A Slightly Different Direction for the Summer

I know where I will be this summer.  I decided to do something a little different.  I will not be in interpretation.  I will not be manning a visitor center desk.  I will not be leading tours.  I will not be guiding hikes.  I will not be conducting evening campfire programs.  I will not be roving trails.  I will not be stressing over cramming every last detail of a new park into my head before I'm put in front of the public with a very recognizable hat that automatically makes visitors think I know everything.  I will not be stressing over researching and writing new programs.  I will not be stressing over giving those programs for the first, second, third, nth time until I feel I'm finally connecting my visitors to the resource.  I will not get yelled at by stressed out visitors.  I will not be directly putting up with tourons (moron tourists).  I will not answer the same question over and over and over again with a smile on my face, acting as if I have never been asked that question before.  Don't get me wrong, I love my job.  My offices over the past ten years (started at Grant Khors in May 2004) have been in some of the most beautiful places.  I truly believe in the park service mission.  So what am I doing?

 

I will be doing what I went to six years of school to do.  Finally!!  I can't tell you how over and above excited I am.  So thrilled.  Exstatic.  Over joyed.  I can't wait.  I will be working in the resource management division, researching to better understand the visitor experience while at the same time monitoring the resource so we don't love it to death.  Awesome, I know.  Try not to be jealous.

 

The big question, however, where will I be doing this.  I will be approximately 150 miles from two major-ish, or at least recognizable cities, in the US.  Let's see where this angle fits...

It's not Acadia National Park.

It's not Arches National Park.

It's not Big Bend National Park.

It's not Yellowstone National Park.

It is.... Yosemite National Park. 

Like I said, try not to be jealous, just come visit.