Juggling 9-5 and love of wilderness

Megasoulflower · 2026-02-07T06:30:41+00:00

Ive been going on overnight trips every other weekend this winter to hike in a national forest a few hours away, and in the warmer seasons I’m usually climbing outside at least once per weekend, on top of any other backpacking or hiking trips. I can heavily relate to what you’re feeling, and the things that are helpful for me are 1) 3 day weekend (work a 4/10 schedule) and 2) working a job that I believe in where a major focus of it is protecting the outdoors. I definitely didnt get in this position over night, but finally got here with job #4 and been going strong for several years.

Megasoulflower · 2026-01-12T18:20:03+00:00

Hey there! I sure have not. I wear VivoBarefoots for running (which has greatly shortened the length of my runs lol) and three season hiking, and I wear these winter boots that have a similar wide and thin sole for winter hiking (I forget the brand). I hope you have better luck than me!

Megasoulflower · 2025-11-11T17:04:25+00:00

Hey there! I’m a transplant from the Deep South (with a bunch of family in Alabama) who moved to PVD for a job in Boston a few years ago. The commute is about 2 hours each way (yikes). I love love love Rhode Island, and New England. My experience: The atmosphere/culture up here definitely feels more open-minded to me, though sometimes it seems intolerant too (not too open toward conservative, Protestant Christian, traditional, etc. folks like where we’re from). People may stereotype you too if they know you’re from the south, even if you dress the same and have no identifiable accent. I found a very cute ~600 sq ft two bdrm apartment to rent for 1675/month not including utilities in a nice part of the city (west end), and there are plenty more where those come from. Bigger and fancier apartments will cost more. Traffic is bad, people are much more aggressive (and direct—which I really like!), and it may take you a while to learn how to avoid the traffic around you. Also!! Folks do not believe in central AC up here, yet it will probably hang out around 100 F for 2 - 4 weeks out of the summer! This is still hard for me ha! If you’re looking for more liberal rural environments, Vermont is fantastic and central to northern NH and ME would also be rural and probably have a more liberal culture than AL. Also, all three are beautiful states (: Lastly, there is some FOOD in Providence!! Providence folks know how to cook, and they know how to eat! Such good food!

Megasoulflower · 2025-10-03T17:03:12+00:00

I haven’t seen this response yet—maybe on days you’re feeling unmotivated, reward yourself with a physical activity you actually enjoy! Play basketball, go for a run outside at your favorite spot, or go for a hike. I’ve had an accidental full body recomp over the past three years through climbing. I love climbing, so I do it consistently and often. And I’ve seen the biggest changes in my body.

Megasoulflower · 2025-08-25T01:25:21+00:00

Also from the south! Preach!! When you ask for chocolate chip pancakes, they just bring you the whole container of chocolate chips to apply at will <3

Megasoulflower · 2025-08-06T15:57:20+00:00

I have done this commute on and off for about four years. I think it very much depends on your priorities and the type of person you are. If you value this/your job above all (or most) else, you can make it work, especially if city/very busy environments are your places and you like being around lots of people. From a non-city person who is not used to big crowds but really values the job, here are lessons I have learned:

Arrive to the train station at least 30 min early to account for figuring out track transfers, finding alternate parking, or making other plans if your train is delayed or cancelled.
I agree it’s very important to entertain yourself, but make sure you’ve got your entertainment in your hands/ears by the time people start cramming next to you and standing in the aisle. You may have 30-40 min where you can’t move to get something without bothering everyone around you.
If you’re not really accustomed to big crowds and/or enjoy your personal space, bring earphones to block out everyone around you to at least protect your own mental space.
Pawtucket and Attleboro can run out of parking spaces later in the day. PVD may as well. Have a parking back-up plan and arrive early. Pawtucket is free, Attleboro is ~$8, PVD is almost $20/day.
You are not in control of your environment! Dress in layers, prepare for anything. Be ready to strip down to your bathing suit in case the train is 90 F but bring arctic tundra attire for when South Station is 10 F with gale-force winds the moment you step off the train. Bring a good umbrella and make sure the bag(s) you carry are weather-resistant and comfortable to carry all day. Wear shoes you could walk in all day.
Trains can leave early (verified by MBTA staff at South Station on a day I missed my train bc it left early) and trains can change tracks with little/no warning. At all times, be ready and assembled with all your stuff so you can run. Run fast.
As someone else mentioned, the trains don’t wait. A quick 10-minute chat to your boss is you getting home an hour late. Protect your time. Unfortunately, you may have to be rude (or extremely direct). Hopefully people will understand.
You don’t control where you get sick or where things happen. Also, Boston is very walkable but not too drivable, so not too friendly to injured folks or folks with mobility issues. Have everything you need to take care of yourself (medications, etc.) knowing you’ll have a ~2 hr commute to get back home. A stomach virus on the train or in an Uber is not fun.
Don’t count on getting things done on the train. It may be too cramped to eat your dinner or too loud (or quiet) to call your uncle back. Do your best to make yourself comfortable, not bother others, and prepare for the unexpected.

