Now with more ice!

Well, I've been working in the UT Shop for the last week, though I have yet to actually do any work for them other than label some shelves for when I later start taking inventory of one of the shop's milvans (cargo containers).  So far the UT Shop has had me helping out in the buildings supply room where they had me identify and tag used motors.  I've also been working with the electricians on the utility tunnel that runs under one of the roads behind the shop.

This tunnel was apparently completely filled with ice two weeks before, but has since had heaters blowing in it to melt it down some.  My work on this specifically was as the Authorized Attendant for the Confined Space work.  Basically, I work as a spot.  I take readings of the air with a small computer connected to a hose on a stick and keep an eye on the guys inside of the tunnel in case they get injured or pass out from toxic fumes or lack of oxygen or something.  The inside of the tunnel was HOT.  My coworkers from the electrical shop were in there wearing as little clothing as they could and still sweating like they were in a sauna.  They would come out for breaks and would literally be steaming as the sweat evaporated off them.  By the end of today most of the ice was melted.  The remaining heater will run for the next few days to melt the rest of the ice that had built up and hopefully the place will be bone dry for the next part of the work.  I never get to go inside since I am the attendant, which is fine because it is way too hot in there.  Luckily I can warm up right at the entrance with all the warm air blowing out.  I start to get cold when I'm just sitting still.

Of the three shops I've worked with so far, the Carpentry shop is the more strict one, though fair.  The UT shop is more casual and relaxed but still get their work done, and then the Electrical shop just seems more lazy to me.  Supply is neat, too.  Its like a big store filled with various machines and parts and hardware.  There are several supply offices like that around station.  

Mainbody finally arrived!  Apparently one of the flights had even made it to the runway, but could not see it to land.  They had circled for a bit before turning around and heading all the way back to Christchurch, those poor souls.  Thats roughly twelve hours there.  I'm glad they finally got here, since I've been wanting to see all the new people.  The galley is really starting to get full at meals and we're maybe at half-staff right now.  I wound up getting my roommates.  Two arrived on the second flight, they are Travis and Dhane.  The third roommate Vince arrived around 11pm last night.  They are squeezing these flights in where they can!  The UT shop holds its morning meetings in the laundry room since it is the biggest of the utility areas with enough room for everyone to congregate in, and as more people arrive, more of the bags of bed linens go out which clears a LOT more room in there.  Also, since they bumped janitors and DAs to the earlier flights we are now done with the House Mouse and DA Duty chore rotations.

Now that I'm getting more and more money every couple weeks I had been looking around for things to buy.  I'll have to start getting clothing sizes for friends and family to pick them up souvenirs from the station store.  I've also been looking at stores online for DVDs and such I'm interested in which came out after my deployment.  CDs might be nice too since my iPod is a bit lacking in tunes, though I can always borrow CDs from the library or leech off someone else's compilation of music off their computers.  Since mainbody has arrived the post office will be open more and I will be able to start sending out mail.

I was fairly certain I had more to write, but cannot remember it all now.  It is the weekend now, so I'll try and relax and refrain from using my hands for anything when possibly.  Apparently the station physical therapist says I should avoid alcohol, which isn't a problem really since i hadn't had any in about two or three weeks.

Ah well, more later when I can remember it.

Yes, tis I in my silly hat.