Living & Working in Great Places

Cold Feet

It's snowing in Arkansas this morning but the snow isn't causing my cold feet. I've got a serious case of the nervous jitters. I've given notice here at the Marriott and will soon be training a new assistant manager. I've given my landlady notice that I will be moving out of my apartment April 1st. I've made arrangements for my two dogs to have good and loving homes with my grown children. I've warned all of my family that I'm leaving including my father who I expected to hit the roof! He worries about me being such a free spirit and wishes that I would think of my retirement. lol So why am I suddenly so nervous about this new adventure? Lord knows I was on cloud nine for a month after my phone interview. Now I am full of questions and doubts. I'm having a very hard time letting myself believe that this is actually going to happen and that everything will fall into place. I suppose all of my doubts and questions are normal and that I am not the first to ask any of them. I'm determined not to let this stop me and I wish that I were leaving tomorrow. I read a line in a book the other day it said "if your going to worry don't pray and if your going to pray don't worry". Sometimes that statement can be very hard to achieve!

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Comment by Jason Kemple on March 14, 2009 at 7:15am: I forgot to add that once I arrive in Alabama for college... I was lost, confused, thought i made a mistake. I waited a couple of weeks, as i wanted to give it a fair shot, and made friends and had the time of my life. I lived there for 3 years, graduated from college there, and some of my very best friends who i'll ever have in this life are people i met there. If i can do it, you can as well :-)

Comment by Jason Kemple on March 14, 2009 at 7:12am: I completely agree with what Christina says! This summer will be my first seasonal jobs, but i can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES i've taken a trip and said "i could live here"... And this lifestyle provides you the opportunity to get paid to live and work in places that people pay thousands of dollars to see for JUST ONE WEEK. In my opinion, this is the secret to life! The friends you make last a lifetime because they are the only ones who understand what, why, how and where!

As an example, when i was 19 years old, i left New Jersey to go to college in south Alabama.... now, re-read that sentence. New Jersey to Alabama. Situations dont really get much different than that. And i told myself... if I dont like it, I can always leave. Nothing can keep you somewhere. And knowing that you have that option to leave whenever you want makes it that much easier to deal with the hard days, etc.

Most of these seasonal jobs are for between 4 - 6 months. All I can ask is that you do yourself this one favor: Try it. Its only for 6 months at most. If you hate it, you will never have to do it again... if you hate it, you can leave whenever you want. But give yourself at least 2 months to try it out. Everything is hard/difficult/scary the first 2 weeks. But i PROMISE that after those 2 weeks, things get so much better.

The only things in life that are certain are death and taxes. You can't get away from them lol. You can get away from anything else. So dont regret it, and dont live your life with any regrets. Try it out... if not for just the fact that when your 80 you can tell yourself "I gave it my all and I have no regrets". And then you'll smile.

Comment by CHRISTINA on March 14, 2009 at 5:44am: What more can I say - I started at 47 and except for some "life" interruptions I have not looked back. As each new year starts one of my biggest excitements is thinking about what I'm going to do for the summer, where I'm going. My first year I had no expectations and I recommend you start there. If you expect it to be like home you will be disappointed as the accommodations are sparse at best; if you have expectations that it is always going to be a picnic you will be disappointed as you are expected to work hard - summer is a very, very busy time for these places and they have to make their money then, so they expect you to contribute largely. But you will make wonderful new friends, live in some of the most beautiful places you can imagine, see things a tourist coming for a week or two could never see, and have memories you would never never have otherwise. Maybe I missed it but where are you going? I've worked on an island in Puget Sound, Tetons, Yellowstone and Glacier and all have been an overall tremendous experience. Just go with an open mind and drink in everything around you. It gets into your blood and cannot be explained to those who have not experienced it.

Comment by reggie on March 4, 2009 at 9:18am: you be fine dont be nervous your first week will be kinda hetic cause u be feeling yourself around getting to know everyone by the time u notice the season will be over u made some good friends experiance some new things that u thought u will never do

Comment by Sharon & Charles on March 1, 2009 at 6:48pm: We too are very excited about our first season at Yellowstone. Hubby and I are no longer kids and are really looking forward to the adventure.
No need to be nervous. You have really nothing to loose.

Can anyone tell us if the dorm rooms have standard or extra long beds?
Are all dorm rooms for couples furnished with twin beds?

What do we need for footwear early and late season? We expect some snow , but how much from April 1, or until Oct. 31?

Suggestions appreciated.

Comment by akscootr on March 1, 2009 at 1:32pm: Kimberly... please see two blogs that will help. "Jack's Gift" and "a story for the new coolworkers"... Sometimes the best thing in life is to leave our comfort zones. I will send you a personal note also. I will be @ OFI on May 02 and will be happy to give you any reassurance and assistance you need... You made the right decision :0) be at peace, amiga...

Comment by Kimberly Barnes on March 1, 2009 at 1:00pm: Thanks Ken! Your comment made me smile!

Comment by ken horner on March 1, 2009 at 12:24pm: cold feet? change your shoes! I've always had my traveling shoes on, started my travels when I was 17, 1970, yea many moons ago. I had to settle down for 15 years, so I drove a truck cross country. (still traveled) . I've been home 4 months now..... omg, I've got itchy feets. time to go again. just gotta see what's over somewhere again. the worst your gonna do is waste a little time, and that's always a good thing when your somewhere ya want to be.

Comment by Carol on March 1, 2009 at 8:38am: I hear you Kimberly. Sounds exactly like what I am feeling as I give notice to a recession proof job, with health, dental and retirement benifits...a job people line up for.
But, I close my eyes and visualize what Lake Hotel will be like in Yellowstone for the summer. My skills aren't leaving me, they will be growing. As Janette told me," the real world will be there if you need to go back to it."
The experienced CoolWorkers here have reasurred us it does work. And, what would a season in the Grand Canyon be like? And how about a season in Yosemite? So, I'm sold on the adventure, and like a dive in a cold pool, gonna do it and enjoy the swim.
I agree, people who haven't done this are naysaying the lifestyle. I must be crazy to drive across the country....give up a sure thing....live life on the edge.
An artist once said, If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
I feel if I don't do this, I will always regret a lost summer.
Best wishes.
I once heard...Worry has no virtue.

Comment by Kristi on February 28, 2009 at 4:52pm: aww don't worry!! you're gonna have a blast - you just have a little case of cold feet!! but, wait till you get where you're going and you'll be fine fine fine.