We finally have internet in the dorm! Yesterday, at around 3pm, I escorted Jordan home from work (Wednesday and Thursday are my weekend, but I always seem to find myself hanging out in the Lodge anyway), and we discovered that they put wifi in! Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently now.
I don't really feel like I have too much to write about; I feel like the only thing I ever do is work and go to the employee pub. Lately, there have been bison (we tend to pronounce this with a French accent, like BEE-SO-UN) hanging out near the cabins at the Lodge, which means we have to warn guests to stay away. There have been two housekeeping people (we call them Room Attendants) who were stuck in cabins because of a bison, and last week a baby bison walked into one of the cabins. So, I guess that's exciting.
Today I actually made plans with some people to go hiking, so I should be able to post pictures from that trip within the next few days. One of the mid-season people Zack and myself decided yesterday that we should go hiking, and then I got wrapped up in some other stuff and postponed the trip until today. I invited another guy Eric along, and it should be really fun. We're going on the Fairy Falls trail, which overlooks the Grand Prismatic (it's very recognizable, google it), and then leads to an actual water fall. The hike is supposed to be awesome, and I'm super excited to finally see Grand Prismatic.
Jordan just got home from work, and we're gunna go down to the lake side and lay in the sun. The park service finally opened the trail down to the lake, and I'm very happy to finally get to hang out at the lake (even though it's about 30 degrees all year long and you can't swim or you will die).
6.28.2012
6.19.2012
power struggles
For those of you who don't know anything about living in the mountains, there are frequent power outages. And for those of you who don't know anything about hotels, we rely on our computers for pretty much everything.
Well, at Yellowstone, power outages happen constantly. Of course, we have plans in place for these issues. However, when the power goes out for 5 hours, it becomes a struggle. Two days ago, the power did in fact go out for 5 hours, probably due to the crazy wind we've been having. We think that some trees knocked down a power line, but we never actually found out the real cause. And of course, I was working the front desk while all this was happening. Most places had computer access, as the computers run on generators, but at the Lodge, something happened with our generators, and they only stuck around for about 30 minutes. When that happens, we have to manually do everything. And I mean everything. That causes a little bit of panic, since we have to then worry about sending more than one person to the same room. Then, there's the panic of what happens if the sun goes down and power isn't up. It doesn't get dark around here until around 9:30 or 10, which is very helpful. Thanks to our wonderful maintenance staff, we got power back, and our generators started working. I was so thankful that everyone kept their cool and didn't show the stress and panic on their faces when talking to guests. I work with some great people who take direction well. Working as a slight superior (I'm called a Senior Guest Service Attendant, and have a few more responsibilities), it is insanely helpful when the people you work with have respect for you and are willing to help in any way possible. Needless to say, though, we were all happy when we could go home on Sunday. I was looking forward to an easy shift on Monday.
So, when Monday rolls around, and I get to work, I notice that our computers aren't working. When I look at my co-workers, they all meet me with a deadpan look. Turns out that our server is down across the entire park, and it probably won't be back up until around 4:30, which is check-in time. Awesome. When it finally gets to be about 4:00, my manager tells me to just start checking people in manually. At this point, I'm prepping myself for another long, stressful night. Thank god I was around for the previous night, or I would have been in another state of panic. Having experienced this whole thing before, I wasn't worried. Until I saw the reports we had printed out. When the power goes down, we immediately print reports of rooms we have left to give out, who is going to check in, and who is check in already. Since the computers had been out nearly all day, I didn't have the right lists. We a few reports from earlier that day, and a report of rooms from the night before. This became really stressful, but again, thanks to an excellent staff, we were able to get through it. At around, maybe 6:00ish, the computers came back up. It was so exciting, but then we were faced with the issue that we would still have to do everything manually, since we hadn't checked people in on the computer yet, so our inventories of rooms would be all wonky. I know a lot of this is hotel jargon, but I hope you understand how much work it takes to check people in off of lists that might not even be accurate. And having worked the night before, I was not in the mood to have another difficult shift. But, we got through it somehow.
Anyway, I'm hoping my shift tonight is a complete breeze. I'm really, really looking forward to having Wednesday and Thursday off.
