3-28-11

So my first day back was not one filled with a ton of excitement. It was more like a day to get back into the groove of things and adjust to having Angie (the new employee who was part time before break) around for more of the time. Basically the deadline for AWEP applications were coming up so we spent most of the day adding more paperwork to the six part folder. I created folders for those who had only so far been a few correspondance note and a request for assistance paper clipped together and made them official folders. We also worked a bit on mapping the sites, since a majority of them were already in the system. This included property, CNDDB, and Soil maps (not from the web soil, but through GIS) to add to their folders. We also prepared for the field visits the next day.

I definitely was feeling very unmotivated at work today. I know there are often days where it is exciting and we go out into the field, but I also get really tired of working on the six part folders. I originally had planned on working on a toxic weeds poster as my senior project. I knew it would be useful to the RCD and NRCS and wanted to have something I contributed back to them. However, the more time I spend working on the folders, I realize why every intern before submits one of those folders as their senior project. It is because it is the single most item you have the most familiarity with and because it covers every aspect of the internship, whether its communicating with the clients, notes from the field, maps, and conservation plans. All of the work we do is put in paper form as one of these folders. And while they get tedious and I definitely get irritated with updating them and organizing them with the checklist, they are absolutely necessary to the job. Which is why I have now changed over to a six part folder for my senior project.