...I can hardly believe we're at the closing of Summer. Three weeks left until work is over, two till school starts, and what do I have to show for it? An uneven sunburn, and a lot of good work memories.
It still feels like I was anticipating when work would start. Waiting for that first phone call where Jake or Dallas would be all in a panic because they needed me RIGHT NOW (which I did get in May lol gotta love Jake and Dallas waiting until the last minute!). I was anticipating the frustration of working with them, and anticipating hanging out with the crew.
I could lie and say it was an easy summer, but with all of the rain and the added stresses of things going badly, I can't. There were times when I wanted to throttle one person or the other, and then there were times I just wanted to curl up and hide from the world, but all in all I've loved my second year at Wildride.
I'm not sure what the future holds as far as working, I know I am still going to get my business license and start working as a photog in earnest. I really feel like that is my calling and it works well with my school schedule. I'm taking a full load for the first time in a long time at college, and I have a good feeling on how I will do. I've got the pressure to do well, which I know will kill me later in the semester, but I feel ready. Of course, we'll see if I still feel like that when school starts and I see what is going to be required of me, right?
Talking with Becky and David the last few weeks, I've pretty much decided that if I return to work for the Seavey's next year, it will be part time. It's time I become the pinch hitter for the show. It's not that I don't love the job, I do, it's just that I want the freedom to travel down to see the family once in a while, or just have a day to myself. I haven't been to Seward in over two years, I haven't really had a chance to go fishing (I refuse to do it by myself down at ship creek), and I am always worried that I'll get called into work. So everyone else gets to enjoy my state, but I'm stuck in Anchorage.
I also want to concentrate on photography, and I can't do that if I am working 5+ days a week. I had a couple of photo shoots this summer right after working all day and I just wasn't at my best. My brain shuts down after 8+ hours outside. LOL.
My tune could change around March or April when we see if I even have a job in photography. I might have to dive in for a full time Wildride position. I hate to think about what they will do next year, though, considering Becky and David are both planning to not return full time (if at all) and who knows if Hannah will be back. I don't want to abandon them fully, I really want to see them to continue to succeed. So I might blackmail myself into working. Who knows.
I do know that this month will probably either make or break my love for the job. No breaks from the guys is going to be tough lol. Dallas has been pretty good about giving me breaks in the schedule, but I do need the hours and funds that they bring, but at the same time... whew! At least I've kept my humor for the most part. I love that I get to work and laugh every day.
Like Thursday, during the four pm show a thunder and hail shower happened right in the middle of the show. I jumped into my sound booth and closed the door trying to protect myself (the hail was decent size) and then the wind picked up and blew it in through the window of the booth! I couldn't win! Watching Jen and Dallas and Jake drown out there in the arena was great too. I mean one minute it's bright sun and the next it's dark, rainy and hailing! Jake even made a comment like "Is it raining out? I can't tell" which cracked the audience and the cast up. It was GREAT!
So I don't know. I just thank God that I was blessed with this job last year when I had such a crappy experience with Sears. Yes, Wildride has its moments and I sometimes wish we were more organized, but at the end of the day I much prefer the honesty and the friendship that I get there to the backstabbing and the lying of a corporate group. It feels like home... like family... and I can't begin to describe how much I appreciate it.
So that's basically life. Erin and I have 156 days until we're down in Florida, which I cannot wait for. We have all of it booked, and paid for (well, I will as soon as October rolls around), and all of the sit down meals are reserved. So now it's just waiting for it to happen. And it's killing me!
Erin is counting down to the double digit countdown. Yes, we are sad. We know, and we don't care.
Other thing I'm looking forward to is the PFD in October. Palin got her wish and we're getting the $1200 energy check, as well as a nice bit of cash from the oil revenue (2000 something!), so it's gonna be a good fall. I hope.
Oh, and is it sad that I've already started Christmas shopping? I have my grandparents' gift already bought and put away. I had to! The place that I got it from closes Sept 1! hee hee.
Alrighty, this thing is getting long, and I have to start getting ready for work (I go in at 11:30 to be at work by Noon). So I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!