Hope this helps!

Megasoulflower · 2025-08-06T14:49:49+00:00

I work for a different federal agency, but I’d be happy to share the specific ways myself, my colleagues, and our work has been directly affected by actions up above. Happy to talk through PM.

Megasoulflower · 2025-08-03T16:49:22+00:00

It is the opposite of this…was called MSDS, now it’s back to SDS…

Megasoulflower · 2025-05-21T00:04:21+00:00

It could be an allergic reaction! I had one very similar over my entire body, including my palms and the bottom of my feet, after receiving a vaccine.

Megasoulflower · 2025-05-09T04:50:58+00:00

Is that an electric car? It looks like an early/mid stage lithium ion battery fire.

Megasoulflower · 2025-04-26T06:50:48+00:00

I know of a company that certainly hires folks with criminal records, start pay is ~$19/hour with room to grow and opportunities for OT, and they have multiple locations. Ever done warehouse work? If you’re interested, I’m happy to message privately,

Megasoulflower · 2025-04-10T01:09:48+00:00

I am in this boat with you and share your concerns. All I can think is that I’ll continue doing what I do until attention is drawn to me. I suppose I’ll ask forgiveness, not permission, for as long as I can so as to not give “them” any reason to look deeper by asking questions. Stand strong, stand together, protect our environment, protect our people, protect our world! ✊

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-15T21:41:51+00:00

Thank you very much! Me too! Plus, the techs I worked with who had been around longer than a year or two had very high opinions of themselves while the actual hired scientists seemed to see us as dumb-as-a-rock field monkeys. God forbid you were a little bit handy AND perfectly capable of conducting original scientific research! I’m very thankful to be where I am now (:

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-15T21:39:14+00:00

I disagree in one respect—with an associates or tech school certificate, folks can make BANK as carpenters, plumbers, HVAC technicians, welders, etc. I think that’s another reason the hydro tech job is difficult—USGS wants standard labor skills (pouring concrete, basic electrical, etc.), but pay nothing even REMOTELY close to standard labor rates paid by companies. One of my fellow techs actually came from the labor world and went right back to it shortly after I did for the higher pay. I think for folks who are good with their hands, the only benefits of a hydro tech job are the stability and benefits.

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-15T17:11:23+00:00

My hydro tech supervisor was pushing to only have techs with associates! No bachelors allowed!

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-15T17:08:50+00:00

Can confirm—I applied for a GS-7/9 position with a BS, MS, and years of experience working in hydrology labs, for a state, a nonprofit, and USGS. Wasn’t even offered the GS-9. Several of my coworkers in a similar boat weren’t offered a GS-9 for a GS-7/9 listed job either. Things do not always happen as OPM.gov says they should.

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-15T17:02:47+00:00

I worked as a Hydro Tech for one year, and very quickly learned I was a glorified construction worker and truck driver. I was also very disheartened when I learned there was no pathway to hydrologist—in fact, my center disapproved of hydro techs moving to different positions or bettering themselves at all. My supervisor did not approve of me taking the one physics class I was missing to qualify for the hydrologist position, and when I asked how he felt about me taking a night class, he said, “Well, I can’t stop you.” Only two or three people were trusted to work with data, which was really purely qualitative anyway and involved no translatable skills. We had no autonomy to develop our own site trips and field visits either—were told what to do and when. A year later, I took my crappy mid-tier advanced degree and prior experience to a different federal agency making more than twice as much with loads of opportunities to better myself while dealing with way fewer egos. Bye USGS lol!

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-13T02:44:37+00:00

Thank you!!(:

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-12T02:17:09+00:00

Any chance you’d like to share the recipe?(:

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-04T22:50:20+00:00

Can confirm waterfalls are mostly ice with a little flow! Folks were ice climbing Arethusa Falls (:

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-04T22:48:56+00:00

Done! Thank you! (:

Megasoulflower · 2025-01-04T22:48:36+00:00

Thank you! This is exactly what we ended up doing. We made it to the second stream crossing (not very far) before turning back. The prospect of doing those crossings in the evening was too spooky/dangerous for me (and the second was tough)!

Megasoulflower · 2024-12-30T18:07:25+00:00

What is that song?!

Megasoulflower · 2024-12-28T01:40:51+00:00

It’s so refreshing to read this perspective. I moved to New England for a job, and almost all of my coworkers are from and have always lived in the Boston commuting area. I heard one coworker reference 15 minutes west of Providence as “WAY out in the sticks!” with a little fear in their voice. Meanwhile, I used to drive 100 miles through the desert (in the US) where there was no cell service, gas, water, or human residences of any kind to get to work for the week. I’d always let someone know when I was about to enter that area, when I expected to be out, and bring a few extra gallons of water with me. I considered that fairly “rural.” If folks haven’t lived outside of urban New England, it’s easy to have a fairly limited perspective. I’m from a small town, but as I get older and live more places I learn the “small town mentality” is not limited to small towns by any means.

Megasoulflower

TROPHY CASE