This past week (remember my weeks don't start on Sundays, but usually on Tuesdays) was a big week. We had our first visitors, Liam and Tim. I was cooing to Chance all week that his uncle was coming to visit. Liam appropriately met their first encounter with a purple squeaky duck, Cooky Mallard, and bull penises (gross, dogs are gross). The city boys in their cute pretend winter work boots trekked through the thick snow to the pond, slipping up the hill and even went into the goat pen with some coaxing. Gwenyth (my favorite) loved Tim (lots of nuzzling) and that's how I knew we would be fast friends. Good choice, Liam. Liam once said that you know you have really good friends when you laugh uncontrollably together. I couldn't agree more.
Immediately after Liam and Tim left, I started my orientation weekend as a prospective ropes facilitator at an outdoors center down the road. I was extremely nervous because I didn't want to pretend to know about ropes courses and suddenly be responsible for the safety of lots of people. I also vaguely remembered being scared of heights. Another part of me was determined, though, that I desperately wanted this job, that I was an outdoor adventurer at heart, and it couldn't be too hard to learn. I was immediately put at ease by the sense of camaraderie and simultaneously grasping at the all new challenges to learn. Only I felt like they shouldn't be all new--that this is the kind of stuff I'm interested in--team-building, low ropes, and high ropes-- and frustrated that I had never had the opportunity to work in this role or perhaps at myself for steering myself astray for the past couple of years when I could have been doing something cooler.
I was put at ease that the college freshman, upon learning he had to do a practice facilitation, exclaimed "I've just never done anything like this before!" in front of the boss. I was also put at ease that another one was scared of heights. The three other participants were like extreme adventure dudes--really into whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, climbing. Whenever I got excited that I had done one of the things they were talking about (like archery as a camp counselor) I was quickly hushed by the discussion of types of bows which I had never heard of. Furthermore, it was assumed that we all did every adventure activity so to proudly exclaim "I've done that!" would surely have been embarrassing.
I came to wonder how it was that I wasn't an adventure person. I've always done sports but adventure sports have seemed harder to come by (or sometimes undesirable, namely mountain biking). How did these dudes know they wanted to study "adventure education" in college? Maybe I should be a hardcore climber or backpacker. I do yearn for this physical exertion but what I really miss is sports. Team sports. I wish adults played sports like kids and had just as many leagues. I miss having a set goal for my exercise, competing, and working with a team that is also your friends but you don't have to set up friend dates because the sport is your hang-out time and you don't have to just sit around and chat. Not that I don't like talking to friends.
Something I really appreciate about Hancock is that potential employers are so personable and eager almost to help you. There is no "professional city business" with grilling interviews and computer-automated responses. Employers will tell you they'll stop by your house later to chat after the winter frolic at which point you'll feed them home-made sticky buns or Kobe would eat every meal with us at the training weekend and ask about the goats. Janet will ask me to dog sit for her and put in a good word for me at another organization. I won't be asked for references. Not that I have gotten all the jobs in Hancock, but everyone at least cares about getting to know me even if they're going to turn me down rather than immediately discarding me.
After this exhausting weekend (I did actually get the job yay!), the next morning we headed off to Northampton. The best part (besides Kenzie getting a new fellowship. She's amazing.) was dinner with dad, Bridget, Luke, their new puppy, and Kenzie. My dad told us about his favorite lesbian vet clinic and how he liked them because "they're decisive. Not that that's a lesbian trait. Well, maybe it is. Is it?" Bridget jumped in to say "what you mean to say is that you just like them because they're lesbians. Who doesn't like lesbians?" Keep up the lesbian banter, parents.
Immediately after Liam and Tim left, I started my orientation weekend as a prospective ropes facilitator at an outdoors center down the road. I was extremely nervous because I didn't want to pretend to know about ropes courses and suddenly be responsible for the safety of lots of people. I also vaguely remembered being scared of heights. Another part of me was determined, though, that I desperately wanted this job, that I was an outdoor adventurer at heart, and it couldn't be too hard to learn. I was immediately put at ease by the sense of camaraderie and simultaneously grasping at the all new challenges to learn. Only I felt like they shouldn't be all new--that this is the kind of stuff I'm interested in--team-building, low ropes, and high ropes-- and frustrated that I had never had the opportunity to work in this role or perhaps at myself for steering myself astray for the past couple of years when I could have been doing something cooler.
I was put at ease that the college freshman, upon learning he had to do a practice facilitation, exclaimed "I've just never done anything like this before!" in front of the boss. I was also put at ease that another one was scared of heights. The three other participants were like extreme adventure dudes--really into whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, climbing. Whenever I got excited that I had done one of the things they were talking about (like archery as a camp counselor) I was quickly hushed by the discussion of types of bows which I had never heard of. Furthermore, it was assumed that we all did every adventure activity so to proudly exclaim "I've done that!" would surely have been embarrassing.
I came to wonder how it was that I wasn't an adventure person. I've always done sports but adventure sports have seemed harder to come by (or sometimes undesirable, namely mountain biking). How did these dudes know they wanted to study "adventure education" in college? Maybe I should be a hardcore climber or backpacker. I do yearn for this physical exertion but what I really miss is sports. Team sports. I wish adults played sports like kids and had just as many leagues. I miss having a set goal for my exercise, competing, and working with a team that is also your friends but you don't have to set up friend dates because the sport is your hang-out time and you don't have to just sit around and chat. Not that I don't like talking to friends.
Something I really appreciate about Hancock is that potential employers are so personable and eager almost to help you. There is no "professional city business" with grilling interviews and computer-automated responses. Employers will tell you they'll stop by your house later to chat after the winter frolic at which point you'll feed them home-made sticky buns or Kobe would eat every meal with us at the training weekend and ask about the goats. Janet will ask me to dog sit for her and put in a good word for me at another organization. I won't be asked for references. Not that I have gotten all the jobs in Hancock, but everyone at least cares about getting to know me even if they're going to turn me down rather than immediately discarding me.
After this exhausting weekend (I did actually get the job yay!), the next morning we headed off to Northampton. The best part (besides Kenzie getting a new fellowship. She's amazing.) was dinner with dad, Bridget, Luke, their new puppy, and Kenzie. My dad told us about his favorite lesbian vet clinic and how he liked them because "they're decisive. Not that that's a lesbian trait. Well, maybe it is. Is it?" Bridget jumped in to say "what you mean to say is that you just like them because they're lesbians. Who doesn't like lesbians?" Keep up the lesbian banter, parents.
i miss u .......call
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