The Skoolie Today Podcast: Recent Episodes
Skoolie Today
If you’re converting a bus, living in one, or just feeling curious about what the skoolie lifestyle has to offer, this podcast is for you. Each week, we’ll be having conversations with people who have taken the plunge into skoolie life.
In the beginning
I attended the Florida Crime and Intelligence Analyst Association conference in Jupiter, Florida, in June 2019. Being relatively new to my role as a crime analyst, it was the first industry conference like it that I attended. It was an eye-opener. When I walked into the meeting room on the first day, I immediately noticed how full it was with crime analysts from all around the state. It seemed like everyone knew what they were talking about except for me. I immediately realized how lucky I was to meet all those great and wonderful people.
Daniel “DJ” Seals was a keynote speaker for the event. DJ immediately grabbed the attention of the audience. When he told a joke, the room burst into laughter. In serious moments, you could hear a pin drop. He kept us all in that rollercoaster of emotions for an hour. It felt like five minutes.
“You got this!”
I had a chance to talk with DJ after his address. I found him to be a down-to-earth guy who is always willing to help, advise and coach others. It was easy to feel a special connection to DJ. First, we both worked our way up from patrol. Second, we both were narcotics detectives. Third, we both got into crime analysis with little idea of what we were doing. DJ had been in it for so many years that I felt I could count on him whenever I was stuck. Right away he offered to help me in any way he could. All I had to do was call him. DJ knew it was going to take some hard work. After all, he had traveled that road before. But he was optimistic. “You got this,” he said. “There is nothing to it.”
Who is DJ Seals?
In this first episode of The Crime Analyst podcast, we hear from DJ Seals, a retired detective, SWAT operator and crime analyst in the Metro Atlanta area, about his background and experiences. DJ tells the story of how he got involved in crime analysis, in 2009, when he was tasked with creating an intelligence-led policing division at his department in Covington, Georgia. Despite not having any crime analysis experience, he immersed himself in the job and learned as much as he could so he could successfully create and lead this new division.
Education is important
We all know how important education is. We don’t always have the luxury of education coming to us. More often than not we have to go find it. That’s exactly what DJ did when it was time to take on a new role as crime and intelligence analyst. He talks about how he dove right into educating himself and learning as much as he could about the field. DJ very quickly realized how little information there was about crime analysis. He also had to find a way to clean up the CAD and RMS system and get officers to enter the right information.
Many Challenges Ahead
DJ talks about how challenging it can be to get the command staff to buy in. He did not let any of those challenges keep him from continuously working toward making his crime analyst unit the best it could be. DJ also shares about the importance of connecting with other analysts, and learning from them. However, connecting with people is not always easy. We all have our own points of view, opinions and ideas. And we may not like to get out of our comfort zone and do it. Yet we know how important it is for this line of work. DJ offers suggestions for how to connect with officers and help close the gap between crime and intelligence analysts, and officers.
Inspiring message for crime and intelligence analysts
Whether you’re already immersed in crime analysis or interested in i
Morgan and Ryon live in Chitty Bang, a self-converted 1999 International Genesis school bus, with their two daughters, Mila the English Mastiff and Micio the cat.
As drummer for The Everly Brothers Experience, a band that plays all over the world celebrating the music and history of The Everly Brothers, Burleigh Drummond spends a good bit of time on the road. His wife and young daughter sometimes travel with him so they can avoid being apart for months at a time. You can connect with Chanda and Burleigh on Instagram (@ourmoonbus) Visit Chanda's Blog ( https://www.mamaontheroad.me/ ) The Everly Brothers Experience ( http://theeverlybrothersexperience.com/ )
After Shaina and Connor lived in a tent for almost a month, they realized that they didn’t need most of their stuff. So they spent nearly two years researching multiple alternative-living options that would enable them to move off the grid and live a simpler life. When Connor presented the idea of a skoolie, Shaina wasn’t on board at first — but eventually she came around. They started watching bus conversion videos on YouTube and felt inspired. Shaina and Connor purchased their 2003 Bluebird school bus in November 2017, worked on it through a Minnesota winter, and expect to finish the conversion in 2019. Listen to the full episode to hear more of their story. You can connect with Shaina and Connor on Instagram (@true.north.bus) Email: truenorthbus218@gmail.com WordPress Blog https://truenorthbus.wordpress.com True North: Home + Gift True North: Home + Gift
As a school bus driver for 14 years, Dominique loved her job and the interaction she had with the kids. That was a big part of what led her to buy a school bus and convert it into a home on wheels. The conversion has been challenging but she is enjoying the journey, looking forward to traveling with her dog, and hoping to start a community of like-minded people. When she gets on the road full time, Dominique plans to make a living working at campgrounds. In the meantime, she loves to camp and often throws her mattress into the skoolie so she and her canine girl can get out and enjoy a trip. One caveat she offers: skoolies aren’t for everyone. You can connect with Dominique and see more of her story on Instagram @skoolie.gurl