jack in brisbane

We tried to get Jack Johnson tickets while we were in New Zealand, but it ended up that they were sold out. Since we were back in Brisbane on the day of the concert, we decided that seeing the show would be a great way to finish our trip in Australia. So, we drove into the city and arrived at the Botanical Garden to look for tickets, but found out that there were two botanical gardens in Brisbane and we were at the wrong one. We thought parking was too easy at that location, so we drove back into the city and with road closures, a big concert, and very little street parking, we drove around for over an hour before finally finding a place to park across the river from the Botanical Gardens. There was a foot bridge to cross that brought us right to the gates of the concert and we sat waiting for someone to offer up their precious pieces of paper to us.

We were beginning to doubt that anyone would come forward with passes, but finally a guy passed us with a yellow envelope and we got our tickets after all!

The concert was a blast! An Australian, Will Connor played to kick off the show and Jack actually came out and played with him for a song. Then, one of my favorites, Matt Costa, also played (incidentally, he was also at Calvin College, my alma mater, two weeks prior). My favorite tune of his, Yellow Taxi Cab, came up and was so fun to hear in concert.

Before Jack Johnson came on to play, they had an Aboriginal welcome which included an Aboriginal man coming on stage in body paint, playing a didgeridoo. We were really happy we saw this concert in Australia right then!

Jack Johnson music was chill and happy as usual. It was grass seating at the Botanical Gardens and most people stood for the entire concert. He played a lot of his old music as well as a few songs from his new CD, which was good for Storey and I because we were not familiar with most of the new CD.

The concert was the perfect way to end our trip. Afterward, we hustled to get gas and find the house of a friend-of-a-friend. When we got there the house was dark and no one opened the door, so we may have googled the directions wrong. Due to the fact that we had to leave for the airport within 5 hours, we decided to drive around the neighborhood and find some unsecured network to get some internet and then we headed to a park to nap a bit before taking off for the Brisbane International Airport. So, our last night was as uncomfortable as the first in our car!
(photos from the Brisbane Times).

From the Sunshine Coast Daily:
A sell-out crowd chilled out under clear skies on Sunday to watch Johnson perform at Brisbane’s Riverstage, supported by Californian and fellow Brushfire Records artist Matt Costa and Byron Bay’s Will Conner...All three artists are touring on the back of new albums, but it was Jack who stole show, giving fans an awesome two-hour performance. Australia is the first stop on his world tour to promote his new release, Sleep Through the Static, which had clearly been listened to many times over by the fans attending his show. The crowd...sang along to song after song from his extensive catalogue of hits, but they saved their biggest screams for his hit songs Taylor and Good People. About the only time they went quiet was when he faded off into covers of songs by Led Zepplin and Janes Addiction. Johnson topped off a brilliant performance by coming out for an encore to perform three intimate solo tracks from Sleep Through the Static.

now a memory

Last year I met someone who was likely the most adventuresome explorer on earth. He climbed the highest peak and was the first to motor down to the southern point of the earth. He left behind a legacy of awe-inspiring motivation for the adventure-seeking-wanna-be's, like myself, to follow.

I met Sir Edmund Hillary last year at the 50th Anniversary of Scott Base. He founded this station just over a mile from me at McMurdo Station and his involvement with Antarctic exploration is an important piece of history. If you could have seen his smile when he walked off the plane, or reminisced at the luncheon about his time spent here, you would have seen an old man with a young heart. Today, he passed away after 88 years exploring this earth. Now, his life, legacy, and my brief greeting with him are only a memory.

I've had a full and rewarding life. Life's a bit like mountaineering - never look down. -- Sir Edmund Hillary --

the arrival of laura

After a week of waiting, Laura finally flew into McMurdo Station early Friday morning. The weather broke for a short amount of time into some beautiful low-light cloud-streaked skies. And, for the first time since October 31st we flew three complete missions to the South Pole. Our entire office in Antarctic Terminal Operations cheered every time we had flight movement reports over the radio. Never mind that they all took off after 20:00 on November 8, and all returned the early morning of November 9; the first line took Laura back, the second was full of cargo to Pole, and the 3rd was the NBC Today Show crew. Watching that first plane roll onto the apron to drop her off, I sort of expected to see a big red ribbon around the aircraft! I had a huge grin on my face, too!

I was able to relive my shuttle days of last year, and drive for the flight's pick up. So, I saw Laura out at the Ice Runway with a gleaming, pearly-white smile on her face as she got off the plane. She did well. Her winter at the Pole didn't take her fun-loving teasing personality out of her.

She dropped her bags and got her room for the night and then came around and spent some time with me at work for the rest of the night. By the end of the shift, I knew the C-17 flight from Christchurch was not going to fly that day, so we would have a little extra time to hang out between our two crazy sleep schedules!

It was fun having her meet a few of my new friends and watching her catch up with some familiar faces, too. Plenty of people have mentioned that they ran into her and knew exactly who she was by her voice or similar face.

Friday morning, the two of us went to the Coffee House and sat next to Ann Curry who remembered that Laura was coming from Pole and told her how excited I had been to see her. We also had a good-sized chunk of time to spend catch up before she flew away again. I wish I had more time to introduce her to more of my new friends this year and enjoy some pleasant conversation with my sister, but I'll take what I had. She woke me up during a hard, NyQuil-induced sleep to say goodbye this afternoon. I could tell in her voice that she was happy that the C-17 finally made it on ice and she would be smelling things and being warm this evening!

