Day 2

Its getting a little better each day.  I am learning a little more and meeting more people.  I even ventured out alone to handle a few things and participated in my first conference call.  It will take time, but I am begining to settle in.
I met with the park staff at the shop first thing this morning.  We all chatted briefly and they headed out to work on their projects and assignments for the day.  I went to the Ranger Station and helped to open it up and get the attendant ready for the day.  I headed to the office next, and talked to the Park Manager briefly.  Before long, we had to head to the shop area again because a dump truck had arrived.  The truck was bringing crushed rock to fill an eroded area near the shop.


Unfortunately, the ground where he was unloading was full of very soft sand.  His truck got stuck.  We had to get a tractor to pull him out.  The battery was dead on the tractor.  We jumped the tractor with another truck and then pulled the dump truck out of the sand.  It took a little while, but the dump truck driver didn't get discouraged.  He apparently lives by the motto on the back of his truck.


The dump truck was going to return with a few more loads, so the other Assistant Park Manager hopped on the tractor to spread the rock before he returned so that he wouldn't get stuck again.  I decided that I would try handling a bank run and some of the paperwork procedures by myself.  It was a little bumpy, and I needed some help from other people, but I got through all of the paperwork and completed the task at hand.  I will learn it all, slowly but surely.
I went to lunch after checking back with my partner.  The rest of the day was spent in the office, working with staff as they needed things and getting organized.  We also had a conference call about an upcoming project.  Once again, the day flew by and before I knew it, it was 4:00 and I had taken two photos.  I took a minute to walk around the office building to see what I could see.  I found one tiny flower near a parking block.


I also found out where the door in my office went.  I knew it was a door to the backside of the building, but I was told that it was a difficult door to open and close and seal.  I hadn't tried to open it, but when I walked around the building, I found that I have a porch!  There is a small porch that seems as though its there just for me.  I will have to do some maintenance on that door so that I can enjoy this view.


With the poll closed, we can finally begin the 100 day count down.  I didn't get an overwhelming response to any one answer.   Many people were interested in how being a park ranger is different from being an assistant park manager, and almost as many just wanted to hear some cool things about Wekiwa.  I will mix it up a little and make everyone happy.  So, without further ado, here is the Thought of The Day # 100:
It is quite an adjustment being an APM now, instead of a park ranger.  People come to me for answers now.  I used to take my questions to my managers... there are fewer people above me to ask questions of.  I really need to learn quick!   My signature means a lot more than it used to as well.