Big Game Anticipation!

In my lifetime there have been a number of Superbowl games that I've really enjoyed and I am hoping that today's game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots can join that list. Now you may be wondering why I have any interest in this game at all since typically I don't root for East Coast teams. I'm a tried and true Bronco fan and should be all worked up that my boys in blue and orange didn't make it to the big game. While a part of me is sad that Tebow didn't make it clear through the playoff unscathed I have faith that he and the Bronc's will be back next year and with more experience under that young teams belt will do even better. In other words I'm excited for their future and not disappointed in their past season what so ever.

So that brings us back to today's game and why I'm so excited for it. Its pretty simple actually, I HATE the New England Patriots, Tom Brady, and the grand cheater himself Bill Belichek. I know that hate is a strong word and should be used sparingly so I will redefine this hatred in football life only. I can remember as a kid the Patriots going to Superbowl after Superbowl and it would be a complete blowout. The other team I put into this category of hatred is the Dallas Cowboys for the exact same reason. While I look at the Pats as all that is evil and wrong in the world of professional football today I see the Giants in the opposite light. A few years ago New York was in an uprage over how the team was being coached, who the quarterback was etc. And yet both Tom Coughlan and Eli Manning have withstood these barrages from their own fans with grace and humility and have come out on top. Coming from a small school I have the tendency to root for the underdog or those that people have serious doubts about, especially if they comport themselves with dignity. I've seen the Giants as a whole do just that and so of course I'm on their side today.

There has been this tiresome debate this year as to whether or not Eli Manning is an "Elite" quarterback. When the heck did this turn of phrase come into existence? From what I have seen from Eli as well as his older brother Patton I can't imagine anyone questioning whether or not these two individuals are elite both on and off the football field. I love watching their interviews because even though their teams would be completely different (and not nearly as successful without them-- as we saw this year with the Colt's 2 win season) they are always putting their teammates accomplishments above their own and never say a bad word about anyone they encounter. I've always thought that football players were in a very unique position to be mentors and heroes to the millions of children in our country but so few players comport themselves in such a way as to be that good example. The Manning brothers however are people I'd gladly have my own children one day emulate. I think their parents raised them right. So today I wish the Giants well and I truly look forward to watching them beat the Pats yet again in a Superbowl.

How Rude!

I am generally the kind of person that likes to think those around me are kind, considerate, and overall good people, but today I had the worst grocery shopping experience of my life. Granted I should have known better not to try and do my spring grocery shopping the day before the Superbowl, but I seriously wasn't even taking that into consideration when we decided to head into Sandpoint and just get it over and done with. Now what people need to understand is that because I live in such a remote location I only go grocery shopping about 4 times a year so when I do its a couple of cartloads of goods. I usually grab a cart and Mace grabs the other and we systematically go through the store and check off the items on our list.

Its never been a problem and it generally goes smooth as silk. But today was hellacius. People were just downright rude. People were pushing, shoving, and ramming one an others carts all over the isles. I even had one woman take my very heavily loaded shopping cart that was literally parked right next to me while I was comparing two items and move it clear down the end of the isle without saying an "excuse me" or "could you please move that so I can get in there" or anything along those lines, then physically scooted me aside by reaching across me when she can back to the spot where my cart had been. I just stood there mouth open, eyes wide, and in shock! And to top it off, after all that, she put the item she was looking for back on the shelf and just turned and walked away. I couldn't believe it and that wasn't the only example of rudeness. Mace was getting a few loaves of bread and a man in a motorized shopping cart ran over his foot and rammed into his shopping cart and uttered some interesting expletives along the way directed at Mace for taking to long to figure out what he wanted.

I suppose I've learned my lesson though. Never get in the way of Superbowl Shoppers they are a dangerous breed to mess with!

Started another blog!

So yesterday after I posted the blog about smarterer.com I realized that I should separate those kinds of posts from the stuff that I talk about normally. I figure family and friends probably don't really care about those kinds of things but would rather know what is going on with me. If you are interested though the link is http://bzzntracy.blogspot.com/ and you can certainly join and follow that one as well. I have to admit I've gotten some pretty cool stuff over the past couple years from these organizations ranging from electronics to makeup to cleaning products. I'm always willing to try new things and as long as they want my honest opinions of the stuff I'm always glad to give it.

But for typical life related stuff I stick to using this same blog that I've had for the past few years. So what is going on with me you ask? Not a whole heck of a lot. I'm still teaching at the local preschool and looking for a job. Finding a decent job in this economy is hard as hell. I keep interviewing for different agencies (as a matter of fact I even have follow up interviews with a bunch of the jobs I apply for) but alas there are tons of people out there looking for the same kind of work. I am thinking more and more that a Masters degree would do me a world of good but the idea of going back to school is still scary to me. Its not that I think I would be unsuccessful but when I remember the amount of hours you have to dedicate yourself to schoolwork it really depresses me.

