Varying Degrees of Tough

The above photo is the Granger Recycling Center, where I spent last Friday morning, sorting mixed recyclables. My job requires me to write and speak about all aspects of the company, so I'm slowly making the rounds to the different divisions, trying to soak up as much knowledge as I can.

I'm really enjoying the things I'm learning. I hate not knowing everything about everything, so I embrace these educational experiences as part of my quest to be all knowing. Aspirations of omniscence aside, it was really hard work. I stood on the platform (where you can see the yellow railing), pulling the "good stuff" off the conveyor belt and sending it to the baler, while the trash (that people seem to think belongs in recycling containers) remained on the belt headed for the dumpster. In the afternoon, I walked around the drop-off area, observing people and picking up the trash everyone had left behind.

Besides the things I learned about our recycling operations, I also reaffirmed the fact that I am not made for manual labor. As much as I train and as many hours as I have in on the bike this year, it didn't matter a bit at the recycling center. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and sore. Tough when it comes to training doesn't necessarily translate to tough anywhere else. I was glad to be back at my computer today.