Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Burning out, frazzled, and dehydrated

The world seemed so cheery at the beginning of summer. It still is, sometimes. With the daunting school year drawing ever closer and the days growing ever hotter, though, I sometimes find it hard to keep my positive outlook. That being said, know that this will probably turn into a rant at some point, that life probably isn't so terrible as I'm about to make it, and that I'll probably love the summer again tomorrow (well, if I don't get stuck at the train and/or front gate all weekend).

My once dream job of sitting in a pioneer era house explaining the spinning wheel and spinning all day has come crashing down somewhere in the not-too-distant past, or at least has slipped further and further away in the preceding weeks. I still put on the outfit, but seem to have made an impression at the front gate and giving tours on the train. I dislike them both. As a long-time reenactor I would have thought that I would be useful...well...reenacting, but I guess someone thinks I'm good at doing the two spots where you don't. Now, I exaggerate, I haven't actually been stationed at the front gate in a while, but I had a stretch of nearly every day, during which I was informed that the man in whom my interest lay was already dating someone, which just made life at work suck. I'm getting over that tolerably well, and have decided I like the girl he's dating better than him anyway (in a very platonic not gay way, he's just really quiet and hard to get to know, whereas she's awesome) Never give up a great friendship on account of a boy, that's what I say.

Well, things got better, in fact I had a great week or so where I got to be in sites I'd never been in almost every day. It was great! I love learning about the new things, and the sites, and I met more of my co-workers some of whom I particularly like. I had a wonderful conversation with a girl who does Civil War reenacting like I do Medeival and she's awesome. I always love meeting people who appreciate history in the same way I do...like, in the same manner I do...like dressing up and pretending your part of it.

So, things were going very well until the dreaded day came, the day I thought I could avoid all summer, the day they put me on the train. I don't know why they thought this was a good idea, plenty of people already knew how to do the train, and it was a pain for them to train me, but come it did, and now it seems my fate to be stuck there at least once a week, although so far it's been twice this week, and I've only worked two days. I know, I know, I'm being very whiny. Others did the train for the for the first month of summer, but I hate it. Perhaps I just get frustrated since I have talents that would be better employed anywhere else in the park, perhaps it's because they always go on about how they take our talents an interests into consideration when they assign us, and how they try to get us into spots we'll enjoy and if there's one we really don't like we can ask not to be put there yadda yadda. Well in my interview I was asked the question what would be the hardest part of working at the park, my response: the heat. I punctuated that very badly I know, but the point is that the train and the gate are the two places that are miserably hot, the train especially. I don't care if I'm 'good at it' I'm miserable. Like I said, this is a rant, it's probably not that bad, and I am actually pretty lucky that it took them this long to put me there, but ugh, after two days of it strait, I feel horrible. I don't know how the other girls did it earlier, well it wasn't as hot then I guess, but really no one should be made to be out in the sun all day for multiple days strait if it can be helped. I know construction workers have to do it, but they could do something for us, like switch us out or something. (Ow, as I scratch my sunburn from rolling up my sleeves yesterday. I have a wonderful tan line right at my wrist since that's where my sleeves hit)


So, I went to SCA in the middle of this post and now I'm back, and like I said, life doesn't really suck, I was being horribly whiny, and I feel better now. I do love my job, my bosses, and everyone I work with...I'm still not a fan of the train, but whatever, with some shade and/or airconditioning it would actually be pretty fun, too It's amazing what stabbing someone in the gut with a blunt sword for and hour and a half will do for your frustrations...that and a lot of water and some air conditioning, oh, and eating dinner helps too, yay for protein, and never underestimate the power of a good cool shower.

And now it's time for bed.