Work hard, play hard, sleep hard.

Headed to a big city

2009-04-01T22:49:00.001-07:00

Ha. Well I skimmed over my last post that was written about two months ago. Since then I've traveled and interviewed in the Netherlands, Florida, and California. Visited Amsterdam, Miami, and Los Angeles. Good times. Tiring interviews. Free travel and posh accommodations. To make a long story short I have accepted a fellowship into a very well-respected lab @ USC that was above my highest expectations. I will be living in LA for at least the next 5 years on a graduate school stipend intended to cover living expenses in such a city, thankfully. The Ocean Sciences program at USC waives graduate school tuition for all its funded students. Woohoo!

It's hard to believe that the graduate school search, applications, personal statement writing, GRE, transcript requesting, research interests statement, contacting faculty, preparing for interviews, interviews, and the waiting game is over.

Now, I used to have "graduate school" listed as an interest of mine on facebook. I've always taken the search seriously and my preparation (such as gaining experience) very seriously. And now it's ON baby!

I could give some advice now that I've been through the complete process and anybody interested should give me a shout.

I've told people in jest that if I could do it over again I would apply to Hawaii. Might have gotten a trip out of it.

Now, the trips that I did take were very important in the process. I had a great experience and hardcore interview at the lab in Texel, Holland, and an interesting trip in Amsterdam. I left more convinced that I might accept if offered the position.

Two days later and a flight to Portland later, I was headed to Miami. Miami was not impressive despite their putting us up in the 300/night Mutiny Hotel. Coral reef prima-donnas, you read it here.

So anyway, I went to USC two weeks later and to my relief it was pretty much exactly what I expected. A (or The) mecca of biological oceanography as far as I'm concerned.

I was accepted at 3 of 5 places and Miami, coincidentally, was NOT one of them.

That's a brief update, now I want to blog for real. Disclaimer: This rant was coming long before the pope said that condoms would make the AIDS pandemic in Africa--with an estimated prevalence of >20 million, worse. If you agree with Benny's statement then you are immoral and probably won't appreciate anything else I have to say. Anyway, I thank Benny for proving my forthcoming argument.

Why does the radical religious right in this country think that they have the exclusive rights and solutions to all the moral dilemmas facing our country? The fact is that they don't, but the leaders (I'm not sure to whom this common noun refers... Rush Limbaugh? Sean Hannity? Pat Buchanan? James Dobson? Scarah Palin?) claim it. 'If you're not with us, you are amoral, a liberal and the reason america is going to hell.'

Tyranny over the not-so-free-minds of congregations was what Thomas Jefferson (considered an atheist by many of his enemies and a deist by the more sensible, yet championed as proof that we are a Christian by todays religious right) was referring when he wrote "I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

Well-said, Thomas. Maybe that's why, even if out of its context, it is the predominant inscription on a national monument honoring you.

Recent statistics were published showing that among Americans there is a significant decrease in the percentage associating themselves with formal denominations, despite a smaller decrease in those that do not believe in a god.

Formal denominations are politicizing their brand of morality and americans should not, and many are not, buy it anymore.

You must see, if christians can't even agree on what their bible says then there certainly not be a politically consistent viewpoint. Universally agreed upon morality issues are certainly not derived nor dependent upon a translation of a holy book, but from within moral people.

Understand that even our religious forefathers wanted separation of church and state. Government corrupts. "Stay the heck out of our church," any religious constitution author in the 1780s might have said. They had a laissez-faire approach to religion in government--surely a phrase to which the right is familiar.

Now, to get back to my original point. You radical religious right people do not have exclusive right to morality. I think it's moral to take from the more than fortunate to assist in the care of the destitute and less fortunate in our country. This must be part of the purpose of a moral centralized society in the 21st century, right? What's the point of having one, otherwise?

I can with good conscience say (hope your sitting down for this one) that I am in favor of babies not being born to mothers and fathers who believe that they can't take proper care of them. I think it is very immoral to not allow a mother a choice and then take political stances that will make it hard to help her care for the child. Luckily, that's not the case. I realize that there are other good options in some cases. One is next.

I think that it is immoral to have taught the hypothetical aforementioned only of abstinence in public schools which would certainly cut down on a later drain on the religious right's and my tax dollars.

I think it is immoral to not accept and afford people of all genders, creeds, races, and sexual orientations the same rights. Regarding the first three the religious right has a history of fighting until the consensus morality pulls them kicking and screaming behind. That is NOT to say that sexism, religious prejudice, racism, and bigotry is NOT alive and proudly broadcast by many on the radical religious right. Um, not even close.

I think that is immoral that America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, does not lead geo-politics in environmental protection and conservation. "Save the People!" said the whales! If you get nothing more out of this blog, here's your take away message: The model-T Ford of 1907 got 25 miles/gallon.

Cheers

Political and personal propaganga

2009-01-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

What the hell is going on in Gaza, huh?

As a friend of mine eloquently stated, "America is against systematic discrimination and oppression except when taking that stand jeopardizes regional interests."

We miss work and school when it rains. Imagine missing work and school because your whole city has been demolished over night.

Often Palestinians are unable to get to work or school in their own country if the Israelis on a whim decide to set up a "check-point." This is on a daily basis, not just under crisis. You'd get out of there, huh? Well, good luck crossing into Israel or Egypt, both the borders are closed.

It seems that America only fights for peace; when presented the opportunity to vote for it today at the UN meetings America voted "abstain." Now, that, is some real leadership.

My heart cries out for innocent children and civilians in Gaza. After all, it is my tax dollars that Israel is financing this war on a defenseless region. The precise number of civilians killed by Israel is hard to establish due to their hijacking of the freedom of press in the region but there are totals estimating as many as 257 Palestinian children dead and over 1000 injured.

