Am at this very moment completing an application for a ranger job at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska. That'll be something like a dozen jobs applied for in the last few days. I've been busy.

Be a total kick in the head if I get the Alaska job after being totally ignored for dozens of other jobs in the lower 48 that I'm equally well-qualified (or better) for. I'm not holding my breath on anything.

Job I've applied for of late that I most want is vegetation sampling outside of Mesquite, Nevada (not far from Las Vegas), as it pays $17.64 an hour and would put me in position to participate in the Trouble in Vegas ultimate frisbee tournament.

Here's holding a good thought or three for your job search.... It can be a depressing exercise. But- I have confidence that you will find a good fit for your skills. I remember that I opted out of Forestry as a major when I realized I would almost certainly have to relocate... also because the program I was in was heavily oriented toward "trees are a cash crop, so how can we harvest them more efficiently".

Maybe the Smokeys or Cherokee/Nantahala will find a need for you....

That whole "cash crop" thing is why I never went into Forestry. I avoid the moral dilemma pretty nicely as a biologist or a park ranger. I really dislike the "tree-farming" ethic. The poet and essayist Gary Snyder has some interesting words about in The Practice of the Wild.

I don't really mind the relocating so much, though I would love to settle somewhere in Western Montana for a while. There's some botanist positions available for Glacier National Park, which would be great. I've applied there, but I'm think that the competition for that one will be intense. My odds there aren't so great. But there's also a tiny National Wildlife Refuge west of Kalispell that I might have a better shot at. But there is a lot of chance involved, so I reconcile myself to all the relocation by generally just applying to places that I really want to go. Like the Nevada job I mentioned: it has proximity to the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Escalante in Utah, and Death Valley in California. Those are all places I either love or want to go.

Don't think I've found a good job to apply for in the Smokies area of late. I was recently rejected for a job working with sea turtles on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. But if I thought I had a good shot I'd be all over a job in the Smokies--I love that park. I have fond memories of lingering in Juneywhank and Indian Creek Falls early on June mornings, before the crowds.

Good luck job-hunting, they might be hard to find but once you have one that type of job is probably one of the most enjoyable and rewarding.



Depends how its done - wood has to come from somewhere and I'd much rather that was from a 'tree farm' than from natural forest. If they're farmed symathetically it can be ok too, the newer plantations here aren't done in straight lines and the larch firebreaks are put in features in the landscape. It looks almost natural until they cut them down.

I had possibly the worst afternoon ever today. Sessions in physics labs are usually painful and this one excelled itself. Hours using a system of levers, mirrors, filters, micrometers and prisms so sensitive it can measure down to half a micron to get the wavelength of some light would be fine but because it was so sensitive if someone in the same corridor closed a door it would shake the whole thing to hell. And twisting a dial while watching tiny lines move get a bit dull after five minutes.

Ah, the problem with U.S. forestry is that they use the natural forests as the "tree farms". The logging rate in our national forests is pretty unsustainable. I've no huge beef with logging done in the frontcountry on a sustainable-yield basis, but I have a big beef with clear-cuts and other forms of unsustainable logging in undeveloped areas.

Actual tree farms on private land are fine by me.

I've know what you mean about lab work and sensitive instruments. Total pain in the rear. One of the reasons I prefer doing my work out in the field.

This post has been edited by canis216: Jan 16 2009, 07:02 PM

Someone from the bank called me today and offered me my job back. Not sure when I start so I still have another week or so of sitting in my house.

I think I have influenza- I have had a constant head-ache for 4-5 days; my neck, shoulders, and lower back hurt; my appetite is diminished; and my legs feel like ice all the time, even when the rest of me is warm or hot. I took Tuesday off from work (mostly because of the snow).... And so now, in my stubborn Irish Presbyterian way, I feel guilty about taking any more days off this week. So I am sitting at work, aching and freezing and calling myself 9 kinds of an idiot. And, oh yes, on Wednesday, my truck wouldn't start- low battery + cold temps. So now I am parking it where I can "roll start" (yay for manual transmissions). Kind of wonder how I am going to buy gas in the next day or so... May just have to leave the engine running while I pump- even though they frown on that.

No other real news- just wanted some tea and sympathy, I suppose.

A job just opened up at my old haunt of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, in west Texas, so I am hopeful of getting some sort of gainful employment relatively soon. I'm uber-qualified for the position and know the right people in the right places, so I feel pretty good about it. Mailing in my application today.

Get better soon, Treydog. I am very lucky to almost never get ill, but I do remember the flu (it's been about 15 years since I've had one) being quite unpleasant. Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies (not that I have much in the way of enemies), and certainly not on a friend like you.

Actually fairly warm (by January standards) in Illinois (where I'm staying with the folks) today. Got to be close to 50 degrees. After I mail off my application I'm going to play some disc golf.

Indeed get well soon Treydog - I recomend the scottish remedy for the cold/flu: put some boiling water on some fresh ginger then strain it into lemon, honey and whisky, I'm not convinced it helps that much but it warms you and makes the symptoms seem less bad.

As for the truck can't you charge the battery? Even really knackered ones will hold some charge if you make them...

I almost had an even worse afternoon than last week, similar idea with the vastly too sensitive equipment but this time with two diffraction patterns out of phase which obscured eachother. Absolute nightmare so I gave up and decided to work out my raw data with maths. Still it reminded me why I don't do pure physics.

