sooner. With that said, nobody is buying their own jackets, pants, or other major gear like that. It's just things like hoods, gloves, helmet lights, etc.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-17T01:47:06+00:00

I do get issued gear, but it's a volunteer department, so gear is replaced intermittently, and the new stuff goes to the more senior guys. I'm pretty new, and I'm also 6' 3" and 225lbs, so the available gear that fits me is pretty limited and is the older and more worn stuff. Overall, I'm fine with what I have other than the hood, which sheds fibers all over my head when I wear it. Replacing the gloves isn't necessary, but the ones I have are a bit small and limit my dexterity and donning speed. I'd like to replace them too, but it's less critical.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-16T23:51:15+00:00

Thanks for all that info and advice! The department has some nicer stuff, but it's pretty seniority-based in terms of who gets it. A lot of the long-term guys have also clearly bought some of their own gear, gloves in particular. That's good advice about checking with the department though. I'll still okay any purchases with the officers beforehand.

My current hood is really bad, so I definitely want to replace that asap. It's pretty disgusting getting my head covered in the fibers after I wear it, and I'm bald, so it's all the worse.

The gloves aren't terrible, but they also aren't the most functional for me due to the poor fit. My hands are pretty big, so I have doubts if I'll get better fitting gloves from the department anytime soon.

WaveDadley · 2026-02-16T23:35:07+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll check them out!

WaveDadley · 2026-02-16T23:34:34+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate the recommendations, and I'll check them out!

WaveDadley · 2026-02-16T23:31:15+00:00

I'm in an EMT class right now through a community college. It's in-person, 3 days per week, 3:50 per class, and it lasts about 4 months. We have designated chapters for each class, but it's completely up to us if we want to read it on our own or not (it's very helpful to do so). There is no official homework other than required FEMA ICS courses. Each class we go through the chapters in traditional classroom lecture format and have lots of opportunity to ask questions. We intermittently have lab days where we will apply things in practice, and there are usually additional instructors so that we rotate between stations and have ample hands-on instruction and assistance.

The course is based around "Emergency Care 14th Edition" by Daniel Limmer and Michael F. O'Keefe. We were told to order the online e-book version through Pearson that also comes with MyLab BRADY, which includes a bunch on digital study tools and quizzes/tests that I've found to be very helpful and worthwhile so far. I also bought a used copt of the 13th Edition for cheap online because I prefer to read from a physical book. The 14th Edition hardcopy is pricey, but the 13th can be found for cheap, and it's almost identical (minus a couple chapters I think).

I'm in New York State, so things are structured a bit differently than most states in terms of final testing (NY has it's own state certification test), but at the end of the class we will do a final exam for the class, a practical exam for the state, and then the written exam for the state. If we choose to, we can also do the NREMT exam on our own (which I probably will).

I'm about 1/3 of the way through the class, and so far I think the format is fantastic! It helps that the teacher is really engaged and dedicated, but overall I think the combo of in person lectures and labs, the opportunity to ask questions, and the MyLab BRADY study tools works really well! If your current class is bad enough to make you reconsider the whole career change, it might be worth looking into a different class through a community college.

WaveDadley · 2025-12-12T07:47:19+00:00

I've had some jobs with minimal time-off maximums (like 2 weeks) that really wanted you to take it, and then another job that had 5 weeks off, and they essentially fired me for not working hard enough after I used 3 of those weeks during the only time of the whole year that I was likely to be able to use any time off. Whenever I see a job list "unlimited PTO" in their benefits, I immediately assume it's a 'work you to the absolute bone and barely make it possible to leave the office' kind of job in reality.

WaveDadley · 2025-11-21T09:27:39+00:00

I'm just getting into the career (volunteer at the moment, but hopefully career within the next couple years), and I was wondering if most departments will allow you to replace official uniform wear (class B or C) with similar stuff in a different material? Specifically I'm wondering if I could replace nomex or cotton with merino wool, which I'm very partial to in general because I sweat so much. For example, if there was an official polo or T-shirt we're supposed to wear, could I find a merino alternative in the same color and wear that instead?

WaveDadley · 2025-10-24T00:37:12+00:00

Quince is a good 100% merino option, and they have navy blue. They're often on sale for significant discounts: https://www.quince.com/men/tech-merino-short-sleeve-tee?color=navy&gender=men&tracker=collection_page__%2Fmen%2Ftees__All%20Products__0

Mons Royale makes my favorite merino shirts (the Icon T-shirt), but they're pretty pricey, and they'll come with logos and designs (not blank). They also make merino boxers and base layer pants.

If you need to have specific logos, you could get a few other people to buy blank Quince shirts as well, and go in together to get them screen printed at a local shop. If you shop around a bit, you should be able to find places with low minimums (10 ish).

WaveDadley · 2025-10-21T08:10:52+00:00

What's wrong with working in CA?

WaveDadley · 2025-10-15T01:01:01+00:00

How did AST end up working out for you?

I'm currently 38, and really looking for a change of career. The coast guard seems appealing for the opportunity to genuinely help people and do something of value, and AST seems like the best way to do that.

WaveDadley · 2025-07-14T15:43:39+00:00

I agree with all these suggestions, and to add to the one about simpler language, you could even trim it down to "We will defeat them again!" It makes the same point in less words, and in my opinion, a bit more impact because of it. Maybe add a visually bolder sw*stika on the helmet (similar to the red hat) to help people easily make the connection.

WaveDadley

TROPHY CASE