November 3, 1975: Monday

Pat the GFA talks about Oregon, Walph’s Wabbit Wanch where they waise wittle white wabbits.

Loaded the lumber onto the truck and went down to get Martin and Jack H., while Dr. Treves and Cal went to get some pastry for the drill site. They ran out of gas in front of the mess hall.

After the helo went up, Cal went to Mac Center to talk to 590 while I went to fill up 589. Then it was errand time. Took Mike’s saw back, and Martin’s key to Bresnehan.

Dave gave me a hassle about getting the Japanese equipment and not taking them over to Scott Base on my mail trip. And he wanted to know if the Chalet could have 589 now that we’d all be out at the site.

I felt like telling him I wasn’t being paid to make decisions. But I didn’t. I just stalled, by saying we needed it today. Dr. Treves will be back to argue with him.

Took all the mail over to Scott Base, picked up ours, and gave the Postmaster Kathy’s money. I traded Cal two Kiwi dollars for her two U.S. dollars.

The Japanese and Wally from the Warehouse and I went to look for crates. Theirs hadn’t arrived. Dave had called and said that there were three over there, so Cal told me to take the Japanese. But the three were ones that had already been sent over here. We picked up a crate for Peter.

The Japanese went to talk to Hamish (O.I.C.), while I loaded the crate. I tried to catch them to see what they were talking about. I guess I’m supposed to keep an eye on them.

The guy in the Post Office was extra friendly today. He looks like Lisa, which is the last thing I need to think about.

Cal’s getting everything lined up to take to the drill site.

Mailed the letters to Home, Deb, and Joy, finally. Left the one to Deb in the Bio-lab and went all over town looking for it before I figured out where I’d lost it.

Helped make thin sections in the afternoon. Got four down to the final stage. Polished the wrong side of the first one. Oops. Now it’s frosted on two sides.

Dr. Treves got back. Henry’s back from Wright Valley, too. Hamish called and the Japanese cargo is at Hill Cargo. They’ll deliver it. We weigh things and collect items: two Jamesway units, a coffee urn, more food (125 pounds in one box), and gas chromatograph equipment.

Cal goes tomorrow. Only Howard is coming back.

Kathy will stay until Friday, when I go out. She and Peter will then return.

I am disappointed.

Sidebar: She’s a senior in college, doing her Honor’s Problem, taking her Final Exam today at 1A.

Sometimes I get a feeling like everything is going to work out for my comfort and well being. Things like Cal going out and Kathy coming back for a few days for us to become friends. But now things change, and I sometimes feel it signals the unhinging of my dreams, hopes, or happiness. I do not like to be unsettled in my mind.

I must gird my loins and press on, doing right, not letting other little things bother me until I can convince myself that this is not a terrible circumstance.

But then, when the only face without a beard in four months happens along, it’s a shame I can’t take three days to try to make her smile.

No more on such thoughts, too busy.

I took the Japanese out to the Jet Fuel Tanks. They put one of their seismograph sensing units on the side of Observation Hill. They strung wire all the way back to the lab.

The Japanese will go out Wednesday. The little one will come back. Nakai will teach Cal and I how to run the gas chromatograph. Howie and Nartsiss are coming out Saturday. Yeah!

Dr. Nakai gave me an autographed copy of one of his papers on isotopes in Lake Vanda.

We finished a couple of thin sections. Dr. Treves is very pleased because the grab samples are similar to what has been collected from the Stranded Moraines.

There’s been a magnetic storm lately and no patches home.

The call will be to Cathy.

An Interlude.
The following was written by Sam:
Movie Idea - in Antarctica, called “A Year in Antarctica”

A photographic or ultra slow motion movie sequence.

Each Picture taken from a window at 20 minute intervals. Getting several adjoining panoramic views would be nice. Of course, the snow would not be allowed to accumulate on the window.

The Slow Motion Epic of Antarctica, three pictures taken every hour, would amount to 27,280 photographs per view (3 views, 81,840 photographs), which amounts to 228 rolls of film, which would have to be changed every 720 minutes, or every twelve hours.

At the retail price of $5.95 (color, with mailer) it would cost you $1356.60 for pictures (processing included). And three Yashika’s at $90, each. Or $1446.00, total. (Back-up cameras extra.)

As a GFA, you make $160.00 per week, before taxes. So your take home is around $107.00, or $428.00 per month. You need $15 per week for incidentals. So you now have $372. At this rate of re-investment upon your original costs, it would take you three months and five days of hard work to pay for this project.

Are you willing to gamble all this for:

1.) Producing another box office flop and losing even more money; or
2.) Having someone at Kodak accidentally ruin your picturesque work?
3.) Is it worth the Gamble?

If not -
Put your Camera Down, you *#!?& GFA. Grab a shovel. Get your rear in gear. And I’ll tell you when lunch is!!!!!!
Signed:
The Boss

Developed negatives. Dr. Treves’s got bound up in the tank and didn’t get any developer to two frames. Mine are all right except for some edges. I never have liked the reel developing and wish Bio-Mike had some big tanks I could use. The picture of Peter and Kathy manhauling is O.K. I had been worried that they were moving out of the frame.

Pat was up in the lab again. One of the VXE-6 crewmen came up. We gave him the royal tour of the place.

Bio-Mike gave us two filing cabinets. I don’t know what we’ll do with them. We have empty drawers in the ones we have. Except Dr. Treves’s office is stacks of piles of papers, each one very well ordered, but most carefully scattered across the room.

Today: 6¢ for stamps.