Just realized I went over 200 posts yesterday. Hmm I'm thinking I should get an award for bein' so wordy...
I'm at my 13th annual Iowa Recycling and Solid Waste Conference. This year it's in Waterloo. Makes me think about that first one I attended. It was in Sioux City. About a month prior to the conference I went to a waste sort in Perry. Yeah, I know! I get to do all the fun stuff.
A waste sort is when people actually dig through loads of garbage to determine what the makeup is - how much is paper, food, metal etc. At the waste sort, I met a couple of cool women with whom I'm still friends today - Susan and Barb. (friendship longevity is something worth striving for...) Knowing the Union County Landfill Commission (my employer back then) was not rolling in dough, I made arrangements to room with Susan S. at that first conference in Sioux City.
Sleeping/rooming with people you don't know well is kinda weird. In fact sleeping with anyone is weird, because we all have our own little rituals. I'm happy to report that Susan and I got along quite famously. She (nor I) snored or made other strange nighttime noises. In fact we stayed up late chatting and getting to know each other. Susan is an awesome lady, very hardworking and thoughtful.
At the conference I hung out with Susan and Barb at breaks. They introduced me to another cool chicka - Pam. The four of us became fast friends (what does that mean? Do some people make slow friends?), meeting periodically to talk about recycling education, and our lives in general. The three of them were great mentors and peers to me, especially in those early years when I was struggling to figure out just what I was supposed to be doing in my new job as recycling educator.
Tomorrow I should see Susan and Pam. Alas Barb moved to Fort Dodge with her pastor hubbie - she was just a newlywed that first year in Sioux City. Barb is now working for Trees Forever, but she says she misses the trash world.
I like trash people. They are good people. Except for the dumb asses - there are a few of those. I plan to enjoy myself with the 150 trash folks tomorrow.
I'm at my 13th annual Iowa Recycling and Solid Waste Conference. This year it's in Waterloo. Makes me think about that first one I attended. It was in Sioux City. About a month prior to the conference I went to a waste sort in Perry. Yeah, I know! I get to do all the fun stuff.
A waste sort is when people actually dig through loads of garbage to determine what the makeup is - how much is paper, food, metal etc. At the waste sort, I met a couple of cool women with whom I'm still friends today - Susan and Barb. (friendship longevity is something worth striving for...) Knowing the Union County Landfill Commission (my employer back then) was not rolling in dough, I made arrangements to room with Susan S. at that first conference in Sioux City.
Sleeping/rooming with people you don't know well is kinda weird. In fact sleeping with anyone is weird, because we all have our own little rituals. I'm happy to report that Susan and I got along quite famously. She (nor I) snored or made other strange nighttime noises. In fact we stayed up late chatting and getting to know each other. Susan is an awesome lady, very hardworking and thoughtful.
At the conference I hung out with Susan and Barb at breaks. They introduced me to another cool chicka - Pam. The four of us became fast friends (what does that mean? Do some people make slow friends?), meeting periodically to talk about recycling education, and our lives in general. The three of them were great mentors and peers to me, especially in those early years when I was struggling to figure out just what I was supposed to be doing in my new job as recycling educator.
Tomorrow I should see Susan and Pam. Alas Barb moved to Fort Dodge with her pastor hubbie - she was just a newlywed that first year in Sioux City. Barb is now working for Trees Forever, but she says she misses the trash world.
I like trash people. They are good people. Except for the dumb asses - there are a few of those. I plan to enjoy myself with the 150 trash folks tomorrow.
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