Jamaica Me Crazy

21 days in Jamaica, 20 days in the water, 115 hours breathing through a snorkel, hundreds of data points!

Our visit to Jamaica was both interesting and successful. It was successful in that we got some kick-ass data that will (hopefully) result in 2 publications (which is AWESOME for just 20 days of work).

It was an interesting trip too. I didn't see too much of the country, but we did occasionally leave the research "compound" (which I think can be technically called a compund as it was surrounded by barbed-wire fence and had 24-hour security guards). The trips from our little "city" of Discovery Bay to the tourist city of Ocho Rios involved passing massive all-inclusive resorts (also with huge gates and security and surrounded by man-made beaches) and "shanty" towns -- areas in which true Jamaicans lived in run-down cement and metal buildings. The contrast was amazing.

On our one day "off", Joe (grad student), Alex (undergrad), and I decided to go on an adventure! Mr. Coke (a security guard that used to work at the Marine Lab) agreed to drive us (for only $2500J) to the very touristy Dunns River Falls. Mr. Coke was an hour late to pick us up (Jamaican time!) and then he had to drop off his machete (don't worry, the 15" blade was wrapped in newspaper) to a roadside fruit stand. But we made it to the Falls without harm and enjoyed an afternoon of hiking through freshwater rapids and waterfalls. It was a wonderful break from our normal intense research. Mr. Coke also took us to his favorite restaurant (where I ate curried goat, drank Red Stripe and watched the Brian McKnight "Anytime" video (yes, our junior prom song)) and then to a real local market in St. Anne's Bay (where we weren't obvious tourists or anything).

The fish were good (yay data!), Jamaica was fun, I lost 15lbs (but have gained back 2 since being back in the states), I got a good tan (and some good burns on the backs of my ankles -- skin cancer, here I come), and had fun with the other students. Overall, a productive and enjoyable field work adventure! Though, I don't yet have the desire to go back next summer like my advisor wants me to ....

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Our boat dock at the compound
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Getting ready for a day of work (they call me the Captain)
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Beautiful views!
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Some fishies, doing some tests, having some fun!
(Awesome photo due to the great digital camera from Ry & the underwater casing I found on eBay!)
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Fun at Dunns River Falls!
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Yeah, Mon!

I'm in Jamaica!!

With VERY limited internet access! And very little phone access!

But I am safe and happy and having a wonderful time!!

I snorkel everyday for about 5 hours and then enjoy some work and hanging out around the marine lab!

I will have TONS of awesome photos and videos for you as soon as I am back in the states! (Just 10 days until Cali!)

And we're off!

The 6 weeks of traveling starts today!!

I'll post when/if I can!

Enjoy your summer everyone!

Dance, Dance!

YAY! Apolo won!!

YAY Apolo!

Although, I feel bad for my nephew (3.5 years old) who was cheering for Laila!

And so my addiction ends ... until next season!

(And no, I can't go see the Dancing with the Stars Live Tour -- they are near The Little Town when I am in Buffalo and in Buffalo when I am in The Little Town ... darn it!)

It's green, knit diagonally and a baby gift -- of course I love it!

Another baby, another blanket.

This one is for the baby boy of a woman that started this PhD program with me who is now leaving to pursue happiness outside these crazy steel walls.

It was a very exciting knitting adventure for me! While it looks like a square -- to me it is a diamond. That is, I knit it from one corner diagonally to the other corner. Which meant 150 rows of increases and 150 rows of decreases! YAY! I can knit triangles now!!!

I am gifting the blanket tomorrow and I hope that the mom-to-be likes it. She's also a knitter (and I usually stear clear of knitting things for knitters as they are aware of all of the mistakes that I make!).

I think I might knit one of these for me ... only bigger. But also in green.

Dancing, Dancing, Dancing!

Yes, it is true.

I LOVE Dancing with the Stars.

I don't know why, but I do.

Tonight, I will be cheering Apollo on!

Here's one of my favorite dance with him & Julianne from a few weeks back.

Surprise! Phillies Tickets!

While I am not a Phillies fan (after 2 years in Philadelphia, I am not a fan of ANY of their sports teams), I do enjoy a MLB game! And Ry LOVES baseball!

And so I was happily surprised by Ry showing up at my place on a Sunday (which is usually our day apart to get work done) with tickets to see that afternoon's baseball game! His advisor in some completely random act of kindness got the tickets for Ry from some guy at the bar that he frequents. (Yes, Ry's advisor was at the bar at noon on a Saturday and pretty intoxicated, which is how we got the tickets. He may have been there from the afternoon before for all we know!)

Sadly, I had to miss the hooding ceremony (like graduation, except not, only for PhD students) of my good friends and amazing female scientists. But they had lots and lots of people there cheering them on!

It was a beautiful day and it was nice to be outside and enjoying Ry and his amazing photo skills!

Shutting the door to unproductivity

I am trying to actually get some work done today after yesterday's wash. So, I shut my office door about 2/3 of the way. I can't shut it completely because, as you other grad students know, I have to "play the game" and be seen doing work.

I thought the half-closure of the door would say to people "I am here, working hard, please do not disturb me. When I have actually accomplished something today, I will throw open my door and invite you all in to chat about things that are completely irrelevant and unimportant."

Instead, people push on in, chat about whatever it is that is on their minds as they walk by my door, and then say "Oh, were you doing work? Is that why your door is closed like this? So people don't just walk in?".

Sigh.

Maybe I shouldn't be so nice. Or maybe I should stop "playing the game" and just get some work done.