Permanent temp

I’ve gotten some steady work recently. The last two weeks I have been monitoring and digging out at the Monterey Presidio with the ole company. It was fun to get out and actually dig a bit, especially there. There is such a long history there. The next two weeks I will be with the same ole company, surveying and updating/recording sites out near Lone Pine, on the east side of the Sierra Mountains. Should be fun. I have not been able to get out there before, so it will be exciting... I hope. I will be with some good people, so all should go pretty well.

I like that I have gotten some steady work recently, but I am not one of those people who can live like this. What I mean is that, I’m a person who functions best when the job is permanent, in that I show up everyday at 8am and go home at 5pm. Or some variation of that. Or as my dad says, a lunch bucket person. Constantly networking to find the next job and living week to week is not my forte.

So it is nice that I am working at the moment, but it will not last, and the search is still on for the permanent solution.

It's that time again: and no it isn't my moon cycle!

It’s time to write another blog post. Life is still in limbo. I have now been unemployed for over 8 months now. It is starting to get scary. I’m starting to get anxious about the whole thing. The longer I am unemployed the harder it becomes to find permanent work. I haven’t been a complete lazy ass. I worked off and on (1 or 2 days a week) for 2 to 3 of those months for my former employer as a construction monitor. I did a week long survey with a former co-worker at his company. And I spent about 2 months landscaping my parents backyard. I changed my diet (got mostly healthy) and lost 20 pounds. I also installed hardwood floors in my house! That seems so long ago now.

I’ll be working the next 2 weeks for my former employer again. I’ve just been out for so long now that I find that I just don’t want to do anything. It is getting harder to get out of bed in the morning... or more like noon. It is hard to even get motivated to mow my own lawn, do laundry, or even get dressed.

I seem to go through a few weeks of deep depression, then a few weeks getting out of it, and a few days of motivated work looking for jobs or fixing things around the house, and then I slip right back into the depression.

I think I am more frustrated with myself than I am with the economy and my lack of a fulltime job. I can’t seem to make any decisions about my future. I have a feeling that for me to successfully transition out of archaeology and into something else will take a lot longer than I want it to. I want it to be instantaneous. It will, in reality, take going back to school and/or several jobs over the course of years to acquire the necessary skills needed. That thought just makes me want to curl up in a ball and never leave my bed again. It is like starting over. It is starting over. To become an archaeologist, it took going to 4 different colleges over the course of 4 years. We can add the 6 years it took to get my BA in English when I thought I was going to be a famous and wealthy author, if you want. Will it take that long again? I have greater responsibility now. I was living rent free then, and only worried about paying school loans and tuition.

Oh to be young and free again. I’m not old yet, I know. Unless you’re talking to a teenager. I know I am complaining. I certainly don’t have it that bad. I have unemployment benefits, a healthy body, a working car, a roof over my head, and food. I am not in danger of loosing any of these things. And if I did, I have the support of my family to help me. There are many people worse off. Now I feel guilty for complaining! Ugh, the perils of being the offspring of my parents (the guilt is strong in our blood).

Tomorrow’s goal is to get out of bed before noon, and spend some time outside in the sunshine. The sun is good for my melancholy.

Trekking: Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park

A few weeks ago now I decided I needed out of the house but didn’t want to go far so I went to a trail head that I knew. But decided that I should try to get to the lake from this entrance. I have hiked around this area before a few times but have never done more than a few miles or more than the Mendoza Trail loop. The entrance I park at is the Mendoza Ranch Entrance which has free parking, but the only restroom is a port-a-potty. The Mendoza loop is great for a short 1 hour hike during a lunch break or just as a quick getaway.

This trip I did the Coyote Ridge Trail and looped back on the Valley Oak Trail. It is about 5.5 miles total. No major elevation gains, and once at the lake you can refill your water if you’re low. Also once at the lake there are picnic grounds and bathroom facilities as well as a fish cleaning station, if you are so inclined to fish there.