Yesterday, Israel blew up a UN aid vehicle (they're investigating..............) during a 3 hour cease-fire resulting in the UN's refusal to continue delivery of humanitarian aid to a region already thirsty and starving. Israel also delayed Red Cross access into 3 homes where they eventually found injured children. The timing of these attacks are not coincidental.

Israel timed their air and ground attacks during the USA's transition period of a lame duck President who has been a staunch, radical supporter of anything Israel has seen fit and a President Obama that they are unsure will be so ingenuous proponent. Don't be fooled.

This is my friend Yousef. He was one of the most exceptional, hardest-working, genuine, happy people I have ever met. He worked at the lab where I spent a month in July. He died in August 2008 of a viral lung infection. He loved science. He loved life. Rest in Peace, Yousef. You, sir, were an ambassador. He was Palestinian.

On the personal note:

Here I am in Portland. Watched the national championship game by myself tonight and had to leave work early just to do that. Came out here to advance my career, right? I went home for Christmas and really enjoyed myself. I got to hang out with someone that means a lot to me and loved every second of it. Ever feel like time stands still when you are with someone? Well, that's one feeling I feel when I am with her. Call me a romantic (or something), but it's been awhile since I have been with somebody that I get all stupid around, ok? And...we didn't get to spend much time together, for obvious reasons, but it has me thinking....

What is career worth, anyway? I could have a perfectly happy career in marine science-ish/oceanography stuff (for at least the next 6 years or so) in Alabama and be close to more family and friends.

While I was home, I forgot how lonely my apartment can be from 7 PM until 11 PM (See this post).

I think that the thing that keeps me driven is that at the end of the day, if I keep pursuing my career the best that I know how, nobody can take away my hard work, experiences, achievements, ambition, "intellectual" pursuits, or happiness. If I screw it up, if I fall short, it's on ME. I can live with that. But, in my head, that can't happen.

As I have mentioned before, next step is grad school--PhD program somewhere. USC, Rutgers, Miami, UBC, or NIOZ in the Netherlands. I have been invited to interview officially for the NIOZ spot, but I haven't confirmed whether or not I am up for it--which is the thought that provoked this maelstrom of introspection.

So, I get this email inviting me to interview. All I have to do is click reply, type "yes" and when I'd like to do it and there is a good chance that my next 5 or so years would be spent in Europe. Just like that? And they ask so nonchalantly and briefly. To be fair, we already had a 45 minute "find out more about you and I chats." Still, I procrastinated until now.

The science aspects of the gig is super cool and interesting. The Netherlands and NIOZ would be amazing, uh Amsterdam about an hour away and island living helped put me on the career path I am on now at Dauphin Island. The timing not so great...she would want me there ASAP. The EU academic system I am skeptical of it being the right thing for me. If I don't respond soon the opportunity could pass me by.

A scientist I work with has worked at NIOZ and has nothing but good things to say about it.

That being said, I haven't heard back from any of the other schools yet and there is one, that if I am accepted, I am going, no doubt. The others, I would be stuck making a decision. Which, apparently, I am not very good at making.

My trip home has me leaning towards applying to Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Alabama) in addition to the other programs. There is good work going on there that I am familiar with, but it's Alabama. There's that whole "rekindling" thing I did while I was home, though.

Sometimes I get tired of writing and, when I do, I write...

Cheers.

Getting home and holy war

2008-12-28T15:37:00.000-08:00

If you don't care to read about my tribulations in trying to get home by Christmas...skip to just after "Success-made it home for Christmas"

Portland received a record amount of snowfall in the month of December this year. On the Sunday before my flight was scheduled on Tuesday, the city got about 8 inches of snow on top of a frozen ground that had variously spent the previous week under or barely peaking from inches of snow and ice.

My Tuesday morning flight was cancelled on Monday morning and the earliest available seat out of town was on Friday: two days after Christmas.

I was as upset as I've been a long time, until my mom comforted me by telling me that they wouldn't celebrate Christmas until I got home.

I emailed my boss and let him know that I'd be coming in to work all week. He responded pretty quickly and suggested that I try to Standy-by on a flight. I didn't have anything to do in a snowed in Portland, so I went and camped out at the airport.

It took 2 hours to make the 45 minute trip to the airport which doesn't sound that bad until you consider about half of it was outside walking to the MAX or waiting on the MAX and bus...in a foot of snow and 20F (uphill both ways).

Usually the MAX goes directly to the airport, but due to frozen switches, the line that goes to the airport was out of service.

I wallowed through a few airline queues just to find out that each one that had flights scheduled to connect to or direct to Atlanta had also been cancelled. I again called my mom and told her, "I'll not be home for Christmas."

So, the plan was just to work the rest of the week, until I remembered that US Airways had told me they had a full flight leaving to Phoenix at 05:20.

I initially I had told her, "No," because I figured that since this was a long shot that I was just going to try it for the night and then just go to work the rest of the week if it didn't work. Then, I realized that I could still try to get on this flight and make it to work at a decent hour.

If I hadn't had a friend--"Willamette Grizzly"--staying in a nearby hotel for a 07:00 flight I would have been one of those displaced and disgruntled people camped out at the airport on the Local News.

To make an already-long-story shorter. I got the airport at 02:30 and due to passenger's inability to arrive to get to PDX, I was granted an empty seat on the plane. When I arrived to Phoenix, I was again granted an empty seat on the full flight to Atlanta.

Success-made it home for Christmas.

If you don't know anything about the Israeli/Palestinian crimes on humanity(like most Americans), I urge you to somehow inform yourself.

