8/27/21
Today was a day of rest and recovery from the Shangri La hike and in preparation of the Disco Party happening tomorrow. There was also a group hanging out at St. Mary because it was Michaela's last day here in Glacier. We met here parents because they are helping her move back home and it was a great time hearing stories about her growing up. Later, after her parents went back to their hotel, we played Red Flags, a "set up your friend on a blind date" card game, and talked about the significance of this season. We all encouraged Michaela and then Amos and I drove back to Swiftcurrent. Amos and I talked about what it is going to look like with our friends leaving and us moving forward into the unknown. He does a great job of processing and spending time with himself to understand the significance of his experience. That is something that I greatly lack in and feel challenged to work on. This season of life is full of opportunity and I want to be sure not to miss out o the full experience of understanding the impact this space has had on my life.
8/28/21
Today was spent cleaning and catching up on finances, applications, and further research for my trip post-season. However, this evening involved our property Disco Party! Almost everyone was decked out in flashy clothes and 70s-80s fashion. I didn't want to spend money on a costume so I just wore my short running shorts, a tank top, and aviators. I basically danced from 9:30pm to 1:30am and honestly didn't get too tired. We listened to the Bee Gee's, ABBA, and a few other classic 70's and 80's hits so I was definitely in my element. There ended up being a split in the party with people who weren't into dancing standing outside and just talking while listening to music but everyone who wanted to dance stayed in the basement, which is where I was for the whole night. It was a great time and I got quite a few comments on my dancing ability.
8/29/21
Today I gave the message at the services and focused on how God created us to pursue the passions He has laid on our hearts. We are made to be complacent stagnant individuals sitting in a "comfortable" faith. We are called to take the steps that challenge us to pursue the desires of our hearts/passions. I talked about how I came out here to do two things: figure out who I am, and figure out what I want to do. I haven't really answered those two questions but in all honesty I feel that those two questions are being pursued our entire lives. I am hoping to find some time after this season to process the significance of my time in Glacier and to think about the relationships that I have built with the amazing people out here.
On another note, a group of us went to the Chief Mountain overlook in an attempt to see the Northern Lights. To the naked eye it seemed like a greyish orange haze pillow just over the horizon but in the camera you could see the green, blue, and purple as if shaped like a sunset. It was exceptionally strong but it was definitely the Northern Lights. While we were all watching I brought up the fact that lady Quinn, the girl working in the kitchen, and I hadn't yet dueled for the true Quinn to be named. So, we ended up zipping ourselves up in our sleeping bags and had a sleeping bag fight where if you hit the ground from falling the point was given to your opponent. I came out strong with knocking her over in the first round and then dodging her effort in the second round but then I tripped in the third round. In the fourth round I was a little over eager so I overcommitted and she dodged out of the way of my charge so I basically face planted on the ground. In the fifth round it was tied and we were asked what our final words would be. After a few seconds I said, "Bruv," and lady Quinn said, "Bruh." It was a longer match in the fifth round until I caught her off balance and was able to knock her to the ground. Apparently it was quite entertaining for everyone else so that added to the fun of seeing the Northern Lights.
8/30/21
Today I slept in until 10:45am since I didn't have to work until 12pm. I was able to journal and process some things from this summer before going to work which was something that I hadn't been able to, or motivated to do, in a while. my shift was pretty mediocre with nothing too crazy happening. I ended up staying an extra hour to make some more money and then went to bed for my opening shift tomorrow.
8/31/21
Today for my shift I stayed an extra 2 hours, again trying to make that extra buck before the trip starts in 2 weeks. I got off of work at 4pm and had received a message from Caitlyn, a support member for ACMNP in St. Mary, that she would be staying at the Many Glacier Campground for the night and was wondering if anyone wanted to hang out. So I grabbed dinner and then met her over at her campsite. After talking for a while we realized that we needed a lighter for the fire pit, now that the stage 2 fire ban has ended. So I went back to my cabin and grabbed some stuff for the fire and also grabbed my guitar to play. I ran into Amos and was reminded that the two Spencer's at Swiftcurent would be dueling tonight as well. Amos joined Caitlyn and I and then after an hour or so we went to watch the duel between the Spencer's. Amos provided foam/pvc swords for their duel and it was decided that a point would be given for a head or torso hit. The firs to 3 points would win. It was quite entertaining and boy Spencer ended up winning 3-2. Some other people then dueled for fun until Amos asked if anyone wanted to, Amos is really good, so I said I would. He utterly destroyed me and eventually I surrendered when he landed a blow on my head that actually made my ears ring. It was a lot of fun and great to see everyone laughing and enjoying themselves in spite of employees leaving every other day. I ended up going back to the campsite with Caitlyn and then Molly eventually joined us. It was wonderful conversation and also the first fire that I sat around since early June before the fires had gotten bad.
