September

I distinctly remember standing at transport on February 16th last year with Katie Leum. We were saying goodbye to a large portion of our friends and the sation was starting to get really empty and she said "You know what? This is it. It will never be the same again. Even if we come back next year, and these people come back next year, it won't be the same." And I'm pretty sure I smacked her in the arm and was like "Why the hell would you say that to me right now?!" But she was right, it's not the same...thankfully, as it turns out, it's better.

So far everything is better better the second time around. I thought I couldn't love this place more than I did last year but I definitely love it even more this time.

There was a complete lunar eclipse the other night, I heard the eclipse itself was rather anti-climactic, but as soon as it darkened the moon the most increible southern lights display long started. I say "I heard" because I wasn't out seeing them, I was sitting on the couch with my friend Paul drinking wine and watching Family Guy, and as Paul would say "I stand by my choice" Which kind of made me realize why I come here. Sure, I love seeing things in my day to day life that most people never get to see but it's not everything. My first year missing out on something like that would have probably bummed me out but this year I wasn't even half tempted to get up off the couch as everyone was suiting up to go check out the eclipse. I come here for the people and the community, not the view...that's just a perk. In the morning the moon was still bright orange, it reminded me of when we get a harvest moon back home. I miss Autumn. I might wait til October to come down here next year just so I can experience it again...and maybe get on a winter schedule....? Guess I shouldn't get too ahead of myself.

So far getting back into Antarctic life has been a smooth transition, almost easier than it was falling into step with the rest of the world last February. Since we have so many returning janitors this year there was very little training to be done and we got to kind of hit the ground running as far as work goes. This year I've been cleaning 140, home of ATO (Cargo), Central Supply, Shuttles, and the Post Office; it was a little worse for wear after the winter but they hand delivered my mail when it came in on third flight so it has it's benefits. I've also been cleaining FEMC (a building formerly cleaned by one Ms. Ana Bell Marquez), home of the plumbers, electricians, and UTs (Utility Technicians). That building has been a pleasant surprise, much like the heavy shop I had originally planned to ditch it at Mainbody, but I've met a lot of great people there and the building usually needs a lot of cleaning (which I like), so we will see what I decide come October.