Gary: The original Belden Lineman

[druzy]

[druzy]

😄

[druzy]

[ginger90]

[druzy]

[ginger90]

[DangerousMinds]

She has went ... oh, Gary.

[christie]

On 6/2/2019 at 6:54 AM, DangerousMinds said:

She has went ... oh, Gary.

don't forget "payed"

[SweetieDarling]

Ok, so I took a few seconds to read what the certificates are for. I'm good with the "Certificate of Achievement, Honor Roll, Super Reader, Math, Social Studies, and Language Arts awards, but WTF is "Recorder Karate"? 

It's great that she's doing so well in school. (I was going to say "especially considering that slug she has for a mother, but we all know Kristina is her mother)

[Picture It. Sicily]

40 minutes ago, SweetieDarling said:

Ok, so I took a few seconds to read what the certificates are for. I'm good with the "Certificate of Achievement, Honor Roll, Super Reader, Math, Social Studies, and Language Arts awards, but WTF is "Recorder Karate"? 

It's great that she's doing so well in school. (I was going to say "especially considering that slug she has for a mother, but we all know Kristina is her mother)

I actually Googled it, because it mystified me and it's my day off. Here's what I found.

"Recorder Karate is a self-paced recorder instruction method that teaches basic techniques used in wind instruments through nine folk songs. In addition, students learn to be musically literate and what it means to be a contributing member of an instrumental ensemble."

It looks like the different color belts, starting at white and going to black belt (like in karate) correspond to a specific folk song and indicate the student's progress. I imagine kids find it fun.

[SweetieDarling]

14 minutes ago, Picture It. Sicily said:

I actually Googled it, because it mystified me and it's my day off. Here's what I found.

"Recorder Karate is a self-paced recorder instruction method that teaches basic techniques used in wind instruments through nine folk songs. In addition, students learn to be musically literate and what it means to be a contributing member of an instrumental ensemble."

It looks like the different color belts, starting at white and going to black belt (like in karate) correspond to a specific folk song and indicate the student's progress. I imagine kids find it fun.

Thanks! That makes sense. It does sound like fun, and a lot less painful than my mental image of the kids battling each other with their recorders like martial arts sticks.

[Picture It. Sicily]

4 hours ago, SweetieDarling said:

Thanks! That makes sense. It does sound like fun, and a lot less painful than my mental image of the kids battling each other with their recorders like martial arts sticks.

That's pretty much where my brain went too!

[Dmarie019]

On 5/17/2019 at 9:44 AM, druzy said:

😄

I have to give Gary a bit of a side-eye for this one.  I don't think I've ever paid attention to who sits behind me in an airport terminal.  That guy probably wanted an end seat.  And I would never think to myself "I want the end seat but someone is sitting in the other one behind it and there's lots of empty seats so maybe that would be awkward".  it's not like your heads are going to touch!

[alexa]

7 hours ago, Dmarie019 said:

I have to give Gary a bit of a side-eye for this one.  I don't think I've ever paid attention to who sits behind me in an airport terminal.  That guy probably wanted an end seat.  And I would never think to myself "I want the end seat but someone is sitting in the other one behind it and there's lots of empty seats so maybe that would be awkward".  it's not like your heads are going to touch!

That makes no sense.  He sat behind him, not next to him.  So weird that bothered him.

Edited June 13, 2019 by alexa

[Booger666]

Maybe the guy was fidgety or talking loudly on his phone? Or had really good smelling fried chicken and Gary is hungry?  😂 

[jacksgirl]

On 6/4/2019 at 8:26 AM, Picture It. Sicily said:

"Recorder Karate is a self-paced recorder instruction method that teaches basic techniques used in wind instruments through nine folk songs. In addition, students learn to be musically literate and what it means to be a contributing member of an instrumental ensemble."

It looks like the different color belts, starting at white and going to black belt (like in karate) correspond to a specific folk song and indicate the student's progress. I imagine kids find it fun.

Longtime elementary teacher here. My new school does not do Recorder Karate but my old one did. We always called them fluetophones but now they're called recorders. They're about 10 inches long and plastic and have holes in them but you don't play them sideways like the flute. The songs are really simple I know Hot Cross Buns is one. Why do I remember that but not remember what I wore yesterday. 

