LIST #4

REASONS WHY I LOVE MY JOB IN THE FIELD:

1.  I get paid to sit in the wildflowers (while waiting for machines to collect data)

2.  I make infrared sensors with a soldering iron and wire them into the data loggers.

3.  I get paid to watch water trickle into dirt very slowly. (for soil infiltration rates)

4.  I acquire a pretty spectacular tan{and tan lines} at 10,000 feet because there is little obstruction of UV rays at that altitude.

5.  I stay in this cute vintage cabin with hot water and a toilet

6.  There are always new species of wildflowers in bloom each week

7.  I get to pick all the wildflowers-unlike other people-because I am a scientist and I can call it "research"

8.  I have little distractions in the wilderness so that I can ponder God, and life, as well as solve all of the world's problems - like world hunger - in my head. {I will let you know when I reach a solid conclusion.  I am still in the brain storming phase on that one...}

9.  Since I am surrounded by hippie biologists, I am privileged to be the butt of all jokes--the engineer jokes are flying constantly.

10. I am learning about all of the edible plants in the area so that just in case I am stranded in central Utah, I will be able to  survive on glacier lily seed pods, wild rose, as wells as various roots and berries.