A Day On The Course!
Well. I like to live and I like to do all kinds of things and so I finally took Mark’s offer to work on the Grounds for a morning. I came in to work today through the Grounds entrance at 0550 and met Reta, one of our turfgrass interns there. We got the equipment we needed to change cups on the course and headed out to the first green, Lower course. I knew that this would be work. But I had no idea that this would be that hard! Yikes. It was an enormous effort.There is an apparatus like a wide jack hammer and it takes a nice big round chunk of the green out, leaving a perfect hole. Put the cup in, step on it, twist and turn, voila, it’s done. That was easy enough, putting the cup in. Taking the chunk out and then filling the original hole – that was the effort part. And now… I am so PAYING for it. My back is killing me. But guess what. I loved it! I
loved it and I learned even more. I even noticed a fungus on the greens and that impressed Reta. I love learning. I loved working outside (not that the weather wasn’t lovely – I’d never have survived this Tuesday or Wednesday). I loved doing this work, making a physical difference. I loved that the other employees were smiling and supportive and I think they really liked seeing me put in the time and effort to do what they do.
loved it and I learned even more. I even noticed a fungus on the greens and that impressed Reta. I love learning. I loved working outside (not that the weather wasn’t lovely – I’d never have survived this Tuesday or Wednesday). I loved doing this work, making a physical difference. I loved that the other employees were smiling and supportive and I think they really liked seeing me put in the time and effort to do what they do.I’ve done this everywhere that I have worked – gotten involved in doing what the largest group of employees do. I feel strongly that this makes me a better HR manager. A more understanding HR manager. I certainly see how much work and 
effort that these guys and women put in, it is really amazing. I think it is very easy to assume that because people have purely physical jobs, doing manual labour, makes them stupid or worthless or easily replaced. It is not the case. These guys have their issues, they aren’t perfect and they do drive me and Janet (the Grounds Office Administrator) crazy. But they are out there in the best and worst conditions, heat, humidity, driving rain, winds, you name it. That is not a small thing. And they break their backs to do it.
effort that these guys and women put in, it is really amazing. I think it is very easy to assume that because people have purely physical jobs, doing manual labour, makes them stupid or worthless or easily replaced. It is not the case. These guys have their issues, they aren’t perfect and they do drive me and Janet (the Grounds Office Administrator) crazy. But they are out there in the best and worst conditions, heat, humidity, driving rain, winds, you name it. That is not a small thing. And they break their backs to do it.During the morning out there, I did everything along with Reta, helped with the thing we used
to get the dirt out, put in the cups, helped marry the replaced dirt into the green, and even watered one green. While I was doing it I felt great. After four hours, I was ready to go and did not even consider stopping in the office. I came home, ate and crashed – hard. I took a nap, and began to feel stiff. Now my back hurts, although the moist heat is helping a lot. I’ll feel it today and maybe tomorrow too (it is 0115, so it is Sunday now) but I’ll be fine. This is typical – pushing myself too far to prove I won’t let limb girdle muscular dystrophy or anything else keep me from living life to the fullest. I’d rather feel pain and know I’m alive and doing everything that I get a chance to than not take any chances at all.
to get the dirt out, put in the cups, helped marry the replaced dirt into the green, and even watered one green. While I was doing it I felt great. After four hours, I was ready to go and did not even consider stopping in the office. I came home, ate and crashed – hard. I took a nap, and began to feel stiff. Now my back hurts, although the moist heat is helping a lot. I’ll feel it today and maybe tomorrow too (it is 0115, so it is Sunday now) but I’ll be fine. This is typical – pushing myself too far to prove I won’t let limb girdle muscular dystrophy or anything else keep me from living life to the fullest. I’d rather feel pain and know I’m alive and doing everything that I get a chance to than not take any chances at all.It means a lot to me. So did my morning on the course.
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