Gobble Gobble Gobble

Well tis that time of year again when families get together to enjoy large sums of food and argue about the many idiosyncrasies of each member and what they should do about it! I find that in my family we are not secluded from this wonderful celebration but I believe that even within the "you need to do this" statements we have a blessed time of creating more and more of a solid family unit over the years. With that said it has been difficult for the last couple of years. Being in Antarctica has prevented me from giving thanks to my parents and family for all those little idoisyncrasies. It is copeable because so many of us are in the same boat so it feels like we all can comisserate, but no matter how much group misery we can offload of our conscience it still hurts at the end of the day. However, the one good thing that does come out of the the distance from our familial love is that when we do come home the family love seems to be that much more solidified and appreciated, at least that is what it feels like for me! The conversations here about life back home are always funny and interesting throughout the season but during the holidays it definitely seems to take on a more serious tone. In the end I just believe that being away from something that is such a tradition makes it harder to leave away from each and every year that this unique group of people make up! Well I hope all your family feasts were delicious and all the making funny of family members went well! Till the next time, Seth

Nothin but vinyl

So for a while now it just seems like the time has been goin along and that everything is melding into one. It has been a great season so far, the way my relationships with friends and intimate ones have been quite satisfying. I like the dynamic group setting quite a bit and the setting that we are working in is perfect to play it out. I think that any job that needs some team building should send their employees to Antarctica and I know that they will come out that much stronger. The days are getting warmer and warmer is has been too warm to tell the truth, last season by this time we had already seen a couple of storms so with none so far it makes one think that the weather is really changing but this season isn’t over yet! It did snow today but only for the morning but that was very cool and the snow flakes were a good reminder that even in summer here it can get bad at any time! My life as a DJ came back in full swing as the pictures will show my vinyl tastes still goin strong. I was playing some Dead at that point. I’m devoting a whole show next week the ol’farts! I mix it up quite a bit from blues to modern rock to jazz to alternative. What ever sounds good is the idea. Today I did the complete show of the Grateful Dead, twas a success. Overall, everything is good, I’m definitely gonna miss the family on Thursday. It’s always hard to be so far away from everyone but at least I can commiserate with the rest of the familyless folk. Enjoy some of the more recent pics, some are from a couple of friends of mine who when just out off the station on moral trips, I myself probably will not get the opportunity this season to have one because of the lack of them for the cargo department, but you never know! Also there is a pic of some Emperor penguins that I unfortunately missed out on the runway it is kind of a hit or miss, I guess I missed nonetheless, still cool pics! A pic of Maria and Brian a hall mate!

the hum de dums of life

So life has been just goin along here. I have been doin well at work and have been enjoying my social world as well. Within my world of romance I have been seemingly unable to make any sense of what it all means. I had my romance in Thailand and learned alot about myself and was doing great with how my ablility of "goin with the flow"-was goin, but as I have begun my time again back down here. I find myself questioning what I don't have again. I so want to be able to enjoy the company of another woman, one in particular, but just in general and as many times before they use the "I just got out of a relationship" card. This is quite understandable yet I find myself wondering why I do not get my fair share of seeing if I can make them happy. It seems as if that man before me has been my bridge and I do not even know him. Whether it be, he is too immature or he was a cheater or he is a violent man. All of these and many more reasons have been used upon me and myself. Why is it that woman see that in me, those potential qualities or elements, they seem to place all those burdons upon me and yet I have done nothing. I don't know, but the waiting game is all too excruciating sometimes. Sometimes it is fine and I am able to last those moments in between encounters but sometimes it ain't easy! Down here it seems that with the large population of beautiful, intelligent, kind, and amazing women, that I would have such luck, but in the end....... I don't know but I will seek that will and power to keep me goin along between encounters of the feminine kind! Till the next time!

Fun in the sun, I mean cold, I mean .........

