Typically when I get going to write some entries, I need bout two or so hours. I know surprisingly all this wit usually takes about 5 minutes per sentence. So, I basically haven't really had that much time to sit back and narrate my weeks. Thus, I will try to cover the past three quickly and get on with the big adventure up North.
First week of March was a bloom cruise. Bloom cruises are short, 2.5 day cruises. It's quite easy. Second week was nothing. Went snorkeling over the weekend, saw some big parrotfish and I believe an octopus. It's still pretty darn cold, so wet suits are necessary. Luckily, I'm available to borrow one.
The third week of March was a core cruise. Again, core cruises last 5 days. I guess I didn't realize that BIOS and BATS has the long running time-series of open ocean data in the world. Pretty cool. So for work, cruises make my day particularly busy. Lots of prep work before the cruise and then post-cruise there is lots of cleaning gear, making sure samples are put away, and getting set up for the next cruise. Doesn't really allow me to run any samples.
The actual cruise was pretty good. There were lots of visiting scientists, mostly grad students. Some were from Princeton, Delaware, and then our international grad students(POGOs). We got some pretty high seas in the middle, about 50 knot winds, so Science was canceled for the day. Once winds get around 30+, usually all science is post-poned. I felt a little off, not sick, but definitely couldn't look at a computer screen/watch a movie. The day was full of sleep.
However, the roughness made it also a little more exciting. Deploying and retrieving buoys/sediment traps hasn't gotten dull, but it's sooo much more action packed and you feel rugged when you've waves crashing around you and you're getting nice and soaked. Mostly everybody has wet gear, but I'm the asshole with shorts and t-shirt on grinning about pulling something on board.
The other high-light of the cruise was discovering Chess on my Mac. Unfortunately, the "regular" setting would kick my ass in under 3 minutes.
After the cruise followed a pretty nice weekend. On Saturday, the Bermuda Lacrosse Club(Men's and Women) hosted an 80's party. We rented out a gym, brought in a DJ and an 80's cover band. Some of us were a bit unsure, but it turned out to be pretty awesome. We sold about 150 tickets and made a lot of money with drinks. All proceeds went to the kids program and as well to the 2010 World Games.
To underestimate, I got pretty drunk. You can usually tell if it was a good night when you wake up and walk into your kitchen and the scene looks like Big Foot smoked about a pound of crack and tried to cook a pizza. I got a pretty sweet 80's jacket out of it as well.
Also on Saturday, I watched my first "real" Rugby game. I've been back and forth particularly with a guy here, between American Sports and English. For the most part, he does a pretty good job ripping into a few American sports. However, he watches Cricket which makes him basically a fucking nut. We both agreed that I'd like Rugby, so on Saturday there was a major set of games, called Six Nations. Six Nations is Italy, France, England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. The game I watched was England vs Scotland; Scotland apparently sucks and showed it a little.
A lot of bickering that was going on between us was basically comparing Rugby vs American Football. To be fair, I don't have at all have a good knowledge of Rugby, but here is a list of discrepancies. Note....I watched the game with two Brits and a Scot and were very good with describing the rules and pace of the game.
1. Rugby players are fucking huge.
2. American football players are freaking large as well, however, a more variety of sizes. Large Rugby guys will top around 6'6'', much like most offensive lineman. However, a DB would get crushed in Rugby.
3. Rugby players are tougher. Generalization, I know. I'd compare them to Hockey Players.
4. Watching a sporting event is much, much better when you don't have Bud Light commercials every freaking 6 minutes.
5. Jake Long would probably be a very good Rugby player. Same with Sean Taylor.
There's a lot more that I can't think of, but obviously I like American Football more. The forward pass gives it a whole different degree of cool. I would definitely like to watch a game with a bunch Irish maniacs. Also, I raced against a Rugby "winger', like a WR, that was undergrad visiting from England. Results were Lacrosse in 30yds and Rugby in 100yd. However, most of you know that I am god awful at the 100yd dash. Even Graham the ogre will take me. I have no doubt Vasher would crush him. Sorry Bobby.
Along the whole topic of Football, Rugby and badassness, check out this Youtube. I freaking love Goalie Fights.
1 comment:
Emery is PSYCHO
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