Israel has launched unprecidented (granted, not unprovoked) attacks on Gaza killing over 300--innocent women and children included.

My heart cries out for the innocent. As upset as I am about this terrible, ridiculous situation, and hope for a peaceful resolution. But that doesn't seem possible. The god, Abraham's, that these two religions share is surely in limbo with pleas from both sides of the conflict. I understand this offensive is easily "rationalized" by arguing that this is one state, Israel, defending its citizens. Religious radicalism and old, undemocratic policies are at fault.

Because I can't do anything about this situation except read about it, I'll resort to a Sarah Palin.

Did she say that our Iraq war is a task from God? That would make it, I implore you to correct me, something like Jihad? She misspoke.

Anyways,

Cheers

Stay Warm, Rip City

2008-12-21T13:31:00.000-08:00

For one whole week Portland has been experiencing a bit of an Arctic Blast. Last Sunday it was fun to have some snow to kick and beautiful to have some to watch fall. Now, it is just cold and getting ridiculous. Schools were out all week. The lab worked all week. We are hardcore, some say. I couldn't ride my bike in the ice and snow, so I had to walk 10 and 15 minutes in the snow on each side of the train ride. The cold is not that bad if you are adequately covered up. The wind can be painful. So just when everybody thought the snow was going to be over, it dumped 10 more inches on us. Today is the worst day so far. Flights cancelled, most bus routes altered, and very few trains running. Predictions call for more snow this evening and sub-freezing temperatures for the next few days. So, I've got my fingers crossed that the weather improves in the next 48 hours so that I can come home.

Watch out Trail Blazers bandwagon, I'm climbing onboard. They are a very young, very talented group. Brandon Roy leads the way on and off the court for the team and the whole city was happy to see him score 52 points against the Suns on Friday night on 14-27 shooting. The game had a national audience on TNT, so hopefully the rest of the country's collective eyes were opened to the All-Star caliber player that Roy is. It was relieving to see the Blazers play really well with a national audience watching for, maybe, the first time all year. It doesn't help that two of their nationally televised games were against the Lakers and Celtics. They have the most talented second unit in the league. Joel Pryzbilla, Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye, and the SPANISH CONNECTION Rudy Fernandez and Sergiro Rodriguez. These 5 could win on their own! They fact that they have played the most road games in the league, have averaged over a game every two days thus far, have a nightly improving 20 yo Greg Oden and 19 yo Nicolas Batum, have #10 2008 pick Jerryd Bayless priming on the bench, are playing without starter Martel Webster, and Marburyesque issues off the court, bodes well for the near and distant future. However, as long as the Celtics, Lakers, and Cavaliers are playing like like, as Dennis Green might say, "Who we THOUGHT they were," the rest of the league can only spectate.

I should have been a sports writer, I thought about it in high school. My high school football coach convinced me otherwise. I have a feeling he would have not advised me to become a scientist, though.

Graduate school applications are killing my checking my account. So, far I've officially applied to four: USC, Rutgers, Rosenstiel @ the University of Miami, and the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. I don't think that the Netherlands Institute is going to work out. It starts too soon and I'm not sure the European system is right for me at this point. Rutgers is my first choice, I think? ...But I am not very optimistic that I'll be accepted there--and if they don't...who wants to live in New Jersey, anyway?

It just started snowing as hard as it has all week, right now. This is ridiculous.

Cheers

I love Portland

2008-12-09T23:48:00.000-08:00

Since my last post I have fallen in love with Portland, in brief:

On Monday I stayed at work late working on graduate school preparatory measures and finally got out of there around 7:50 needing to make it to a downtown AT&T before 9 closing time so that I could replace my malfunctioned battery in my cell. I disembarked the train at the first downtown stop around 8:30 and commenced bushwacking on my bike and made it to 4th and Mill without catching one redlight where I expected there to be an AT&T store. However, there was no store to be found, but there were two 35ish women standing chatting about an intractable boss. As soon as I smoothly could, I butted in and asked if there was an AT&T in the area. They informed me, "No, it used to be here on the 3rd floor but now its Portland State Drama, if you go down one street and take a left its on 3rd and Yamhill."

"Uh, thanks!!" ...wow

I hop back on the road headlight and "brake" light blinking blindingly and bushwack down one block, take a left and head about 10 more blocks, all downhill, catching every green light until blinded by a glowing AT&T store.

I walk in and tell the two young ladies at the desk about my malfunctioned but otherwise untainted(i.e., not wet or broken) battery and she does the basics: calls up my number, tells me I'm not on the account, goes into the back and returns apologizing that they don't have any batteries in their merchandise. But, she's going to check my account again to see what she can do.

"Where are you from?"

"Alabama"

Nods knowingly.

"Let me check somewhere else..." and she leaves me staring at Iphones and blackberries mindlessly throughout the store once again.

She returns this time with a used battery and oddly, politely suggests I put it in myself. Of course my phone springs to life and I ask, "Do I owe you anything?"

No...

It was closing time and I should have asked her out for a drink, but I was all about business. I may go back and do just that.

The main thing that pleased me so that my whistled Christmas tunes were echoing off the buildings on my way back to my apartment was the efficiency in which I was able to safely cover the ground from the MAX to the store and the quick helpfulness and knowledge of the women directing me to the store in obvious addition to a free functional RAZR battery.

The next success story is even more valuable and will leave me absolutely unable to complain for months.

Ye regular readers will recall that I complained bitterly of losing my OHSU ID/Yearly MAX pass. I had lost it between the MAX and my apartment, presumably on the bike ride home.

I was accepting paying the $4 day/day pass until I had satisfactorily given up on the return of my $350 OHSU yearly pass.

