Work Related...

I feel like I'm a good worker. I do know I give my best 100% of the time...but to hear a woman tonight say, "You were the most nice and polite server I have had through out my vacation in Yellowstone. Everyone was nice and polite but you did it the best." Really makes me just feel great inside. She was nice enough to leave me a comment card and write on the back of it how great I truly was. That's awesome.

I'm a server for one reason. I have a complicated schedule that isn't complicated for me, just in the hours I work. Some times I work Breakfast, (6:15-???-11am at the latest), and work dinner the same day, (5:15 to ???-10-11?), and it's all part of the job. Perhaps some times I will work dinner before a "B-D", (Breakfast/Dinner), and have to work breakfast the next day...That doesn't bother me because I can do things like, hike, go out to Lamar, go to Livingston if I want or play ping pong and then take a nap between the shifts. Really though, I am happy where I am. I have great friends that would, (I like to think), break their back to help me out.

I'm not here for the money. A lot of people will say it but won't mean it. No matter the job here in YNP I am happy doing it just because my backyard is so enormous that I can't explore all of it in 10 years...perhaps even 20 or 50. My days off are spend exploring, watching animals that I have seen numerous times, seeing landscape that I haven't seen and couldn't possibly dream of. This winter has really opened the park to me, in that I have had some amazing days off with wonderful people that I can truly say that it is a, "Wonderland".

I was a manager of some big movie theatres and have had some rough, "ups and downs", in my life. I can say losing an eye takes the edge off of most "complicated experiences" whether it be dealing with a personal experience or a guest experience. What I truly know is this...Yellowstone is my extended family and my true home. Before my siblings and parents say that Wisconsin is my true home, I say come out here for a week and say differently.

Every morning waking up in Wisconsin is nice but I wondered where the mountains were. I would wait for a herd of elk or bison to walk past me but no such luck. Driving to Lake Geneva is like driving to Roosevelt. The only difference is, is this. To Lake Geneva I will maybe see some deer, possum, and/or skunk. To Roosevelt I may see Bison, Elk, Deer, Possum, Skunk, Moose, Bear, and Moose. That's one look at the coin which I will call heads.

Tails looks more like this in Yellowstone...
"Hey, I'm going to go to Chico Hot Springs on Monday, care to join?"
"Yeah".

In Wisconsin, or in any other part of the world....
"Hey, I want to go Lazer Tagging".
"Really? Who's all going"
"Not sure, haven't heard back yet"
"Well, let me know who and I might go."
"Okay. So blah blah is going, do you want to go?"
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
"Not this time, I have things I gotta do..."
"Okay".
The plan will fizzle out. It happens...A lot.

I'm not saying all the time it's, "You want to do this/go here", and it's always a yes. But back home people need a reason besides fun to commit. Sad but true. Do I think less of them? No. Does that make me want to go back and hang for some time of maybes? No. I'm living my life to the fullest and doing any job to keep the fun going. My grandfather always said to me, "Do something that you enjoy doing". That is what I have done. If I jobs were in the theatre business, I might head back to that but that's a far chance.

In closing.

If you think what you're doing is great and fun, continue on...If not, look at other possibilities because they are out there waiting for you to make the right decision.

MacKeag