9/1/21
This morning when I went to work it was exceptionally cold and rainy. I didn't think much of it beyond the fact that it would be a miserable day for hiking. Later that morning once the sun rose people kept mentioning snow and so I stepped on to the front porch of the Motor Inn lobby and saw that the mountain peaks had snow on them! September 1st and there was snow! It was a beautiful sight especially with the sun beginning the reflect on the peaks. IT wasn't a large amount, more of a dusting, and was gone by lunch but even so it was a beautiful view. Additionally in the morning I dealt with a guest extremely upset about a mouse issue that had occurred the previous night. Apparently the mouse had gotten stuck in the trap but was still alive and through its attempts to escape, started bleeding and was bleeding all over the room. So they had moved rooms, upgraded rooms with no upcharge, and were adamant about receiving a discount. I don't have the authorization to approve discounts so I told them they would have to wait until noon for my manager to get there. They said they wouldn't and through conversation, and a few of my jokes, they calmed down and said that it was fine. My location manager, a few of my neighbors, and plenty of other co-workers have all had mice in their rooms so many of the people that freak out over the mice probably don't understand that we are in the their territory by being in the park. I also had a lady come in and ask for 6 cups for coffee and had asked for 6 cups the day before and had asked for 10 packets even though the room has 4 in them and they were only staying a total of 6 nights (She just came in this morning 9/3/21 and asked for 4 more packets of coffee). Again I am learning the severe level of addiction that people have to caffeine and how far they are willing to stoop to harass and abuse people to get coffee when it isn't readily available.
Boy Spencer left this morning and is the first domino in a longer list of people leaving. Over the next week we will have someone leaving every other day. It is definitely a sad time but is a part of the seasonal life. There was a smaller group that attempted to see the Northern Lights again tonight and yet again we had no luck. We originally went to Chief Mountain and then after not seeing anything we went back to Duck Lake Campground. We really couldn't see anything there either but we had an abrupt interaction that made us leave early. We could hear a horse neighing a ways off then heard its hooves hitting the ground and approaching then we heard it neigh again much closer. The field was completely dark so we couldn't see anything but one of the guys with us works with horses and he said that if they are moving and active at night then that means something is spooking them. We had our flashlights out and were searching along the tree line to see if there was anything there when I saw a pair of eyes. Normally this is freaky enough but one of the girls with us is a photographer and had been out at this place before and was run off by wolves. So we all instantly agreed to leave, and leave we did.
9/2/21
I worked another extra 2 hours today and am really looking forward to this next paycheck. I also received my camp stove, solar charger, and a massage gun for the road trip. I chose the Coleman Triton+ for the stove since my parents have had a Coleman since before I was born and it is still functioning. We also said goodbye to Lady Quinn since she is heading back to school. Before she left I dubbed her Badass Quinn and told her that she would be the most badass Quinn I will ever meet. After work I practiced guitar for a while because we decided to have a campfire worship session tonight and I wanted to warm up a bit. It was a reflective and thoughtful space at the campfire. The stars were brilliantly bright and the fire was a good one. Amos shared some recent thoughts and some other people shared prayers and insights that they have been processing. We even had a friend show up that is not interested in religion at all, he didn't realize that we were having a worship service but he still stayed once he realized it. We talked about faith and the call to not be idle. It is so much easier to live complacently but that is not the example that Christ lived out. Amos challenged us to take the chance of giving God the space to be radical. To lean in to the times where we are skeptical and doubtful. To start the conversations that we avoid.
P.S. 1984 is quite an interesting book.
"Where can I find the boat to ride."-a guest
"It will be at the lake where the boat dock is, you drove by it on the way in." - me
"No I'm talking about the one here."- same guest
"We are the dead end at the end of the road sir, the boat dock is back up the road a mile on the lake that you went past." - me
"I could have sworn there was a boat around here to ride."- same guest
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