My life feels like a series of mini finish lines at the moment. As all these wonderful things loom in the future, I am attempting to marathon it out, mentally, until I get to them. People say that you should just stop and enjoy the experience you are going through and don't wish for the future things overly much. I think people are stupid. :) If you can find me one person out there who is working in 12 hour shifts in a high stress, high intensity job who is also trying to deal with eating healthy (no, Louisiana, everything does NOT have to be fried or put into a cream based sauce...whole grains and steaming veggies is a positive thing!) and deal with a lower back injury at the same time, and they love it, then I would love to talk to them.
However, until such a person is found, I will continue to marathon. Thursday is generally crew change day, so that is one of my countdowns. 96 more hours of working is gone for good. Since my hitches are generally 28 days, the first 2 weeks are ok, the 3rd week is pretty demoralizing (poor Adam having to talk to me on the phone), and then the 4th week passes by pretty well until about 2 days from getting on the helicopter. Then time crawls. Every morning (well, 4:30 pm for me) I am so excited because most of a day just disappears while I have slept. I also have longer countdowns; the day I get off the rig (7th of Feb!), my last time I have to leave Adam to fly to work (Feb 15), tentative, almost 100 percent leaving date (March 17), moving home (March 24), and then I think I am going to just relax after that, even though there are more exciting things coming up as well.
Back things. I have been in pain for a good while now, and officially understand that I am not invincible. I have spent most of this hitch on the rig trying to find a good balance of pain killers to take, the most comfortable position to sleep in, exercises that won't leave me limping afterwards, etc. I can actually really sleep in any position, it is just getting up and dealing with moving afterwards that is the problem. I have a trainee out here doing all of my heavy lifting which is nice. It means that even though nothing is getting better, at least it is not getting worse.
Our crew change is on a different day for the next couple of weeks. Tuesday, which is the glorious day of tomorrow, however tomorrow only marks the end of 2 weeks and 5 days, out here, so this next week is my last on the rig (unless the drs say I can come back). It will probably be a tiring day, because I will be on tower for approx 16-17 hours or so waiting for my relief to get here. Just another tiny finish line in my world of finish lines.
Random coolness of the day: Foam Rollers! We have two on the rig and I've started using them. They kinda help. http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=9911
Love you guys,
Becca
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
On The Topic of Weddings
One of the most life changing events that has happened in the past several months is my marriage to Adam. As an experience, it was awesome! Alternately stressful, fun, exciting, nerve-wracking; it was the perfect wedding for us. And, to not get too mushy, I am so happy to be starting my life with this incredible guy who is not perfect, but is perfect for me. He is opposite of me in so many ways that will keep life interesting, but has similar beliefs and stances on many life issues that will help us have a strong foundation as a couple.
However, when I think about getting married I am a little surprised at myself. I never thought I would (a) meet someone who was worth all the time and effort that being with someone requires or (b) just marry anyone at all. Looking at my family and background, this would probably seem odd. My parents are amazing and have been married for 30 years (yup, mom and dad, that looks like a crazy long time when I type it here!), and all of my siblings are also married and seem pretty happy. However, I have always had an agenda. Growing up I just wanted to see places! As a freshman in college I got the incredible opportunity to go on a tour of New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji with an orchestra (go French Horns!!) and at that point the travel bug struck and I couldn't imagine not going overseas again. So I was doubly surprised that after 5 years of college during which I ignored numerous hitting-ons, broke up in relationships because they weren't worth even considering long term things, and shutting down 3 or 4 romantic-ish proposals my senior year because I was going to Malaysia and nothing else mattered...I met Adam. He was interesting, always surprising, fun, and adventurous. I couldn't wait to spend time with him, whether it was making cinnamon rolls at midnight at my apartment (favorite thing about college...weird hours to everyone else, normal to us!) for an event the next day or going hiking on the Konza Prairie.
