Nowhere To Go But Up

My dad, who reads my blog fairly often, has sent me a whole bunch of pictures from my early years. I think these are great, many of which I haven't seen since shortly after they were taken. I love getting pictures of any kind, especially of back home, and really especially of me. Is that vain? Eh, who cares. The important thing is now I get to share them with you.



When I look at these pics, the thing I notice most is how different things are now. My mom kept that carpet in the living room until all of the kids were grown up because it hid stains well. The kitchen was painted red until a few years ago. Those old high-back chairs made me feel like I ate dinner in a castle. All that plastic dishware just so my sisters and I couldn't break it. Etc. etc. etc.

Probably the number one use for blogs around the world is for people to babble about themselves. Specifically, people like to talk about what they're thinking, what they're doing (whether or not it's cool), and they like to post pictures of themselves, their family, and friends. Today I'm going to post a picture of me, my youngest sister, and our good friend Darth Vader.

When I was a kid, as I have mentioned, I really liked playing with Star Wars figurines. Star Wars was the coolest thing and playing with the toys proved that I was pretty darn cool as well. Getting to meet one of the actual real-life cast members of the movies would be a dream come true, or one would think. I think it was at a school 'fun frolic' that we had Darth Vader as a special visitor. I remember being pretty stoked to go see the lord of the dark side. It sort of played out like the scene from the movie "A Christmas Story" in which Ralphie finally gets to meet Santa, but things go horribly wrong. I finally got up close and personal with pure evil and it didn't seem so cool after all. There I was, no lightsaber or blaster or anything, standing close to a huge dude that I knew for sure could pick me up by my neck and squeeze the fun out of my day.



If you're having a hard time figuring out which one is me, I'm the scared little girl in the yellow shirt. You see, even though my hair is getting long now, it was ALWAYS long when I was a kid. Long and blonde. I got hit on by a lot of boys in the first grade (ok, I got into a lot of fights, but still...). Girls were icky back then anyway. This picture was taken well before I hit my growth spurt and started growing hair in strange places. I'm thinking now I could probably take Darth if he tried messing with me. My sister Julie seems unruffled by the whole experience and looks glamorous in her summer dress.

I've been reading about this guy, who was passed by several hikers as he lay dying. The story put me in mind of this other guy who was pretty bad off, but had a happier ending. During my travels just before coming to the South Pole, I read a book about Sagarmatha, the Nepal name for Mount Everest. Reading that book really highlighted how much I don't want to climb a mountain that big (Mom, you can rest easy). A lot of people climb Everest these days, most of whom are rich but not very good hikers. Also, several of the folks skipping around up there have conflicting personalities with the others that happen to run across at high altitudes. The South Pole has a lot of things in common with Everest. They're both cold (it's colder here), high (Everest has the slight edge in that regard), forbidding (less people have wintered over at the South Pole than summited Everest), and windy (eh, my guess is that it's windier on Everest). What is different is that people don't die here so much and we tend to get along a little better. It's cheaper to get here (only slightly cheaper for tourists, but I had an all-expense paid trip), but I would think that Everest has better views. Most people stay at the South Pole a little longer than they linger on top of Everest (these guys were an exception).

I dunno, I guess my point is that I would rather be here that on Everest right about now.

I like reading Scott's blog. It's funny and he updates it often. When I started this silly 'guest writer' idea, I basically thought it would just be another way to pay homage to the blogs that I like to read without just saying 'I read this blog'. I'm just posting a quiz that Scott had taken recently. I ended up with the least-common result....

To continue the theme of guest writers, I am now assuming the role of Teri assuming the role of me. As with my previous post, all I know about Teri is what I read in her blog (assuming that she is indeed a woman). Teri was one of the first people that I don't know to start reading my blog. She even has a link to this page on her page. OK then, without further ado....

It has to be this freaky oddball South Pole weather (always dark, always cold, always windy, fluctuating atmospheric pressure). Sleeping at the South Pole is a tough proposition. Hardly anyone I know does it like the normal people in the north, but I think I'm an exception among my peers. I'm always getting comments about how tired I look and often that's how I feel. Tired. Worn. Exhausted. A lot of my posts include talking about drinking (not coffee - beer). Drinking and sleeping seem to go well together. If you drink enough you will sleep. If you don't drink, you might find yourself staring at the ceiling for the 5th straight hour at 6am. I do sleep, just not all at once. I try to sleep at night but that's when the internet is up and running so it's tempting to just suck the usage out of every second that the satellite is passing overhead. I work through the day, but sometimes I can squeak in a nap before/after dinner. Being one of the 'beakers' at the South Pole, I am allowed certain flexibility in my sleeping that others (namely the construction people) don't get. The tradeoff is that construction types get to have days off from work, but me....I work every day. It's like being a mother. I just can't let these science experiments go for a day or they'll start misbehaving. When I first arrived down here I actually was going to take an online masters program. My company doesn't provide tuition reimbursement for contract employees and it's a good thing. If I were going to school on top of everything, I would NEVER sleep. I just need to make it to the summer when I can enact my travel plans. Then I'll finally be able to relax and get into a normal sleep routine.

