My 2nd Encounter with the "Short" Bus

So last spring I had to take a test to drive the mini bus at school. Growing up we always thought the only kids that rode the short bus were the special ed students. I don't even know where that came from but it is definitely not the case! In May I took a group of National Honor Society students to a camp to help out underpriviledged kids. Mr. S told me since it was my first trip he would give me the "good" bus. I had no problems and I did fine.

This past week there was a JV volleyball game away and since the varsity wasn't going I was told I had to take one of the mini busses. I didn't really mind since I had done it before, but let me tell you this trip did NOT go as smoothly!

First off, they gave me BUS #39...one of the new busses. I thought awesome until I found out it has a alarm system. There are instructions on how to turn the alarm off but they aren't very clear. Needless to say I had the alarm go off 3 times on the trip. Once at NC and twice at SHS. Not only does a small alarm beep, if you don't turn it off in enough time then a car alarm goes off...lights and horns going crazy until you finally can figure out what step you missed and get it turned off. VERY FRUSTRATING!

I think by the 3rd time I had to turn the bus off I got better at figuring out what I had to do in enough time. I did have to take the same bus out on Saturday and I had a much better experience. Lets just hope I don't have to drive the "short" bus too many times because I think the operator is a little overwhelmed when things don't go as planned.

Curbside Capital

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of my hometown. Logansport, IN population ~19,350 is the place I called home for most of my life. It is a relatively small town, comparable to New Castle in size. Logansport is nothing like it use to be back in the olden days...it was originally a bustling railroad town much larger than Lafayette. It was also a port town, being that it is located on 2 rivers; Eel and Wabash. The city was founded in 1826 by Captain Logan...it was originally named Logan's port, but eventually the name adapted to one combined word.

Logansport is home to the most complete Dentzel Carousel in the United States, the oldest school mascot in the state of Indiana: Felix the Cat, and the very first 4-cylinder automobile engine. The small town has a historic past, but a pretty dismal present and future. Unfortunately it is a vanishing city, but one I will always call home and have great memories of.

For years the community would celebrate its past with an annual Iron Horse Festival to remember the old railroad days. A place I spent many a summer growing up. We have a drive-in theater, 2 car hop hotdog stands, 3 homemade ice cream parlors, 2 homestyle diners, 3 old fashioned barber shops...it is a classic city in present times. The town never really grew up with the times, never changed...it is still embracing its past. That is what I love the most about my hometown. I can always come back and those small slices of Logansport are still there, even when nothing else is.

Summer is never the same without a hotdog from B&K hotdog stand, a milkshake for Sycamore, and a double feature at the Skyline drive-in. Ask any person from Logansport what they like the most about summers in their childhood and they will all say the same. We are a unique breed of people, but we all realize that the small joys of summer are what makes you always come home.

**FOR FUN**

Famous people from Logansport:

-Kenesaw Mountain Landis: First Commissioner of Baseball

-Samuel P. Bush: Patriarch of the political Bush family

-Greg Kinnear: Actor

-Aaron Heilman: Pro pitcher

-Dr. Greg Bell: 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist

-Tony Hinkle: Inventor of Orange Basketball (former Butler coach)

A Taste of the Real World

Hancock Regional has been the place I call home for the last six weeks. They gave me a taste of the real world, 8am-5pm working 40 hours/wk. The down side...I paid them for my time, but I did get a good education. I had a great Clinical Instructor, CI for short, that taught me the ropes at Hancock Regional.

I worked in the IRU, Inpatient Rehab Unit, which consists of intensive rehabilitation. It is 9 bed unit that requires 3 hours/day of combined therapies: occupational, physical, and speech. There are only certain medical diagnosis that make the requirement for the unit, but trust me..you don't want to know the details.

I had some great patients while I was at Hancock, none of which I am legally allowed to talk about...kinda makes it sound like I am CIA or something. The whole staff I worked with was great, and they all seemed to like me. I really enjoyed my time and may look at Hancock Regional as a place of employment after I graduate.

I am now about to enter into my last semester of course work before my last semester of clinicals. I should find out soon my future clinical destinations and will keep you all posted as I am informed. I am excited to see the end of the tunnel and have a little more than a taste of the real world.