And then came the niggling thought in the back of my mind...I kind of wasn't sure if I still wanted to go to Malaysia. It's not even that he hinted at wanting me to stay. On the contrary, he told me if I decided not to go he would break up with me :). So I went, we continued to date and even invented skype dating where we would make the same meal together and watch a movie at the same time (I only say "invent" because none of my friends seems to have ever considered it before when I mention it to them). He saw me curled up in a ball on my bed in Malaysia going through the misery of food poisoning and "bad bacteria" (Malaysian doctor's official diagnosis), and celebrated with me when I was having awesome, exciting things happen. I decided at this point that I was definitely not staying in Malaysia permanently. Somehow the future and marriage came up, we talked about it, and for the first time ever, the thought of being permanently "stuck" with someone was actually exciting! He ended up surprising me with a proposal in Barcelona over his spring break and...that, as they say, is that. Granted our timeline has been not quite what we originally thought, but I'd have to say it's working out great just the same.
But it still makes me wonder what 15 yr old me would say to 24 (almost 25!) yr old me. Probably that I am an idiot because I could be having adventures and seriously, how could a boy be cooler than those. My 15 yr old self was a little more close-minded than my current person. She wouldn't have figured out yet that adventures are more fun if you have a co-conspirator, and that having that person there at the end of a day, no matter how good or bad it's gone, is indescribably wonderful. Finally, my 15 year old self never met Adam. I think that if she did, I'd probably get at least a high-five.
So being married is pretty fun, it doesn't feel a whole lot different from being not married as neither of us has changed drastically just because we said "I do." Oddly enough, somehow I miss him more now than I did before, if that is possible. Only 2 months left!!! I can't wait for this next adventure with him!
And with that, the mush has ended, I hope you all have a wonderful day :)
Goodnight.
Becca
However, when I think about getting married I am a little surprised at myself. I never thought I would (a) meet someone who was worth all the time and effort that being with someone requires or (b) just marry anyone at all. Looking at my family and background, this would probably seem odd. My parents are amazing and have been married for 30 years (yup, mom and dad, that looks like a crazy long time when I type it here!), and all of my siblings are also married and seem pretty happy. However, I have always had an agenda. Growing up I just wanted to see places! As a freshman in college I got the incredible opportunity to go on a tour of New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji with an orchestra (go French Horns!!) and at that point the travel bug struck and I couldn't imagine not going overseas again. So I was doubly surprised that after 5 years of college during which I ignored numerous hitting-ons, broke up in relationships because they weren't worth even considering long term things, and shutting down 3 or 4 romantic-ish proposals my senior year because I was going to Malaysia and nothing else mattered...I met Adam. He was interesting, always surprising, fun, and adventurous. I couldn't wait to spend time with him, whether it was making cinnamon rolls at midnight at my apartment (favorite thing about college...weird hours to everyone else, normal to us!) for an event the next day or going hiking on the Konza Prairie.
And then came the niggling thought in the back of my mind...I kind of wasn't sure if I still wanted to go to Malaysia. It's not even that he hinted at wanting me to stay. On the contrary, he told me if I decided not to go he would break up with me :). So I went, we continued to date and even invented skype dating where we would make the same meal together and watch a movie at the same time (I only say "invent" because none of my friends seems to have ever considered it before when I mention it to them). He saw me curled up in a ball on my bed in Malaysia going through the misery of food poisoning and "bad bacteria" (Malaysian doctor's official diagnosis), and celebrated with me when I was having awesome, exciting things happen. I decided at this point that I was definitely not staying in Malaysia permanently. Somehow the future and marriage came up, we talked about it, and for the first time ever, the thought of being permanently "stuck" with someone was actually exciting! He ended up surprising me with a proposal in Barcelona over his spring break and...that, as they say, is that. Granted our timeline has been not quite what we originally thought, but I'd have to say it's working out great just the same.
But it still makes me wonder what 15 yr old me would say to 24 (almost 25!) yr old me. Probably that I am an idiot because I could be having adventures and seriously, how could a boy be cooler than those. My 15 yr old self was a little more close-minded than my current person. She wouldn't have figured out yet that adventures are more fun if you have a co-conspirator, and that having that person there at the end of a day, no matter how good or bad it's gone, is indescribably wonderful. Finally, my 15 year old self never met Adam. I think that if she did, I'd probably get at least a high-five.