But as I said in the mean time I'm teaching a great group of kiddos. I consider it warping the minds of the next generation since I'm such an oddball but most of the people I say that to seem to think if I give myself as an example to these kids then they will turn out pretty good. They are all so smart and so excited about the future, even it its just tomorrow and playing with their friends for the next 2 hours. I miss having that kind of excitement each and every day. So frankly I think they have a bigger influence on me than I possibly do on them. The big thing we are all looking forward to is of course Valentines day. We're making our Valentines day boxes and apparently I need to make one for myself as well. So I guess my next project is to decide how I want to decorate it. I've already picked up the valentines I'm going to give out to the kids and I'm getting excited about filling them out and having a special message for each to share. I mean look at them... they are too adorable not to love!

Smarterer

So for the past several years I've been a member of a Word of Mouth organization called BzzAgent. I've loved every minute of taking part in their surveys and product campaigns because I've gotten to try out things I wouldn't normally do. Today was no different. After checking my email for typical drivel I decided to log into my BzzAgent account and see if there were any new campaigns for me to join. Luckily there was and it was the Smarterer campaign. Now while I don't recommend going to this site if you actually have things to do in your day it is an excellent site for wasting time and de-stressing. This site is a platform for people to test their knowledge base about everything digital in this wonderful world we live in. It has quizzes about facebook use, twitter use, blogging, computer games, etc etc etc. I've only taken the quiz specifically designed for BzzAgents so far but I'm sure in the next day or two I'll go back and try my hand at a few other digital formats I use in my day to day life and see how I stack up to others. But as I said... be forewarned... I can see this as being rather addictive and time can slip away pretty quickly while you are trying to prove your skill set to the rest of the world. So get your work done first THEN check out this site. Oh and by the way... I got a 764 out of 800 for my BzzAgent quiz. Guess I'm Smarterer after all!

Opportunities

I keep trying to have an optimistic attitude when it comes to finding a job in this current market. But at the same time I also have to be realistic and not get my hopes up too high even when I'm getting positive feedback from interview and hiring panels. But right now I'm feeling that there are some great opportunities out there that I'd be well suited for.

Right now I am one of two finalists that are being considered by hiring committees in Ephrata, WA and Mountain Home, ID.a I'm excited by these prospects since they both jobs with the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) and Pheasants Forever under the Sage Grouse Initiative. I would be working with ranchers, farmers, and private land owners along with federal and state agencies to improve sage grouse habitat that exists on these lands. In all honesty its exactly the kind of work I've been wanting to get involved in since graduating from UM but was happy to just have a job with the Forest Service right out of college.

In a lot of ways my desire to work on this kind of collaborative project stems from my Dad. Over the years I'd watched him try to get various organizations and industries to work together to reach a common goal. This was not always the easiest of ventures for him and he came across plenty of roadblocks in his career but his work really influenced my opinion on multi use management of the landscape. These jobs would allow me to put my principals into practice and work with a diverse group of people. I know there would be plenty of challenges and I'm sure there would be times that I'll want to pull my hair out at the roots, but I think the rewards could surpass any frustration there might be. I truly believe I'm the right kind of person for this kind of work.

So my hope, in closing, is that I get one of these jobs and can make a difference, just as my dad did for all those years.

Rainy Day Blues Washed Away!

Though I've never really had a poor initial interview for any of the outfits I've submitted applications to, today I possibly had the best initial interview ever. I work today to rain, fog, gloominess and a foreboding of the day going downhill, but to my surprise my phone interview was so exhilarating that my whole attitude has changed.

This morning I had a 30 minute initial screening interview with a 4 person panel for a position with the NRCS and Pheasants Forever in Belle Fouche, South Dakota. The folks on the panel consisted of the Western Director of the Sage Grouse Initiative, the private lands supervisor for the S.D Game and Fish, and the two contacts I would have as direct supervisors if I were to get this position. Three out of four of these people work out of the same office and obviously have a good thing going. They were young, vibrant, and excited about the work there were doing. Its only been in the last year that the Sage Grouse Initiative has been a part of South Dakota's land and wildlife management strategy so really I would be coming in on the ground floor of a project that I have really wanted to be involved in. The panel was so enthusiastic about where they project could take them and how much it could improve the landscape that I was able to feed off their excitement and really able to communicate about the projects I've been involved with, why I'm so interested in collaborative work between state, federal, and private land owners, and what assets I could bring to the project as a whole. I wish that I could capture that feeling every time I interview for something because it really took it to a whole new level. I should know by mid-week next week if they want to do either an in person interview or one done via video conference since I live so far away. I really hope they do because frankly this is one of the few outfits that I felt like I could really fit in with and also do something amazing with.

So now that I'm super charged I need to use my energy for good. Step 1... write in my blog... check. Step 2... go through clothes and decide which ones are keepers and which ones need to go to Goodwill. Step 3... clean out my file cabinet of junk paperwork I don't need anymore (something I've been procrastinating on for waaaaaaayy to long). Step 4...not a clue at the moment but I'm sure I'll come up with something fantastic and goal oriented.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Hello World

Arg I have done it again. It has almost been an entire year since I've written anything in this blog after multiple promises to myself that I would get back to it way before now. I guess that's what happens when you are living life and staying busy but its pretty ridiculous I know. I really am going to try and be better... no promises this time... but I will try.