Pretty certain Leah is probably a solid student. She sure seems like a nice kid and out of all the Teen Mom kids, she kind of won the lottery with parents. Love that Gary recognized her accomplishments. Nothing from Amber?

Edited June 20, 2019 by jacksgirl

[heatherchandler]

On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 12:00 PM, jacksgirl said:

Longtime elementary teacher here. My new school does not do Recorder Karate but my old one did. We always called them fluetophones but now they're called recorders. They're about 10 inches long and plastic and have holes in them but you don't play them sideways like the flute. The songs are really simple I know Hot Cross Buns is one. Why do I remember that but not remember what I wore yesterday. 

Pretty certain Leah is probably a solid student. She sure seems like a nice kid and out of all the Teen Mom kids, she kind of won the lottery with parents. Love that Gary recognized her accomplishments. Nothing from Amber?

When I was in grade school in the late 80s, we all got recorders in 5th grade and learned to play.  Was this not a thing in every grade school?  

[ginger90]

Recorders are introduced here in 3rd grade.

[ChristmasJones]

Gary is a police officer!

[monicageller]

17 minutes ago, ChristmasJones said:

Gary is a police officer!

That's so awesome! Congratulations Gary!

[ChristmasJones]

He definitely looks like he has lost some weight too.   Once he starts working, he'll probably lose even more.

[monicageller]

Amber will think he's doing this to spite her.

[ginger90]

Good for Gary! Scary at the same time. I feel for Kristina. Wife of an officer, scary shit.

[ginger90]

Andrew commented. It came upon top, I’m not looking to see if Amber did, too many to look through!

[druzy]

[monicageller]

https://www.theashleysrealityroundup.com/2019/07/02/teen-mom-og-dad-gary-shirley-officially-sworn-in-as-indiana-police-officer/

Quote

It’s not everyday that The Ashley gets to write a story about a Teen Mom cast member getting a job, but, thanks to Teen Mom OG dad Gary Shirley, here we are!

On Tuesday, Gary’s wife, Kristina Shirley, announced on social media that Gary has been officially sworn into duty as a police officer. It appears that Gary had been going through the program under the radar.

“Words cannot describe how proud I am to be his wife,” Kristina wrote in the caption of photos that showed Gary being sworn in. “His dream, hard work, and dedication became a reality. Tonight, this handsome man was sworn into duty as a police officer. Thank you to ALL our friends and family who supported him, kept this a secret and most of all believed in him.”

In the photos, Gary appears slimmer, and is carrying his firearm in a holster on his hip.

Kristina and Gary kept things vague in terms of where Gary was working, but Kristina did tell a fan on Instagram that Gary will be “patroling roads.” 

Gary– who is the father of Amber Portwood‘s daughter Leah– has never discussed his desire to become a police officer on the show. During the early years of ‘Teen Mom,’ Gary held down a job as a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked with developmentally disabled patients. (He was seen wearing his work scrubs in very early episodes.) However, he has never mentioned that he was going through the police academy in more-recent episodes.

Some fans were wondering if Gary would be able to continue appearing on ‘Teen Mom OG’ now that he’s an officer. From what The Ashley hears, nothing has changed in terms of Gary being allowed to be on the show.

[Misslindsey]

2 hours ago, monicageller said:

Amber will think he's doing this to spite her.

Hee! Of course she will. It looks like Gary did it all under the radar, while Amber was asking on social media if there was an online college that she could take classes whenever she felt like it and from her bed.

[ChristmasJones]

I think Gary will make a great cop. He has had years of experience dealing with Amber... I'm not joking when I say that has given him a lot of practice dealing with angry and irrational people. 

[crazychicken]

Go Gary just quietly getting it done without needing to post on social media for kudos.

[blubld43]

Go Gary! So happy for you! I'll be praying for your safety.

[GreenlinetoHarlem]

America could use a lot more guys like Gary in law enforcement. I hope he has a long safe career and a positive impact on his community.

[MargeGunderson]

Would any of us believed this would be Gary today, after watching his early years.? All of the other teen moms and dads should take notice and up their game. 