So being married is pretty fun, it doesn't feel a whole lot different from being not married as neither of us has changed drastically just because we said "I do." Oddly enough, somehow I miss him more now than I did before, if that is possible. Only 2 months left!!! I can't wait for this next adventure with him!
And with that, the mush has ended, I hope you all have a wonderful day :)
Goodnight.
Becca
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Life is Changing!
So, in honor of a rapidly changing life, and to more aptly reflect what I am going to be writing about, I thought I'd change the name of my blog. I actually really enjoy writing down what is/has been happening in my life because it's neat to look back and see where I have been and how far I've come from and through different life events. And what crazy life events have been unfolding.
The only thing the same about my life from 6 months ago is that I am still working deep water in the Gulf of Mexico. Since last July I've gotten married to the most wonderful guy I've ever met, been to my second school for my job, started job searching, decided I am truly leaving this company that helped me get a start out of college, and began planning on moving back to Kansas and into a house in Kansas City! Adam got a job in KC for a consulting firm, and I have no problem uprooting to go home.
If I planned ahead and thought more about it I would have possibly spread out my life changes a little bit. However, I really can't complain very much. I got to have a fun wedding to an equally fun now-husband, surrounded by friends and family. Those same friends and family are excited to have me come home and are very supportive of my decision to uproot my location again. I am warming up to the idea of living in a house that is ours instead of having to share walls with loud, annoying people.
Other things I am excited for in the future : cooking for myself (especially food that is not fried!), running outside on ground that is not moving (on a floating rig, the treadmill goes up and down too...), sleeping in the same bed every night, being able to promise my friends and family I will be at random events...and being there!, seeing all four seasons in all of their glory, flying less than twice a month, getting to know my neighbors and coworkers as I will be around and they will not constantly be switched out on me, fresh fruits and veggies, and...having a pet!! I miss cats and dogs. Quite a bit.
There are parts I am nervous about, such as; actually quitting my job, finding the right house, being able to find a job and if I am unable there, being able to get into grad school, having an accident while moving my stuff back from Louisiana, and, in general, being a failure at life. I am sure I can cross these different bridges without a huge amount of trouble, it's just that they are awfully intimidating looking bridges :)
Anyway, one more day is down out here and I am going to be asleep soon. I am happy to start typing things again, and excited to see the changes the next year of my life will bring.
Good night,
Becca
The only thing the same about my life from 6 months ago is that I am still working deep water in the Gulf of Mexico. Since last July I've gotten married to the most wonderful guy I've ever met, been to my second school for my job, started job searching, decided I am truly leaving this company that helped me get a start out of college, and began planning on moving back to Kansas and into a house in Kansas City! Adam got a job in KC for a consulting firm, and I have no problem uprooting to go home.
If I planned ahead and thought more about it I would have possibly spread out my life changes a little bit. However, I really can't complain very much. I got to have a fun wedding to an equally fun now-husband, surrounded by friends and family. Those same friends and family are excited to have me come home and are very supportive of my decision to uproot my location again. I am warming up to the idea of living in a house that is ours instead of having to share walls with loud, annoying people.
Other things I am excited for in the future : cooking for myself (especially food that is not fried!), running outside on ground that is not moving (on a floating rig, the treadmill goes up and down too...), sleeping in the same bed every night, being able to promise my friends and family I will be at random events...and being there!, seeing all four seasons in all of their glory, flying less than twice a month, getting to know my neighbors and coworkers as I will be around and they will not constantly be switched out on me, fresh fruits and veggies, and...having a pet!! I miss cats and dogs. Quite a bit.
There are parts I am nervous about, such as; actually quitting my job, finding the right house, being able to find a job and if I am unable there, being able to get into grad school, having an accident while moving my stuff back from Louisiana, and, in general, being a failure at life. I am sure I can cross these different bridges without a huge amount of trouble, it's just that they are awfully intimidating looking bridges :)
Anyway, one more day is down out here and I am going to be asleep soon. I am happy to start typing things again, and excited to see the changes the next year of my life will bring.