I was expecting the lake to be blue and beautiful. It was more a green-brown color and not so appealing. It is used mostly by people wanting to fish or jet ski or take their motorized boats for a spin. Not for sun bathing or swimming. It is not the cleanest reservoir due to the motor boats and that most of the park is a working cattle ranch.

Part of the hike I did is part of the larger Bay Area Ridge Trail system (Coyote Ridge Trail). The Bay Area Ridge Trail system is a large loop of trails through many parks that basically does a loop around the entire bay area. Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear is also the newest park in the Santa Clara County Park system, made in 2005.

The trails are moderate and are great for families who are not wilderness back country mountaineers. If you want exercise and don’t want to travel far from home to “get away”, this is a perfect place. Or if you are a novice camper... a great place to try out your camping skills. If you get scared of the squirrels and bugs, you can always drive home in minutes.


I enjoyed the hike. I am however used to the views by now so it is not breathtaking for me anymore, but don’t get me wrong, the views are gorgeous, it’s just that I have seen them a lot now. From the ridge trail you can see the southern Santa Clara Valley and the coastal range. Walking along the Valley Oak trail you are immersed in the oak woodlands walking under the canopies of Black Oaks, Valley Oaks, Blue Oaks, and Bay Laurels. In the spring there are wildflowers. On my hike, I passed one lady on her mountain bike and saw one boat and one jet skier on the lake. I saw plenty of wildlife: Deer, wild turkeys, hawks, quail, turkey vultures, and of coarse squirrels and lizards. The trails I took are well maintained, no risk of poison oak if you stay on the trails.

I did the 5.5 miles in about 2.5 hours and my camelback backpack held enough water for my trip. My only warning would be this: it is a working cattle range which means there are cows about. So when you cross a gate on the trails, please close it afterward. I’m sure the ranchers have their cows separated just the way they like them. And watch where you step. Squishing into a fresh pie may not be to your liking.
Some of my friends seem to think I'm crazy to hike by myself. When I do hike on my own, I choose places that I feel safe in. Sure bad things could happen. I could get mauled by a mountain lion or break an ankle in a hole, but those things could happen with a hiking buddy as well. I choose places that if such things do happen, help is not far away. And I don't go hiking at dawn or dusk when mountain lions are about. I'm not stupid. And I never stick earbuds in and listen to music when I'm out there. The natural world sends out messages, and I need to hear them and so do you.

Trekking: Henry W. Coe State Park

A while back a friend of mine Facebook-ed me one night and asked if I wanted to go hiking the next day. Sure! Don't have to ask me twice. She drove down from Milpitas and I drove up from Gilroy and we met in the Parking lot of Trader Joe's in Morgan Hill. We drove up to the main entrance to Henry Coe. We were the only car, heck looked like we were the only visitors. We figured out the parking fee (on the honor system) and we set off on our first hike of the day (after my friend spotted a snake of course). We did a loop of the Monument Trail and the Ponderosa Trail. I had read in a little hiking guide book I have that this is a great trail for sweeping views and good for a short hike. It was about 2.4 miles. We did it pretty quickly. The views were pretty awesome. There is a steep section right at the beginning, we stopped once or twice to catch our breathe (but really it was to take in the views). We came back to the Coe Ranch Headquarters and had lunch, and decided to do another trail. We did a another loop that entailed the Corral Trail, Forest Trail, and the Springs Trail.

