On studying, shopping, and being a blog slut . . .

There are a couple issues that I’d like to address as titled above and below.

Studying
I received an e-mail from one of my professors at home questioning when I have time to study and slightly scolding all my partying. I got such a kick out of it. So, it’s perfect timing to let you all know that I am gradually getting into good study habits. My ADD has gone away a little and I’ve been able to sit down and study. Yesterday, I sat down and caught up on almost all my work and even got a little ahead on some things. I’ve been getting good grades on my papers, quizzes, and tests – nothing below a B. So, there’s really nothing to worry about. I’ve reluctantly accepted the fact that I’m back in school.

Shopping (As a response to message board thread)
I know there has been some discussion of my Rio shopping spree and worry about if other kids on a tighter budget will have enough money for this trip on the message board. I know that my dad has defended me on the message board and I don’t feel the need to justify myself. But, I’ll just tell you this, as my dad already said – every dime I spend on this trip (immunizations, visas, trip cost, field programs, spending money, money for when I return) is my own that I worked very hard for (sorry to disappoint those that might be imagining I’m a stuck up trust fund baby), and no matter how much money your children have with them, they will have plenty to have an amazing experience. No one knows or cares how much money anyone has. It’s a nonissue on the ship. People make their personal choices on how to spend their time for whatever reason and find others who are interested in doing the same things.

Let me pose this scenario in closing on this topic – When you go into a mall, everyone has different spending thresholds and habits for whatever their reasons. Some people just go to window shop and socialize, some people go to eat, some people buy small items, some people buy one special item, some people go on a shopping spree and buy larger items such as jewelry. No matter what people did at the mall, everyone had a great time, has their special memories, and is happy at the end of the day. And, people don’t stand outside and throw stones at the person who bought the most expensive item.

Now, I hope this concludes the message board debate if it’s still going on. And, I would appreciate in the future if people have challenges to things I’ve said, if they would present them to me through e-mail where I have the opportunity to respond as opposed to presenting them in a public forum where I will be unlikely to see them/know about them. Remember that I am happy to make this journal available to others who are interested, but the primary reason that I am keeping this journal is for myself, my family, and my friends.

On Being a Blog Slut . . .
With that said . . . I am beginning to feel a little like a blog slut (a term posed by A.J. and Chad). I have kids come up to me on the ship every day and tell me that their parents are reading my blog. It’s pretty funny because a lot of the kids have been good friends of mine. While I’m extremely flattered, I also feel a little pressure that so many people are reading. Thank you to those who have e-mailed me and introduced yourself and complimented my blog. It’s nice to know that my hard work on upkeeping this blog is justified.

You’ve probably noticed that I don’t often mention names in my blog. I do this mainly to keep the privacy of the people involved. I know tons and tons of people on this ship, so it’s pretty likely that if you are reading this, I have met your child. From time to time, I think that I will use names when I do something significant with someone – such as my trip to Rio with Chad and A.J. I just want you to all keep in mind that I am writing this blog for a very diverse audience. I am doing my best to give it a good combination of accuracy and detail (for my own benefit) and tact and background (for my professors, family, and little 11 and 13 year old bro and sis reading this). Please take spelling/grammar errors and babbling with a grain of salt. This is a time consuming project to keep up and I’m really working hard at it.

***Just a little note – I did end up going and watching the guys from NOAA deploy a drifter off the back of the ship yesterday afternoon. It was a really quick process of getting in the right coordinates and basically throwing the thing overboard. I’m really glad that I went though. How many opportunities will I have to have a discussion with and watch an oceanographer in action. I learned some interesting stuff about why they were doing it and how it all worked. The jist is that they throw them in the ocean and they track the currents and temperatures of the ocean and the information is picked up by satellite and is used for various weather related/environmental purposes. They last for around five years.***There is a website somewhere that you can go to learn more about what they do and actually track the drifters they’ve thrown in from our ship.