So, What is it?

I have been asking myself as to 'Why?'! So, where did I leave off? Ahh, yes, I took this position as a seasonal position, in hopes to get on full time. I found that I enjoy the boat ride over to the island everyday. It kind of leaves things where they should be. I love to look over the water and just kind of be somewhere else. Is that what I need? I am finding out... YES it is! I can leave my other worries on the dock at Pier 33, and, well, pick them up when I get back. I like that feeling of calm. When I get to the island, I find myself always to be somewhere else.

Wow, today, I will be working the evening tour! YES!! I will on the island at night tonight! When I first started, and found out that there are night tours.... Umm, I felt a little.. (Yikes) about being on the island at night. I was told that it is a very pretty island, and that the tour is a little more intimate. I was also told that during my time here on the island, that the night tour would be a good thing to experience. Well, I get the opportunity to do so.. TONIGHT!! One of the guys that usually does the night tour, is on vacation to the Phillipines, and each one of us kind of volunteered to fill one of his shifts! Its my turn tonight.

Some of the products that we have is based on the Nite tour, and I think that the Night Island Images(on the products)is very pretty! I will make sure to take some pictures tonight of my experience. I am feeling kinda nervous and excited... and a little scared. At first I wanted to take the Night Tour, but as time goes on, uhhh, I was not sure, but now I will find out. I think I am making a big thing out of nothing. I mean, there are night tours 5 days out of the week! Right???

Recently, I have been walking by some displays, and not only has it happened to me.. but the books decide that they want to fall off of the shelves. They say that the place could be haunted, but I do not feel that. Well, but lately, I have kind of second thought on that. I do not believe in ghosts.. Why am I doing this to myself??
Gotta jet!

PEACE!

Good Morning

I remember the first weeks of my training, I felt pretty amazed at the goings on, on the island. I did not understand alot that goes on. I do know that when I had my breaks, I got to just look over the water, and from what I could see, I was facing Oakland, or Emeryville. There was alot of adjusting going, a lot of training, and a lot of just watching what was going on around me!

As I look at this picture that I took, I am looking out towards Marin. Alot of the days were foggy, sometimes it was even warmer than the City! As I am training at the Theater Store, my knowledge of retail kicked in as if it were second nature. That was a good thing! At that time, things are still new. I was still working with Shoreline as an usher, and I knew was getting tired! Its all good though. I realzed just how much my 'people' skills also started to come out. Learning product was real interesting... I am a Gift Store kind of 'junkie, and I really thought that the items that Alcatraz sold was pretty neat! =) I know that sounds a little dorkie, I do not know another word to describe it. The most asked question so far at that point... "Do you have shot glasses for sale?" Well that really surprised me, but then I do know alot of people that collect those! My daughter being one of them. I had to ask a proper way to answer that, because, I even got 'Why not?" So logically put..... because the inmates did not have access to shot glasses, we do not have them available for sale.

I also learned that any or all items must be approved by the Rangers of the Conservancy, before we can sell it! So, can you imagine just what kind of things that we do stock? Yepp, Soap! Tin Cups! Playing cards, and the infamous #107 Brass Key! There is more, but I have to get ready for work!~


PEACE!

This is the Beginning!?!

Hello, and I am glad that you decided to check this blog that I have just created. I am a native San Franciscan, that grew up in the 60's. Times were different, yet, some things do not change! I remember as I was growing up that the American Indian's had taken hold of the Island that we know as Alcatraz. I was also told to keep away from there because there was 'trouble' there. I really never gave it much thought to that, because I was a teenager, growing up with so many other things going on my mind.. that .... I do know that I recognize the island no matter what part of the Bay Area I happen to be in. It was like my 'landmark' so to speak, to let me know whether we were coming in or going out of the City.

Anyways, about two months ago, I started to work for the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and my location is on Alcatraz Island. I am in the Retail department, and I work in one of the three book stores on the Island. I work in the Upper Book Store. I remember when the position was offered to me, I was not sure how I felt, but I knew that I was ecstatic that I was going to be working full time hours. But being the person that I am, I knew I was going to make it through.... the season! I was not going to let anything get in my way.

I thought... I am a Native of this City, and I should be very happy that I can work for a place that I thought would be way out of league, as far as the place of employment! Rather than letting myself scare me out of going to work on this island called Alcatraz, I thought of all the positive things... As, The Conservancy, and ...!!! This is a place where History took place..... Things that were happening in my backyard, so to speak!

On the first day, I was to meet my new boss, Chris, at Pier 33, and we had to get on the 8:45A boat! The employee boat! Good ole MUNI, was making my blood pressure rise, when 8:30... 8:35...8:40 and I was jumping off of the 'F' trolley car and running to get to the pier. Let alone the feeling of alonesness is so evident on the first day of the job... The whole boat was looking at me when I walked on! Oh my!

I made the trip over to the island, okay! I made it through the rocking boat, and well, the scenery took my mind off of that ok... I never realized what it took to actually 'run' an island! That would be on the operational part of it. Water has to be barged in... I mean I was in so much AWE that I was pretty much speechless!
I was like that pretty much the whole day.. seeing the rangers, other employees, meeting all these new faces! Was I going to remember all of their names??

In the interview, Chris did NOT tell me about the 4... yes, FOUR hills that I would have to climb to get to work! He thought that I should take the 'Audio Tour', so that I would be able to relate to the guests as they walk into the book store after they have done the tour. WOW!!! What a tour! Alot of information! I was in more AWE! My mind was going a hundred miles a minute.. maybe more! I had (and still do) so many questions, that I did not even know how to ASK the question! And then to know that I, pretty much had all the answers I want, if I just walk around the bookstore! =) I realized that day, just how much history was under my nose, and I did not even know it! I wanted to learn more... and more ....! How could I have been born and raised so close to the island and not know anything about it? Anyways, that was my first day of work, on the Island that we know as Alcatraz!

PEACE!