How I spent my Winter Vacation
by Jenny

Ha, ok, so the way in which I've spent the last two days of my winter holiday hasn't been what you'd call typical, but it wasn't as far-out there as it could have been, either. Along with my research professor and another member of his lab group, we drove down to Skidaway island (a barrier island off the coast of Georgia, just a smidge south of Savannah, and filled with marsh land) to test the lander I helped design and constructed. I had an awesome time, partially because school was over for the year and Christmas is quickly approaching, so how could I not be relaxed and excited, but also because I was finally getting to see my hard work in action, doing its thing.

On the way down, I consumed myself with reading The Rule of Four, a book similar to The Da Vinci Code that I borrowed from Jonathan (my take: fairly good book, better before the end, which was a let-down after the quality of the beginning and middle; nowhere near the greatness that is Dan Brown's book in both conception and writing style). Once there, we assembled the lander, tested it for balance, and then went off to West Marine to get extra parts and go to dinner in downtown Savannah. One of the funniest parts of the trip happened when we were checking out at W.M. and the guy behind the counter heard us "arguing" (we were debating which configuration would be better to connect the lander to the A-frame on the ship) and offered his advice, "I'm a family therapist, if you need any help -- just talk things out now, guys, and listen to dad."

Hahahahaha

I was curious about who he thought me and the other girl were - the professor's wife and kid, kids, wife and girlfriend...

Anyway, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (where we stayed and deployed the lander) was beautiful (though very cold), and very much like La Selva and San Luis. So I'm conviced that all biological-type research stations in the field are essentially the same. I did learn, though, that the local Savannah NPR station broadcasts from SkIO grounds. Ooooo.

It's an interesting feeling, to be surrounded by world-reknowned oceanographers and geochemists, to know that you're in the middle of what will guide tomorrow's scientific thought. At the same time, though, it's mildly depressing since you're also aware of how little is being accomplished, in the grand scheme of things. This is why I couldn't devote my life to research - you spend countless years of your life working on one small piece of the puzzle, important in the bigger picture as that one small piece is, without getting to explore the larger context.

Tuesday we ran some experiments with dropping the lander in the water, and though one part didn't work (the battery we were using didn't provide enough amperage for the solenoid to trigger), overall it was a success. It was cool to be the "mechanical engineer" in the group; when the professor introduced me to the other scientists working there, they all kind of looked at me with some cross between awe, like they were staring at a different species, and misunderstanding as to why I was there. It was amusing. That's the great part about Tech, though, getting to explore things outside my focus that broaden my understanding of that bigger picture that I always seem to be chasing.

Now, packed up to go home for the break, excited about the upcoming bowl game, and eagerly anticipating Christmas, I sign off with hopes of being able to update with a dial-up connection at home. Until then, Happy Holidays, world!