Life of a Graduate Student

... captured in two pictures.

Well, I must admit, the beer filled refrigerator is a little exaggerated since this was when friends were in town over New Year. Unfortunately, the empty refrigerator is a reality and was taken this afternoon as I debated on what to have for lunch - will it be toasted english muffin or toasted bread?

George Herbert Walker Bush

Former President Bush (the older one) came to lecture at the University of Arkansas campus last Monday evening. At first, I wasn't going to go. I was never a fan of Bush Sr. policies. So much so, I used to drive around with shoe polish on my back window that said in big bold letters, "NO WAR!". That seems so long ago, but interestingly, we are still at war... but that is for a different post.

At the last minute I decided to go hear Bush speak simply because it is not often that one has an opportunity to see a former president speak, regardless of his policies and political affiliations. I had high hopes for a message of motivation, you know, how most distinguished guest speakers lecture. Instead, I watched a very old man ask people to do their part with community service (in a not so motivating way) mixed in with painfully boring quirky anecdotes about him and Barbara. Overall, it was narcissistic and boring. The whole lecture felt like he didn't even want to be there. There was no motivational epiphany. Almost half way through (in about 5-7 min. - he only spoke for 20 min.) I was thinking, damn, why did I sit in the middle of this row? I knew I should have sat on the end of the row. Now, I'm trapped here.

Ice Storm '09

Our Backyard. August 2006.

The storm became visible Monday afternoon with ice starting to accumulate on cars. By late Monday night the weather seemed to be progressing like any other winter storm we've had since our arrival in Arkansas - speculation of intensity; a teaser. Turns out it was a creeper.

Early Tuesday morning (5:30AM early), I was awoken by my annoying vibrating phone announcing an incoming email, text, call or some other digital leash. I got a text followed by a voice mail followed by an email - sure, in that order. This was a first in getting notifications from the university via my phone. They all informed of a campus-wide closure on Tuesday.

It rained heavily Tuesday morning, then by early afternoon the precipitation had turned to freezing rain, then heavy freezing rain. By Tuesday evening, the weather moved on to sleet. Snow was to follow overnight. With at least 1/2 inch of ice accumulation on trees by Tuesday evening, the over-stressed trees synchronously (it seemed) began to bend until ultimately limbs began cracking, snapping and crashing down with a bang - mostly in the yard, but every 30 minutes or so a loud thud on the roof could be heard, alerting us to pause the movie and inspect. During one such inspection we discovered that one of the loud bangs was a felled tree in our backyard.

Tuesday evening. The first tree goes down.


Considering the neighborhood-wide cacophony of falling branches and trees, I rightly assumed that I would get another 5:30AM call announcing the closure of the university a second day. Sure enough, the text, voice mail, email barrage came on time and campus was closed on Wednesday. By this time, the storm had passed and we were left with destruction.

Wednesday morning. Two felled trees, two split trees.
"A Tree Graveyard"

The temperature on Wednesday hovered around 25F and kept things iced over throughout the day and overnight into Thursday morning. Surely, I thought, the university will be open on Thursday. Not so. The Thursday morning digital combination announced that the university will be closed on both Thursday and Friday.

By around 2PM, when the sun had warmed the temperature above freezing, I realized why the campus was closed for two more days. All the ice that was now packed in the trees, dangling on wires, or hanging around building edges had been formed into dangerous "ice daggers" waiting to fall on unsuspecting pedestrians. Throughout the day tree branches were still continuing to break, but now, with the weight of melting ice, 1 inch think sheets of ice were also smashing to the ground with the branches.

Thursday afternoon. The ice melts revealing lots of work and a new backyard.


Internet went down quick, around Tuesday afternoon and came back up Thursday afternoon, then was down again until Saturday evening. Power was out variously citywide. No roof damage and no car damage. Just a foreseeable giant bonfire and a new, less shady, backyard.

More photos at flickr.

Living The Map

Last week we had a guest at the survey who wanted to be an archaeologist for the week. Evidently, his week at the survey was part of a larger 50 jobs, 50 states, in 50 weeks project. I don't watch TV so I was not aware of the national coverage our guest had been getting or the previous jobs he had already done. I really didn't care, actually.