Good night,
Becca
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Two more days...two more days....
The last four or five days I am on the rig become a mantra of counting down. If I worked in this field long enough, eventually Stockholm Syndrome would take over and I would become like the old timers out here. They frequently state that they have spent so much time on rigs that they feel more comfortable out here, than they do at home. They also have generally broken down families, so I can see why that would also be the case. However, I have not reached this stage, so when I have less than a week left on a rig, it becomes a chant that grows with excitement every time it is stated. Going home!! It is the best feeling to get on that helicopter and know that when it lands you have the freedom to do whatever you want, wherever you want. Eat at any restaurant, go shopping, jogging...heck, even doctors appointments aren't so bad :)
Not much has happened life-wise since I last posted. Most of my bridesmaids have ordered their dresses. I did a workout my brother advised and now my entire upper-arm/chest area is extremely sore. I started trying to eat healthier. Both easier and more difficult than I thought it would be. I watched Mamma Mia and hated it. Watched Indiana Jones and realized why I still love those movies!
I haven't started resume fixing yet. Everytime I am about to start, I get distracted, or realize I am just lazy. Hopefully I'll get more of that done either tomorrow night, or in town this week. Also goals while in town: go to dentist and eye doctor, start furnishing my apartment, and work out every day! Get internet installed in aformentioned apartment.Yeah, that one's a bit important as well. Anyway, we'll see how it goes :)
And now it is time for some fruit. I believe they still have strawberries in the galley, so here I go!
Love you guys,
Becca
Not much has happened life-wise since I last posted. Most of my bridesmaids have ordered their dresses. I did a workout my brother advised and now my entire upper-arm/chest area is extremely sore. I started trying to eat healthier. Both easier and more difficult than I thought it would be. I watched Mamma Mia and hated it. Watched Indiana Jones and realized why I still love those movies!
I haven't started resume fixing yet. Everytime I am about to start, I get distracted, or realize I am just lazy. Hopefully I'll get more of that done either tomorrow night, or in town this week. Also goals while in town: go to dentist and eye doctor, start furnishing my apartment, and work out every day! Get internet installed in aformentioned apartment.Yeah, that one's a bit important as well. Anyway, we'll see how it goes :)
And now it is time for some fruit. I believe they still have strawberries in the galley, so here I go!
Love you guys,
Becca
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
My 2nd 4th from a Rig :)
Happy Independence day from the Gulf of Mexico!!
I wish I could say that I did 4th-y things, but that is not the case. Instead I am celebrating my 24th Independence day in the Gulf of Mexico. It hasn't been all that sad, since this is a rig, and a European one at that, they don't really recognize national holidays such as July 4th or whenever Canada Day was (seriously, just a couple days before, I think). And as no one is truly celebrating it, it seems as if it never happened at all. However, there was some excitement that went on. We had a power outage during the middle of a test that we needed power for, and so the test failed. This was the impetus for about 4 hours of retesting, failed tests, and some fun troubleshooting. And unhappy geologists of course. I feel like geologists are perpetually unhappy people (at least the ones I work with).
The highlights of my day were:
1) Getting off-tower after 16 hours of work
2) Having a short and fun date with Adam over skype.
3) Sleeping!!
4) Having pretty much nothing to do on tower this evening, so I got to spend more quality time with Adam as well as my friend Aly. It was nothing short of awesome!
I have come to a decision as well. Not a dramatic or anything, but since it will affect my life and thus, I'll want to write about it, I thought I'd share. I have decided that I am finally tired of being unhealthy and tired when doing activities that I used to do easily. I am also tired of making excuses for my bad eating habits, sporadic exercising, and non-motivation. If I don't focus on trying to become healthy now, it will be that much harder when I am 26, 30, or 35. So I was talking to my friend Aly the other night, and we decided that we would have a bet, since we a both competive and lose a specific amount of weight in the next 4 months, with the winner being given a 100 dollar gift certificate to the place of their choice by the not-so-winner. The actually winner will be decided on the percentage of their goal weight lost, as well as the number of days within that time frame that a consistent workout took place. I think it sounds like fun, a challenge, and something that is entirely do-able, so...game on!
