Listen as your day unfolds. Challenge what the future holds. Try and keep your head up to the sky

(Rainbow over the helicopters)

So Much has happened since I last wrote. Work has been intense lately. there have been days where I have returned home soaked to the core from so much rain. Some days have been stressful from running behind, while others have been completely frustrating because of the mischievous, immature behavior of some of the ground crew. While I love my job, there are days that it takes everything in me not to scream or cry and I arrive home exhausted either way. In the mornings, my feet ache so badly from the constant standing/walking around the helipad that it takes me several steps to work out the soreness. I thought this would fade as the season went on but it hasn't. If what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger, then my feet will be made of steel by the end of the season.
While work has been a bit stressful, I have managed to fit in some fun carefree time. A fellow Co-worker and I took a three hour zip-lining tour over the mine ruins of Juneau. It was my first time on this tour and I loved it! The weather could not have been better and the ruins were kind of amazing. It's cool what you can see from so high up. After the tour we grabbed some lunch and The Hanger, where we spotted the National Geographic boat (below).

Kinda cool. Right? I wonder what they were doing in town.
On my days off, I have been focusing on not stressing or freaking out. I have just finished my Political Economy class relieving a little of the pressure on my shoulders. I don't think I pulled off an A in the class but a B is certain. I can deal with that, though it will ruin my 4.0 GPA I was carrying. Also, I have a literature class that I am working on. We are on our poetry section now. Right now I am reading:
Love That Dog (101 pages)
Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry (almost 2,000 pages)- yeah... I wont be reading that.
Black Drama Anthology (673 pages)
Contemporary Northwest Writing (199 pages)
One Hundred Years of Alaska Poetry (165 pages)
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (28 pages)- That, I think I can manage.
Did I mention that I have a week to read all of this? I think the teacher must have forgotten that I am working 12+ hour days just to afford this class. 2,000 pages? Ha Ha Ha... I will do my best to read as much of these as possible. I have finished Love That Dog and Stopping by Woods on A Snowy Evening because they were simple. However, no matter how simple a 500+ page book is, it's going to take a lot of time to get through. I have this class Monday afternoon and have finished the homework on time thus far.
Just to add to the stress, my phone decided to take it's last breath today. It refuses to charge. The funny thing is that if it would have just held out two more weeks, then we were renewing our contract and getting knew phones. I was scanning the phones just a few moments ago. I just can't see paying $400+ for a new phone now, when I can get the same phone $300 cheaper in a few weeks. UGH! I guess my only option is to get a prepaid phone from the store to hold me over. I just need to be able to talk with my family (because we all know how hard the Virgin Islands phone issue was) and I feel safer with my phone. I drive about 30 min to work each day and I feel better having my phone on my in the event of an emergency or something. SO, tomorrow I get a new, cheap-o, ugly, phone. YAY!
I'm going to finish this entry with the good things that have happened lately. Firstly, I spent some more time at the shrine watching whales and sea lions, reading, and just relaxing. On the way home there was a bear right on the side of the road. I managed to grab a quick picture before it darted into the trees. I will post that picture later, if I remember. Also, we had the annual Era/Wings BBQ which was held at Sandy Beach and was pretty fun. It always starts off a bit weird for me because I don't know the Wings folks. Also, because I am in a higher position this year, the ground crew don't really want to come around me but I'm not yet cool enough to hang with the pilots. Needless to say, the first bit of the party I stood over towards the side feeling awkward. Eventually, a dog named Maggie brought me a huge stick to throw. It was bigger than the dog but she insisted. I threw it high in the air and the dumb dog tried to catch it in her mouth. After it hit her, she squeaked, ran back to her owner and started shaking violently. I felt terrible and went back to standing awkwardly against the wall.
It sounds horrible, but the dog is fine and it's kind of funny now. Eventually I found some comfort in the fact that there were others around feeling just as awkward. Music started playing, dinner was served and there were some great conversations around the tables. In the end, it turned out to be a pretty fun evening full of jokes, games, and a little softball nearby.
Last but not least, today is father's day. I sent my cards out last week and I called my dad on the phone today (before it died). I miss my family a lot but it's always comforting to hear their voices on the phone. I generally credit my mom for my musical abilities and my dad for my athletic abilities. My dad introduced me to my two first loves, basketball and traveling. For that, and SO much more, I am grateful. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the dads out there! I hope it was a relaxing day for you all!

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." ~Clarence Budington Kelland

Please hold...Melissa is trying to find her happy place....

What a crazy ride the last few weeks have been. Sometimes I get home and just pass out. I feel like I am on alert all day just waiting for something bad to happen. Nothing bad happens, thank God, but nevertheless, I feel like I have to keep an eye out. It's exhausting running around the ramp and dealing with passengers all day, but I do love my job. I love that I get a lot of hours and a decent pay check. I also hate that I get so many hours at times and feel that I don't get paid NEARLY enough to deal with some of the crap that comes through the doors of the base. Luckily, most of the time the crap is minimal. I'm also the type of person who feeds off of others' energy. Having happy passengers and pilots makes for a happy day. Having frustrated passengers and pilots makes for a frustrating day. Etc. Etc. Sometimes we all need a reminder to smile and try to focus on the good parts of the day.

I can usually feel when I need a break, a day off. I was supposed to take a day off this past Monday but the workaholic in me showed up anyways. I had been to the library, been fingerprinted for student teaching and had a meeting with my advisor all before 10:00 AM. (Despite having a 4.0 GPA, my dean still thinks I'm irresponsible. "No, I work twelve hour days, six days a week plus school full time. Sorry if I forgot to turn in a stupid packet of paperwork by your stupid deadline.") Then I was bored and went into work. On my days off I find it hard to relax. Sitting around the house makes me feel lazy, even if I'm working on homework. However, after a half a day at work, I decided that Tuesday I would take the full day off. It was wonderful.
The sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky. I took my books for my Literature for Children and Young Adults class to the Shine and read on a huge rock for seven hours. I finished my books, watched humpbacks, sealions and sea otters playing around the rocky shore. I even have a nice sunburn. It was a wonderfully rejuvenating day.


Today it was back to work. Nothing like angry non English speaking people to snap you out of your happy place.
I don't have any real point to make or story to tell. I just felt I should update you all on my roller-coaster of a life that involves a lot of work, no social life, and homework from the devil herself. It's going to be a great summer! Stay tuned!