Allow me to reintroduce myself

My name is EXHAUSTED!!

That's really all there is to it. I was reading Kafka and listening to Yoshida Brothers and straight up passed out after I got off work. The most amazing thing I've found is, at least in my case, that after working 11 hours the USAP still exects us to go out and voulenteer. In fact it's part of what is taken into consideration for our bonus. That seems a little excessive.

"Okay, so we're gonna pay you, but we'll pay you more if you 'volunteer' and help other people ouy."

That bit doesn't sound insane, but when they include the part about working 9:30 am to 8:30 pm it still sounds decent, until you take into account that the other departments, save for the janitors, have hours that mean I either have to sacrifice sleep or skip out on work. It's not like I get to sleep a whole lot. I guess I could wake up at 6 instead of 8, work an extra 2 hours a couple days a week (on 4 hours sleep) oh wait.. no.. that would mean working 13 hours a day, sorry Antartica, I like ya and all, but I need some down time. My body doesn't like you as it is.

Oh well, what are ya gonna do.

I'll tell you what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna sleep til 8, work my 11 hours, drink some tea, read, maybe watch a movie, play some pool, or go out and see this place for what it is.... not the base, the surrounding area... a place where nobody goes, save for those few thousand or so people that are crazy enough to come down here for work every year.

And the Band Plays on

So it goes, I suppose, lately I have gone to a concert at Gallahgers (where there is a free Multicade, but I still suck at Galaga), finally played in my first soccer game (although we lost) and read a hefty amount of philosphical essays. I also went on a hike up Ob Hill. All in all, I'd say I'm finding plenty to do with my free time. I hang out on occasion with the kids from work, and I'm lined up to DJ a party... if the party ever gets schedueled. So things go pretty well as of now. I hear rumors of packages en route to me, and I got to talk to a lot of family over the holiday. I'm feeling pretty good about myself. I'm in decent health, except for this bloody sinus infection, and don't have a whole lot to complain about. I've got a decent collection of pictures, some of which can be seen on my facepage. I also have developed a reputation amoung the other DA's... a rather thuggish persona. It's slightly comical to me, but I do love my hip hop, so I guess it works. Short post, I'm done here for now. -Love to the home team-

The blurry line between faith and fear

ICE TO SEE YOU

I've been offered an chance to stay through the winter. If I did I would be here until August or October. It's not a guaranteed offer. They are just trying to assess their pool of candidates for that season. I don't think I'm going to do that at this moment but the money would be right. It may cater a bit more to someone like me, I do well in small groups. However, I don't know how well I trust my conditioning for something like that. I thought I was more than 100% ready for the summer season, and have not had an easy go of it. Also, I would have to pass a psyche evaluation and be cleared by my neurologists. It strikes me that maybe the more correct choice, given the circumstances, is to reevaluate myself for perhaps another stint down next summer, on a personal level. Maybe, take some time back in the all to familiar surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the US, see how my world is and then go from there... I simply can't decide what way to go except forward. I have faith that I could complete a winter over contract, but too many fears to take a second consecutive leap of faith. One leap got me down here, two would require wings.

If he died and came back, would he try to save rap?

So, my foot injury seems to only have been a sprain.. my trust for doctors seems to drown with each time I have to visit one. Good news is, I'm back to work, no danger of being sent home from it. I'm toughing it out down here, even though I miss home dearly. I'm not quite a social enough person to fit into a situation like this. Maybe I'm under estimating myself, don't know, but I don't think I am. I have my music to keep me company. I guess, maybe the idea of going out and handing my earnings right back to these people in exchange for booze not appealing to me, I am a social outcast. I have gone out to the bar a total of one time here, and I don't know if I'll be going back. Not like I can't get a good drink there, more like, I don't want to have a good drink by myself. So while I've been down on my sprain I've been somewhat of a couch potato. Which is really the only choice I had... but I am a member of both a soccer and basketball team, and have yet to play for either because of injury. Eh, continue growin' one day at a time


also, it's lyrics in the title.

Delta and Ice Cave Pictures. See Facebook for the article.

Yeah I'm lazy sometimes...

DELTA

See, it kinda looks like a truck. It holds about 20 or so. It has a max speed of about 15mph during optimal conditions. A very bumby ride, that has some special grafitti inside of it.