Well, at Yellowstone, power outages happen constantly. Of course, we have plans in place for these issues. However, when the power goes out for 5 hours, it becomes a struggle. Two days ago, the power did in fact go out for 5 hours, probably due to the crazy wind we've been having. We think that some trees knocked down a power line, but we never actually found out the real cause. And of course, I was working the front desk while all this was happening. Most places had computer access, as the computers run on generators, but at the Lodge, something happened with our generators, and they only stuck around for about 30 minutes. When that happens, we have to manually do everything. And I mean everything. That causes a little bit of panic, since we have to then worry about sending more than one person to the same room. Then, there's the panic of what happens if the sun goes down and power isn't up. It doesn't get dark around here until around 9:30 or 10, which is very helpful. Thanks to our wonderful maintenance staff, we got power back, and our generators started working. I was so thankful that everyone kept their cool and didn't show the stress and panic on their faces when talking to guests. I work with some great people who take direction well. Working as a slight superior (I'm called a Senior Guest Service Attendant, and have a few more responsibilities), it is insanely helpful when the people you work with have respect for you and are willing to help in any way possible. Needless to say, though, we were all happy when we could go home on Sunday. I was looking forward to an easy shift on Monday.
So, when Monday rolls around, and I get to work, I notice that our computers aren't working. When I look at my co-workers, they all meet me with a deadpan look. Turns out that our server is down across the entire park, and it probably won't be back up until around 4:30, which is check-in time. Awesome. When it finally gets to be about 4:00, my manager tells me to just start checking people in manually. At this point, I'm prepping myself for another long, stressful night. Thank god I was around for the previous night, or I would have been in another state of panic. Having experienced this whole thing before, I wasn't worried. Until I saw the reports we had printed out. When the power goes down, we immediately print reports of rooms we have left to give out, who is going to check in, and who is check in already. Since the computers had been out nearly all day, I didn't have the right lists. We a few reports from earlier that day, and a report of rooms from the night before. This became really stressful, but again, thanks to an excellent staff, we were able to get through it. At around, maybe 6:00ish, the computers came back up. It was so exciting, but then we were faced with the issue that we would still have to do everything manually, since we hadn't checked people in on the computer yet, so our inventories of rooms would be all wonky. I know a lot of this is hotel jargon, but I hope you understand how much work it takes to check people in off of lists that might not even be accurate. And having worked the night before, I was not in the mood to have another difficult shift. But, we got through it somehow.
Anyway, I'm hoping my shift tonight is a complete breeze. I'm really, really looking forward to having Wednesday and Thursday off.
6.16.2012
as of late
It's been a little bit since I last wrote, and for that I apologize! It's been a little hectic around here since opening day, and with no internet in my dorm, it's difficult to find the time to update my blog. The photo above is from Thursday night. One of my co-workers and I went to the cookout at the Roosevelt Lodge (for anyone visiting Yellowstone, I really recommend this trip!) and on the way home, we stopped to watch the sunset on the mountain. The cookout is a total blast - you ride out to the dinner spot on horses or stagecoaches (we took the stagecoach), and then eat a delicious meal while being serenaded by a cowboy entertainer. It was nice to get away from the employee dining room for a night, while also experiencing something I'll be selling to guests. I love having the first hand experience, it makes the whole thing more sincere when I'm saying how great the tour/trip/dinner is. Of course, I really do think that most things Xanterra offers are really fun and showcase the park well, but adding that personal "I've actually done this" touch is really nice.
Lake Lodge opened on June 10th, and let me tell you, it has been a whirlwind. I've had a few guests get flustered with me, and it's absolutely terrible when I find out there isn't any way to amend their problem. While being in customer service is definitely stressful, I also enjoy helping people and trying to make their stay memorable. Yesterday, I had a guest interaction that made my day a little harder. We just weren't communicating correctly, and come to find out, I was handling the interaction slightly wrong. It was a simple mistake to make, but when I found out that I was making the whole thing more complicated, I almost wanted to cry. Luckily, I have the best manager in the world, and my co-workers are awesome. When my manager stepped in, she was able to appease the guest and help him. My co-worker asked me to "go check a price in the gift shop" which gave me time to collect myself. This entire interaction was made so much better by my team, and then, one of my co-workers pointed out that the guest had left a very positive comment card, mentioning my name. Even though it was a difficult day, this frustrating moment was completely turned around in the end. So, even when things suck and I find myself panicking, something happens to make me realize that I'm in the right place.
