View Full Version : I just want to complain!
I started a new job end of May. It's a great job, but my 6-month probation means that I haven't been allowed to take any vacation time. My first opportunity for it will be in November! It's killing me! The various 3-day weekends aren't long enough to get anywhere good for summer backpacking, so I've had to live vicariously through trailjournals.com. Worse yet, because I've been all cushy and warm for the past 3 months and will continue to be for the next 3, I'm losing all my built-up backpacking stamina for cold nights on the ground. I'm getting soft and citified. I actually feel scared I might get cold at night when I think about sleeping outside! I hate feeling like a wuss!
I just wanted to complain. Hopefully I can get out locally this 3-day weekend if it doesn't suddenly get really hot. My local backcountry really sucks when it's hot and I don't want to waste most of the weekend driving. If not, more day hiking and trail running. Not that there's anything wrong with either of those, but you know...
I'm dreaming of having enough vacation time (and money??) in the future to fly out and attempt some sections of the AT... Or to at least drive to the Sierras or the San Gabriels. Or gosh, a fantasy come true would be to hike in the North Cascades again...Stop it! Back to work!
Thank you for letting me complain.
Two Tents
08-31-2011, 14:47
I'm getting soft and citified. I actually feel scared I might get cold at night when I think about sleeping outside! I hate feeling like a wuss!
Yea! You'll be scared of bears, the food will be terrible, cold-very cold, the bugs an creepie crawlies, BEAR! BEAR! you may have bear trouble! Whew I'm glad I'm not you! Bummer to have found a nice job and rob you of all your hard earned woods savy. Nah! You'll be good. Hang in there and do what you can in the mean time. It will be worth it when you can go for a 9 dayer someday!
Ladytrekker
08-31-2011, 15:19
Wow SBhikes I feel ya, I am sitting in my office not alot of vacation either. I have been so ansy lately I can hardly stand it. Its to hot to hike in Florida in the summer so I have been kayaking but it doesn't feed my backpacking needs enough. I have been planning some winter hikes in Florida trying to section the FT I have done about 200 miles so far and am hoping to do more sets of long weekenders this winter. I want to retire now but I got about 10 more years. yuck.
aaronthebugbuffet
08-31-2011, 17:55
I remember that first year when I had almost zero vacation time. It was brutal.
Pioneer Spirit
08-31-2011, 18:37
Spoiled folks. My job is a seniority based food manufacturing plant. I worked 28 years without full weekends off. Had to take vacations in February, March, October or November for a long time until I developed enough seniority to go in warm weather. Now I'm almost too old and beat down to go.
Sierra Echo
08-31-2011, 18:40
Yall should be grateful that yall have jobs!
Ladytrekker
08-31-2011, 18:44
OK who has the bigger violin here. Hey I work at the morgue how much more depressing is that.
hikerboy57
08-31-2011, 19:05
OK who has the bigger violin here. Hey I work at the morgue how much more depressing is that.
its a dying business.:)
But if you hate your job, youre just living, waiting to die. Find something that you can get passionate about, and then find a way to get paid for it.If you make it your priority, you'll find more opportunities than you thought you would. Too many people are afraid to leave the "security " of a job to look for something better, but I've never been afraid to make a change if I was unhappy. I was a stockbroker years ago, woke up one morning, realized how miserable I was, and thought that God forbid I shopuld die tomorrow, I didnt want to die unhappy. So that morning I went in and quit, paying alimony, child support, not knowing exactly what Id be doing to pay the bills, found a few part time jobs to tide me over till I found the right "fit". Ask yourself if you want to die happy or miserable, and understand that we dont get to pick the time of our ultimate departure, then go out and take action. If you've already found your dream job, and the only issue is time off, well at least your time off trail is spent doing something you enjoy.Most of our lives are spent at work, more hours there than at home. And you know that eventually you can create the opportunity to get you the time off you desire.
My violin is the SMALLEST one ever!!! And I still get to complain!
hikerboy57
08-31-2011, 20:20
complaining is completely healthy. My exwife used to complain a lot. My divorce was one of the healthiest decisions I ve ever made!
WB is a grweat way for me to escape for a while if I cant be on the trail.Congrats on the job!Your time will come. in the meantime, we're here.My boss recently offered me a promotion. It would mean a lot more money, but he already knows Im planning to hike from springer to DWG next year, and would have to forgo my plans, if I accepted.
Im hiking north , beginning March 1. trailname, as its been here at work-"hikerboy."
Good luck with the new job sb.
lush242000
09-01-2011, 07:50
At least you can plan a vacation. I work in hospital construction and all my time off is dictated by the project and the schedule. I also get sent all over the country for who knows how long.