I was sitting in the Needoba (yes, our names are eerily similar) lab where I numbingly entering data into a spreadsheet when the secretary walked in.

I had been almost expecting her considering my luck the night before and my eyes flashed to her hands and then back to her face where I met her smile and absolutely relieved sighed "Where did you get that?"

"Have you been looking for this, it's your lucky day!!"

"I can't believe this"

"An OHSU student found it on the train, recognized it, and brought it to me."

Unbelievable. In an economy that isn't ripe for getting ahead, I feel like I am ahead big time thanks to these two stories.

Additionally, I had a very intriguing chat with Dave Hutchins of USC tonight on Skype after work.

I found hard work difficult after I got home tonight about 8:30 after having a long "Life's Purpose" chat with Stretch and caught up with an old Dauphin Island dear friend, Trashley (also known to some circles as Tits Ashley).

Cheers.

Open Sesame

2008-12-06T23:44:00.001-08:00

This time it's been so long since I posted that I had to request that my password be reset, vexingly failing to inform me of the escaped password. The strange thing is that I have a core of passwords that I arbitrarily attach to different accounts. I subscribe to this practice because it a) allows me to not allow some joker to, if by breaking into one account, become me and b) assures(or not) that if I forget a password I can systematically enter my core of secret codes and eventually gain admission. Somehow, in an apparent flash of originality, I must have set this account to something completely unrelated to high school, pet names, or significant dates.

A couple of other things have me aggravated. I lost my OHSU swipe card that also has my MAX(light rail) pass sticker that I used everyday. Anybody who knows me is not surprised. I lose everything. I contend that is not for a lack of intelligence, for organization takes none. Replacing the card itself will only be slightly annoying, but replacing the MAX pass requires that I buy a whole new Tri-met pass which will probably cost me $200 for the next 6 months on top of continuing to pay for the year-long pass that I purchased in August. I've torn up my apartment looking for the credit-card sized pass to no avail. I am fairly certain, therefore, that the card, which was clipped to a front, pant pocket, detached on my bike ride home from work. I'm really pissed about this situation and I could go on and on.

My phone's battery is also busted, which accounts for the failure of anybody (comprehensively: mom or sisters) trying to "ring" me has encountered in the last few days.

I am starting the process of applying to graduate school, finally. I had been dragging my feet trying to wait for the perfect time to start applying, i.e., personally satisfactory GRE scores or other application bolstering developments. I finally realized that the time is never going to be perfect so I sent around a first round of emails to professors whose research interests I share. They all replied and I have since talked to one of them on the phone on Friday and have a couple of more phone "interviews?" scheduled for next week. So, now I have an answer to the question that is almost as annoying as the "What are you going to do when you graduate question:" "To where are you thinking to apply?"Answer: a school on the east coast, a school on the west coast, a school in Canada--Rutgers, USC, and UBC, respectively. I am going to add a few more schools to that list, in the coming week.

In the mean time, the personal statement is tough. I have written one. It's not fun because it can always get better. Can always get much better. Can always be completely re-written. Is so abstract in its requirements and mission. So, there will be a point to which I get in writing my personal statement that I realize, just like starting the application process itself, that it's never going to be perfect and just send it. Ok, I need a date: Friday, I'm going to be done with it by December 12. Fine, done.

Can't wait to go home for christmas. I fly home on the 23rd. I'm going to stay east of the Mississippi probably until after January 3. I may fly back from Chicago where ezE and I are bringing in the New Year...I've never been there and Stretch lives there, so we made it happen.

Here is to hoping that no Bama fans sitting in the Florida student section on Saturday were injured during the official ending of Bama's quest for an SEC championship. That's right, after all that, Bama didn't even win an SEC championship. On that note...

Cheers

Random thoughts plus almost true blogging about Cloverjam

2008-11-13T21:46:00.000-08:00

Simple night here in Portland. Today I made a presentation to my lab that had consumed most of my hours at home for the past few days. It was about my symbiotic sea anemone algae research from Jordan 5 months or so ago. It was required, but I was happy to do it. This was my fourth more or less formal scientific presentation in and a year and a half. Two last summer, one in June and, one now. Practice is good. Today's setting was informal--our lab's meeting--but I figured I may as well take it relatively serious. It didn't go off without a Sarah Palin pun......Sea anemonefish are NOT...and the powerpoint sprung to life....mavericks. It went over quite well. Hey, I might not have the timing of a comedian, but I do know my audience.

I took the GRE last Friday, and have graduated to reading books that I enjoy reading before and after work each day on the light rail.

How about those Trail Blazers...I have never lived in a town with a 'big league' team and it the excitement is contagious. They are looking good!

I am thinking about moving out of my apartment. You might say that I get along with my roommate, but I don't really like him that much. His and my hours just don't jive. Well, they do for him, but not for me. Plus, he sleeps on my couch in the living room almost every night. That's annoying to see. Especially when I have to turn on my radio almost every night to drown out his or his guests chatter and music playing in the living room. If I wasn't the nice guy I am, this would not be working. Mainly, the apartment costs too much to not be happy with the situation. There is the lease....so, I may not be going anywhere.

It's November 13, so that puts me going home in just over a month. I can't believe it is already mid-November. I guess if I was still in school I might be able to believe it.

I heard that my hometown of Piedmont is playing in the second round of the playoffs tomorrow night. An annual occurrence the past few years. It's great. Sadly, I haven't been to a game since the year after I graduated, I think. We were so terrible my senior year. I loved it and I'll probably never stop being bitter about it. And that's all I'll say about that, but I wish them the best.