And that's where things went bad. Not super bad, to me anyway, because they all happened to my friend. We saw a little detour though some rocks and I went in front. And right when I said, "don't fall in the poison oak", she slipped and landed butt first into the poison oak. In the process tweaking her ankle. She said she would be fine so we continued on. Then she ran out of water on our way back. I gave her the last bit of my gatoraid. About 5 minutes or so from completing the loop she got overheated and we stopped and rested for a good 5 to 10 minutes. We made it back to the Headquarters and she puked. Ew. Luckily the Ranger decided to fix the photocopier machine so the visitor center/ gift shop was open. I went in and got her a cold water and me a soda. But of course I had to talk to the Ranger, but I'll tell you about that later. My friend sipped the water, and when we thought it was safe to get in my car to leave she puked again, but not in my car thankfully. I puked in someone else's car before and I have not lived it down yet. I then drive slowly back down the mountain and to her car. I ask if she will make it home ok. She assured me that she was going to be fine. I heard later that she didn't quite make it home before she puked again.

Question: How come every time someone pukes all conversation turns to "there was one time when I puked..." like this subject is suppose to make the person upchucking feel any better?

We were making fun of it all the whole time. The "oh my god, i killed Kenny" thing. In actuality we didn't bring enough water with us. At the headquarters there were water fountains and we should have restocked before we left for the second hike after lunch.

Also, I have puked horribly after ingesting gatoraid before. Most of them are too sweet and my body will react to that. And apparently so does my friend. She was also wearing shorts. I don't recommend shorts on these trails because of the poison oak and that some of the trails are narrow and through high grasses, so if one is sensitive to varying types of grasses brushing against your legs, then shorts should not be worn.

We had a great time except for her twisting her ankle, falling in poison oak, and upchucking. We didn't even scratch the surface of this parks network of trails. Henry Coe is the largest State Park in California. It is over 87,000 acres! Besides day hiking like we did, you can backpack, camp, fish, ride horses, etc. If you are backpacking, you better be serious and know what you are doing. 23,000 of that 87,000 is designated wilderness. You really can get lost... for many many days.

Also, this is one of the parks slated to close in July 2012. This lovely state decided to cut the State Parks budget in half and close over 70 state parks. I think this was one of the stupidest ways the state thought it could save money. And the Ranger I talked to agreed with me. When the park is closed and the trails and campgrounds are overgrown and the water system is turned off, who is going to find the idiot who decides to go on a backpacking adventure to prove he is all that, when he gets lost?? Who is going to patrol 87,000 acres to make sure nobody is growing pot in it or hunting illegally? And where is the state going to get the revenue the parks brought in? They may have a budget from the state but they also made money for the state. I don't understand why you would cut something that makes you money.

Anyway, you can see I have issues. Henry Coe Park is trying to fight its closure. If you'd like to help by donating money the Coe Park Preservation Fund is the place www.coeparkfund.org or if you are the letter writing type, write to your congress person.

Henry Coe has been my backyard my entire life, yet I have only been in it once. Strange that sometimes you don't see the value of a place, especially one so close, until it is threatened or gone.

Trekking: Sprig Day Use Area

Thinking of a new segment here since I don't really have any stories about work right now. (still not gainfully employed) I enjoy hiking. I don't get out there nearly enough mostly because I find it hard to motivate myself to actually leave the house. But when I do strap on the boots and fill up my camel back, I enjoy the experience, and wonder why I don't do it more often.

This trip was to the Sprig Day Use Area of the Santa Clara County Park system. This day use area is mostly used by picnic-ers and equestrians. No bikes and dogs (off leash) allowed. There are only a few trails here, but for the enthusiasts it does connect to Mt. Madonna County Park.
























I did a loop of the two main trails: The Merry Go Round and Ridge Trails, with a jaunt down the Old Mine Trail to a surprise and the Tie Camp Trail which connects the Merry Go Round to the Ridge Trail.

This little park in situated 5 miles west of Gilroy in the east side of the Coast Range (Santa Cruz) Mountains on Hwy 152. Blink and you miss the entrance. The trail starts out in the Oak woodlands. The typical rolling hills you see around the south bay. Big oak trees and bay laurels with thigh high grasses and wild flowers, and of course the icky stuff like thistle and poison oak. As you climb though, the view gets prettier. Ever once in a while you need to turn around on your way up to see the valley open up beneath you.