BobTheBuilder
09-01-2011, 09:34
OK who has the bigger violin here. Hey I work at the morgue how much more depressing is that. In God's Waiting Room? At least you stay busy...
Helen Waite is the complaints manager. That's where you need to go to complain.
stars in her eyes
09-01-2011, 10:55
I am one-half of a two-person department where I work. The other half is the most pessimistic shrew I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with, and trust me -- that *is* saying something. Even her 'friends' don't like her. Her negativity has been wearing me down for 5 months now, and I started to notice a change in my usually-chipper attitude. She's tainting me. There are times when I am at home, on a day off, and I feel my blood pressure rise just thinking about her. Unfortunately at this time I have no exit available to me, so I am stuck here with Medusa until I can get out of this department. In the meantime, I've taken up Kenpo and high-intensity interval training to get her poison out of my system. It's doing wonders for my body, if not my mind.
hikerboy57
09-01-2011, 11:01
I am one-half of a two-person department where I work. The other half is the most pessimistic shrew I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with, and trust me -- that *is* saying something. Even her 'friends' don't like her. Her negativity has been wearing me down for 5 months now, and I started to notice a change in my usually-chipper attitude. She's tainting me. There are times when I am at home, on a day off, and I feel my blood pressure rise just thinking about her. Unfortunately at this time I have no exit available to me, so I am stuck here with Medusa until I can get out of this department. In the meantime, I've taken up Kenpo and high-intensity interval training to get her poison out of my system. It's doing wonders for my body, if not my mind.
Just remember the ralph cramden method'Pins and needles, needles and pins, its a happy man that grins"
I had to drop my plans for a 4-5 backpacking trip starting tomorrow because of sciatica :mad:
WingedMonkey
09-01-2011, 11:32
I can remember only a few months ago you couldn't fund a job and your other half wouldn't get off the couch. You got a job, now send him hiking.
:sun
Spoiled folks. My job is a seniority based food manufacturing plant. I worked 28 years without full weekends off. Had to take vacations in February, March, October or November for a long time until I developed enough seniority to go in warm weather. Now I'm almost too old and beat down to go.
C'mon now, March and October are great months for hiking. Plus you are right next Zaleski which is a pretty good trail for Ohio.
FWIW, after spending 5 months hiking last year, I've only been able to get out twice this year, and it's been killing me.
hikerboy57
09-01-2011, 13:50
If I had my druthers, this is where I want to be right now:http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=47983&catid=newimages&cutoffdate=2.
what a great pic!
dzierzak
09-02-2011, 07:38
Great pic!!!
Is there an ultra-lite trail violin in there?:banana
Sierra Echo
09-02-2011, 07:44
I can remember only a few months ago you couldn't fund a job and your other half wouldn't get off the couch. You got a job, now send him hiking.
:sun
SBhikes just complains too much in my opinon. Nothing is gonna make her happy.
Sierra Echo
09-02-2011, 07:45
I can remember only a few months ago you couldn't fund a job and your other half wouldn't get off the couch. You got a job, now send him hiking.
:sun
I think sbhikes just likes to complain. Nothing seems to make her happy. Well except maybe attention.
I feel your pain - I took four months off last year and did the AT all the way up to Boiling Springs,PA, then got a bad case of Lyme Disease and had to return to Florida. I wasn't even strong enough to haul in big fish on my Keys trip!
Then this year, wouldn't you know it, instead of returning to do the northern half, I got a job!! So now I'm stuck taking out tourists on a speed boat here in St.Augustine four times a day!(elconspeedboat.com)
Life's a bitch.....
Between kids and work for years, I just am grateful for every bag night I get, they do add up.
Sassafras Lass
09-07-2011, 11:15
Complain away! We're (well, most of us) are not here to judge you.
My company is closing in December and I'm looking for other employment. I was looking anyways since June, but I didn't realize quite how terrible the job market is, and 50+ resumes later, I've only had 4 interviews . . . . ugh. Since my current company considers me being employed only since June (b/c I was hiking March-May) I'm stuck in the "90-days" junk again and have no vacation or sick pay to use towards a 3-4 -day weekend. So no hikes for me, and when I get hired somewhere else, no hikes again either.
I feel ya, I certainly do!
Ladytrekker
09-07-2011, 12:23
Wow I really wanted to complain today but the Gators won their game on Saturday and the Jaguars just dumped their QB so life for me right now is pretty good. I am such a football fanatic that it actually affects my mood. LOL.
hikingshoes
09-07-2011, 12:50
Complain!! Life is Great now that i have a job!!!And why is that?SO i can buy a new lighter tent, lighter tarp for my hammock and may even buy a new ULA pack and got a trip planned for Glacier National Park, God is GREAT so is hiking!!!HYOH!HS