This hitch is passing pretty quickly, actually. I am making less mistakes than I was and still learning a lot. I still know this job isn't for me for a long time in the future, but I am not as unhappy all the time when I feel like I am doing better. I work with some interestin characters, which helps. Our DDs are completely different. I have worked with there men from southern Lousiana who are all quite different. They talk pretty slow, but are quick to jump on you if you don't know what you are talking about. One chews tobacco and is a perfectionist, one is an ex marine, and the last is just a life-long oilfield guy who says, "It'll get done when it gets done." The final DD is from Columbia and is one of the most pleasant people I've had the pleasure of working with. He always has a smile and is extremely good at what he does (and very calm). The engineers I work with are varied as well. The first one I ever worked with drinks coffee like it is going out of style and is extremely energetic, no matter when I have to wake him up. He is early to get on tower, and always late to leave. The second main guy I work with is originally from Russia and he always has interesting stories about his homeland, as well as comparisons between there and here (apparently Americans are friendlier). Besides them, most people are pretty pleasant. They've finally started joking around with me after 3 hitches, which means they feel more comfortable with my general presence.
Lets see...wedding front! Adam and I are discussing honeymoon stuff and I am excited!!! It will be warm and fun and wonderful time! I wanted to skip the wedding part and elope, but Adam says that I have to stick it through now and can't just skip to my honeymoon. Plus, there is always the delicious wedding cake to look forward to. :)
I am also really looking forward to going back to town next Monday because there are so many cool things to look forward to! I am going to buy stuff for my new apartment; specifically bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen stuff. Tanya and I are splitting the livingroom costs, so we'll figure that out when she gets into town later on that week. Also, I get to spend some more time with Adam! And....(drumroll)...The final Harry Potter movie comes out!! It is oddly bittersweet because it is like a signifier that my childhood is "officially" over. The first books came out when I was about 11 or 12 I think, and now, 13 years later the final movie is hitting theaters. I know a lot of 24-28 year olds that are pretty excited about this movie. I am going with Tanya and Adam to see it on opening night, hopefully.
Other things: I am in the middle of crocheting a colorful blanket, I am interested to see what will happen for the rest of this week, and I have realized that I don't need coffee to stay awake when I am working.
And with that, I think it is time to head off tower and go to bed.
I love you all and hope you had a wonderful, colorful, fun, and delicious day. Miss you guys!
Becca
I wish I could say that I did 4th-y things, but that is not the case. Instead I am celebrating my 24th Independence day in the Gulf of Mexico. It hasn't been all that sad, since this is a rig, and a European one at that, they don't really recognize national holidays such as July 4th or whenever Canada Day was (seriously, just a couple days before, I think). And as no one is truly celebrating it, it seems as if it never happened at all. However, there was some excitement that went on. We had a power outage during the middle of a test that we needed power for, and so the test failed. This was the impetus for about 4 hours of retesting, failed tests, and some fun troubleshooting. And unhappy geologists of course. I feel like geologists are perpetually unhappy people (at least the ones I work with).
The highlights of my day were:
1) Getting off-tower after 16 hours of work
2) Having a short and fun date with Adam over skype.
3) Sleeping!!
4) Having pretty much nothing to do on tower this evening, so I got to spend more quality time with Adam as well as my friend Aly. It was nothing short of awesome!
I have come to a decision as well. Not a dramatic or anything, but since it will affect my life and thus, I'll want to write about it, I thought I'd share. I have decided that I am finally tired of being unhealthy and tired when doing activities that I used to do easily. I am also tired of making excuses for my bad eating habits, sporadic exercising, and non-motivation. If I don't focus on trying to become healthy now, it will be that much harder when I am 26, 30, or 35. So I was talking to my friend Aly the other night, and we decided that we would have a bet, since we a both competive and lose a specific amount of weight in the next 4 months, with the winner being given a 100 dollar gift certificate to the place of their choice by the not-so-winner. The actually winner will be decided on the percentage of their goal weight lost, as well as the number of days within that time frame that a consistent workout took place. I think it sounds like fun, a challenge, and something that is entirely do-able, so...game on!