We should be getting internet in my dorm fairly soon (cross your fingers!) and then I'm hoping to update more frequently and with more pictures.
5.29.2012
Feeling weathered
I am safe and sound in Yellowstone! A few things have not met my expectations, but I am keeping my hopes high. When I flew into Bozeman, it was super cold (not strange for this time of year), and when I checked into my hotel, it had started snowing . . . SIDEWAYS. The wind was so strong the snow was literally coming in sideways. And the next day, driving into the park, there was snow everywhere! We were afraid we weren't going to be able to make it to Lake because of the road closures. Luckily, our expert bus driver John was able to take a few roads that were closed to the public, but weren't insanely icy.
We made it to the Lodge in one piece, and then made it to the dorm. Turns out, they really weren't ready for the six of us currently living in the dorms. Most of the beds weren't constructed, and there were only a few rooms with mattresses. Plus, a water main broke over the winter season, and so we can't drink the water quite yet. The dorm is a little creepy, especially since it's so empty right now, and makes a lot of creepy noises at night. But, anyway, we all got settled in okay, and got dinner, met our boss, etc. The great thing about the six people working at the front desk is the way we all immediately bonded. Every one is super sweet, and hilarious. It's a relief to know that my co-workers and some of my dorm-mates are all going to be easy to get along with. That makes the entire summer very exciting, and I'm looking forward to exploring the park with them.
So, we got all settled in, and after exploring the employee pub (it's literally right next to my dorm), we all decided to call it a night. When we got back to the dorm, however, we realized that the heat wasn't on. Let's remember that it had been snowing all day. It was COLD. So we suffered through the first night. When we woke up in the morning, we discovered that our dorm was also lacking hot water! Needless to say, we were all a little grumpy heading into our first day of training. Luckily, we have the best manager in the world, and she made everything feel a lot easier. The heat got turned on for our second night, and the hot water was in semi-working condition the next day. We're still waiting for wi-fi in the dorms, but I'm not too worried about that. I know everything will get all fixed up, and we'll get more people in the dorm later this week. I'm getting more and more excited about the Lodge actually opening for the season!
More updates, and maybe some pictures! We're going on a tour of the southern loop tomorrow, and I should get some awesome shots there.
We made it to the Lodge in one piece, and then made it to the dorm. Turns out, they really weren't ready for the six of us currently living in the dorms. Most of the beds weren't constructed, and there were only a few rooms with mattresses. Plus, a water main broke over the winter season, and so we can't drink the water quite yet. The dorm is a little creepy, especially since it's so empty right now, and makes a lot of creepy noises at night. But, anyway, we all got settled in okay, and got dinner, met our boss, etc. The great thing about the six people working at the front desk is the way we all immediately bonded. Every one is super sweet, and hilarious. It's a relief to know that my co-workers and some of my dorm-mates are all going to be easy to get along with. That makes the entire summer very exciting, and I'm looking forward to exploring the park with them.
So, we got all settled in, and after exploring the employee pub (it's literally right next to my dorm), we all decided to call it a night. When we got back to the dorm, however, we realized that the heat wasn't on. Let's remember that it had been snowing all day. It was COLD. So we suffered through the first night. When we woke up in the morning, we discovered that our dorm was also lacking hot water! Needless to say, we were all a little grumpy heading into our first day of training. Luckily, we have the best manager in the world, and she made everything feel a lot easier. The heat got turned on for our second night, and the hot water was in semi-working condition the next day. We're still waiting for wi-fi in the dorms, but I'm not too worried about that. I know everything will get all fixed up, and we'll get more people in the dorm later this week. I'm getting more and more excited about the Lodge actually opening for the season!
More updates, and maybe some pictures! We're going on a tour of the southern loop tomorrow, and I should get some awesome shots there.