I read in the Oregonian that a Bama fan shot and killed an LSU fan in south Alabama after last Saturday's game. This is probably a convenient time for a reminder that Alabama went red in the election. Touche, I know.

To all you Huntingdon readers, old news:

Huntingdon cancelled Cloverjam. Par for the course, as I like to say. The weekend that kids and alumni look forward to more than any other weekend and the ALUMNI(??) decided not to have it. I don't even know why I am wasting my computers battery on this, really. Whatever, Huntingdon, whatever. I wasn't planning on coming back this year, but its a principle of the thing. You have a good thing and you toss it away saying it's become something that wasn't intended, or something like that? A band party on the green? Hold on, those (I am tempted here, to simply state: "SUCK", but I'll articulate) bring in about 50 students from their dorm rooms to hear a few songs, maybe try to replicate what they did at Sky Bar when they were drunker and watching this band a couple of nights ago (ok, that was me, at least). They are not something that kids look forward to. It beats nothing to do, it's something to do, but nothing to look forward to because they are (I want to say...LAME) puerile and awkward. Schedule one of those fatuous gigs on a random Saturday night like Cloverjam and watch the throngs flock (for the clueless, that's sarcastic)......... Hell, the students and alumni are all that make Huntingdon bearable, not forced band parties on the green, and that is what Cloverjam brought together. It was a festival. Like I said, I wasn't coming back anyway this year, but Huntingdon (and old-ass-Alumni?) , congratulations, just when most of your alumni thought that they were as disappointed in you as possible, you take away the redemptive weekend that was Cloverjam.

All that may be over-stated or wrong, but it's said.

My suggestion to those of you that were planning on going back for Cloverjam: have your own Cloverjam. Who needs the sanctions to have a party on Fairview. If enough people show up and take over the restaurants and bars, what are they going to do? And somebody buy everybody a round of 1048's cheapest vodka.

I hope that I am proved wrong on this one, I do.

Cheers.

Facial hair, provisions, and a house

2008-10-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Whatadya think? This picture is the denouement of 4 weeks of neglecting to shave, lack of and need for attention, hipster Portland style, and appearance-spiting humor.

I wore it to work for a day and shaved it last night. It's better than the stache, at least.

I am a week and a half away from taking the GRE. The test that is required for me to apply to graduate school. I have been half-studying for a couple of months and this blog is a result of me procrastinating.

Not much is really going on, with a job and all, my life is more go to work, eat, watch Jon Stewart, sleep, go to work, eat, watch Jon Stewart routine more than I remember before.

I usually get to work around 9 and that puts me getting home around dark. I have to go to the g store and pick up my provisions in small loads since I left my truck in Alabama. Thus, I usually have to go to the g store a couple of times a week.

Recently I have discovered the benefit of the coupon. On Sunday I went and picked up the tome that is The Oregonian Sunday paper. In it, I found a plethora of coupons to be used at either the Safeway or Fred Meyer(think, Winn Dixie) of my choosing. Since, I have bought 20 TV dinners for 10 dollars, 4 ready-to-microwave bowls of soup on which I may have made a profit, sandwich meat, chicken breasts, and Oust all with coupons.

They are more than discount shopping. They have diversified my pantry (you might find this ironic since I bought 20 TV dinners, but you should see the variety!!) and supplied my shopping with a game-plan making it fun. Now I go to the g store with a mission!

I did feel a little embarrassingly like Macauley Culkin in the first home alone with 20 TV dinners in my buggy, I have to say.

Spare me the health spiel, please. They are only something to grab quickly out of the fridge for lunch at work. Besides you that would chastise me are probably driving you car to work everyday, I bike, so kiss it.

I am thinking of getting a haircut for the first time since May, but it would make arbitrary, to use arbitrary like my man barack did tonight in his "political message," all this time that I have spent growing out these frizzy locks.

Actually I was going to get it cut last week, but as I explained to Farren, I got two grease burns from throwing a pork chop on too-hot grease, on my nose and didn't feel like going and having to stare at those deep, scabbed pocks for 30 minutes while I got my haircut. On the other hand, if I could just wait a couple of more months, I could get my mom to pay for it AND get the same person (Natalie--back home) that I usually get to cut it to, well, cut it.

I was walking downtown on Saturday and ran into this house lumbering down Columbia Ave. 'They' were moving it from one downtown lot to another because 'they' were putting up a condo in its spot. It, according to a picture on the news, is usually a very attractive house, but they dressed it down for the move. It had drawn a crowd one all four sides of interested pedestrians on the crisp and clear Saturday morning. It was moving very slowly-- inches at a time-- and reminded me of a childhood trip to Cape Canaveral. You see, they have to move the space shuttle from the preparation building to the launch site on a very large, flat carrier (not unlike the one in the picture) at an inching pace. However, not as impressively as this carrier as it was dodging downtown buildings, street lights, and trees while navigating hills and traffic.

Cheers,

David

Farren and Job, mostly (with a political pun at the end)

2008-10-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

I grew out a terrible beard for about a month. I paused during its shaving to check myself out with this sick stache.

I finally got to come back to the South for a week, but I never stopped in Alabama. It was a business trip. I took off of work to go on a research cruise with an old advisor from my Maryland internship. We set sail from Tampa Bay and cruised south. We were sampling from a Red Tide bloom. Trying to save the lives of the fish and the health of the swing statees. Will I get political in this blog? we will find out together.