This post has been edited by Olen: Jan 22 2009, 07:11 PM

Good luck to you Canis in your job search, we used to live in Texas, San Antioio to be exact. And Treydoggie, you take it easy! You shouldn't be working and certainly not rolling trucks down hills when your legs feel like ice .. you should be home in a nice warm bed!

Well everyone, I feel so patriotic .. my first Unemployment check came on Inauguration Day, just a few minutes after .. the mailman couldn't have planned it more perfectly. And until that moment I didn't even know for sure if I was getting it - so go Obama! hehe

I am looking for work but my feet are so happy that I don't have to stand for 8 hours a day without a break anymore. And we are excercising so that I don't just sit a the computer all the time and get fat. And we're walking and bike riding too and I can't wait to start using the pool again. Gonna start as soon as the weather goes back up into the mid to upper 70's which the weatherman showed will be the end of this week.

I hope no one thinks ill of me but after working about 6 or 7 years with no vacation; I am being a bit leisurely in my job search right now and taking the time off for more full time work on my Morrowind Mods. Enjoyment!

This post has been edited by Ibis: Jan 24 2009, 09:33 AM

I've just returned from a long weekend in Dresden where I went for some sight seeing and relaxation with my love. It was very fascinating as the city has lots of treasures and historic sights to see, so many in fact there was not anywhere near enough time to see all of it. Much of it was destroyed in WW II. and has only recently been rebuilt, like the Frauenkirche, the Taschenbergpalais and the world famous Semper Opera. On saturday we went to see Masters of the Dance - Best of Irish Dance, which is something I hadn't experienced before and which was quite exciting.

We stayed in what is probably the best house in town, the Taschenbergpalais, which used to be the palace of a countess, and we had a really good time. Tomorrow it's back to work, but I think we'll always remember this trip.

That sounds great! Glad to hear you're doing well

I'm struggling to imagine you at the "Best Of Irish Dance" though From Ministry to an Irish jig

The world is crazy. There's a "magic goat" being detained in Nigeria...the goat is a suspect in an armed robbery case.

Crazy world...

And now for the updated veterinary report- after several bad days and nights, I took myself off to the doctor, who wasn't sure what was wrong with me, either. Told me (Friday) to take Tylenol and that if I wasn't better by Monday to come back. Considering my temp spiked at over 100 on Sunday and Monday (lying on the kitchen floor sweating was a real high-light), I went back. Fortunately, the little viral scoundrels had finally manifested in a recognizable form- I have shingles. Same virus as chicken pox. Not contagious to anyone except those who have never had chicken pox. So if that means you, you should probably stop reading....

Not going to go into a lot of detail, except to say I will be out of work all week. And I don't feel much like doing anything with my suddenly free time.

Ibis- having spent a year on unemployment, I understand you situation. Beyond that, I usually managed to leave jobs just before I got any vacation days, or in some other way miss out on time off. As I see it, you have consistently contributed to society- you aren't taking a free ride.

Stargel and Irish Dance... either the fever is coming back or else that just cross-wired my brain....

To all, if your health is good, I applaud you; if it is not, you have my empathy and hopes for a quick recovery.

Sorry to hear it Treydog,

I really hope you'll feel better soon.

And Ibis, judging from what you told us, you deserve to take it easy for a while.

Shingles is nasty, I hope you have a speedy recovery and don't feel too awful.

I just went through one of the worst experiences of my life within the last few days. I was a victim of an ice storm that left me without heat or power for nearly 52 hours. Trees and power lines fell all around northwest Arkansas and I was trapped within the suburbs I call home for the first 36 hours of the ordeal. When the power company cleared the roads I could get out but there weren't any stores open anywhere, they were out of power as well. I heated my small room with two dozen candles I had in storage.

I'm just glad to have power and heat again. I called in to work on both days because solid ice was covering the road, keeping me from leaving. Hopefully their weather policy was in effect or I might lose my job...there was no way I could've gotten out of here though.

Really makes me feel thankful for the little things I take for granted in life, now if you'll excuse me I'm off to enjoy some warm soup and a hot glass of tea.

@treydoggie! i sincerely hope you're better by now! shingles is crappy to get, yes indeed...now I'm immune I think..yes..yes I am so I can visit you....and my god I wish I was in Tennessee again, that trip two years ago was by far the funniest vacation ever!

@Mr Oven! I've seen ice-storms and their effects on TV..it's just terrible!I do hope you're all ok! brrrr

For me..it's ok, I'm working far too much, I've had 35hours overtime in three weeks, and you know what? I don't even get paid for it! It really sucks, but it's necessary....

Other from that I'm ok.....I think..

Right now, out of the blue, I started to really, REALLY miss an old friend of mine. He was on my debate team. His name was Jake Roshell. I don't think I'm ever going to see him again - certainly not at a class reunion, since he was a different year than I was.

I remember a story he was working on. He was writing it in his notebook. Out of curiosity, I looked it up, and he had posted it to his DeviantArt account. He hadn't finished it. Here it is, if you're interested:

http://lordburritor.deviantart.com/art/Har...ologue-54555512

Sadly, he hasn't been on his account in over a year, and I have no idea of where else I could find him. For some damn reason, I want to talk to him REALLY badly. Maybe it'll pass, but...I really miss those days when I was on the debate team. Best years of my life so far.

This post has been edited by bbqplatypus: Feb 2 2009, 08:44 AM

Sounds like just the same situation I felt myself in about a month ago with my forum friend, Bofra. Same thing going on, doubt I'll ever hear from him again.