I had this crazy idea the other day. The other day was about a month ago. I think it was a Tuesday but it could have been a Thursday. I always get the days that start with the letter "T" confused. Anway, on this particular Thuesday, I had this crazy idea: What if I could call in sick to blogging and I could get one of my readers to write my blog for the day. What would they write in my place? Would it be better? Would it be worth reading still? Is my blog worth reading anyway? Well, here is what I think it would be like if Chris Cope wrote my blog for a day:

I have a feeling that this is a posting that I'll have to come back an update. Often.

Easily the most eloquent, ingenious, neurotic, and formative individuals at the South Pole this season, is Bob. Bob has his hands in many projects above and beyond his duties as the CUSP research associate. With his eating, sleeping, and fashion habits thrown in, Bob distinguishes himself apart from your average polie. I have decided explain Bob in list form:

1) Bob will sleep in the reading room rather than his own room. When someone is reading in the reading room, he'll move to the TV room. When the TV room is occupied, Bob drinks Mountain Dew.

2) Bob has interesting eating habits. Bob does not suffer from OCD, he enjoys every minute of it.
a. Bob will not eat mashed potatoes.
b. Bob loves asparagus.
c. Bob hates broccoli.
d. Bob does not like food of one type to touch food of another type.
e. Bob can't handle it well when it happens on your plate either.
f. Bob will use new utensils and plates for desert and some main courses.
g. Bob flips when you write on your napkin.
h. Bob secretly loves it that we know these things and use them against him.
i. Bob won a bet against me. He at a piece of squid and I took his dance class. The squid is still squirming around in his stomach.
j. Bob and I compete to see who can eat the most steak and burgers, when they are served.
k. Bob has an advantage in eating contests because he cuts away the parts he doesn't like.
l. Bob walks through the galley to survey the food before dishing any out for himself.
m. Bob has a three year supply of popcorn and he's afraid that it won't be enough.
n. Bob was given Mountain Dew & slim jims on his birthday and he loved it.
o. Bob believes that brussel sprouts are a creation of satan.
p. Bob will bus your plates for you if he's tired of seeing the gross things left on it.
q. Bob likes Mountain Dew. A lot. When he thinks he'll need some sleep, he'll switch to Coke.

3) Bob has a joke/song/poem for every situation. The jokes are sometimes no good. Bob tells jokes when he's drinking Mountain Dew.

4) Bob believes that everything we do here is the same pay. He will tell you so. He is right.

5) Bob is trying to contact ET. Really.

6) Bob already knows a couple of foreign languages and spends some of his free time learning another.

7) Bob has a PhD in computer science. Bob has taught electrical engineering at a big ol' university.

8) Bob is really handy with wood & metal. Bob is always building something. Bob the builder.

9) Bob is dressed up when he wears his shirt and pants that don't have holes.

10) Bob said a curse word the other day.

11) Bob has a knack for explaining safety in a way that makes people pay attention. He once electrocuted himself to explain why you shouldn't electrocute yourself and he jabbed a hyperdermic needle into the eye of a dummy to demonstrate why you shouldn't put a hyperdermic needle in a pipe, lift the pipe over your head, then look down the barrel of the pipe.

12) Bob teaches dancing. Bob is very good at it.

13) Bob is known by many nicknames (Hummingbird, Twinkle Toes, Tinkerbell), mainly associated with the fact that he's often flitting from place to place while he works. Bob often has a Mountain Dew in his hand.

14) Bob enjoys doing his daily stretches.

15) Bob owns a really nice flashlight. If there is the slightest hint of low light, Bob will whip out his light just in case.

16) Bob is always working on various inventions to improve life at the south pole. Some of them even work.

17) Bob has never gone a day without shaving in his entire life. The idea of a beard really bugs him.

18) Bob wears tape on his face to prevent frostbite when he's outside.

19) Bob has a kilt.

20) Bob thinks it's a harsh continent.


That's all I can think of for now, but as more pops in my head (or Bob does something else noteworthy), then I'll add it.

**UPDATE**

21) Bob likes cuddling with stuffed animals. Bob will bring various stuffed animals together for a visit.