(This ramble is about weather, a very boring topic, save yourself some time, skip to "So, I have been")In Portland this summer on warmer days people would point out that the south is humid. It happened so often I wondered if people just wanted to show off the fact that they do know a little about our climate, in addition to their fluent renditions of the stereotyping of southerners--not so far off base with either. Let me get to the point: Whoa! It is a lot more humid that I remember. Follow me: I was used to the scale of humidity in the Northwest which is a lot lower but varies from day to day, of course. The Floridian scale must start 30 bars higher. I swear my bodily barometer was reading, "uh, I don't know for sure, but it might be over 100%." It was really hot, too. I caught some rays though, I'd be damned if I was going to go back to Portland without a sunburn or tan.

Sorry, could their be a more boring or irrelevant topic for a blog? Just wanted to simply state: Redneck leaves south for 3 months, comes back and thinks its humid...how banal. Truly sorry, maybe I should put a note to the reader before that ramble.

So, I have been waiting in the Tampa aiport for two hours now...only two to go. "What happened was" they brought everyone from the ship that had afternoon flights to the airport at the same time--my flight is at 1830.

The time allowed me to talk to Farren via webcam for a little while, which is always nice. Webcam is no less than 1,000 times better than talking on the phone.

Farren came to visit Portland the week before I left to come on this cruise. It was so good to see her. She must be the most beautiful girl ever. It felt right to have her there and be together. It felt so unfair to have to say goodbye. She loved the Rose Garden--Portland is aptly nicknamed the "Rose City." Here are a couple of pictures from the Rose Garden.

Sometimes I write like I am writing a newspaper article.

Short paragraphs--its so that you can casually glance between facebook and my blog . It's all for you, stalker.

Of course I'm only kidding, I want you to read "Work hard, play hard, sleep hard." I exist only to assist you in procrastination ~ once a month.

My job is going well. I'm not new anymore. Sometimes it is good. Sometimes I can't get any shit (if you a young, pious, or my mom replace the 's' word with tasks) accomplished despite my best efforts. Science is that way, I guess. You're at the mercy of your instruments. My work is fulfilling in that I know that each day is a small contribution to answering questions. At least that's the fairy tale. Right now we are busy trying to clean out the fridge. Due to 5 cruises, we are swamped with samples that we are trying to chug through, and hardly having time to see any data. Maybe somebody is, but it's not me!

One day I'll have my own project(grad school and on), but right now I am a lab slave taking every opportunity to improve myself and prepare to enter the grad school of (hopefully) my choice with a clear purpose, good ideas, ability to improve the lab, and get to work. There's no doubt in my mind that taking time away from the 'classroom' was the right thing to do for me. I wasn't burned out. I'm not burned out. It would have been easier to go straight to graduate school, but for what? To take a project out of my advisor's mind and mouth and slave on it for a few years just to get a degree...get outta here. That's not cool.

I don't know who reads my blog-- if anyone. Nobody leaves comments. I don't know if it is more family, people from home or college, or friends I met through science. It's a mystery.

Anyways, only an hour until my flight starts boarding, so I better go buy some more airport cuisine courtesy of the tax payer before John "The other one" McCain and Sarah "You just can't trust those scientists *wink*" Palin freeze my (and the world's leading scientific community's) funding--not to infer a likely victory for Team Maverick(drink), of course, it's only make-believe.

Cheers,

David

At Sea

2008-09-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

This morning I had a sunrise view of, as Lewis and Clark named it, Cape Disappointment. Anyone who has ever visited the Oregon shore or any West Coast shore for that matter you might understand their disappointment. Most days on the coast are much cooler than the areas more inland and filled with fog. Sunrise brought a typical day to the Oregon coast and I observed it from the R/V (Research Vessel) Wecoma. I have been aboard the all-all-you-can-eat icecream Wecoma for 5 days now. A couple of the days of been great weather with blue skies and glassy water, but the other three have been overcast and foggy. Offshore 20 miles or so have been nothing but blue skies and warmer weather, however, as we have been as far offshore as 60 miles. Onboardthe 184 ft Wecoma are 10 other scientists and somewhere around 16? crew members--including 2 cooks. Everyday I take "Primary Productivity" measurements and I will spare you most of the details except to say that I have to get up before sunrise to filter my sample water from the day before so that I can take more samples and incubate them for 24 hours out of the deck to be filtered the next morning. Attached to a CTD( a large instrument that we can send down to whatever depth we might need--The deepest so far on our cruise is 995 meters or over 3000 ft--that takes real-time measurements of salinity, temperature, oxygen, florescence or chlorophyll concentrations, density, turbidity, irradiance, nitrate concentrations, and a few more things) is a "rosette" or circle of "niskin" 12 L bottles that can collect water samples from as many as 12 selected depths and then spike them with different nutrients to see what makes the microscopic plankton grow the most over a 24 hour period.

I realize that if I continue to write about science nobody will read my blog, but if you are interested I could write more...

I imagine that for my family and Auburn fans all over Alabama going to church this morning was not a pleasant experience after the Tigers lost their first game of the season last night. The Wecoma does not have satellite television so I was not able to watch the game, but I was checking online every 30 minutes or so and watched updates on ESPN.com for the final 5 or 10 minutes. Heartbreak. Average Joe in Oregon doesn't even know that Auburn is in Alabama. Reading off friends' Facebook statuses to the science 'party' last night was nothing short or hilarious. #*&#* is War Eagle. (*(#)*# is Warrrrrrrrrrr Eagle. #&$*#&$ is War DAMN Eagle. #*&$*#& is weegle weegle war damn eagle kick em in the butt big blue!!!!! #&*#$ is Warrrrrrrrr f'ing Eagle!!!!!!!!!! Let's go Auburn!!!!! It was not that they were making fun of us, just that its very difficult understand, maybe incomprehensible. But I do understand why it is so important to express your fervor via facebook indicated yourself to be the most fanatic and it's still funny. It begged the question of why the battle cry of Auburn is War Eagle. We 'wikipedia-ed' it and read about the young confederate soldier that saved an eagle on the battlefield and became known to carry it around campus where it set flight over an Auburn victory over Georgia just before dying. Or so the story goes.

