I have experienced and seen things through this internship that I otherwise probably never would have. I’ve also formed lasting relationships–I could not have asked for more! In my exit interview I admitted to my mentor that even if I had the ability to stay on in this position, as much as I would want to, I would never want to deprive another young biologist of this wonderful experience. I have not only learned and been trained in many areas, beefed up my resume, and had a great time doing it–I’ve also visited some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, on and off the clock. Some of my favourite memories to date are because of CLM–thanks for everything!

The work load of the staff at our BLM office is too daunting to fathom. Through observation and participation, I have learned two very valuable lessons about science, government work, and life in general: there is never enough time or money.

Instead of bitterly swallowing this reality I’ve decided to work these ideas into my everyday life in order to make myself more humble and…less in control. I cannot live my life in complete order, nothing I do personally or professionally will ever be so neat and tidy as task A leads to B and so on. Sometimes you have to skip down to X, realize you haven’t the funds, try to allocate them while you start on M, get turned away by your not-so-charitable donors, trash project X and right after ward you find just enough excess in the budget. All of life follows this kamikaze flight pattern and the longer it takes one to realize, or accept, then the more misery one can perceive life to be.

I am probably way off track with this assessment, but I think our mentor wanted us to learn this during our time here. I think he wanted us to walk away with the knowledge that systems that are put in place are imperfect because life is erratic and unpredictable, but success is possible and attainable through 1) understanding this fact 2) bobbing and weaving, ebbing and flowing. Its a struggle everyday in my life at home and at work to “let go and let god” so to speak, but I have the BLM to thank for motivating me to try to be free.

I feel more and more each day that the work Ive been doing here at the Carson City, NV BLM is meaningful and important. Now you add to this sensation a wonderful crew and mentor and you tend to look forward to work everyday. My favourite thing so far about my time here is the ever-changing nature of our work. Every week is something new and exciting and nearly every day we see or do something different. I love being immersed in a job I feel is challenging and meaningful while also getting to spend this time with others that share my enthusiasm and sense of wonder for the natural world. The first time we saw a Great Basin Collared Lizard it was as if we were all seeing a lizard for the first time. Out came the video cameras, pictures being snapped, fingers being pointed. The lizard, who eventually became known as Wowsosaurus, even let me touch his back. The thing I treasure most about my work here is that while we are working, which is generally fun in itself, we get to see, learn, and experience so much. Its like work, school, and play all in one. I couldn’t have asked for a better career starter!

My time in Carson City is more to me than the BLM. Generally people, including myself, enjoy our lives more which in turn means we become better workers when we have connections and an interesting life. I am sincerely content in all aspects of my time at the BLM. My coworkers are incredible people–you feel the love and respect we have for one another. The projects that I am involved in are increasing and getting interesting. Field work is always exciting, different, and challenging, what more could one ask for!?

I have had many odd jobs, and overall a very interesting (often times challenging) life. I feel that I have always been wise for my age and …hard to suprise. As much as I would like to think so–I could not have prepared myself for my time in Nevada. This is the strangest/most challenging position I’ve ever had, this is the strangest place Ive ever been, and these are the most foreign habitats and the least I’ve ever known about one. This is not to say the experience is either good or bad–on the contrary, I like not knowing yet. I love challenges and hard tasks, but mostly when others are forcing me into taking the leap. Now, it feels as if it is up to me to decide how deep i can go. How much can I learn? What risks am I willing to take? My mentor is quite a mystery to me. A fellow staffer told me this agency would be more challenged, but much better for it in the end, if more people like my mentor existed. I have to say…I agree. As lost and actually dumb as I sometimes feel at this job, I somehow know that there is meaningful and insightful  lessons that I am supposed to take from this, from him, from Nevada–and not all of them are scientific. I’ve always said that college taught me how to think like a scientist: its more like I was told what an ideal scientist would do in any one cookbook lab scenario. Now–it is real.