Horsin’ Around

Tags

2-day weekend, Antarctica, Heavy Shop, horseshoe tournament, horseshoes, MacTown, McMurdo, VMF

So we get a two-day weekend once a month – a little extra time off to help us rest up, rejuvenate, and relax.  On the Saturday of those two-day weekends, the Heavy Shop hosts a horseshoe tournament.  It’s a pretty big deal – 64 throwers in two seperate tournaments, or 16 teams of two people in each tournament.  It’s a $10 per person buy in, and the top 5 teams in each tournament get a monetary prize – each player on a fifth place team gets their $10 back and the prizes go up from there.

The "B Side" tournament in which I was competing (photo by Bill Nobles).

On our first two-day weekend, I was partnered with somebody who had never played horseshoes before, and by some miracle we managed to place 5th.  I hadn’t played horseshoes in years – Labor Day 2007 being the last time, if you want to get down to the day – so the fact that we managed to go that far was pretty amazing.  But now I’m starting to get back into the groove of things…

Last weekend, I got partnered with a pretty good thrower – one of the winners from the previous month - but I was by no means being carried.  I did my part, and we managed to PLACE SECOND.  Woo-HOO!!  Or yeee-HAW (as the case may be)!!  It was pretty awesome, and I had some very valuable rounds.  One game (the one that guaranteed we’d be in the money) I opened with a ringer on the first toss, we played for all of about 15 minutes, and I threw for the win with a walk-off ringer.  Then, in the championship round, I threw a DOUBLE RINGER.  For those of you who don’t play horseshoes, there is no throw better than a double ringer.  BOOYAKASHA!

Example of a double ringer, but not the actual one that I threw. We don't throw on clay so much as welded boxes full of lava rock.

True, we did not win despite that B-E-A-utiful throw, but it still felt pretty damn good.  And second place ain’t bad – $30 per person prize.

Me and my throwing partner, Al, with our second place winnings (photo by Bill Nobles).

Can’t wait ’til the next two-day weekend…

Ceds

The “B Side” tournament in which I was competing (photo by Bill Nobles).

Me and my throwing partner, Al, with our second place winnings (photo by Bill Nobles).

Aurora Hunters

Tags

Antarctica, Aurora Australis, auroras, Brooks, Cedar, dark, DJ, hunters, Keri, Kevin, MacTown, Marika, McMurdo, Nathan, night, southern lights, stars, winterover

Last Thursday, after a wonderful evening of karaoke hosted by our very own Marika, we decided to go on a midnight aurora hunt.  (Well, it was almost midnight…)  We had heard that there had been a huge prominence on the sun the day before, and the aurora australis (southern lights, for those who are unfamiliar) were predicted to be strong.

So even though it was a school night, and we didn’t get karaoke all packed up and put away until almost 11 p.m., Brooks, Marika, and I set off in search of a good vantage point.  See, with all the lights on in town, it’s hard to really see the lights when they occur.  Once you get away from all the light-pollution, though, they’re mesmerizing.  I hadn’t really been out and about since it had started getting truly dark at night, so it was a surreal feeling to be walking down a stretch of road that I’d only ever before seen in full daylight.  The stars and the Milky Way were brilliant.  And then, off on the horizon above the Royal Societies, there were the dancing lights.

Not the most brilliant that the lights got, but a good example (photo by "DJ" Jennings).

We bumped into some other aurora-seekers while were out – Nathan, Kevin, Keri, and DJ.  Luckily, DJ had a camera with him that could pick up the lights.  It was a fun group to share the experience with.  We were talking and laughing and having a great time, but then we had a moment of silence where we all just stood and stared straight up into that Antarctic sky.  Pretty awesome, in the true sense of the word.

Marika, Kevin, me, Keri, DJ, Nathan, and Brooks out hunting auroras - and not dressed entirely appropriate for the temperatures (photo by Brooks).

I don’t know if I can express how cool it was.  The auroras that we saw might not have been as spectacular as some pictures I’ve seen or descriptions I’ve heard, but it was still pretty magical.  These are the experiences that I was looking for when I decided to stay for the winter, and so far they haven’t disappointed.  And the people that I’m getting to share them with are wonderful.

I <3 winter.

Ceds

Fashion Week in MacTown

Tags

Amy, Antarctica, Ben, celebrities, Cindy, clothing, costumes, design, events, fashion, Fashion Show, interviews, Jackie, Kelli, Keri, MacTown, McMurdo, models, red carpet, Russell, shows, socials

Last Saturday marked the advent of what could become a McMurdo tradition: the first McMurdo Store Fashion Show!

Justin "Doggie"/"Muffin" Dolan, about to ♫ do a little turn on the catwalk ♫ (photo by James "Wally" Walker).

We got loads of new stuff for the store on the last vessel – clothing, accessories, trinkets, and gifts – and in order to showcase them, our brilliant and enthusiastic store lead, Keri, decided to host a fashion show.

Rich, our cameraman, with the visionary and fearless leader of the whole production: Keri Nelson (photo by Bethany Barfield).

She put out a sign-up sheet in the store for volunteers, envisioning something small but fun.  The end result was something that far exceeded anybody’s expectations.

Rachel - one of many enthusiastic volunteers - putting up some "Starry, Starry Night" decorations (photo by Bethany Barfield).

There was a pre-show social in the foyer.  The kitchen turned out a huge selection of snacks and appetizers, and community members donated wine.  Russell played some live music.

