Upgraded My Ham Radio License

Haven't been stitching lately, but I have been doing a lot of recent volunteer work and just passed the exam to upgrade my amateur ("ham") radio license from Technician to General. That required I learn a bit about circuits and electricity and electronics and antennas, etc. Absolutely NO background in any of those and wasn't sure my old brain would appreciate the tough work out!  I didn't really expect to pass the first time, but YEAH!!! I actually didn't need to upgrade my license because nothing I do requires it, but after 6 years I thought it was about time - and to hopefully give me a bit more credibility with the radio guys I'm frequently around. But here is the most amazing part: When the husband of my BFF heard I'd passed it, he personally emailed to offer me his father's shortwave receiver. I was stunned, humbled and honored. After checking out what it was he wanted to send me I said; YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! It's on it's way. I met my BFF on a prodigy BB in the late 80's and we've been friends and "sisters" ever since. She had her husband have been kind, caring and very generous over the past 25 years. (Wow, 25 years!!) Whoever alleges that you can not possibly meet and make lifelong friends via the internet just doesn't understand the real connections that bring people together in true friendship.  I'll probably need help getting an antenna set up properly, but I know a bunch of radio guys ... :D  One doesn't NEED a radio license just to listen, but it's a start on something I NEVER EVER thought about EVER doing.

As I've gotten older and my younger professional life is long behind me I've truly pondered to the point of worry about what I'm supposed to do with the rest of it. Guess volunteerism and radio stuff is going to be it - for now anyway. 

In the meantime, I put in 32 volunteer hours last weekend between handling radio traffic at the March for Babies and assisting at the Emergency Operations Center, which ramped up for a couple of public events because of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon. Will be doing similar this weekend as well. I'd like to officially report that other than meeting and talking with a bunch of very nice other volunteers and with some great police and fire officers, it was pretty boring. Which is a really good thing!  Next time I'm taking some stitching with me!