5.19.2012
post-graduation
(I'm smack dab in the middle looking super stoked to throw my hat in the air, obviously graduation was a somber event heehee)
I have been a college graduate for six days. Like I predicted, the world is still spinning and everything is okay. Saying goodbye to all of my friends resulted in a lot of tears (which was particularly embarrassing when I said goodbye to The Boys at a movie theatre and then walked through downtown with tears streaming down my face). I packed my life into five suitcases and picked up to come home before heading off to Yellowstone. I'm in Arizona for another week and then it's off to Montana/Wyoming to start my next great adventure! And once again, I am feeling anxious and terrified. There are certain points in the summer I am looking forward to with so much excitement I can hardly contain myself (Oregon Country Fair with Megan and The Boys; Megan, Lauren, and potentially some other girl friends coming to Yellowstone to visit) and others that make me sweat ever time I think about them (moving to a new location not knowing a single soul or what to expect; my new job; dorm life AGAIN!). I know I am in for the most amazing summer of my life, but it is still very strange that I won't be returning to academia in August. I keep having the realization that I am a real grown up adult with a degree. I am so blessed to have this education, but I still feel so naive and like I am not the grown up everyone seems to see me as.
The days I have spent at home have been filled with lots of pondering about post-Yellowstone plans. I would love to just forgo any responsibility and buy a van and travel the country. If anyone would like to be my benefactor and make that happen, I accept checks and all major credit cards. (Just kidding, Mom. Well... kind of.) Other than that, my mind has been jumping around for potential ideas. I know something will come along, and it will be easy to stick with the company I'm working for this summer, but I would love to find myself in a location close enough to visit the friends I have made over the past four years. Many of them are in Portland, or are planning on moving there soonish. While I don't see myself moving back to the rainy Pacific Northwest any time soon, the thought still bumps around my head. I guess the most stressful, odd thing is being in this transitionary state with absolutely nothing tying me down. It's a freeing thought, but it's also scary. Really, only time will tell where life goes, and as cliche as it is, the phrase has become a comforting mantra.
4.24.2012
on myself and feeling anxious
Oh hey there! I guess since this is my first official post, I should do a small introduction.
My name is Mary-Gray, I'm a 21 year old getting ready to graduate from college with a B.A. in English Literature. I'm currently living in Oregon, though in May I'm moving to Yellowstone for the summer. I grew up in Arizona and Minnesota, and have completely decided that I am a child of the sun, and need the desert to sustain myself. I love clothes and spend way too much money constantly improving my closet. There will probably be quite a few outfit of the day type posts, so get ready. I love to read and sometimes I even do random crafts. Mostly though, I live to hang out with my friends and laugh until we cry. We're a big group of silly women (sometimes The Boys come along for our adventures, but they are greatly outnumbered) and we know how to have a good time no matter what's happening. I have several tattoos (much to the chagrin of my parents), and am not planning on stopping any time soon. For now, I think that's all you need to know about me, I might do another general post in the future, but only time will tell. Now, on to the real reason I decided to write this post (besides the fact that I should be writing an essay on medieval literature right now....):
In exactly 19 days, I will be a college graduate, and I am completely overwhelmed.
I'm not scared, necessarily; I know everything will be fine and the world will keep spinning once I walk across that stage and get my diploma. There's still that small part of me, however, that is terrified out of my mind. I have been contemplating no longer being a student quite a lot lately. For roughly 16 years of my life, I've been in school, so no longer taking classes and doing homework is outside my norm. Yes, this transition out of school and into the real world happens to everyone lucky enough to get an education, but that doesn't make it any less surreal for me. Facing the real world isn't what I'm scared of. I don't have a permanent job, and will likely be moving back home at the end of September. (For the summer, I'll be working in Yellowstone at Lake Lodge at the front desk, but more on that later!) I know that I'll find "my calling" at some point and I know everything will be okay. These things are definite because I have a wonderful family that is willing to be my support and safety net (for a little while at least...). The thing I am most freaked out by? I'm terrified of losing contact with all the amazing people I've met in my four years here.
