Babbles of a Procrastinating Grad Student

Huh, I haven't update this since *checks* July 28th.  Well okay, that's not quite as bad as I thought.  But I didn't even mention that I got laid off of my job at the mine in July.  Which sucked, but that's the mining industry, there's not much you can do except take it with some grace and try to make a good impression with everyone before you go.

Which I must've, because I got recalled last month!  :D  I'm doing something a little different, helping run the underground exploration project with our new drill, but I absolutely love it!  And I think it's a better opportunity for me, as I'm working with a really experienced geologist who seems to be a great mentor.  A nice change from what I was doing before, when I was older than almost everyone else in the department.

And I'm only 32.

So I'm in camp now, four days from heading home from my second rotation since being recalled.  Am just relaxing in my room, knitting a hat with fornicating deer on it.

Really.  Here's the two I knit last year as gifts for my brother and step-dad.  :D

It's Christmas eve, and I'm 3000 kms away from the people I love (plus one about 300 kms away in Whitehorse).  I'm mostly alright with it, but I am feeling pretty lonely.  There's lots of activities planned for those of us stuck in camp, and I already had a fun time playing BINGO with a bunch of dirty miners.  :D  The phone call home this evening was tough, but I'm glad to have talked with everyone back home.

Not quite over the camp plague I caught 4 days into my 2 week rotation, but at least I don't feel like death anymore.  Still coughing, and now have a runny nose, but it's better every day.  Still sound like I have a frog in my throat and/or a 13 year old boy going through puberty, but I sound worse than I am!   Most of the time, anyways. 

Anywho, I'm to bed.  5 am comes along really quickly, and I should try to get to sleep before 11 pm tonight.  Oh, being a night owl with an early morning shift.  :P

Happy Christmas all!  I hope your day is filled with friends, family, and fun!  And if, like me, you're not with family this holiday, I hope you find joy in the little things.  Like BINGO filled with filthy jokes and a miner in a Santa hat!

Back from Vermont and in so much pain. Well alright, not as much as yesterday. We hiked an incredible amount over oh so many hills and tailings piles both days of the trip, and yesterday was harder since I was so sore. DAMN YOU APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS. I'm used to sitting at my desk or on my couch, or walking on pavement, so it was a little rough going.

But good. The trip itself was fabulous and it was awesome to see some other contaminated mine sites. I haven't seen many yet, and I need to become more familiar for actually working in the field.

I'm planning on keeping up the exercise since I'm actually feeling really good after all that walking. Although I will admit, riding my bike up that first hill (that my house is at the bottom of) this morning was hard. My poor legs were shaking by the time I got to school. Gotta make sure not to over-do it.

Anywho, now I'm off to get some more work done. Trying very hard to get better organized for thesis stuff, since The Supervisor is starting to ask for things to read and deadlines. EEP!