This hitch is passing pretty quickly, actually. I am making less mistakes than I was and still learning a lot. I still know this job isn't for me for a long time in the future, but I am not as unhappy all the time when I feel like I am doing better. I work with some interestin characters, which helps. Our DDs are completely different. I have worked with there men from southern Lousiana who are all quite different. They talk pretty slow, but are quick to jump on you if you don't know what you are talking about. One chews tobacco and is a perfectionist, one is an ex marine, and the last is just a life-long oilfield guy who says, "It'll get done when it gets done." The final DD is from Columbia and is one of the most pleasant people I've had the pleasure of working with. He always has a smile and is extremely good at what he does (and very calm). The engineers I work with are varied as well. The first one I ever worked with drinks coffee like it is going out of style and is extremely energetic, no matter when I have to wake him up. He is early to get on tower, and always late to leave. The second main guy I work with is originally from Russia and he always has interesting stories about his homeland, as well as comparisons between there and here (apparently Americans are friendlier). Besides them, most people are pretty pleasant. They've finally started joking around with me after 3 hitches, which means they feel more comfortable with my general presence.
Lets see...wedding front! Adam and I are discussing honeymoon stuff and I am excited!!! It will be warm and fun and wonderful time! I wanted to skip the wedding part and elope, but Adam says that I have to stick it through now and can't just skip to my honeymoon. Plus, there is always the delicious wedding cake to look forward to. :)
I am also really looking forward to going back to town next Monday because there are so many cool things to look forward to! I am going to buy stuff for my new apartment; specifically bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen stuff. Tanya and I are splitting the livingroom costs, so we'll figure that out when she gets into town later on that week. Also, I get to spend some more time with Adam! And....(drumroll)...The final Harry Potter movie comes out!! It is oddly bittersweet because it is like a signifier that my childhood is "officially" over. The first books came out when I was about 11 or 12 I think, and now, 13 years later the final movie is hitting theaters. I know a lot of 24-28 year olds that are pretty excited about this movie. I am going with Tanya and Adam to see it on opening night, hopefully.
Other things: I am in the middle of crocheting a colorful blanket, I am interested to see what will happen for the rest of this week, and I have realized that I don't need coffee to stay awake when I am working.
And with that, I think it is time to head off tower and go to bed.
I love you all and hope you had a wonderful, colorful, fun, and delicious day. Miss you guys!
Becca
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Overload!
So, it feels as if I just blogged like 3 or 4 days ago, however when I checked the date of my last post I found out I was wrong. Apparently "3 or 4 days" is actually about 20. What has been happening that time span? Everything and nothing.
My hitch ended with very little fanfare, but a lot of hardwork as we were preparing for the next run with a new set of tools. I am having to remember everything I thought I knew and then apply it with varying degrees of success. Sometimes I'll get a process right the first time, and other times I completely mess up and have to have it retaught or explained by my cell manager again. One of the things I have noticed since coming to this rig is that the people that whereas every other group that works on the rig has some kind of backup, mine does not. There are just two of us. Occasionally one of us has to lose sleep to be up early and help the other, but that is only if it is a pretty big deal. Most of the time we do everything unsupervised and without someone else to double check with. It is a little bit intimidating at times because quite a few people rely on the services we provide and the technical information we give.
