Category Archives: Career

Always an adventure…

Posted in Animals, Career, Me Me Me!, Non-cats, Rights and Welfare by

I just returned home from my first night covering security at the back gate at the Wild Animal Park. The good news is that I managed not to curse over the radio. The bad news is that they didn’t give me a gun. I suppose this was good thinking on their part, but with a gun I might’ve actually had something to do. Let me tell you, not a whole lot goes on at the back gate between five and eleven pm. I think I saw a bunny cross the road, but it was pretty dark out, so it was hard to tell.

On the way home, as I was about to cross a very busy intersection, I saw a rather large dog bounding confusedly down the road. I pulled over my car and called the dog over, and lucky for me, he was pretty friendly and very cute. I then noticed another large black dog that was with him, but no owner in sight. I managed to get Pete (the first dog) into the trunk of my car so that I could read his tag – luckily, there was a number on it, and Pete’s owner answered right away. They’d been looking for the two dogs frantically for the past hour and said they’d be right over to pick him up (the black dog had headed down the road, across the intersection, and I couldn’t go after her). Unluckily for me, as I was securing Pete in my car, I slammed my trunk hatch down on the bridge of my nose, which proceeded to spill blood from the cut. Good thing I’m so prepared and had a first aid kit! Well, the owners drove up right fast, and the guy was an EMT so he checked me out to see if my nose was broken; alas, it’s just ugly. The woman took my name, address, and phone number, and I didn’t even ask her why as my head was still spinning from eight hours of mind-numbing boredom followed by a swift crack to the ol’ noggin. Anyway, they loaded up Pete and I hope they were able to track down the other dog. They were very friendly and very thankful that I called – they both seemed quite distressed, but relieved, too. So I’m glad I could help.

What do you think? Should I tell everyone at work tomorrow that I got cut in a fight at the back gate when I single-handedly stopped lion thieves from getting into the park, or should I just tell them the sad, sad truth? Hard-core, huh?

Will somebody please hire me already???

Posted in Career, Me Me Me! by

I mean, come on! I keep applying for these government positions, and I haven’t heard anything (except for the one job I didn’t get). It’s such a pain applying for these jobs – enough already! Someone just give me a job! I’m smart, right? Creative, am I not? Provide color in the work environment, yes? I know the speed at which the government works, but I’m getting a little impatient here.

I need money! I need benefits! I need my own office that I can decorate with Sea Monkeys and Life In Hell cartoons (ok, I might even settle for my own cubicle). I want to move out of my uncle’s house before he comes back and discovers that my cat has been peeing on the carpet in his hallway!!! I can live with being an aquatic biologist or ecologist or even a fish-type scientist, but if you know of any position opening up that pays really well and involves petting cats and watching tv, please let me know! Because clearly this is what I’m most qualified for… (and those darn government hiring people know it!).

Wwwwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Posted in Career, Me Me Me! by

Today I found out that I did not get the Department of Energy’s Fishery Biologist position. Boo hoo! I really had gotten my hopes up about that one, but apparently, my application was not among the “most qualified” out of the many that they had received. Bastards!

Oh well – I’ll keep applying. My brother told me to not be discouraged, so I’m trying to take his words to heart. At least I have a better idea of what I’d like to do in the next five years (i.e., get a good paying government job in the Pacific Northwest and pay off my debt). So keep your fingers crossed for me – I evidently need all the luck I can muster!

On my way to working for da’ man…

Posted in Career, Me Me Me! by

Today I submitted my first application for a real job, since finishing my degree in December. I applied for a Fishery Biologist position with the Department of Energy up in Portland, Oregon. I have mixed feelings about this – first, it would be a good job with stability and a nice pay check. I’d be doing something to possibly help endangered salmon. I’d be very close to my brother Paul and his wife Anne. Rent is about half of what I’d pay living in San Diego. I could say goodbye to much of my debt. I have a couple of friends in the area that I met during grad school, all good things. But I wonder – will I like working for the government? Will it allow me to express the creative side of myself, or will I feel like I’ve sold out, turned my back on my desire to teach, entertain, and do something I really love (even though I don’t know what that is yet)? Will I be able to handle a 40 hour a week research job? Will people pass me on the street and call me a career slut? I’ll let you make that decision next time I see you.

