Clearing The Air

i don't even know where to begin regarding the title of this blog. it's meant to refer to my time up north and what it really is like on a daily basis. yes, there have been some really neat things to see that i would might not ever have the chance to see again, however those few things come with a high daily price. i don't write about this stuff because it's not pretty, and i honestly don't like whining. but for all of you who read this blog often, i imagine that it seems my time is an adventure of sorts. (and it is in a way). so, lets clear the air about that. putting aside the moose, the mnts in my daily view, etc, etc...here is my day and it includes those around me. i get up at 530-6am to walk/jog. i eat, shower and am ready to work by 8. i am now responsible for andrew until 2pm. altho being a hard worker and great kid, it does slow me down a bit and i wasn't hired to watch after a 12 yr old. don't get me wrong, i think he's a really neat guy. so, on top of my work, i have to find work for andrew. because i have to take time from my day to show him exactly what to do, some of my work doesn't get done - and the price is a nagging boss who is the naggiest person i've ever met in my life. he's anal about the yard, but will do shady work on the lodge, his trucks are all in very bad shape (one truck you actually use a screwdriver as the key), the planes need some tidying up, and i could go on and on. he had taylor build a bunkhouse for guests and the walls are 1 sheet of plywood. they don't line up so when you are on the inside, you can see the sunlight thru the wall. so rain and wind come along with that as well. and for over $100 a night to stay here...? you get the picture. again the yard is great but the man stores his gear for guests in a bus. a yellow school bus. the gear is torn, tattered, old, moldy. the camp food is all out of date. i know because i'm the one who put them in dry bags. the same 7 meals are prepared wkly just a different rotation because the cook probably doesn't know what else to cook other than those 7 meals. the crew has complained about that. the meals are greasy, fatty, and scarce- this is not the cooks fault, this is the boss being cheap. he wants the cheapest meals possible so he can make a buck. i found out that the crew pays $60 a day per person for food. that's $20 a meal which is a huge breakfast. but it's not. it's a couple eggs, 2 slices of bacon or sausage, pancakes or oatmeal. that's it. and not all that is served daily. it rotates. the cleaning lady is making the same amt as me and she starts cleaning at 8am and is all done completely by 11:30 at the latest. then she watches movies all afternoon and evening. eveyday. meanwhile, i'm outside working all day and doing manual stuff (which is fine - i like the physical part), but why are we getting pd the same? she works 3-4 hrs a day and that's it. since my job doesn't have anything to do with the crew, don't i get a day off? i make $5 an hr to do what i do. $5 an hr. minimum wage here is $7.15. and i work way more than 40 hrs a wk. there's no recovery time. and i've only been here a month. i gave nat the morning off today and made breakfast. she slept til 10. not only will she not do my morning chores to let me have a sleep-in day, but M-F even if she wanted too, she couldn't because i'm in charge of andrew. the attitude of my boss is this. he's quite negative. he complains about lazy people, yet this is a man who if it's not 50 outside sits in his room all day. he takes 3-4 hr naps often. if we do, we're lazy. so i'm outside working in 38, rain and wind and he's watching me from his window. if anyone asks him for help, he says he pulled a muscle and refuses to do it. he won't change the oil in the trucks, even tho the crew has asked him to do that in the truck they rent for $100 a day. they are also paying him $100 a head for lodging, plus the $60 per day per person for food, and he can't put oil in their truck that he owns? the check engine light came on yest, it will stay like that. i get called a weasel, i put up with sexual references (not towards me), just in general. i listen to him call the other staff names. bad stuff. he calls them lazy. he has double standards. we are supposed to wait on him hand and foot and not complain or ask questions. amber has been sick with hives for a wk..she's also on new cholest meds and a couple others. it takes a while to adjust and she's been woozy and sleepy the last few days. completely understandable. what i hear is that he doesn't care about how she's feeling and if she doesn't get off her meds, she's canned. i stand by and watch this man fly illegally whenever he flies. i mean this regarding the weight in the plane. faa says that the most a plane can weigh (including weight of the plane, fuel, people, cargo) is 1970 lbs. the plane itself weighs 1200 lbs. almost every trip that contains cargo, the plane is way over the weight limit. the faa has a limit for a reason.... i really could go on and on. the number of stories i have is outrageous. i've told the stories that are readable...if you catch my meaning. i am in alaska and i wake up daily to scoop dog poo, rake the drive, spray weeds, move rock. a couple of times i've had the chance to go on a plane ride and see some pretty cool stuff...that is few and far between. i'm very disappointed in what's happened here and is a daily battle not to tell this guy to stick it. so, i keep scooping dog poo and keep my temper in check. all for the faint glimmer of hope that i get to do something neat like go on a float trip, or catch a 30 lb king. the good things here are great. miriam has no idea how much she helps me get thru my temper. the idea of knowing i get a wkly massage, great company and yoga are so far what get my thru my day. the fact that i've connected with one woman who has so much to share and the fact that i'm anxious to learn anything make pulling rock a tiny bit not so terrible. a teeny, tiny bit. the daily life i have is not at all what i wanted or enjoy. there are moments of laughter here, it's not a bad mood daily life. i kid with my boss and co-workers. we gossip, we giggle. that's to be expected. but the lies, the pay, the attitude, the sound of 4-wheelers and planes 24-7, the lies - are not what i came here for. just to clear the air.