My days off were wonderful. I ate sushi, bought and cooked most of my own meals (something I really miss when I am on a rig), ate all the fresh fruit I wanted, signed the lease to my new apartment, signed up for a gym, and went to the dentist. Adam got to come in on Friday on his way through to Houma, so I got to spend a couple days with him and that was so much fun! We went on a swamp tour, sized his finger for a wedding ring (woot!) and went to see Green Lantern in theaters. Actually a pretty good movie. I forced him to watch several sci-fi movies in a row and he watched them relatively gracefully with minimal complaining. Now he is interning in Houma for the rest of the summer which is so incredibly close compared to how far apart we've lived! From half the world away to an hour and a half drive. I am excited :D
My new roommate in Lafayette is a girl I originally met and liked in Abu Dhabi. Her name is Tanya and I am definitely looking forward to living with her. She is fun, likes to cook, agrees that frozen yogurt is awesome, and is always enthusiastic about a conversation. She was originally placed in Angola but has been recently transferred back to Lafayette with me. Our new apartment is just the right size, cute, and is about 40 feet from a pool! It is bottom floor which is awesome for moving stuff, and is not in a super crowded part of town. Also, it is a block from the gym I joined!
Oh yes, one more thing. When I went into town I did my grade 9 promotion review! So now my salary is a bit higher and I can start making bonuses. Woot! However I still feel like this job just isn't the job for me anymore. It asks me to sacrifice to much of the stuff that I love in order to make money, and that just isn't the type of person I am. I am pretty sure I will start job searching soon :)
However, weeks off must end and now I am back on the rig. We are drilling with tools I've never seen before, so I am a little intimidated, but I will learn. Hopefully it will all go smoothly and I can come out the other end with some decent experience. This time around the internet has been a little better, so I can be on skype with more success. Its really nice to get to talk to Adam every day when I wake up and before I head to bed. And that, as they say, is that.
Now I am going to get off, send in some paperwork, and finish doing other things that cannot wait until another time. I hope that however you are spending your night, it is enjoyable!
I love you guys.
Becca
My hitch ended with very little fanfare, but a lot of hardwork as we were preparing for the next run with a new set of tools. I am having to remember everything I thought I knew and then apply it with varying degrees of success. Sometimes I'll get a process right the first time, and other times I completely mess up and have to have it retaught or explained by my cell manager again. One of the things I have noticed since coming to this rig is that the people that whereas every other group that works on the rig has some kind of backup, mine does not. There are just two of us. Occasionally one of us has to lose sleep to be up early and help the other, but that is only if it is a pretty big deal. Most of the time we do everything unsupervised and without someone else to double check with. It is a little bit intimidating at times because quite a few people rely on the services we provide and the technical information we give.
My days off were wonderful. I ate sushi, bought and cooked most of my own meals (something I really miss when I am on a rig), ate all the fresh fruit I wanted, signed the lease to my new apartment, signed up for a gym, and went to the dentist. Adam got to come in on Friday on his way through to Houma, so I got to spend a couple days with him and that was so much fun! We went on a swamp tour, sized his finger for a wedding ring (woot!) and went to see Green Lantern in theaters. Actually a pretty good movie. I forced him to watch several sci-fi movies in a row and he watched them relatively gracefully with minimal complaining. Now he is interning in Houma for the rest of the summer which is so incredibly close compared to how far apart we've lived! From half the world away to an hour and a half drive. I am excited :D
My new roommate in Lafayette is a girl I originally met and liked in Abu Dhabi. Her name is Tanya and I am definitely looking forward to living with her. She is fun, likes to cook, agrees that frozen yogurt is awesome, and is always enthusiastic about a conversation. She was originally placed in Angola but has been recently transferred back to Lafayette with me. Our new apartment is just the right size, cute, and is about 40 feet from a pool! It is bottom floor which is awesome for moving stuff, and is not in a super crowded part of town. Also, it is a block from the gym I joined!
Oh yes, one more thing. When I went into town I did my grade 9 promotion review! So now my salary is a bit higher and I can start making bonuses. Woot! However I still feel like this job just isn't the job for me anymore. It asks me to sacrifice to much of the stuff that I love in order to make money, and that just isn't the type of person I am. I am pretty sure I will start job searching soon :)
However, weeks off must end and now I am back on the rig. We are drilling with tools I've never seen before, so I am a little intimidated, but I will learn. Hopefully it will all go smoothly and I can come out the other end with some decent experience. This time around the internet has been a little better, so I can be on skype with more success. Its really nice to get to talk to Adam every day when I wake up and before I head to bed. And that, as they say, is that.
