Ugh
I just realized, after working on this Choctawhatchee project for a while now, that I may not be working on the right scale. See, there's the Choctawhatchee basin, which include three subasins - the Pea, the Upper Choctawhatchee, and the Lower Choctawhatchee. There's also an outlet to the Choctawhatchee Bay. I've just been working with the upper and lower choctawhatchee subbasins. Grr. Anyway, before going ANY further with this project, I'm going to wait until Chris lets me know which way to go with this.
I figured this out after I'd successfully used Paul's computer to dissolve my buffers. So at least I know it can be done on a computer with more RAM than mine (but it still doesn't make any sense that mine wouldn't do it). He won't be back in until Friday, so if I need to change my scale and rebuffer and dissolve, I should be able to do so. By going into Paul's office I noticed he has lots of GIS books that I would like to read...I wonder if he'd let me borrow them. I did actually read one (it was rather short) earlier today - ESRI's "Managing Natural Resources with GIS". It was okay, but dated; everything referenced was using 3.x and Arc/INFO. It was interesting to read. I keep worrying more and more about just what in the hell I want to do with this after this internship is over with. I keep leaning more and more towards land use planning or disaster management. Mostly because the environmental field wants you to have a degree in environmental science and just know how to use a GIS, not have a degree in GIS. To get into those fields, I think I'm going to have to go back to school to even qualify.
Anyway, enough about that. I found some more data to use in the Choctawhatchee analysis hidden away in former staff folders, and I've downloaded some off the Internet, though I've had very little luck finding any Alabama NPDES data, which is annoying, because I need it. Found out that Wendy will be starting her new job on January 4th, so will probably be leaving before Christmas. Which I just realized is really really soon. :( I guess shopping is just around the corner.
This has been one long day. I'm ready to get out of here, but I still have lots of time to kill. So here is what I'm waiting on and can't do anything about:
1.) Any of the sturgeon projects
2.) The Choctawhatchee analysis until I know the scale from Chris
Things I can work on:
1.) RCW project - try to merge the layers together
2.) Abnormal amphib project - I could prepare the document
3.) CBRA methodology
Melody apparently wants me to make up a methodology for how I've handled all aspects of the CBRA determinations and show Paul as well since Wendy is leaving. She apparently doesn't want to train anyone on how to do it, since she doesn't make the determinations. There is already a document out there that Wendy created, and I suppose I can just expand upon that. It's what I've been following anyway. I don't really think this is vital right this minute though, because I'll still be doing the determinations until I leave unless someone tells me otherwise.
I'm probably going to have some more stuff to put in the Dataviewer soon since Wendy is going through all of the files on her computer and putting them on the server. So I guess that will be something to do.
I'm disappointed that our office isn't apparently doing anything for GIS Day. I think I'd like to bring in something to celebrate, but then I think...who in this office is going to care that it's GIS Day? I wish I could go back to KSU for their GIS Day. I could see everybody again. :( That reminds me that I need to call Emily and see how her new gig is going.
Back to planning...
I think that what I would like to do as far as getting a job is to try out a step by step process:
1.) Ask Gordon County if they intend to hire a GIS analyst. If they are willing to and will pay a decent salary, for the sake of being close to family and getting a job I already know, I would take that until I could find something of more interest. If not, move on to step 2.
2.) Look for jobs in the Atlanta area or anywhere in GA. If there is nothing, go on to step 3.
3.) Look for jobs in Florida - preferably in the larger cities along the east coast. Jacksonville would be nice, for instance. I'm sure there would be stuff, but whether or not I would get it comes into question. If unsuccessful, go to step 4.
4.) Broaden job search to the southeast, including AL, SC, NC, or TN. If it's not possible to stay in the southeast, move on to step 5.
5.) Broaden job search to mid-atlantic, including VA, DC, MD, or PA. If nothing, move on to step 6.
6.) Broaden job search to include hot spot GIS states like CO, CA, OR, WA, AZ or TX. If I don't find anything by this time, well that means I'll either have to try for something in New England or the Midwest. I would rather not live in either place.
7.) Go back to step 1 or I'm screwed.