There is a huge chance that I will never see most of my classmates ever again. In some cases, this is definitely a relief, but what if I never see some very important people again? I went to a very small boarding school for my junior and senior year of high school (there were 200 people K-12, and 35 in my graduating class), and I haven't seen 97% of those people in four years. That breaks my heart, even though I pretty much ran out of high school screaming with joy. And yes, most of that joy came from not ever having to see 97% of those people ever again, but recently I have lost contact with almost every single friend I had in high school. We've moved away from each other and just changed so much in four years that we don't relate anymore. I'm really scared of that happening with my friends here. They are the most amazing group of people I have ever met, and the thought of not being able to call any of them at any time and hang out is depressing. Most of my friends live on campus (really the only exception is The Boys, who live a short walk from campus), and the majority of us live in the same apartment building, so there's always someone around. It's really strange to me that soon I will be embarking on my own adventure and I won't have that support system anymore. Granted, my real life plan at the moment is working at Yellowstone, where I will be living in a dorm with a bunch of other people my age, so I guess it's not too huge of a transition. I'm just trying to enjoy my last three weeks here as much as I possibly can, and spend as much time with the people I love. I know I won't lose contact with them for a long time, if ever, but the thought of not seeing these people every single day has been bouncing around in my head for a while. I've been reflecting on the last four years and feeling really nostalgic lately. I want to go back and start all over again, but alas, time only moves forward. For now at least.
My name is Mary-Gray, I'm a 21 year old getting ready to graduate from college with a B.A. in English Literature. I'm currently living in Oregon, though in May I'm moving to Yellowstone for the summer. I grew up in Arizona and Minnesota, and have completely decided that I am a child of the sun, and need the desert to sustain myself. I love clothes and spend way too much money constantly improving my closet. There will probably be quite a few outfit of the day type posts, so get ready. I love to read and sometimes I even do random crafts. Mostly though, I live to hang out with my friends and laugh until we cry. We're a big group of silly women (sometimes The Boys come along for our adventures, but they are greatly outnumbered) and we know how to have a good time no matter what's happening. I have several tattoos (much to the chagrin of my parents), and am not planning on stopping any time soon. For now, I think that's all you need to know about me, I might do another general post in the future, but only time will tell. Now, on to the real reason I decided to write this post (besides the fact that I should be writing an essay on medieval literature right now....):
In exactly 19 days, I will be a college graduate, and I am completely overwhelmed.
I'm not scared, necessarily; I know everything will be fine and the world will keep spinning once I walk across that stage and get my diploma. There's still that small part of me, however, that is terrified out of my mind. I have been contemplating no longer being a student quite a lot lately. For roughly 16 years of my life, I've been in school, so no longer taking classes and doing homework is outside my norm. Yes, this transition out of school and into the real world happens to everyone lucky enough to get an education, but that doesn't make it any less surreal for me. Facing the real world isn't what I'm scared of. I don't have a permanent job, and will likely be moving back home at the end of September. (For the summer, I'll be working in Yellowstone at Lake Lodge at the front desk, but more on that later!) I know that I'll find "my calling" at some point and I know everything will be okay. These things are definite because I have a wonderful family that is willing to be my support and safety net (for a little while at least...). The thing I am most freaked out by? I'm terrified of losing contact with all the amazing people I've met in my four years here.
There is a huge chance that I will never see most of my classmates ever again. In some cases, this is definitely a relief, but what if I never see some very important people again? I went to a very small boarding school for my junior and senior year of high school (there were 200 people K-12, and 35 in my graduating class), and I haven't seen 97% of those people in four years. That breaks my heart, even though I pretty much ran out of high school screaming with joy. And yes, most of that joy came from not ever having to see 97% of those people ever again, but recently I have lost contact with almost every single friend I had in high school. We've moved away from each other and just changed so much in four years that we don't relate anymore. I'm really scared of that happening with my friends here. They are the most amazing group of people I have ever met, and the thought of not being able to call any of them at any time and hang out is depressing. Most of my friends live on campus (really the only exception is The Boys, who live a short walk from campus), and the majority of us live in the same apartment building, so there's always someone around. It's really strange to me that soon I will be embarking on my own adventure and I won't have that support system anymore. Granted, my real life plan at the moment is working at Yellowstone, where I will be living in a dorm with a bunch of other people my age, so I guess it's not too huge of a transition. I'm just trying to enjoy my last three weeks here as much as I possibly can, and spend as much time with the people I love. I know I won't lose contact with them for a long time, if ever, but the thought of not seeing these people every single day has been bouncing around in my head for a while. I've been reflecting on the last four years and feeling really nostalgic lately. I want to go back and start all over again, but alas, time only moves forward. For now at least.
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