Russell entertaining us during the pre-show social (photo by Don Duke).

Allison serving wine and star cookies to one of our very own MacTown stars - Corrine "Angie" (photo by Bethany Barfield).

“Starry, Starry Night” - a night with our local MacTown stars.  A wide variety of “models” volunteered and got to be superstars for the evening.  Many got convincingly into character.

Ben as the King of Pop (photo by Nikolas Sinkola).

We decorated Highway 1 with Hollywood Blvd-style stars on the ground for our celebrities to sign.

Jackie as Leo, signing his star with his kitty-cat (photo by Nikolas Sinkola).

Some technically-gifted volunteers also managed to set up a live camera feed from the foyer onto the big-screen TV in the Galley, where we were able to watch the parade of celebrities be interviewed on their way backstage.

Some celebs were not willing to be interviewed and rudely brushed by Kiki as she desperately tried to ask them about their dazzling success (photo by Nikolas Sinkola).

There was a special treat in the form of an extremely well-edited farcical video detailing the life and inspiration of the designer: McMurdo.  A summary: McMurdo got locked in a shipping container full of fabric and a sewing machine while fleeing the scene of a sweat shop bust, had to live off of silk-screen paint, and the chemical reaction of the paint with his specially-formed brain spawned a wave of inspiration that produced our extremely fashionable line of apparel.  HIL-arious.

The brilliant mind behind MacTown fashion: McMurdo (played by Nathan Murphy; photo by Don Duke).

Nathan “Mr. McMurdo” Murphy and Karen, the brilliant creator of the Mr. McMurdo biographical video (photo by Don Duke).

Justin “Doggie”/”Muffin” Dolan, about to ♫ do a little turn on the catwalk ♫ (photo by James “Wally” Walker).

I got a front row seat to this season’s fashions, and now feel confidently able to put together my MacTown winter wardrobe (photo by Don Duke).

Jackie “Leo” talking up his upcoming movie (photo by Don Duke).

Ben as the King of Pop.

“She’s saving the world, one Haitian baby at a time.” – Bradley “Pitt” admiring his woman, Corrine “Angie.”

Rich, our cameraman, with the visionary and fearless leader of the whole production: Keri Nelson (photo by Bethany Barfield).

Some celebs were not willing to be interviewed and rudely brushed by Kiki as she desperately tried to ask them about their dazzling success.

Russell entertaining us during the pre-show social.

Allison serving wine and star cookies to one of our very own MacTown stars – Corrine “Angie.”

The brilliant mind behind MacTown fashion: McMurdo (played by Nathan Murphy; photo by Don Duke).

Beer coozies are in style this season (photo by Don Duke).

Poobaca got a little over-enthusiastic with the costume possibilities and went Viking (photo by Don Duke).

Rachel putting up some “Starry, Starry Night” decorations.

Genevieve was a natural – look at her striking that pose! (photo by Don Duke)

Corrine “Angie” leading the pack in their glorious, bathrobed exit.

Michael Davis & Keri emceed while Kelli, Michael C., and Melanie modeled variations on the same McMurdo shirt (photo by Don Duke).

Jackie as Leo, signing his star with his kitty-cat.

Altogether, it was an extremely fun and creative evening.  Go Keri and everyone who made it possible!  Bet you wish you were in on the high fashion down here, eh?

Ceds

Happy Antarctica Easter

Tags

Antarctica, Easter, Easter Bunny, Galley, MacTown, McMurdo, pig roast, winter, winterover

Easter Sunday was a pretty good one here.  First, New Zealand daylight savings ended, so we got an extra hour to sleep in.  I slept through the call from home I got at 6 a.m. (sorry Randy, but a girl needs her beauty rest), but had a message on my answering machine to wake up and listen to which was a nice surprise.

I decided to do some laundry, and when I opened my door I realized the Easter Bunny had visited 209!  Each resident had received an Easter basket – made out of paper kitchen hats – with chocolate goodies, a package of popcorn, a hard-boiled egg, sugar cookies, and some Antarctic stickers.

Pretty cool surprise to open your door to on Easter morning.

I wandered over to the Galley for brunch around 11 a.m., and it was quite a spread.  All sorts of wonderful pastries (the homemade sticky buns and cinnamon rolls are always amazing), chorizo and ranchero sauce, and a baked brie with walnuts and cranberries: aaaaaa-mazing.

Yesterday (Monday) was also a pretty amazing day for the Galley: a Cuban pig roast!  They actually had a whole pig which they took up to the VMF and used the big grill to spit roast it.  They had a carving station set up in the Galley at dinner, and cuban beans and rice to accompany.  Pretty ‘lish.  Go Galley!

Justin, Russell, and Bill unspitting the pig at the Heavy Shop.

Pretty cool surprise to open your door to on Easter morning.

Unspitting the pig at the Heavy Shop.

Russell, Justin, and Bill unspitting the pig at the Heavy Shop.

So this was just a public service announcement to tell you all that I’m still doing great and lllllllllllovin’ winter.  Happy Easter, everyone!

Ceds

Supply, Winterover 2010

Tags

2010, Antarctica, crew, group, MacTown, McMurdo, supply, winter, winterover, work

This is the pre-crustified McMurdo Supply department for Winter 2010.  It’d be cool if we could take another one circa August for comparison.

All of the McMurdo Supply Crew for Winter 2010.

A red-tinted black and white version.