Also, because this place is in the coast range... Redwoods!! The higher you climb, the more little pockets of redwood trees. It is very cool to go from open space with oak trees to being engulfed in a redwood forest canopy, and then back again.
























On this trip, I passed only one other hiker. So if you want to feel alone, this may be the place.

When I got to my intersection to start back down the mountain, there was a side trail called The Old Mine Trail. A short there and back again of 0.4 miles, so I decided, what the hey. My map said there is a scenic lookout, might as well go see what it is. This trail was not very maintained and is overgrown at the end, but if you are taller than me, you can get better pictures. And when I got to the end, I saw this.

a cool little lake!



















The loop I did was about 4 miles and took me a little over 2 hours. I saw butterflies and quail and lizards and of course flies. You aren't hiking outdoors unless there are flies. One can easily spend the entire day here and hike into Mt. Madonna and back, and parking is free!

Frustration

I’m getting frustrated with myself. The feeling of guilt and laziness, whether warranted or not, of being jobless for five months is getting to me. I’m trying to figure out what kind of job I want. I’ve thought about going back to school for construction or horticulture, but would require 1 to 2 years of full time schooling and finding a job in the meantime to pay for the schooling and mortgage. I actually find it somewhat humorous that someone with a BA and an MA would consider going back to school for a technical certification from a Community College.

I don’t know if I want to go back to school. I already spent 9 years in college, do I really want to make it 11? Some days I think I want to, other days I don’t. Then I start thinking too much. To change careers, how much new stuff will I need to learn? When I started in archaeology, I knew practically nothing about the field. I went to school and started reading on my own because it was interesting to me. I don’t do that anymore. I feel now like an uneducated, out of the loop unemployed archaeologist.

I’m someone who has many interests. Who will learn enough of something to be competent. I learned to play many musical instruments. I was good, but not great at any of them. I know a little about a lot of things, but I’m not an expert at anything.

Have you ever

Get your mind out of the gutter! I’m once again listening to Pearl Jams, Just Breathe. Have you ever cupped your hands over your headphones (back in the day) or pushed your earbuds into your ears so that you could listen to music? I used to do that to pick up the bass line of a song I wanted to learn. If you have never done this, try it. The volume does not need to be loud, actually if it is too loud, it doesn’t work. I do it to pull out all the other layers you don’t usually hear in a normal listen via speakers or earbuds. It is like having the music re-verb in you head instead of off the walls or the interior of your car. It bounces around in your skull. Again, don’t do it with a loud volume. I don’t want to be responsible for your hearing loss.

I can pick out the lyrics and melody of course when I do this, but I can also pull the bass line and all the other intricacies of the piece easier. Examples would be like how many guitars are used. I can pull the lead guitar away from the accomplement, which is usually more intricate. I can pick out the many layers. Such as this Pearl Jam song. Vedder is the only singer. There is no harmony with a voice until the bridge and later incarnations of the chorus. But there is an acoustic guitar, synthesized wind instrument like a wooden flute or that old airy pipe organ sound... oh what is that thing... (google-ing)... ok google has failed me., bass guitar, strings, and an electric guitar. Back in the day I used to be able to tell if it was real or synthesized strings and if it was a violin or viola, trumpet or french horn, and so on.

Pushing my headphones into my head was how I used to learn how to play something. I would have one headphone plugged into my cd player (before the invention of ipods) and the other headphone plugged into my bass amp. I didn’t want to be too loud and annoy everyone else in the house. But I would spend hours plunking it out until I got it. This was also before tabs and chord sheets were readily available on the web.

My nephews process is similar in some ways. He gets the tabs to something off the web and plugs in everything to his amps and plays along. Only he likes playing everything so loud that the bathroom toilet is vibrating.

Even if you don’t play instruments and aren’t interested in dissecting how a song is put together, listening to something with your headphones or earbuds with your hands or fingers pushing them into your head is a very interesting way to experience the song in a new way.