So I just went out on a trip last night we left at 6 and got back to McMurdo at midnight and yes the sun was still shining bright even at that time, oi vey. Anyhoo, we went to this place called Cape Evans, it was the shelter that Robert Falcon Scott used for his epic adventure to be the first to make it to the South Pole, of course he was eventually beaten by Admunsen the Norwegian. Nonetheless, it was an amazing place and the artifacts their are amazing, all completely preserved, mind you not by the museum curator but the bloody dry and cold environment. It seems as if we walked into history as we walked into the door way it really was quite amazing. They had pieces of seal blubber used for fuel to keep warm, condiments via 1910 I mean almost 100 years old still perfectly clear labels, many filled unused and mostly usable looking. One of the best the best was the bottle of Heinz ketchup, look at the label, one thing has changed in almost 100 years, there is no longer a pickle on the label but beyond that still the same. They also have pieces of science equipment and many other pieces of almost ancient looking ski's and other tools of the era. Their sleeping quarters are so tiny they all would have to be midgets to fit comfortably but they still perservered. You have to love the pinup of a lady for thier female homesickness, I put it in some clip art from my camera for fun. All in all in was one of those moments when I say to myself, this is one of the reasons I came to Antarctica, to see history in the raw, and I mean raw, no ropes, no guards, no buzzers for crossing the line but pure untouched history. While I was waiting to get into the shack I was looking around at the little islands out on the Ross Sea, there is Little and Big Razorback island, then there is Barne glacier with all its blue ice and the once again the views of Mt. Erabus but the closest I have been to it yet and of course the many shots, angles and pieces of the snow and ice world. I decided to do a mix of shots of all the snow and ice that I have and will see! I think it will be beautiful look and see at some of what I have already! Also here is a picture of the girl I am attempting to court, very cool, very down to earth, very funny, tis Maria! Ok I cannot type anymore for I have extremely cracked skin on my fingers and it hurts like hell to type but I had to enlighten ya'll on my most recent adventure, enjoy! Till the next time, ciao.

Well it has been awhile, I did have a blog from a couple of days ago but the stupid site cut off and did not post the whole thing so Ill try and get everything out of the brain. To begin I guess I should say that it has been very, very busy. Assisting the airplanes has been fun and challenging, that’s where we work. Basically, there are two places to work, that is the airstrip and town. Hence, I have been working with the planes a lot, however, that just ended this week and now I will be working with in town doing a lot of pallet building and cargo deliveries, not as fun as the strip but a change. While I was out on the strip I was blessed with an amazing amount of views, whether they are landscapes or skyscapes or both. The atmosphere out there is much different than all that I had experienced last season. The only chances I had to be out of town were to clean the airstrip toilets, so now I just get to use them! Anyhoo, the time has been very good to me this time around, not as if that last was not it is just that I feel like I am getting the best of worlds, the outside and the culture. My goals are a little different this time around as well. I do not feel that need to separate myself from the groups as much, in that I was trying to go inwards and really look for some answers that seemed to have been eluding me. This time it is much more of enjoying the Antarctic lifestyle and experience that wild blue yonder, well wild white yonder as it is. The feeling of loneliness has not hit me yet, I know that it will, it hits us all everywhere and anywhere we are but for now I truly believe that my psyche is at an all time high, in that my self-esteem is really high and my ability to stay away from depression has been quite successful. My friendships here are doing great and I am making new ones everyday. I have been trying to get back into painting, if that’s what you call it, Eliott and I are about par, (Eliott for all you who do not know is my 4y/o nephew) still a lot of basic work to do but only practice will change that.

My crew mates are great we all meld quite well together, there is the young naïve 22y/o boy from Boulder, the 30 something funny as hell lesbian, the 42 y/o eclectic, the 30y/o other Seth, who is very cool and very articulate, and then the boss lady, 37 y/o Elizabeth, who has a lot to offer and is soooo funny and keeps us all happier than clams! Oh yeah and me as well, Hooch the guy who always has something to say and tries to employ comedy as much as possible! We make up a fun group of cats and are team name is something ya’ll gonna have to ask me personally on an email!

So last weekend was Halloween, or the party for it and it was quite a riot. My costume this year was one that I have worn before and brought it down from home to here. I had to shave my goatee to get truly into character and as my daddy always said “If you’re gonna do it, then do it right the first time” So I had to shave to make it work. My character was Richard Simmons and many a folk told me that it was scary how much I looked like him, you can judge for yourself. I actually got second in the costume contest, the winner was Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpson’s, and he actually shaved the middle of his hair to make that happen right, and he was my friend so I was ok with it but funny enough it is the second year in a row that I won by popular vote but lost by the judges (sound familiar). Last year it was the chili cook off and this year of course was Halloween. I guess I just have to know that I know what I’m doin, right! All in all it was a fun night and I was happy to make so many people laugh!

Since I have been down here there have been times where I thought that I was going to go crazy with the notion that I would have no physical contact with a woman, I’m too much of a person who relies on that contact to get by on a, say bi-yearly basis. I’m not saying that I have to be with a woman to enjoy being with a woman but I certainly enjoy the once in a while kiss and such. And so far it looks as if it will be quite awhile to have any contact with another. I guess sometimes that is just the way it is! We shall see, for now it will be just to enjoy the company of others. There one girl that I have been trying to find out what she is all about. I did find out from her co-worker that she has a thing for Jewish boys, score one for Seth! But as I said for now it is just to play it by ear and enjoy my time here! I do miss all you guys from back home, I was happy to have spent the time that I did with you! I promise to write individual emails and try and call you guys soon! Love ya, miss ya! Hooch is outta here. Till the next time!