Another Beautiful Shot of Antarctica

ICE CAVES 1

This is the last one that goes up on this post, because bandwith is in high demand. The Blue light is how it naturally looks inside the cave. This is one of the most awe inspiring places I have ever been in my life. I am glad that there was a better photographer on my trip, or else I wouldn't have know to turn off my flash.

New old post

"Don't tie the nipples in knots"
10-29-09 8:43 a.m.

Words of wisdom from my first full day on the ice. After sleeping for roughly 12 hours, then working 11 hours (one hour meal break)
and chugging 6 nalgenes (32 oz) through the day, I was surprised at my energy level after work. It was open basketball night
in the gym, so I played a couple of pick-up games before returning to my room to watch the recap of the Saints/Dolphins game,
and the Steelers/Vikes game... falling asleep before the later was over. Let me be more specific with what I mean when I say
"recap" they take a 3-4 hour football game, and make it into about a 45 minute broadcast on AFN (armed forces network). I also
saw the Vikes lose to Pittsburgh in my hotel in Christchurch. The cool thing about these condensed rebroadcasts is, since the
is over, any game changing plays (like Ted Ginn Jr. and his fake fumble) they pop up a box in the corner from the post game
interview and you here what the players had to say about it. It's like watch a game at 1 or 4 and that nights NFL Primetime
in one go. Pretty neat.
The beds are fairly comfortable but barely long enough. It'll be interesting when and if I share one of these with one of the
girls on base. By the way, they are very easy on the eyes and plentiful... particularly in my work center.  That's all for
today folks. Your song of the day is "This Life I Lead" from 2Pac's Better Dayz album.

picture time part 2

these i took

MIDNIGHT IN MCMURDO

THE PLANE RIGHT AFTER LANDING

FROM THE GROUND THAT IS OB HILL

MACTOWN

THE GIANT COUNTDOWN IN THE SQUARE OF CHRISTCHURCH FOR THE RUGBY WORLDCUP

picture time version 1

Settling into McMurdo is difficult. The population is constantly changing, so upon my arrival I was placed in a "transient" dorm room. On most occasions these are for people going to the base at The Pole, or a base that is run by another nation (most cases Austrailia, Britain, New Zealand, and Belguim; in no specific order). Also, doctors brought down for medivacs and the US Air Forces that run the planes. Today I got my key for my permanent housing room. Instead of sharing a room with 5 guys on a rotating basis, I now only share with 3... none of which I've met yet. So, aside from getting used to my new scheduel and surroundings, I'm finally going to be able to settle into a living space.

For anyone who hasn't seen on my facebook, there are pictures up now. None of my own mind you, but they do keep a common driver in the network that people can share their pictures with other people on base. That is where I found the ones I have posted. I still haven't gotten comfortable with the idea of detaching myself from most of what is still back home. I'm not sure I will. I did find out today that, by luck of the draw I will be one of the only people in my department that gets the acctual Thanksgiving holiday off. We all get a paid holiday in November, December, and January. Mine for this month just so happens to be on Thanksgiving. Coincidentally I have Wednesdays off starting next week (so I can play basketball). My hands don't really like it down here too much, as I've probably said before, there is some type of contact dermatitis on the back of them. It's extreamly unpleasant. They have been cracked and bled most of the day today. I am currently in debate about how and if and where I may travel before coming home. I'm considering several places including, but not limited to, spending time in NewZealand; Austrailia, Hungary, Netherlands, Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, and Southern California. Okay so that is pretty well the list. Partly, it depends on how much I make down here. Also, there are other factors to consider. Like how much it will cost me to go to various places. Hope this clears up any questions. I know I haven't been the most informative person so far. Working on that. Also, I have a new found respect for recycling.We are required to sort every thing into different bins cause guess where all our trash goes? That's right, back to the US. I still think the way it is done in the states is rediculous. Melting down and reusing plasitics isn't helping, it just pollutes differently. I think maybe shooting it into space would be better, but that creates a new kind of hazard.

Withdrawl is a bitch

Okay, we lied, the transmission isn't over, but soon it'll be back in the hands of the rightful owner, like why isn't it over, the snow had just begun to make you sober.

Down to one cigarette a day if that. I'm tempted to buy another pack on payday.. I'm gonna try not to. The fact that I can get a $3 6pack here is not gonna help. That's right a 6er and a pack a smokes $6 that's too much of a temptation. Okay well. short rant of a post there, gotta run. Much Love cats and kittens.