Ready To Move On

There is a hierarchy in the archaeology world, much like there is in every other job situation. Let me lay out the basic hierarchy for you:

Principle Investigator (PhD)

Project Director (PhD)

Crew Chief/Senior Archaeologist (Masters)

Staff Archaeologist (Bachelors)

Shovel Bum (no experience required)

Since I just have a bachelors degree I am automatically placed above the shovel bums and below everyone else.

The problem here is that experience doesn't really count. For example there are people that are considered shovel bums because they don't have degrees but they have 20 years of experience. Why am I "over" them when they have more experience and know more then me?

Same goes with the Crew Chiefs... just because some one has a Masters doesn't mean they are automatically smarter and more qualified then me to run a crew.

It's all so frustrating. I've gone as "high" as I can as an archaeologist without a graduate degree.

I guess I need a Masters if I want to stay in the archaeology world....

That being said. I did apply to graduate school for my Masters and I did get accepted. However, I'm 99% sure I'm NOT going.

I'm ready to move on. I love archaeology and I always will but I feel like I need a change. I'm ready for a change. I'm scared but I believe it's for the best.

I can't go back to school and dedicate 3 hard years of my life and a lot of money to get a degree in something that I don't want to do anymore.

That's it. Bottom line. I don't want to do it any more.

Yes, there are other things that are playing a role in this decision but I can't talk about them right now. Sorry. Once I make the move and the word is out I'll tell you all about it.

You Gotta Be Kidding Me

I was happy. For the first time in a long time I was actually happy. I was enjoying my job, I was loving my social life, I was smiling again... and then shit hit the fan.

Of course it did.

My Job is a Piece of Cake

My current job is to monitor the construction of a petroleum pipeline that extends from Salt Lake City to Vegas. So what I basically do is (1) watch bulldozers as they clear a 100 foot wide right-of-way (ROW), (2) watch bladers as they come in and smooth out the ROW, (3) watch trench hoes as they dig the trench for the pipe, and (4) watch bulldozers as they cover the pipe up with dirt.

So pretty much I stand around all day looking for cultural materials while construction workers build a pipeline.

This job may sound boring (and it can be) but it's mostly a lot of fun. There are anywhere from 15-45 people present on the ROW during construction and ALL of them love to chat! There is very rarely a dull moment. Everyone is really friendly and they would never pass up an opportunity to talk to you. I usually can't go more then 30 minutes without someone coming over and striking up a conversation or someone just driving by and waving at me.

[Heidi and I freezing out on the ROW]

I've made some pretty great friends on this pipeline but one of my favorites would have to be a 74-year-old inspector named Zinc. He is a hoot! He has the best stories and he always makes me laugh.

A few days I was watching a track hoe dig the trench and old man Zinc pulls up behind me in his truck.

"Miss Courtney! Get over there!"

I run over.

"Courtney, [he shakes his head] I'm worried about you. You're too skinny! It's windy out here and I'm afraid you are going to blow away! Here I want you to have this."

Right then he pulls out a piece of cake that his wife had made.

"Eat this! It'll help you stay on the ground!"

How could I say no?! A cute old man offering me a piece of homemade cake in the middle of a pipeline ROW... priceless.

So I ate it! And it was delicious!