Getting up so early to do my work, I complete my work usually by noon. After that I help out with the CTD, get ready for the next day, help out with other sampling, and quite a bit of free-time to read and study, play Rock Band, sit on deck, fish, or watch Southpark.

I almost forgot: On Friday, I saw a whale in nature for the first time. Supposedly it was a California Gray Whale. I told Captain Rick that if he saw one, to let me know. The next day he called down to get my butt out on the bow because there was a whale surfacing on the port side. Instantly, I put down everything I was doing, ran to get my camera, and got out there. 2 or 3 minutes later I saw it surfaced about 400 m from the ship. It surfaced within sight 3 more times before it was gone and it was certainly near impossible to photograph and am sorry to say that I was not able to capture the moment. It looked much like any video I have seen on television. In that sense, it was much like my impression of Tiger Woods when I stood a couple of feet from him a few years ago, which, I do not mean to say, takes away any exhilaration of the moment. Of course it was an unforgettable experience that had me smiling and ridiculed for awhile--"Alabama just saw his first whale, how exciting I've seen hundreds", yadayada-- I hope they can remember what it was like when they saw their first. Seeing a whale was something growing up that I never even considered. I never considered the possibility until recently. There was potential when I was in Baja Mexico...wrong time of the year. There was potential in Jordan...wrong time of the year, wrong part of the Red Sea. The Wecoma cruise off the Oregon coast offered the best chance yet and did not disappoint. If we don't see one today though I won't see another one as we are headed into the estuary for tomorrow and Tuesday when the cruise ends(for me).

We just got called out on deck because some sea lions were spotted. I have some amazing shots of these guys/gals. Take a look.

Cheers.

David

Work and football.

2008-09-09T23:23:00.001-07:00

Whoa. It's harder to keep up with a blog than I though. Or maybe I am busier than I thought I would be. Every few days I think "Hmm...I should update my blog...maybe tomorrow." I have been busy working in the lab and studying to dominate the GRE. I have seriously been getting pressed to frustration by a machine called a rapid flow analyzer which essentially measures concentrations of nutrients in seawater. Well, I know that nobody is interested in "how" it is driving me crazy in its intricacies, but it is. Easy concept, 1000 tiny tubes. If any one is off, I have to figure out which one it is and fix it. So, I am a biology major doing microscopic plumbing. I do enjoy the challenge, though, and once we get this bad boy figured out, I'll be an expert.

My fitness has surely taken a hit since I moved out here. Long gone are the days of three hours of class, maybe a lab, working out, and maybe/maybe not studying. Now, I have many more hours of structure built into each day. Not to mention there are hardly any places around the condo that are remotely flat. Read: I am making excuses. I've got to and will start running more often.

Whoa! I almost forgot. My roommate got an eviction warning. It sounds worse than it is. He received this reprimand because he gets in really late and talks on the phone out on our balcony until 4 in the morning or brings kids over that are 'noisy' on our balcony. 'Noisy' really is an exageration, though. In the guy's defense he really isn't that loud, but everybody else that lives at the complex owns so they are very particular and rightfully so. It doesn't really matter to me if he gets kicked out or not. My error was by knowing that I could live with anybody--I've lived in dorms for the last three years including summers-- was that other people in the complex wouldn't have that problem.

The past two weekends, particularly Saturday, I haven't moved from in front of my TV watching football. I few West Coast problems have developed. First, I wasn't able to watch the other team in Alabama play on the opening weekend despite them being the 'game of the week'; I got Cal/Michigan St. Cal/Michigan St? Seriously. Last Saturday, I rolled over at 9:00 AM turned on my XM radio and listened to the first half of the Auburn (War Eagle) game before I felt guilty enough to get out of bed. A stark contrast to where I would have been a year ago.

For now, it's late.....

Settled

2008-08-17T19:22:00.001-07:00

Rest easy: I have an apartment, a bed, a Mac, furniture, television, internet, and a roommate. All are surely a story within themselves. I'll spare you.

Did I mention that I have internet and a new Mac? My laptop from HC died last week and I did not feel the least grief. I am glad to get rid of that piece of shit. A poor excuse for a computer, it was embarrassing. In its last month it would randomly fart, fumble, and flip off. This morning my internet was finally installed. Then I went out and bought a new Mac. I am one happy poor scientist. I haven't left my (purple) couch for quite a few hours/beers.

So, I found a roommate on craigslist, and everything is going really well, so far. He works in the evening, so when I come home from work he is usually gone. Best of both worlds, aye? Over the past few weeks we have been assembling random pieces of bachelor living, and it's not looking bad, not looking bad at all. I earned the full pity of all of the interns such that they left me everything that they didn't want from their apartments and refrigerators . "Interns, f yeah." (The preceding quote was toned down in the interest of all the high school followers that have added me on facebook)

I am getting the chance to stretch my cooking "legs?" for the first time. For clarity's sake: I am, to the trained, attempting arson. It's trial and error, people. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning goes a long, long way for burnt poultry (Ancar, 2008).

I miss my girlfriend, Farren. Life and work often seem senseless without her here.

There is a picture of my group from Jordan on Auburn's homepage. If you go to it, we are the "4th" picture.

Cheers. Peace.