22) Bob finds cross dressing to be disturbing. Cross dressing happens a lot at the south pole. When women dress as men (wear false beards, for instance) it's not as bad as when men dress as women (wearing dresses or bras, as an example). A cross dresser eating brussel sprouts mixed in mashed potatoes would send Bob off the deep end.

I arrived late to Antarctica relative to many of the people who are wintering over. I didn't get here until December, while several folks showed up in late October. Because of this, I'm just now hitting the halfway point of my stay here, where a lot of folks celebrated the halfway point a few weeks ago. Officially I'm supposed to leave around November 3rd. It could be earlier if I screw up or later if I really screw up.

Shortly after arriving here I posted the 'Doughnut of Misery' on my site to show how long I would be here. Below is an updated version of that.

Since the doughnut is a little generic (you could use it for how much longer you have left before graduation, giving birth, retirement, death, etc...), I thought I would use something a bit more appropriate for our location. I got this from Steph, who is in fact a penguin.

Now, the halfway point of my total stay is not the same as the halfway point of the winter, which is the winter solstice (same as the sumer equinox for you northerners). The halfway point of winter is a much bigger deal because we'll finally be done with all of this 'getting darker' foolishness.

Last month I participated in my first Hash Run*. It was pretty fun, but I was a little under the weather so I really didn't get the full Hash experience. It was also a short run, sort of a Hash with training wheels for the multitude of newbies that were out and about that night. This past weekend we had our second run of the season. I had significantly more fun due to not having an upset stomach and having a much longer course. The highlight was easily running the course with all of the othe hashers. Oh, and singing the songs. And drinking, can't forget about that. And the little dancing ditties that we do. But nothing quite tops the fact that I got named. I was pretty pleased with my hash name because I thought it was apt. My friends, mom, and any coworker who has sat in a meeting with me will appreciate the fact that it makes reference to my, err, musky scent. Anyone who has seen me towering over them with my hairy afro & scraggly face can make the obvious connectiong between me and a yeti. Combining these two lovely qualities that I have yields the name....ah, I'll make you think about it for awhile.

As a side note, since I didn't get any pictures this time of the Hashing event, I thought I would provide my wonderful readers with another glimpse of how my hair growth is going. The handlebars are doing quite nicely and my 'fro is the envy of any nesting bird. During the Hash I learned that beer makes my hair curly.


The Hash run shouldn't be confused with the race that was run last weekend. Last weekend was a race, this weekend was a Hash run. Hash runs are not races, well not really. They're more like wandering around lost in a somewhat guided sort of way as fast as you can move. Clear?

After a stirring rendition of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot', the virgins, the other newly-named Hashers, the just un-named, and the veterans of Hash all filed back to their normal existance with visions of sugar plums and such. I think next time I might get to be the hare.

Is any of this starting to make sense? NO?!!?? good

Sincerely
Sascrotch


*For those of you who don't know what Hash House Harriers are, go back to my first posting about it. If that doesn't explain it well enough, that's why Al Gore invented the internet search engine. Of course, you can always just ask your mamma. If you think that Hashing sounds like fun, there is probably somebody doing it in your hometown. If you think it sounds stupid, well, there's still probably somebody doing it in your hometown.

The other day I helped launcha weather balloon with Don the meteorologist. We walked over to the Balloon Inflation Facility (BIF) in the dark hours of the morning before the sun was even up yet. The amount of help I provided was minimal. Don has things down to an artform. From the point where we showed up, to the unpackaging of the balloon, the use of helium for filling, the calibration of the sonde, and the final release of the balloon into the night sky, there was hardly a wasted second. Needless to say, I didn't take one single photograph of the event. I did, however, assist to a much smaller degree in the launch of a NOAA balloon late last week and I took some photos of that. My actual contribution to that particular launch probably just amounted to these pictures:


The balloon is actually only inflated partially inside due to the fact that the helium will expand when it goes up in altitude and down in temperature. Once the ballon is inflated and the sonde is attached, then it's time to go outside and let the balloon go. This isn't as simple as it sounds (nothing ever is in Antarctica, I have found). There were pretty high winds on this particualar day and it requires two people to make sure the balloon and the measurement equipment go up together.
Both balloon launches went off without a hitch. The met guys lauch a couple of balloons each week and the NOAA people launch one per week. The balloons amount to giant, delicate trash bags, cost around a thousand bucks each and are not reused. Without the data collected by these balloons, the met guys couldn't tell us that tomorrow it will be cold and windy.

