What a week!

Wow, what a week it was!

I had to finish four papers for spring semester. One was about Oscar Crosby, one of the three slaves that came to the Salt Lake Valley with the vanguard pioneer company in 1847. One was about the shift from conservationism to environmentalism in the last century. One was a historiographical essay about racial discrimination in twentieth-century America. And the last was a historiographical essay on environmental history.

I don't think I did a great job on any of them—especially the environmental history ones, at least not as well as the professor wants. I had a hard time wrapping my head around what that professor wants for essays. He's teaching a subject that I might find interesting in the fall, but I don't think I can take another class from him because of his writing requirements. But regardless of the quality of my essays, they are done, and the semester is over! I don't have homework to do until August! Though I probably should do some work on my portfolio.

During free moments, I had to hit some of the trails. I'm a fall kind of guy, but May is the absolute best time of the year for trails that isn't in the fall. I have been going on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail for more than six and a half years, and I have noticed a little trail become increasingly more worn over the years, but I never went on it. I thought I would try it out this week.

This is the regular trail, but Blogger does its own thing with pictures.

It was lovely, but I did notice it seemed like a downhill bike trail, with the trail going on the side of the hill rather than the bottom. There were some places where trees were evidently cut down.

I didn't go too far up before I had to turn around, but I went back the next day. As I was getting to the trail, there were some bikers who had just come off, and this conversation happened:

Him: "Hey, do you know this is like a downhill bike trail?"
Me: "I didn't see any signs."
Him: "Yeah, there aren't any signs, it's just kind of local knowledge." [Um, I'm as local as anyone!]
Me: "But it's not against the rules or anything."
Him: "Yeah, it's not against the rules, it's just advisable."
Me: "Did you see any other bikers tonight?"
Him: "Yeah, I saw three or four more." 

So I opted not to go up it, and I probably won't go back. He was nice about it, so I wasn't mad, and he wasn't mad. But it does annoy me that bikers get to create their own unofficial trail.

Thursday was the day I wrapped up my last essay, and it was also the day I got my second COVID dose. It was good to have those things done! I will be fully vaccinated on May 20.

Then on Friday, I had my first day back at This Is the Place! Though I have gone for trainings this year and last year prepandemic, it was the first time I actually worked a regular shift since October 2019. I drove one of the "trains" around the park (more like a truck with trailers on it). I was nervous, but everyone told me I was a good driver. Which is reassuring, since I'm very insecure about my driving. You just drive very slowly, and you have to take the curves wide. Sometimes the road is narrow, so you have to use the mirrors to make sure you're not close to the edge. But it can be a little hard to see, since there's a giant smokestack in your line of vision.

I did feel sore and uncomfortable that day, but I didn't know if it was because I had slept poorly, or because the driver's seat isn't very ergonomic, or because of my shot. But when I got home from work, my COVID shot had very obviously caught up with me. My arm was the sorest it has ever been from a shot, and some of that soreness had spread elsewhere in my body. I felt like doing nothing. I certainly didn't want to go running or do my daily chore. I recently bought a Nintendo Switch, and playing that sounded like too much effort. Reading didn't sound good, and I thought about watching a movie, but even going downstairs and picking one out sounded too hard. So I just got into bed and watched TV.

But on Saturday morning, I felt much better. I had my first shift with another new task, driving the mini train. This one is much easier; it's basically a kiddie ride (though adults can ride too), and it's on a track, so you don't have to steer. And I really felt lucky that I get paid to do this! When I'm working with guests, I get to go on a fun little ride. And when I'm not working with guests, I'm getting paid to spend time by a scenic pond with views of the valley and lots of docile Canada geese, including baby geese. It's very charming. I think I have mediocre people skills, so it takes me out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing. I did get lightly sunburned—it was a cool day, so it didn't feel like a day when I would need sunscreen.

It's too bad no swimming is allowed, because I really want to swim in there.

Even though I'm working again, I'm glad I don't have homework hanging over me for a few months. But I still need to schedule time for my editing side hustle. And I also applied to an internship this week, so I'll see if that goes anywhere.