Now I am going to get off, send in some paperwork, and finish doing other things that cannot wait until another time. I hope that however you are spending your night, it is enjoyable!
I love you guys.
Becca
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Blocking Mechanism of a Rig
So, I promise I like to communicate. As you guys know, if you give me the chance to start talking I will never stop. So, though I am enjoying my time on this rig for the most part, I find it frustrating how much I am conversation blocked on a daily basis. However, I have decided that even if I am super busy or falling completely asleep, I will at least type a paragraph. However my goal tonight is to write something a bit longer and maybe even give you a legitimate update on life before I get off tower at 6 am tomorrow.
First off : My week off was both wonderful and busy. It was a quick trip into Kansas for a car pick-up and marriage counselling session (talking about Adam to anyone is pretty fun for me!!) with Pastor Tom, then driving with Adam down to Jenks, Oklahoma for my Schlumberger mandated driving class. The power point portion of the class was incredibly boring, however, the practical part (commentary driving and driving under extreme conditions) was pretty fun. I've never purposely 360'd in a car before so getting asked to do it was awesome! My favorite part of the week though, had to be getting to spend the time after class with Adam and my new friends from the school. The one adventure I didn't anticipate last week was having to get some major repairs done on my car due to a brake line seizing up right before we reached Jenks. However, it was really nice to have Adam there to share the adventure with. I am looking forward to having a million more adventures with him! I think life will be fun :)
Next: So the last part of my week ended with a 9-ish hour car drive that was aided unhelpfully by Google maps. However, having a phone with a GPS in it is sweet!! I was introduced to the app by my awesome fiance and I feel like I will be using it quite often in the future. AFter getting in and spending Sunday relaxing, I jetted off to the rig and sent Adam on his merry way back to Kansas.
The Present: Since then I have been back on the my rig and working away. It is much less stressful so far, just because I am more comfortable with the rig and how this particular job works. I am also feeling more confident in my ability not to completely fail at life this hitch. A fun link about my rig and the job we are on is below. It is so neat to be a part of something with such a large scale!!
ExxonMobil Oil Find
Well, I hope you are all having a wonderful day where you happen to be. And what do you know? It is 5:54 in the morning and I have a blog!
Love you all,
Becca
First off : My week off was both wonderful and busy. It was a quick trip into Kansas for a car pick-up and marriage counselling session (talking about Adam to anyone is pretty fun for me!!) with Pastor Tom, then driving with Adam down to Jenks, Oklahoma for my Schlumberger mandated driving class. The power point portion of the class was incredibly boring, however, the practical part (commentary driving and driving under extreme conditions) was pretty fun. I've never purposely 360'd in a car before so getting asked to do it was awesome! My favorite part of the week though, had to be getting to spend the time after class with Adam and my new friends from the school. The one adventure I didn't anticipate last week was having to get some major repairs done on my car due to a brake line seizing up right before we reached Jenks. However, it was really nice to have Adam there to share the adventure with. I am looking forward to having a million more adventures with him! I think life will be fun :)
Next: So the last part of my week ended with a 9-ish hour car drive that was aided unhelpfully by Google maps. However, having a phone with a GPS in it is sweet!! I was introduced to the app by my awesome fiance and I feel like I will be using it quite often in the future. AFter getting in and spending Sunday relaxing, I jetted off to the rig and sent Adam on his merry way back to Kansas.
The Present: Since then I have been back on the my rig and working away. It is much less stressful so far, just because I am more comfortable with the rig and how this particular job works. I am also feeling more confident in my ability not to completely fail at life this hitch. A fun link about my rig and the job we are on is below. It is so neat to be a part of something with such a large scale!!
ExxonMobil Oil Find
Well, I hope you are all having a wonderful day where you happen to be. And what do you know? It is 5:54 in the morning and I have a blog!
Love you all,
Becca
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