His project is called Living The Map and he has a website where one can read his (brief) journal along with some selected photographs of his experiences at his weekly jobs.

www.livingthemap.com

Well, he showed up last Monday (12th) to start his week as an archaeologist and spent the week "doing archaeology". On Wednesday some of us took him out to a Civil War site to do a little research. A nice enough kid and frankly I wish I was doing the same thing - traveling across the country, meeting people, learning about people and our vernacular America. Hopefully, through his experience, he will see the United States and the people that occupy it (in all their various idiosyncrasies) in a new light.

Anyway, he took several pictures and uploaded two to his website that include me so I figured I would post them here. His journal entry for his week of archaeological work only includes one day. I'm not sure if he plans to contribute additional entries.

A group photo of students in our Monday night Cultural Resource Management class. You can't miss me, I'm the tall dude in the back with the scruffy face.


A photo taken in the field at the end of our day. It was a little chilly that day, although not too bad for an northwest Arkansas winter day - probably in the 20s, maybe low 30s. The kid with the camera remote is Daniel, our guest. The others are all archaeologists at the survey. I, of course, am the one with the snazzy hat and matching windbreaker. I'm about average height in this photo!

Christmas Day - Hiking at Devil's Den

Some pictures from a Christmas Day hike out to Yellow Rock in Devil's Den with some fine examples of erosional forces, exacerbated by trail use.

left - Upper trail as it exits onto Yellow Rock.
right - Looking SE from atop Yellow Rock, Lee Creek at base

Lower trail as it exits onto Yellow Rock.

Winter Break

So, this winter break I was offered a job doing some site re-evaluations in the Boston Mountains west of Mountainburg, Arkansas in the lower Ozarks. Perfect, I thought... make some extra money over the winter break and get to hike around in the mountains for a couple weeks. I start this Sunday so I figured I would check the weather for the next several days, since I'll be outside the entire time.

Unfortunately, the forecast isn't what I was hoping for. It looks like a cold front is coming in on the exact day I start.

It's going to be a cold one.

Bikes, Blues, BBQ

Every year Fayetteville hosts the Bikes Blues and BBQ motorcycle rally. During the rally 350,000 bikers overtake the city of Fayetteville (pop. 65,000) and turn the city into one large rumble of bikes and people. Most students that I know here hate it and some even make plans to leave town. I'm just the opposite. I enjoy it. Sure, it is loud but it really is a great example of an American sub-culture in action. Another reason why I enjoy it, is because I used to (if owning a bike is a criteria) be a member. Although it is always a blast to do some serious people watching down on Dickson street, I am reminded of the Heritage softail that we had to sell in order for me to come to graduate school. Graduate school is full of sacrifices and selling the bike was one of them.
Riding around the Austin Hill Country was always a blast and the miles put on that bike will always be remembered. It would have been nice to keep to ride around the Ozark Mountains but such is life. I'm sure another bike purchase is not far away and maybe even when living in Fayetteville. Until then, Bikes, Blues and BBQ will have to be enjoyed from the sidewalk.

Hope, Arkansas

Airport hangers? Construction storage? Rail yard? Nope. Discarded FEMA trailers.

The Google image is missing several more in a field SE of the airport deposited after the above image was taken but can be seen in the oblique image below.

While driving to visit Historic Washington State Park just outside of Hope, Arkansas our group passed the Hope Airport and were witness to a field of FEMA trailers. These trailers are surplus from Hurricane Katrina and number in the ten thousands. Much debate exists regarding re-deployment, economic stimulus to Hope (rent), and their potential dangers with possible formaldehyde contamination.

I lived in one for two weeks while working in Bismarck, ND... they weren't so bad... well... for two weeks.

FEMA Trailers Sit Empty in Hope
FEMA Trailers 'Toxic Tin Cans'?

Currently, they are available for auction but I have a feeling the majority are not going anywhere anytime soon.

FEMA Auctions Trailers at Hope Airport
FEMA auctioning off trailers at fire-sale prices

A smaller storage in Selma, Alabama:
Madison, IN:

Busy times to come..

Here's to starting my second year of graduate school in the next two weeks. I forsee it will be the busiest and most demanding period thus far. It should be a blast as long as organization and motivation equally prevail!

Sleep will be a luxury and coffee will be a new found friend, I'm sure.