Gary's Outdoor Wanderings2: JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE

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A lot of folks ask me, "do you like your job?"
I reply that I have the best job in the world. I drive this fine 22 foot bay boat every day and I get to keep it at my house. I even have a truck supplied me to pull it around with. I guess what I do isn't for everyone but to me its a privilege to be able to visit nature on a daily basis and get paid to do it. Heck - I'd do it for no compensation at all. I hope the paymaster in Nashville doesn't read that last statement. As I said earlier, it isn't for everyone. I've loved nature and the natural world all my life and it always required a vacation or some holiday to have the time to get out there in it. Now, I practically live in it. When I'm working I'm meshed with nature and when I'm off work I go to the lake or forest to be in the natural world. So, you see, this job is perfect for me. There are other angles to consider also.

Most people go to work in an office or factory every day. They enter their cubicles or production lines and work endlessly until an authorized break time arrives or the lunch hour or half hour arrives. I did it for years just like everyone else. The life I live now is pure joy on a daily basis. I had to look up the spelling for the word "stress" so I could write it down here. About the only worrisome part of my day is the drive to the office on these crazy roads around here. Oh yes - I have an office. I took some photos of where I work. They will follow shortly. I don't have to work in a cubicle or walk down the hall to the copy or mail room. There are no computers or intercoms. There are no half dead plants in vases that are dying due to lack of sunlight. Nope. Well, look below and I'll show ya. I took some photos only this morning of where I work. I constantly complain about the decor and nature listens to me sometimes and changes it. Some days I don't even recognize my office, it changes so fast.

Oh, I didn't mention that I like my job so much that I go in to work early most every day.

My office has walls, floor and ceilings that change constantly. Sometimes I can watch them change. The floor can be smooth as glass or course and porous. It depends on the mood of Mother Nature. Today the mistress of nature is keeping me guessing as to what my ceiling, walls and floor will be. She likes to keep me guessing most times and finds joy in surprising me with some unusual decor. I usually boat away early from the shoreline to the center of the lake where the noises of civilization are forbidden and shut off the engine. The sound of quiet is deafening. Soon, even out here, the distant clutter of engine noises will be heard but, for a few peaceful moments, quiet prevails.

She is teasing my mind. The curtain she has held in front of the north wall of my office is slowly being pulled up to reveal only tempting morsels of color and texture that make up the wall I shall look at today.

When I first moved here I was disappointed in the walls I had to work within. Now I understand that they were walls under construction and were slowly being built. Those walls contained the base coat of paint. Now I can see the wisdom and the plan that the good mother had in mind. Today, her completed wall construction can be seen on both Cherokee and Douglas Lakes. Their complete perfection can not be matched by the hand of man, for even though man thinks he controls the waters of nature; it is the great mother who has her hand on the throttle of natures engines. To believe otherwise is pure and total folly.

Sometimes I hate to see the lights turned on in my office. The darkness of early morning is a peaceful time and things are somber. When the light switch is finally thrown, the lake comes alive. Shore wading birds appear for their morning meal and a raptor or two will be seen floating over the areas where water meets land and a new day begins.

It would appear that I will have a very smooth textured floor today. I've been complaining about the air conditioning but the good mother lends me her deaf ear.

Wow! Look at that. There isn't any inside job with ceiling, floors and walls to compare with this spectacular motif.

It looks like I'm being provided a wonderful, beautiful office environment to work in today. Some days I mess up at work and I am scolded for it. The office floor turns rough and is difficult to move over. The walls can collapse and the ceiling opens up showing great fissures and all that destruction is accompanied by loud rumbles. Jagged light pierces the ceiling cutting away the architecture until it becomes a plain, smooth dark canvas. And, after the destruction is completed - new walls, ceiling and floor will be built and my office rearranged accordingly. So, you see, its impossible for me to be bored at work. Impossible!

The lights are getting brighter and brighter by the second. The office will be totally lit in short order.

I look around and survey the office I've been given to work in today and I like it. Its time to get moving on the job. The engine is started and away we go.

I need to find fishermen. I need to identify fish species. I need to weigh and identify the fish in their creels. I need to document, document, document. Document this and document that. Go here and go there. Answer this question and that question. Inform, warn, advise, direct, communicate, measure, eat. Eat! Let me show you my break area.

This is it. Pretty cool, Huh? I'll come back here in five hours to eat a peanut butter sandwich, the sustenance of people on the lake.

So, I don't have corridors to walk down or a copy room. There's no intercom needed to see if anyone is in their office. I simply pull out my binoculars and look down the coves and creek mouths for fishermen. No buttons to "push to talk" and no coworkers to be nice to even when you don't want to be nice.

It looks like its going to be a great day. No, a beautiful day. No, a beautiful life. I am indeed a lucky soul!

I hope you understand a little more about me after reading and looking at this entry. You probably don't after all. I enjoyed writing it anyway.

There is one thing for certain. I will never have one of these working this job. But then, I never wanted to own anything like this. If it were given to me I'd just fill it up with dogs - a lot of dogs.