We got around to it a bit late this year but we did finally fulfill another winter tradition: watching the movie "Groundhog Day." If I have to explain that to anybody who knows what the movie is about, I disown you. "What if you were stuck in one place...and every day was the same... and nothing you did got you anywhere?" Our biggest laugh was when the DVD skipped in the middle and started over again at the beginning.
Spirits are rising a bit now that the sky is light, although we won't see the sun itself for another couple of weeks. Now that we're short-timers a certain cynicism has set in, and I have to admit that I'm not immune to it. I still have a fair bit of work to do and I intend to do a good job, but I don't care quite as much as I used to do. You could say the community is fractured, or you could say the social groups have settled. With this many people on station it's just not going to be the same as the "old days." Me, I am getting dopey and forgetful but I'm mostly happy and I'm still having a good winter. Nobody here is ready to crack (I think) but there is some crabbiness around.
We still do have some old-style creative amusements going on. We had an informal acoustic night that turned into a loud, happy, loud (did I mention loud?) singalong: good fun. Last week one of our prime instigators led the first-ever South Pole Clown/Ninja Urinal Crawl. We had about 14 people dressed like clowns and we think 2 ninjas (they're hard to get a handle on, you know) and we visited most of the urinals in the Dome/New Station carrying booze and a boombox playing lounge music. It was random and goofy and a whole lot of fun.
The band played a couple weeks ago, this time we were named CRS and the Croutons. We had a great time, we still don't like playing in the New Galley but people are finally getting warmed up to dancing in there. Oh yeah, and there was an art show with some good entries varying from ridiculous to satirical to actual art. Mine was somewhere in the middle, combining Buddhist philosophy and bowling. I drew a Buddha that actually looks like a Buddha, very proud of myself.
Work is cruising along. October is going to be VERY busy as soon as the UT's (Utilities Techs) start warming buildings up and we start moving equipment back to summer locations, so I'm trying to get everything done that I'm not going to want to bother with then. It's a good poke in the butt to quit procrastinating on some of the lower-priority items.
It's been blowy and overcast for a couple of days, so there's ambient light but no shadows: I still need my flashlight so I don't trip over the sastrugi. We got some big lumps out there. The sunlight is bright enough now that the science techs gave the OK to remove the window coverings in the New Station, which makes it look much more cheerful from the outside and less confined from the inside.
Hokay enough words. I hope you're all well out there. Welcome to the world, Ian Woolgrove Good. It can be rough but you picked some quality parents - good luck.
Best,
-Sarah
ps - my website is back, thanks Murkfolks! www.murkworks.net/~sarah. I'm aiming to have some more pictures up in the next few days. Info on remote voting is at www.murkworks.net/~sarah/vote.html.