This past year really has been a whirlwind of activities and it seems like I am perpetually in motion. After Mace finished his college degrees we had a good long talk about what we wanted to try and do with our lives and came to the conclusion that we need to go somewhere other than Trout Creek. The reasons for this are varied but it boils down to the fact that for him to find a job in his field he needs to be in a bigger town and for me to gain more experience in my field I need to shift into another location as well. So while Mace started the lengthy and somewhat nerve wracking task of pulling his first time resume together I updated mine and started the great job search. I honestly don't know how many applications I've put out into the world in the last 6 months but its got to be pushing 100 if its not more than that. While this might sound rather dire it really isn't. I've had some great interest from some amazing organizations during that time as well and have interviewed both in person and over the phone for quite a few jobs making the cuts down to between 2 and 4 remaining candidates. But in the end the results have been the same and I haven't been selected either because they would prefer me to have a Masters in a wildlife program or because I don't have enough contract or grant experience. And while I do understand where they are coming from I also know myself and if given a chance I could blow them away. How am I supposed to get grant or contract experience when in my current job that isn't part of my duties? But until that chance comes around I'll continue to think positively. There have been several jobs that I've interviewed for that I got my hopes up too high either because of what the job was or where it was located and of course getting that call or letter saying "We're sorry but we chose someone else" hurt a bit more in those cases. I do have to keep telling myself that times are tough, jobs are in short supply, and I should feel pretty good about myself for making it so far through so many interview processes, but it still kind of sucks to be told thanks but no thanks in the end.

I do have to say its been a lot easier for me than it has been for Mace. If you want to know how tough the job market really is, then try and get one right out of college. I know he gets frustrated and feels a little rejected right now especially when the calls keep coming in for me to start and interview process and he hasn't gotten a bite yet. But I have to keep reminding him that I'm in different place in my career than he is in his. He is just starting out and trying to find a place for himself in the world and I was lucky enough to get a job out of college and continually add to my skill set over these last 5 years. I know that at some point a break through will happen for him and he'll be able to let himself shine. I just hope its sooner rather than later so he doesn't give up hope and feel like all that time and money he put into schooling wasn't a waste.

As for other life altering events there really haven't been too many. For the past 4 years I've gone over to the local school several times a semester and presented wildlife and outdoorsy information to the kids and had developed a nice "working" relationship with the principal there. So I guess I shouldn't have been to surprised when she called me up in August and asked if I wanted to work with another teacher and help out with an evening preschool class she was organizing. Apparently a lot more little kids have moved into the area and they didn't have enough room in the morning and afternoon programs to include them all. With my garden stuff wrapping up for the fall/winter I figured doing something in the evening would be a good idea and agreed. So for 2 days a week for a couple hours in the evening after work I am Miss Tracy the Great and am teaching 12 little 3-5 year olds about manners, friendship, counting, and site words. Its actually been really fun for me and I love kids so I've had a blast seeing them play and learn in their own unique ways. I know I'm not supposed to have favorites in my class but I do... shhhh don't tell anyone. I have one little boy in my class that reminds me so much of my brother Brian its kind of scary. Not so much in looks but in attitude and the way his mind works. He is so polite and goes out of his way to treat everyone nicely and include them in activities. He also has a little crush on me which just makes it all the cuter. He picked me a dandelion bouquet after the first week and got all shy and blushy when he gave it to me. Then I have a little girl that thinks she is a little puppy dog 24/7 and asks me to take her for walks around the play room with a make shift leash she's made out of construction paper and string. Gotta love the imagination going wild there. I've already started to think about a Halloween costume for myself for the preschool party. Haven't come up with anything concrete yet but I need to get my rear in gear soon since its just around the corner and I don't want to disappoint the kidlings.

In sad news I have no pumpkin this year. I KNOW its heartbreaking!!! The summer just didn't cooperate. We had snow on the ground clear into the first part of June and didn't even get tomatoes and other garden stuff planted until the first week of July. So there just wasn't enough summer left to try and grow a giant pumpkin. Its been so wet and cold anyway that I doubt we would have gotten anything over 30 lbs if we were lucky. But I have to say that its been kind of a bummer of a summer not taking care of a giant gourde. Mace and I had kind of gotten used to the work and the resulting pleasure we'd get from watching something grow day after day. Don't get me wrong we love our other garden veggies, but its just not the same. But this also means that I don't have a pumpkin to carve for Halloween, which is something I have not experienced. I know I could go buy a pumpkin from the store (and I'll probably end up doing that at the last minute because I can't stand the idea of not having a carved pumpkin for the trick or treaters to gaze at) but its not going to have the wow factor that my previous pumpkins have had. Heck the biggest pumpkin the sell over here can't be more than 20lb... and it seems so small. Mace calls them toddler pumpkins and kind of turns his nose up at them. I can't say as I blame him. But maybe I'll get him a pumpkin too and he can turn on his creative juices a bit and we'll have a carving party on Halloween together.

Okay... I've written enough for now. I'm spent... on to baking massive amounts of goodies since I have the day off.