[CandysWrapRoom]

This is amazing and I love it. I have never said that before on any TM forum. Go Gary!

[TexasGal]

Hooray for Gary!  

I have said in the Ryan thread that every time I see it get bumped up I have a sense of dread that he will have OD'd.  Every time I see the Gary thread bump I'm excited to see cute pics or the like.  Gary is awesome. 

[AdorkableWitch]

Gary was a single, teen parent and domestic violence victim who has defied the odds. I am tearing up a bit at work because this is the kind of story I wish the TM franchise would focus on. 

[ghoulina]

I think this is such great news. And I'm someone who's always a bit skeptical about law enforcement. But you know what? This will help him get in shape (looks like he already made some progress) and give him job security that a stupid TV show could never do. Gary has always been one of the few on these shows to think long term, and about the bigger picture; and I truly commend him for this! 

[CandysWrapRoom]

Also, in other corners of the internet, I have read a lot of criticism about how this is a token job, a volunteer effort, or somehow a joke because Gary maybe can't run as fast after a criminal as another person might be able to. Man, f that. Dude is trying to better himself and his family and making progress with every step he makes. The attitude I have seen is part of why some folks just can't see the value in trying. Not the whole or even most of the reason, but the lack of value society as a whole sees in effort instead of final accomplishment is very sad.

Didn't mean for Gary to build a soapbox right in front of my feet, sorry. 

[galaxychaser]

I learned to play the flute in 10th grade. I’m tone deaf and terrible at it!

[StatisticalOutlier]

18 hours ago, allienc said:

Also, in other corners of the internet, I have read a lot of criticism about how this is a token job, a volunteer effort, or somehow a joke because Gary maybe can't run as fast after a criminal as another person might be able to. Man, f that.

Not f that.  What is the actual story?  Is it some sort of volunteer/reserve gig?  Did he really graduate from the police academy?  Kristina didn't say he did.  The Ashley article said "it appeared" he had been going "through the program" under the radar and that he didn't mention attending the police academy. 

It looks to me like The Ashley story is just referencing various instagram posts and comments, and drawing some inferences, and presenting them in a way that people perceive as facts.

Maybe he did graduate from the police academy.  If so, congrats to him.  But you have to admit that the Gary we've been seeing on show probably wouldn't be on a poster advertising for police officer recruits, so skepticism isn't completely unwarranted. 

Before we congratulate him on graduating from the academy, it might be a good idea to verify that he really did.  And before we congratulate him on embarking on a career that will provide security for his family (never mind just having a job, which is more than a lot of dads on Teen Mom can muster), maybe we should verify what his new job is.  "Patrolling roads" isn't very specific, and with Indiana's reserve officer positions, it doesn't mean he's a paid police officer or even that he has a lot of training.

If it turns out he's taken some training and become a reserve officer, kudos to him.  Nice accomplishment, and well above the low bar that most of these dads have set. 

But if that's the case, it's not the same as what's being presented, and from the comments, what most people believe. 

Edited July 4, 2019 by StatisticalOutlier
too much mustering

[Snarky McSnarky]

Best comment on Reddit:

"This is just to SPITE Amber since she went to jail so now he is the law. Just like the spite chickens. When will he stop his torment!"

[jacksgirl]

Andy Dwyer- big lovable Hoosier who found the right relationship with his second girlfriend, married her and really wanted to be a cop.

Gary Shirley- big lovable Hoosier who found the right relationship with his second girlfriend, married her and got to be a cop.

Happy!!

Edited July 5, 2019 by jacksgirl

[blubld43]

7 hours ago, jacksgirl said:

Gary Shirley- big lovable Hoosier who found the right relationship with his second girlfriend, married her and got to be a cop.

Happy!!

And who did *not* buy the second ring at Wal-Mart.

[FairyDusted]

On 6/21/2019 at 4:41 PM, heatherchandler said:

When I was in grade school in the late 80s, we all got recorders in 5th grade and learned to play.  Was this not a thing in every grade school?  

70's kid. Never heard of them but we all were taught to read sheet music and could choose band in the 5th and 6th grade. You could borrow woodwinds and flutes until you found the right fit.