This is what auroras look like, but I can't make my camera take pictures like this (oooooh, I've tried). Thanks to Rhys for doing it up right. The red light is from the filters we put over the lights on the station (and flashlights and headlights and any other lights outside) to protect the sensitive sky cameras from being saturated. The green light in the sky, well, that's an aurora. They tend to come about the same times everyday and last for about 2 hours. We've been seeing them after lunch and midnight on clear days. Even the picture above doesn't do justice to something as fluid, shimmering, and dynamic as the aurora, but it kicks the pants off of the stuff I've been shooting. Video would be better, but I need to learn how to crawl before I start mountain climbing.

This was a busy weekend for me. Friday was Cinco de Mayo, which for me amounted to drinking free margartias and being peppered with the innards of a pinata. Also this weekend was a foot race. As with everything at the south pole, we add a little flair to the even by making it a costume race. I was thinking that I had a pretty good costume at first, but it turns out mine was pretty lame compared to what some people came up with.


I could put more pictures on here, but they'll all probably show up on somebody else's site anyway. The fact that I was able to run at all after my Friday night festivities is the real story. I wasn't operating at 100% (or even 50%) and then I went and did this little 5K run. Needless to say, I didn't win. I was in the top 5 in my age group though.

I also took up the task of performing checks in the power plant. The checks are needed everyday, but the power plant guys like to have a day off from time to time so various polies volunteer to shoulder the giant responsibility of making sure that we're not all going to freeze to death. There's a great instructional video on how to perform the checks and I was given a personal tour of our new and old power plants by this guy:


On top of that, I had to work my normal job, which was also tough operating below 50%. I had to skip a demo of our Scottish dancing club due to work and body issues. They did a good job without me. Maybe I'm not needed anymore.

Anyone who doesn't read this blog on a somewhat regular basis will think this posting is weird. Last week I shaved my 5-month beard to grow a new beard to support my favorite hockey club. My team was supposed to go all the way, which would have given me plenty of facial hair to keep me warm in Antarctica. Unfortunately, as Chris pointed out yesterday, my team did not go very far at all in the playoffs. I have to congratulate the Edmonton team for winning a series against the team with the best record in the league. As much as I hate to see my team lose, they did an amazing job and played a much better series. It's better for the sport of hockey to see a huge underdog win. After the lost season last year, any sort of boost is a good thing.

In the spirit of my pledge to support my team until the end, the end has come and now it's time to shave again. Already. One of the interesting things that happened while I was shaving was that my fingers became pruny. My hands have been so dry for the past half year that I have never seent them get saturated with enough moisture to get wrinkles. It took me awhile to shave apparently.


The before and after pictures this time around just can't be as impressive as before. I can't possibly look that much different after only a week. Just like I had made up my mind to shave the beard long before I did it, I had made up my mind on what to do after the beard this time. Anyone who saw me at all at any point during last summer noticed that I had a handlebar moustache. It had started as a joke, but I found out that I liked it quite a bit. I decided that it would be a good look for the upcoming summer, uh, winter here. I might only keep this look for awhile. It's pretty patchy looking at this point (have I mentioned that my team lost pretty early?), but normally I would grow a beard then shave it down. This time I'm essentially starting the moustache from scratch.

What's it like on the average day at the South Pole? I haven't a clue, but I can tell you what I did on Monday (today).

00:00 - Midnight and I'm on the phone with mom. I had called my dad's house but forgot that my mom was there instead. I was going to call her next anyway. We talked until....

02:00 - I was sleepy and the satellite was about to go down for the day. Time for bed.

05:32 - There was an itch on my lower leg, but I let it go.

09:21 - I woke up to the realization that I needed to hurry to the galley so that I wouldn't miss the 7:30 safety meeting.

09:34 - I finally rolled over and looked at the clock, realized I had overslept for the meeting, felt the need to pee, so I got out of bed anyway.

09:36 - Back from taking care of morning bodily functions, I started my morning stretching.

09:37 - I don't do morning stretching.

09:45 - Fully dressed, I headed out of my room to try to get a snack from the galley.

09:47 - After walking down the hallway thinking about everything I needed to do for the day, I found myself in the science lab. Feeling it was too much effort to go back down the hall to the galley, I just stayed and started working. Since many of my tasks can't start until midnight UT (which is 12 hours behind us), I decided to go talk to Safety Bill about making up the meeting that I missed.

10:30ish - After getting sucked into another discussion about how I'm screwing up the data transfer over our satellite systems (to which I reply that we just need to buy a few more satellites to take care of that problem), I finally found Safety Bill. He said to meet him after lunch to make up the meeting I had missed.

