October 19, 2008 • 2:41 pm
ATTN: this post will always be on top. Keep scrolling.
That’s right. I’m back for another season on the Ice. This year I’m a General Assistant to the Plumbers, which is SO much better than working in the Kitchen. If you feel like sending me a postcard or something, you can send it to the following address:
Eli Duke, RPSC
McMurdo Station
PSC 469 Box 700
APO AP 96599-1035
If you’re sending a package, use a padded evelope (it’ll get here faster) and don’t use packing peanuts. If you’d rather communicate with me electronically you can keep an eye on this blog, follow me on twitter, check out my photos, or chat with me online at 5pm on Saturdays (PDT).
UPDATE! I got a pager! You’re probably wondering what’s so cool about that (I mean, it’s almost 2010 for crying out loud). Well, first off, it lets my friends around town find me if they need to, but more importantly it allows people back home (like you) to send me little messages. Just fire up a new email and put your message (200 characters max) in the subject line only (nothing in the body) and send it to 738@pg.mcmurdo.usap.gov.
Filed under: travel, work , antarctica, mcmurdo
October 15, 2008 • 11:47 pm
It’s day three. I know that I keep saying this, but it keeps getting more and more surreal while at the same time getting more and more normal, like, why wouldn’t I be in Antarctica right now? Things are settling in nicely, and I can see a wonderful season laid out in front of me.
One source of concern for me before I arrived was my living situation. Last season Meredith and I lived in MMI and I totally took that for granted. It was so awesome having a window and only 1 roommate to deal with rather than 3, which would have been the case if I lived in 155. This year I’m flying solo, so I thought for sure they would throw me in 155 with the rest of the rabble rousers. When I finally got my room assignment after the arrival briefing, I sorta freaked out a bit: I was SO excited. The craziest part, though, is that I don’t even have a roommate. MMI is usually reserved for couples, and they threw me in there by myself, at least for now.
Another thing I wasn’t to sure of until the day I arrived was what I’d actually be doing this season. Sure, I knew I was gonna be an FEMC GA (Facilities-Engineering-Maintenance-and-Construction General Assistant), but what exactly would I be doing? Turns out I’m gonna be a plumber (at least for now), and it’s awesome. I’ve had 2 days of work so far: it’s really laid back and the rest of the plumbers are a bunch of hilarious, crusty old men (Walter, Doug, Tim, Tom, etc). I’m really enjoying being the new guy.
They should have sent a poet.
Filed under: travel, work , antarctica
October 13, 2008 • 1:04 am
I have to get up in about 4 hours to catch a shuttle to the airport, where I’ll get on a plane that will fly me to Antarctica where I will live for the next 4 months. Wow… 4 hours, 4 months. I did not do that on purpose, I swear.
Also, I think I had an epiphany tonight: we are science-fiction. It ties together so many of the thoughts. I really think that THIS is the book that I will right. I know that I’ve said that before, and I really hope I’m not calling sheep here, but this time I feel a closer connection with this concept because it is one that is based in reality. It’s not a story of make believe, it is a look at truth from a different perspective.
Filed under: travel, work , antarctica, books, christchurch, nz
