Interview

On By rrainefioreIn Antarctica Job SearchLeave a comment

I had a phone interview today for the Facilities Engineer job in Antarctica.  The interview went great, but the job isn’t for me.  It was an alternate position in case something goes wrong with the primary.  I would have to train in fire ground school or WFR and then sit and wait for the primary to get sick, hurt or wig out.  The Facilities Engineer deals with all the things that make the buildings work.  I know nothing about heating systems, electrical systems, etc..  I have no doubt I could learn it quickly, but I’m not sure I want the stress of keeping buildings running when the outside is so hostile.  I don’t like the alternate concept either.  At some point in the interview, the manager said I was a great fit for Antarctica and I should apply for other jobs next year.  I told him I applied for 58 jobs.  He sounded so surprised and asked what jobs.  I listed a bunch and told him the Construction Superintendent job at McMurdo was the one I was best suited for.  A minute later he put me on hold when he saw the hiring manager for that job and took my resume over to him.  If I’m going to be considered further for the job, they will call me for an in person interview next week.  If I get called for a second interview, I’ll go in and see what happens, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t the job for me.

Things I learned about living at the South Pole today and found fascinating:  It’s at an elevation of 9,300 feet, but can feel like it’s over 11,000 when the barometric pressure changes ……what?  Awesome.  They have a hydroponic garden so they can have fresh food.  There’s around 40 people there in the winter.  It’s only accessible from October to February.  They only get 8 hours of internet a day since the satellite is only over the pole for 8 hours a day.  Temperatures can range from -4 degrees to -100 degrees.

(c) all rights reserved Kimberly Fiore

On By rrainefioreIn Burning ManLeave a comment

I got to see Zachery again for a night before he left Colorado.  It was so difficult to say goodbye on playa and now I have to say goodbye again.  It’s just as difficult this time.  I have a hope that this isn’t just a random week, but that there is something deeper happening here.  It feels like this is significant, but I actually can’t tell if it is or if I just want it to be.   I fall in love so easily.  Is this just attachment behavior?  What is left when that runs it’s course?  Understanding Attachment Theory doesn’t make this less painful.  Ugh.

(c) all rights reserved Kimberly Fiore

On By rrainefioreIn Moving PrepLeave a comment

I got home and my realtor was supposed to have had movers pack up a bunch of my stuff and move it into storage and have the house on the market.  None of this was done.  This is the only reason I decided to hire this realtor.  She told me it would be no problem and then she did nothing while I was gone.  Now I have to find the movers and the cleaners and do it quickly because a lot of time has been lost already.  I want to fire my realtor, but I just don’t have time to do that and find a new one.  I’m exhausted and sick and don’t need this now.

(c) all rights reserved Kimberly Fiore

Cliche – I found myself at Burning Man

On By rrainefioreIn Burning ManLeave a comment

So, I won’t write about all my Burning Man stories.  But here are two highlights that are worth mentioning.

I did a full day shift unlocking cars with one of my favorite people, Katie.  That was the longest volunteer shift I’ve ever done and we just had a blast.  We rocked it at unlocking cars.  No locked car left behind.  Heroes for a day!  That was the best volunteer shift I’ve had on Playa.

That night I was supposed to go out with some friends, but I was very late due to a flat tire on my bike that just didn’t want to be fixed.  It took forever and when it finally was fixed, I headed out to see if I could find my friends.  One of them had left and the other was still in his camp.  I was so frustrated.  Nothing is going according to my plan.  So, I went out with other friends than the ones I had planned to.  One of the guys that went out with us was someone I had just met earlier that day.  I had barely paid attention earlier because he’s not the type I usually go for.  If it wasn’t for the flat tire, I’d have gone out with other friends earlier in the evening and might not have spent time with Zachery.  We ended up spending a lot of time together the rest of the week.  He’s considerate, interesting to talk to, and fun.  When I was with him, I felt like he was present with me.  I felt like he had nowhere else he wanted to be than with me.  I felt taken care of, I felt loved and desired.  I loved the way he looked at me.  I haven’t really felt this in a long time.  There was definitely a part of me that was still believing that I’m not lovable, that no matter what I do, there is no one to love me.  The only guys I found in the past were ones that didn’t want a serious relationship until the girl after me.  Or I was their second choice.  Or they told me I was wonderful and they hoped I found someone wonderful to love me (someone else).  I wonder if I have finally chosen differently.  I had forgotten that I am lovable and desirable and after this week, I could actually feel that I am.  I have no idea what the future holds, but I am more in touch with my femininity than I ever have been and I’m actually enjoying the uncertainty of it!  I cried a lot of the drive home, both because I was so happy to love myself again and because I was sad to say goodbye to this wonderful man.

I was sick with a sinus infection for most of the week.  I didn’t gel with my camp as much as I would have liked.  In no way did it turn out to be Easy Man, but, I wouldn’t change a thing.

(c) all rights reserved Kimberly Fiore

Easy Man is Over

On By rrainefioreIn Burning ManLeave a comment

We left at 4 pm yesterday with the plan to drive through the night and arrive at the line for the gate an hour or so early.  At 4 am he was too tired and I was starting to melt down.  We decided it was safer to get a hotel and sleep for a few hours.  The van was so uncomfortable that neither one of us could sleep in it.  It took every last ounce of energy I had to not kill the guy who checked us in to the hotel that moved so slow wanted to have a little 4am chat.  So, this late night plan may have saved our lives, but it made us late and  set us up for one of the most annoying experiences of my life (yes, I know, first world problem).  We got to Wadsworth at noon.  This is normally 1.5 hours from the playa.  Traffic stopped.

It’s 5:00pm and we still aren’t to Gerlach (town right before the event).  I’m tired and cranky and struggling being present with anything.  Will we ever get there?  Will I even get there in time for my Lock Out shift tomorrow?  For a while I was doing well with just being present and going with the flow, but I think maybe I was just lying to myself.  I’m frustrated.  It’s bringing up all sorts of hopeless feelings.  I just want to go home.  Why do I want to go to this anyway?  What’s the point of anything?  Easy Man is over and now it’s just way too many funny dressed people trying to get to the desert.

The only entertaining thing is the discovery of the Shirtless Man Early Warning System.   The cars would move for about 10 miles and then stop for an hour or so.  With a solid line of cars and motorhomes, it was difficult to see up ahead when cars might start moving again.  There was a group of shirtless men about 8 cars up that would get out every time we stopped and go off to the side of the road to play frisbee or drag chairs out to sit in.  We couldn’t see when the cars were about to move, but we could see the shirtless men pack up and run get back to their cars.  Thus the Shirtless Man Early Warning System was activated.

We finally got in the gate and dropped my stuff off at my camp at 11:00pm.  The only people in camp are a bunch of high people sitting on a couch out front.  The two people I know are not here.  I’m staying in the girl’s dorm.  My dorm room is too small for me to put all my stuff in.  I’m exhausted and I just don’t want to be here.  Full melt down.  Chey finds me and helps me sort out my stuff and reminds me we have a central shared area where I can put some of my stuff.  Chey may have saved my life.  Instead of going out with the art car and meeting new people, I go to bed.  Maybe I won’t want to die tomorrow.

(c) all rights reserved Kimberly Fiore