back east

Three days of driving put me back in Ithaca and took a chunk out of my bank account--something that is becoming of increasing concern as I apply to as many jobs as I can find.  I have enough to get by for a month or so, which is just long enough to line something up for work.

I knew this would happen, and it's just this sort of financial pressure that will force me to find something fun to do this summer that will also result in some $$.  Fortunately I didn't get that volunteer position, so I don't have to tell them that--oops--I actually can't afford it.  

This also means that I may be in Ithaca for a little longer than I expected, at least until I feel confident that something is coming my way.  I definitely can't ramble around the country, although I may drive home for a little while to see friends and family.  

The drive back was uneventful.  I had a headwind!  a bad headwind, which was disappointing because I had a headwind going out, and my truck is quite affected by wind.  Headwind aside the weather was okay until day 3 when I entered New York.  It was dark, rainy, foggy, and the highway was terribly bumpy.  I slowed down and thought maybe I would have to take another day, but fortunately the highway smoothed out, the fog dissipated, and the rain mostly quit.  

So last semester, for pay and for education, I helped Czeslaw (of a company called Super Pulse) design and fabricate pieces of a machine to sterilize medical waste.  I called Czeslaw this morning to see if he needed any help with the project.  He said things were slow, which sounds familiar, but that he could use my help.  He'll call back in an hour or so.  This is good--means I have something to do and that hopefully I can make enough $$ to at least pay for my trip out here, but it should be easy to save some, too.

Let me try to remember what it is I applied for yesterday.  I applied to two raft companies in Jackson, Mad River and Barker Ewing, and one ammunition (as I found out after the fact) company in Bend, Oregon that had a craigslist ad for a MechE.  I also sent a notice of interest (I will fill out the app today) to a boys camp called High Rocks near Brevard, NC.  I think I would be good at and enjoy teaching fishing, mountain biking, and/or backpacking to boys, plus it's a sweet, sweet part of the country with amazing riding.  

I applied to Diablo Freeride Park for trail crew, event planning, and/or a mechanic job.  While it's exactly what I want to do...my experience with the people that work at Diablo has not been very positive.  It's really close to NYC...and car camping at Diablo would not be fun like it would at Targhee, Plattekill, or any other actually mountainous place where people hang out and camp.  Riding Diablo every day wouldn't be bad, though, and I could probably get hooked up with parts at cost which I could really use (although they are still expensive...)

I applied to Steamboat Springs as a bike mechanic for their rental fleet.  Even though I am confident that I can keep a rental fleet running in tip-top shape, I don't have shop experience to back that up, so they probably won't hire me.

Not bad, six apps in one day?  If I keep that up (haha) odds are in my favor that someone will hire me.  I'm also happy that I have apps in a variety of things that I would be stoked to do.

Hmm if I could just find something in Jackson I also have a fiddle gig that could potentially pay $110 an hour for a gig every week or so.  That'd be nice...plus I could set up on the square and judging from the response I've gotten from folks I could probably get some $ from tourists.  Jackson tourists are ballers.

That's another thing to do while in Ithaca--play music with people in an informal setting.  I have to figure out how to play with folks, roll with chord changes faster, etc.  I think with enough practice I should be able to play with anyone.  I'm working on my scales and fingerings and things.  I think playing the mandolin should help me with more complicated chords and double stops on the fiddle.  I regret not practicing throughout college...but I didn't realize that the fiddle could be a better source of income than my degree, and I just wasn't that interested in playing with folks.  I think I have to thank Kyle for that one--he gave me the perfect chance to doodle around until I found something that sounded good with whatever he played.  

So I do hope that I can go back west for the summer.  I miss the mountains already, and I want go to exploring.  I've also become open to other options as my financial situation becomes a little more pressing, and I would like to be day trip distance from friends.  We will see.

I mused yesterday that in the rare event that I fail to find employment (man that would be a let down) I could hike the Appalachian Trail.  My timing is off, though.