10:45 - Back in the lab after forgetting that I had missed breakfast, I checked the weather conditions, which I report each day back to the USGS. I started doing my daily seismic picks for the USGS (well, I really do it for the...nobody cares). I sat down in front of my PC, which is in my box office (so called because the walls are made out of boxes), to transfer the data from a couple of days ago off of the data collecting computer (vintage 1985) onto the PC. Then I start the job of tapping the spacebar to scroll through the entire day's worth of data in two-minute increments.

11:25 - I found about 16 seismic events. I went back to the terminal (16 inches away) that controls the data collection computer and start finding out more information about the events. Just then, it hits me that I'm starving and that lunch is about ready.

11:30 - After washing my hands (you never enter the galley without washing your hands), I grabbed a plate of roast beef, stuffed potato skins, some bread, miso soup, some OJ, and a nice healthy mango-passion fruit dessert. I had another discussion about the satellites over lunch.

12:15 - I don't hurry the eating process, it's not good for your digestion.

12:20 - Back to the lab, I realize it's time to start the data transfer for my projects. I climb up to the mezzanine in the lab (wearing a hard hat not because I'm too tall, but because the clearance is only 4 ft). I start the process of moving data, switching the data collection to a new day, and performing roof checks on an all-sky camera.

12:40 - After realizing that I had lost some data due to a full hard drive, I spent the last 20 minutes deleting old files. Now I start working...

13:20 - I need to get out to ARO to do checks out there, so I stop halfway through the process of grooming the data for transfer over our satellites.

13:40 - After walking back to my room, filling my water bottle, emptying my bladder, putting on my ECW, going back to the can for good measure, and walking back to the lab to get my radio that I left, I head down the beer can to head outside.

13:55 - It takes awhile to walk out to ARO. No auroras visible today due to cloud cover.

14:00 - After disrobing from my ECW, I run through my checks on two spectrometers that I monitor for University of Washington. I have to make a quick adjustment that I'll check on later and send an email about.

14:15 - I acknowledge the existance of the NOAA people. They are doing science.

14:20 - Finished with UW stuff, I head over to Embry-Riddle's instruments. I begin transferring data and making my checks. Today I have to switch out a nitrogen tank, so a little heavy cylinder movement is involved. I sweep off the roof at the advice of my NOAA counterparts. My hands get cold so I don't do the whole thing.

14:50 - I start working on U. of California's other all-sky camera. I'm doing the same thing on it as the one at the main station.

15:30 - The data transfer goes a little quicker than normal, good luck I guess. I give an emotional good-bye speech to the NOAA folks.

15:37 - It took me only 7 minutes to get back, those guys in NOAA didn't think I could do it. Of course, I realize now it was just their clever way of getting me to leave in a hurry. Only two hours at ARO is some sort of record.

15:40 - It hits me that I was supposed to meet Safety Bill after lunch, I seek him.

15:45 - The smell of fresh cookies draws me into the galley. I have four. I run into Patrick in the hallway who informs me that the Avs have won their series (the Wings are down 3-2). I join him for two more cookies.

15:50 - I find Safety Bill. He tells me to come back in an a half hour since I wasn't ready the first or second time he was.

15:55 - I go back to finish my seismic picks.

15:25 - Right on time for Safety Bill. He takes me to a conference room and puts on his presentation about water purity for the third time that day. I get to sign a sheet saying that I have been informed.

15:50 - Back in the science lab, I head to the mezzanine to complete my data transfer for the all-sky camera.

17:30 - I'm done with the data transfer, but I'm tired so I take a nap.

19:00 - Wow, didn't think I would nap that long. I head upstairs to the galley to catch the end of dinner. I had some blackened catfish, green beans, a salad, rice, some more OJ, and another cookie.

19:45 - I check the tape drives on the USGS system, which I had forgotten to do earlier.

20:00 - Time for astronomy class. We learned about cosmology.

21:00 - I decide to work out because I want to take a shower and by working out I get that last little bit of funk out of my body. Also, I need to prepare for a 5K race coming up. I hit the treadmill first.

21:25 - Man, I'm out of shape. Time to hit the showers.

21:27 - Two minutes is all we get. I head over to the sauna.

21:45 - I really like the sauna.

22:00 - OK, I'm starting to get sweaty and no more showers until later in the week.

22:10 - Alright, I'm getting out already.

22:15 - Just one more minute.

22:30 - Back in my room, which suddenly seems cold, I do my nightly routine to get ready for bed. Considering the nap I had earlier, I'm not sure why.

23:00 - After checking some emails and looking at the internet a bit, I start writing this post.

23:15 - Oh man, I love that part...

23:30 - I crack myself up.

23:50 - It wouldn't have taken so long to write this if I didn't keep looking at other websites.

24:00 - I 'plan' to go to bed.