On the down-side, I picked up The Crud; the official McMurdo medical description for anything resembling a cold. Since I stayed up so long in anticipation of Laura, and working at the Coffee House, I have also been extremely tired. The two do not go hand-in-hand! Now that flights are coming and going regularly, Laura has successfully redeployed, and the hype of NBC has left the continent, I think I'll be able to slip into a routine again!

the second coffee shift

On only my second shift at the Coffee House, Ann Curry, and her producer, Matt, came in and I made a few coffee beverages for them. It was fun to spend some time behind the bar listening to people talk with her and snag the photo. Some were interested in knowing more about her. Others were so nervous they forgot what to say. Most were engaged in her upbeat casual conversation, and curious what she meant when she described herself as "crunchy" (this is an earthy, granola-eating, simple living-type person from Ashland, Oregon).

I think beyond the celebrity and her bright personality, she is a connection with "back home." I know a lot of people here wanted to be on TV, but at the root of it, I heard a lot of people say, "I don't really care about being on television, and I don't really want to be outside in the cold waiting for a live shot that I probably won't be on, but I know my family and friends want to see me or know I made the effort to be there." It's knowing that people back home may recognize the same person who we see right in front of us. It's comforting.

I was so impressed with her happy persona that I told her that as she closed down the Coffee House. She made time for everyone with a smile on her face. And that encouraged me to make extra time to keep the Coffee House open that morning. She made her best effort to live within our community and not above it; and was successful, too. She found the science she came to report on and was passionate about communicating back to North America, and she had a great time (albeit, cold time) in a beautiful place this adventure trip.

a night outside

I don't take to standing outside in Antarctica often, but I had a night off and decided to be a part of NBC's taping of the Today Show. So, I bundled up with a few of my friends and we stood out on the Chalet deck to wave and smile and be a remote part of the national broadcast with Ann Curry!

We really don't know much of what has been on NBC about Antarctica which is a bit disappointing, but many people are anticipating a showing at a later date of our airtime. Having the crew on station has been fun. Rather than hiding out and avoiding the station commotion, this group has been dining in our galley and living among us around town. They have taken trips to visit with different science groups and taken an interest in the work that goes on here. They are even buying at the bar tonight on NBC.

The taping of the show was fun. Our live shots were crowded and loud, but at the very end, a small contingency of mostly night workers stood behind Ann while she talked about how cold she was. I'm interested to see what footage actually made the show.

The best part was my friend, Austin's, band playing live from Antarctica. I took a picture with him since he was singing to the national viewing audience and may be the next up-and-coming music superstar! Even without the cameras, we had a great time outside with each other dancing on the Chalet deck!

Who knew such a geeky, awkward, random group of media-cynics in Antarctica would be featured dancing and playing music on national television.

Laura update: she's still at Pole.

show times

Today Show Day 1:
Nov 5, 5am - 9:15am Eastern
Nov 5, 3am – 7:15am Mountain
Nov 5-6, 11pm - 3:15am McMurdo Time

Today Show Day 2:
Nov 6, 5am - 9:15am Eastern
Nov 6, 3am – 7:15am Mountain
Nov 6-7, 11pm - 3:15am McMurdo Time

NBC Nightly News:
Nov 6, 6:15pm - 7:00pm Eastern
Nov 6, 4:15pm – 5:00pm Mountain
Nov 7, 12:15pm - 1:00pm McMurdo Time

the media and uncle bob

I was working today when my coworker, Dave, started talking about the irony of the last name of this guy who posted a comment on the NBC website regarding the coverage of Ann Curry's visit to Antarctica. The last name matched that of mine and Laura's and Dave thought it was funny that some Rips used the same fossil fuels that the media took advantage of to get down there. It turns out, it was my uncle. I suppose Laura and I serve a specific function as part of the operations in Antarctica to legitimize all our release of carbons in the atmosphere in the name of "science," right?

I do find it ironic that a station so dedicated to science and environmental studies runs on fuel for energy. It seems like we have enough available natural resources (geothermal heat, solar energy, and plenty of wind) to operate this place with minimal fuel usage. I suppose squeezing money from the government for the National Science Foundation is like trying to milk a shrimp in an ice cube, but it would pay off in the long run. Our fuel is rumored to be over $30 per gallon by the time it gets here.

Part of the research and work that goes on here needs to be financed by something and the media is an outlet of education to people who allocate funds this direction. To their immense credit, this group from NBC has stepped into the every day life in McMurdo. Ann Curry is regularly sighted in the galley eating among us. Yesterday, they opted for a regular transport out of my building; rather than a special door-to-aircraft commute allowed for special "distinguished visitors." I was sorry their South Pole flight was cancelled due to weather conditions at The Pole. It will be curious to see what sort of report comes out of Antarctica live on November 5.

ps. I did have a small conversation with Ann Curry in the galley at dinnertime a couple days ago.

today show

If you watch the Today Show on NBC, you might know that Ann Curry is coming my direction to be part of a "Green is Universal" series. She is manifested on tomorrow's C-17 flight; along with an entourage of support staff from the Today Show. She will be in town and around the continent for the next week. Somehow these special guests end up segregated from the general population of McMurdo, and I likely won't get to meet and greet her.

I believe the big broadcast will be on in the States sometime between November 3-5. If you're able, you may also want to watch a day or two prior and after to catch Antarctic news. Curry will be flying to the South Pole, so Laura may get in on some of the excitement down there, too, or end up on the same flight back to McMurdo.

Last year Good Morning, America came and disappointed the whole station. It was a flop. When it comes to American media down here, our station's population gets quite cynical because it's nearly impossible to come down for a few days and report accurately about life here (ie. the NY Times is doing a column on relationships down here. No one is even coming to The Station for that juicy news story. Or, last year's misadventures of Miguel Llanos). So, with jaded hearts, frosty breath, and chilly handshakes we all gossip and anticipate the latest and greatest famous faces that we all hope offer us a fair and newsworthy evaluation; and perhaps a little television time.