When I was asked to write a blog about myself and my experiences for Good Clean Fun, my first thought was do they have any idea how truly boring I really am!!! I am the type of person who pays $100 for a massage and I don’t even get to enjoy it because the masseuse is waking me up an hour later snoring on her table! So I am going to start my first entry out with jumping all over the place with a few things about me.
Moving here in 1994 was probably one of the scariest times of my life. 20 years old moving from the popular town of Annapolis to a Ghost town…am I crazy!!! Driving through Ocean City in 94 was very different then driving through it today. Every light was blinking yellow. Forget about the $5 footlong; Subway was closed 9 months of the year. But after joining the Ocean City Beach Patrol, I fell in love with this place and didn’t want to be anywhere else. How lucky are we to live near the beach?
Anyway, to tell you briefly about me….I am a 37 year old mother of 2 beautiful daughters. Sadie Faye is 5 and Remy is 10. They bring me the greatest joy on earth and constant laughter, which is a must in my life! I actually have a very simple life. I do try to live each day to the fullest and surround myself with amazing people. I barely open my eyes until I have a cup of coffee in the morning (loaded with cream and splenda) and I enjoy nothing more than spending time with my Best friend. God is a must for me in my life and my Faith is stronger than ever. I have 3 brothers and a sister. I dispatch for OCPD in the Winter; and am a member of the Dive team in Ocean Pines (yes we have a dive team). I imagine the day will come where some old person will end up in their car in one of those lakes running off the road especially with no street lights! I am also a member of the OCVFD, although I can’t take much credit for this because I haven’t gone through fire training yet. We sure have an amazing Fire
Department here in OC! And last, but certainly not least, I am about to start my 19th summer as a Sergeant on the Ocean City Beach Patrol.
I would like to take a moment to talk about the OCBP. What better job is there than to get to drive a 4 wheeler on the beach every day during the summer? Not only do I get the constant satisfaction of saving someone’s life, not to mention working with some of the most amazing people and organizations around (USCG, OC Paramedics, etc), but I get to interact with some truly incredible people from all walks of life. That brings me to the question, what types of people do I get to meet? I am going to share with you the top 5 most memorable questions I have been asked during my time on the beach patrol:
1. “Excuse me, but can you tell me what time you all let the dolphins out?” yes, between 12 and 3 and if you head to the Inlet you will get a look at our Shamu show as well…..huh?? And you wonder why lifeguards wear dark sunglasses!
2. “Can you tell me what Ocean this is?”
3. “I thought you had to pay to get on the beach in Jersey?”
4. “If you had to guess, how much public waste would you say is floating around in there?” Seriously….I mean really….to think that someone actually asked me this question….
5. “How far is it between Mile Markers?”….this is where you pause a second, thank God for dark sunglasses, take a deep breath and respond.
And the number one thing I have seen in my 19 years….a full blown decked out, numb chuck, sword swinging Ninja! Although, I didn’t REALLY see him 😉
Until next time……