My kid in the 90's didn't have a recorder either. I don't even think my Grand has music at all. How sad is that!

All I could picture on a recorder was an old cassette player and fighting with them! LOL! 

[druzy]

[lilmarysunshine]

On 7/2/2019 at 11:22 PM, ChristmasJones said:

I think Gary will make a great cop. He has had years of experience dealing with Amber... I'm not joking when I say that has given him a lot of practice dealing with angry and irrational people. 

I think he has proven himself to be pretty rational, focused on what the goals are (like stable life for Leah) and compassionate, too.

[Christina]

I thought it was reported that Gary finished his training and went to work as a Henry County Reserve Officer but a quick Google doesn't reveal that anywhere now. I don't know how I could have possibly pulled Henry County Reserve Officer out of my ass, though. I didn't know he lived in Henry County or anything.

The Reserve Officers here in Ohio go through training, maybe not as extensive as the regular Police Academy but there are still qualifications and requirements. He would have to pass a gun safety course, for example, learn how to handcuff someone, and there is some physical fitness requirements. 

On 7/3/2019 at 8:33 PM, allienc said:

Also, in other corners of the internet, I have read a lot of criticism about how this is a token job, a volunteer effort, or somehow a joke because Gary maybe can't run as fast after a criminal as another person might be able to. Man, f that. Dude is trying to better himself and his family and making progress with every step he makes. The attitude I have seen is part of why some folks just can't see the value in trying. Not the whole or even most of the reason, but the lack of value society as a whole sees in effort instead of final accomplishment is very sad.

Didn't mean for Gary to build a soapbox right in front of my feet, sorry. 

Even if it is a token job, just walking around the fairground, etc., who the fuck cares? He still took training, learned to shoot, learned the laws, and followed through on something. But, since he didn't go through the actual Police Academy, unless he did, it's brushed off as a joke. They're probably Amber stans.

[FairyDusted]

I don't care if he is a file clerk, mugshot camera operator or dispatcher. It's way more than Amber will do in her lifetime. Maybe he will slip her an extra sammich. 

[blubld43]

1 hour ago, FairyDusted said:

I don't care if he is a file clerk, mugshot camera operator or dispatcher. It's way more than Amber will do in her lifetime. Maybe he will slip her an extra sammich. 

I noticed in the photo Gary is wearing a gun. I don't think volunteer officers do that, but I could be wrong.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 7/8/2019 at 12:08 AM, Christina said:

Even if it is a token job, just walking around the fairground, etc., who the fuck cares? He still took training, learned to shoot, learned the laws, and followed through on something. But, since he didn't go through the actual Police Academy, unless he did, it's brushed off as a joke. They're probably Amber stans.

I care, and I'm not an Amber stan.  In fact, we should all care, because what's being passed around appears simply not to be true.

If it had been presented all along as Gary getting some training and becoming a reserve officer, then good for him. 

But facts matter, and so far, it appears that contrary to what many people are saying, he didn't go to the police academy and he isn't a salaried law enforcement officer.  I'd be happy to have it turn out that he really did attend the police academy and now has a career with salary and benefits, but so far I haven't seen a single thing that supports that.

.

On 7/8/2019 at 7:31 AM, blubld43 said:

I noticed in the photo Gary is wearing a gun. I don't think volunteer officers do that, but I could be wrong.

Reserve officers can carry guns and arrest people.  Just like a regular cop, but possibly with vastly less training.  It is not without controversy, as one might imagine.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/01/24/how-much-training-enough-volunteer-police/78784936/

[Snarky McSnarky]

29 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Reserve officers can carry guns and arrest people.  Just like a regular cop, but possibly with vastly less training.  It is not without controversy, as one might imagine.

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/01/24/how-much-training-enough-volunteer-police/78784936/

So Gary may have simply completed 40 hours of training?  Kristina should have clarified, or just said nothing at all.

In Indiana, reserve officers are required to complete 40 hours of basic training, as well as 24 hours of continuing in-service training each year. In comparison, paid, full-time city police officers must finish a 600-hour training course administered by the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in addition to the basic training, followed by the same yearly 24 hours of in-service training.