Actually though, I am pretty excited about the prospect of working in Portland, at a real job. It might be just what I need. I might even really like it! Keep your fingers crossed for me, and send along any extra luck you don’t know what to do with. Toodles!

On to the next (less smelly) chapter…

Posted in Career, Me Me Me! by

Today was my last day with the elephant department at the Wild Animal Park. I definitely learned a lot about the elephants, and it was really cool being able to get so close to them. Initially I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to physically handle the work (intense physical labor in 100+ degree heat), but I actually enjoyed it. It felt good to sweat and feel like I was really doing something, as opposed to manipulating data on a computer screen or shuffling paper around on my desk.

At any rate, I am still guiding two nights a week for Roar and Snore, but that leaves me with the need for more moolah. So, I’ll be spending much more of my time searching for a job. It’s funny – I have no desire to take the jobs that would pay me well enough to cover my expenses, but at the same time, I can’t afford to take the jobs that I would actually enjoy doing because they don’t pay enough. So if anyone knows of a position that will pay $50K+ per year and includes playing with cats and coloring with crayons, please let me know. I’m willing to share my experience in these (and similar) areas.

On a good note though, at least my schedule has opened up so that I have more time for watching Cosby Show reruns (at least six episodes per day!) and catching up on my scrapbooking. Now, if I could only keep the dog from eating out of the litterboxes, I’d really have something to write about. Keep your fingers crossed for me, won’t you?

A glamorous look at what being an elephant keeper is all about

Posted in Animals, Career, Me Me Me!, Non-cats by

I was recently given the opportunity to be a temporary elephant keeper, kind of as a reward for doing such a good job with Roar and Snore. I was pretty scared that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the hard physical work, especially in the heat, but I’ve really enjoyed it. Look at me, all clean in my WAP uniform (not clean for long, though). Those are some of our African elephants, and I am indeed standing in the exhibit. It is pretty exciting to see the elephants up close, and I’m learning a lot about them. My favorite elephant is named Lunguili; she’s the smallest of the herd (besides the baby), the least dominant, and clearly the smartest.

Vus Mus is our newest elephant, born February 23, 2004. He’s very cute, but he’s a little rat – he steals elephant pellets from the other elephants’ mouths, and will do just about anything to get your attention. What a ham!

Did you know that elephants are hind-gut fermenters? This means that 50% of their food goes in one end and out the other. Which is what 75% of my job is all about.

Welcome to my Blog!

Posted in Blogging, Career, Me Me Me! by

Hello everyone out there in Gotta-See-What-Marci’s-Doing-Land!

Clearly you’re here because you want to know what I’m up to lately. Well, the short answer is this: I’m pretty much up to nothing. I’ve decided to start this blog because it might encourage me to do something so that I have something to post on my blog. Who knows if this cutting-edge experimental technique will work, and I can’t promise that I’ll update this blog very often, so you’ll just have to hold your breath and keep your pants on.

Actually, I can tell you that I’m busy with working as a camp guide at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I get to show overnight guests (who participate in the Roar and Snore program) the lion, tiger, and elephant exhibits, and all the associated behind-the-scenes areas. I also get to give camp-fire talks, where I highlight skulls, antlers, horns, elephant foot trimmings and tusks, and animal x-rays, to name a few things. It’s been the most fun job I’ve ever had, and I’m hoping to either get a full time at the Wild Animal Park, or at another place where I can get work in a conservation and ecology education program. We’ll have to wait and see.

Other than that, I just purchased a pair of Vans shoes. I had a dream about them, so I took an afternoon to raid the local mall in search of the perfect pair of Vans. Who would have known that I’d find an entire Vans store (especially after suffering through 95% of the mall just prior to finding it)? The pair I bought are light pink and have a black and white skull pattern drawn on them. They’re pretty rad.

Anyway, enjoy my blog, but don’t expect too much. Stay off my back, man! Relax! I’ll update this when I get around to it! Jeesh!

Taa taa for now!