March 30, 2005
Temperature-59.6 C -75.3 FWindchill-80.3 C -112.5 F Wind 10.6 kts Grid 068Barometer 683.5 mb (10496. ft)
Lunch: Sloppy Joes
Dinner: Mahi Mahi
Every Wednesday we have a teleconference with Camp Centennial and Washington to discuss construction and operations site issues. No decisions are usually made and the content usually consist of us asking “is this complete” and getting “um ah um we were going to do that but”, for an answer. The meetings are typically frustrating and of little use other than to hear the voices from the outside world.
This coming weekend the northern hemisphere moves into daylight savings time and the south moves to standard time meaning we will be 18 hours ahead of Camp Centennial and 16 hours ahead of Washington. Typically the meeting time here remains at 8:00 am and the times at CC shift from 12:00 to 14:00 but today we were told that they will not be shifting but we will be moving our time to 6:00 AM. The galley hours are from 6:30 to 8:00 AM and work hours are 7:00 to 17:00 meaning if we start the meeting at 6:00 we will not be able to have breakfast and we will work an additional hour. I mentioned this and the response was “oh well”. As the response came over the speaker we all had the same vision at once of them sitting there with a big cup of Starbucks enjoying a leisurely morning talking with us at the bottom.
I realize it sounds like I am whining and I am, but with the recent revelations of the lack of vitamin “D” fortified foods, water quality problems and the wackos that were allowed to return, combined with the fact that we work 6 days a week, 9 hours a day has all of us feeling as if our sacrifice isn’t appreciated and we are expendable.
When I returned it took every bit of will power to get me on the plane and I desperately wanted to turn tail and run. Occasionally while walking back from the gym and looking around at the surroundings I occasionally ask myself “what are you doing here again?” I won’t lie it is about the money, though not great and I could earn more in the U.S. but because I don’t pay for overhead I save a significant amount of cash. Looking at my bank account and the B.S. I have seen this season I wonder “is it worth it?” I once read on another web site that life here is similar to being like “a fuzzy bear in a video game where you do what ever the person with the quarter and at the controls tells you to do.” I have taken this approach in many things I do not offering any of my experience or creativity to solve the problems but I explain the conditions of the problem and let them come up with the solutions. I find my life is easier this way because giving suggestions only makes me a target of some flame thrower. Instead I save my creativity and brain for my personal projects and when I return home.
When I was home I visited one of my projects and found that 10 minutes on that site was more rewarding than 10 years here could ever be. Sure I didn’t make the money I make here, but seeing the product of my brain go from a concept to reality was very pleasing. So for everyone who thinks working at the bottom would be a great experience, I say do it once but never twice. Instead if the work is appealing do it someplace else because there just isn’t enough to do here and the bureaucracy will only annoy the second time.
I wish there was a way I could do some consulting from here so I could get a little mental exercise, so if anyone needs some help with their projects let me know, I would be happy to feel useful.
Lunch: Sloppy Joes
Dinner: Mahi Mahi
Every Wednesday we have a teleconference with Camp Centennial and Washington to discuss construction and operations site issues. No decisions are usually made and the content usually consist of us asking “is this complete” and getting “um ah um we were going to do that but”, for an answer. The meetings are typically frustrating and of little use other than to hear the voices from the outside world.
This coming weekend the northern hemisphere moves into daylight savings time and the south moves to standard time meaning we will be 18 hours ahead of Camp Centennial and 16 hours ahead of Washington. Typically the meeting time here remains at 8:00 am and the times at CC shift from 12:00 to 14:00 but today we were told that they will not be shifting but we will be moving our time to 6:00 AM. The galley hours are from 6:30 to 8:00 AM and work hours are 7:00 to 17:00 meaning if we start the meeting at 6:00 we will not be able to have breakfast and we will work an additional hour. I mentioned this and the response was “oh well”. As the response came over the speaker we all had the same vision at once of them sitting there with a big cup of Starbucks enjoying a leisurely morning talking with us at the bottom.
I realize it sounds like I am whining and I am, but with the recent revelations of the lack of vitamin “D” fortified foods, water quality problems and the wackos that were allowed to return, combined with the fact that we work 6 days a week, 9 hours a day has all of us feeling as if our sacrifice isn’t appreciated and we are expendable.
When I returned it took every bit of will power to get me on the plane and I desperately wanted to turn tail and run. Occasionally while walking back from the gym and looking around at the surroundings I occasionally ask myself “what are you doing here again?” I won’t lie it is about the money, though not great and I could earn more in the U.S. but because I don’t pay for overhead I save a significant amount of cash. Looking at my bank account and the B.S. I have seen this season I wonder “is it worth it?” I once read on another web site that life here is similar to being like “a fuzzy bear in a video game where you do what ever the person with the quarter and at the controls tells you to do.” I have taken this approach in many things I do not offering any of my experience or creativity to solve the problems but I explain the conditions of the problem and let them come up with the solutions. I find my life is easier this way because giving suggestions only makes me a target of some flame thrower. Instead I save my creativity and brain for my personal projects and when I return home.
When I was home I visited one of my projects and found that 10 minutes on that site was more rewarding than 10 years here could ever be. Sure I didn’t make the money I make here, but seeing the product of my brain go from a concept to reality was very pleasing. So for everyone who thinks working at the bottom would be a great experience, I say do it once but never twice. Instead if the work is appealing do it someplace else because there just isn’t enough to do here and the bureaucracy will only annoy the second time.
I wish there was a way I could do some consulting from here so I could get a little mental exercise, so if anyone needs some help with their projects let me know, I would be happy to feel useful.
posted by Kirk & Jodi Roberts at 8:07 PM
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