Terra Firma = Reality and No Rightful Bed, Again

2008-07-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

I walk, I ride the bus, and I ride the train. I have chosen not to have a car for the whole year I am here. I can buy a year-long pass for the 'MAX' (Portland's "subway", essentially) and buses through OHSU for something like $230. That comes to around $20 a month for transportation to anywhere I want to go within Portland and all the suburbs. Not bad, not bad at all. My truck in Alabama would go through $20 in gas in a couple of days. I am buying a bike sometime this week. Financially it is a good move, but more than that, it is a great feeling to travel with a clear conscience.

The following ramble is my attempt at starting a new series on HGTV called "Bargain Hunter", not unlike their original "House Hunters"

One of the most important factors in my apartment hunt was location--it needed to be near the MAX. I have applications in for two places. A condo in downtown Portland and an apartment in Beaverton. The condo in Portland is a couple minute bike ride to the MAX and close to everything which makes it my preference. The apartment in Beaverton I applied to as a back-up plan. Joe, the boss, told me to take Friday off to allow me to go downtown and see some apartments. I saw three in all. The first apartment I saw was really nice, but the washer/drier were downstairs and each load was $1.25...uhh, hello, Blount Hall. However, the views from this apartment were awesome, and I was willing to apply. Instead of paying the application fee, I just took an application with me, and read through it. As I read I gathered that there have been 48 applicants for this one unit. I decided that with a 2% chance of getting the room to say "hollaaaaa." Anyways, the second place I visited was the one that I figured that I wanted all along. It is a 2 BR that has a nice view of the city and Mt. St. Helens on clear days, is 5 minutes form the MAX line, and is within my price range. The owner of the property was very friendly and after a 15 minute walk around the inside of the condo and around the complex I was certain that this is the place I wanted to live. I feel like I have a good chance of getting the apartment once my application goes through. I should know by Tuesday. I visited one more place downtown, but just for good measure. I visited some places in Beaverton and they all have more to offer in the way of pools, fitness rooms, and space. However, they aren't downtown. Beaverton is a nice place, but in most ways it is similar to every other suburb of large cities. Portland is unique and where all the action is, though, and since I am only out here for a year (potentially more???) I wanted to get the full experience. Enough of that.

Last night I went downtown with a few of the interns from the lab to see State Radio play. I had heard the name, but never heard their music. They were awesome(please forgive my 'cliche'), with a moderate hint of high school punk (I was in the minority wearing a collared shirt) following.

Oh, because I was just there, it was cool to see Obama at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem over the weekend. I will have an apartment by the next time that I write. Cheers, peace.

May as well start now....

2008-07-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

Considering the fact that I am a long way from "home," am bursting to tell about my experiences, and suck at staying in touch with people today, out of the blue, I decided to start a blog. Currently I am sitting aboard the R/V Clifford A. Barnes at port in Astoria, OR. I am one week into my new "job" as a Research Assistant in the biological oceanography, biogeochemistry, coastal management observation and prediction lab of Dr. Joe Needoba. The lab is associated with Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) which is one of the finest Med Schools in the country. Technically, we are a part of the Med School, which doesn't make any sense. We won't be doing any medical research. Besides, they don't get to spend much time at sea.

I am homeless and carless, did I mention that? The homeless issue will be solved soon. I am going to get an apartment in Portland. I am not getting a car--a proposition that I am excited about--, but I am going to buy a bike.

Also, I love the West Coast so far. I "may as well" tell yo what I have enjoyed about the West Coast so far, as well. The people are all very chill and friendly. I believe that "Southern Hospitality" is a bunch of crap, by the way. Experiencing the Middle East for the month of June in Jordan, talking with West Coast kids(a word that I use to mean everybody, in this case), and growing up in small town Alabama qualifies my statement. Not that I have not experienced particurarly inhospitable places in the South, or are bitter in any way. I'm not. There are plenty of nice people in the south... there are plenty of nice people everywhere. Maybe I'll get into that more later, anyway. Back to why I like Oregon.

Because I love my "job." Because my "boss" just took me into his house in order to give me ample time to find an apartment in Portland. Because I will be able to travel anywhere I want to go in Portland for $238 a year. Because everywhere I have been brews their own beer. Because the little towns that we have come to port in along the Columbia River in Washington and Oregon are freaking neat. Because I went on a hike in Astoria that in the first 5 minutes of the hike changed my whole perspective on what a "forest" is. That's what 100 inches of rain will do for you.

Ah, the weather that is another thing. When I got off the plane in Portland it was a scorching 95 degrees. I was confused. It stayed hot in Portland for the 5 days I was there before I boarded the ship. Since I have been on the ship I have been in pants and sweatshits and rain jackets which I didn't originally pack for the cruise because I was becoming accustomed to the 95 degree days in Portland. When Joe found out that I didn't pack any cold weather clothes for the cruise he had to take me back to the house to get the Alabama boy some warmer clothes. It was rather funny. It is cold whenever you on the water, especially towards the coast due to the California Current. It comes from Alaska. It does to the West Coast exactly opposite of what the Gulf Stream does to the East Coast.

I feel like I missed a great chance to blog when I was in Jordan, but I have posted many pictures on Facebook and chances are if you are checking my blog, I am your "friend" on that dandy little time consumer. I will be adding pictures from outwest soon. Once I get off the ship and well-acquainted with the workings of the blog, I will post pictures to my new blog.

This could be a really nice place to ramble. I really like it. For now, I am headed into town for the last night. I think the rest of the crew is having a beer at Fort George Brewery in Astoria. It is so chill. Last night they had a great band playing. I think that this blog might eventually "evolve (the use of this verb is not meant to offend anyone)" into a "what I am going through" not so much of a "What I am up to." I don't know how often I will update, but I imagine that I will update pretty frequently. Cheers and Peace.