I came across this link from Google yesterday; it allows bloggers to publish their digital documentations into paperback at a not so bad price. For years I have received suggestions from others saying that I should write a book regarding my international travels and unique experiences. By unique experiences, I mean there have been life awakening events... like, the time a bull challenged me at a Thai Buddhist temple while on retreat (only a few days before my eerie motorcycle accident) to the time I had to stay awake for 12 hours during a full moon night and meditate with my knife while jaguars were prowling amongst the jungle behind me in Costa Rica. Lessons have been learned with every step I take. Hold your life like you hold your knife.
Of course I want to share those lessons, or at least tell and show what I have witnessed. A native elder from Canada once told me, "I am not here to teach or preach to you, I am only here to tell you what I have observed." Word. We all observe things in life through different lenses and different locations. Right now, I am at 90 deg. South latitude, the geographic South Pole. The lense here is as if everything North of us has no relevance to our life at Pole. Our only connections to the North are satellite emails, phone calls, and video conferences, besides that there are no planes of people or fresh plants packed in boxes to remind us what society outside of the South Pole is. We have our own society forming as I speak. It's only been 10 days since the last plane left, and the earliest we can see another is in 8 months. The Polies are on lock down and it's neat to see the social dynamics forming. Environmentally speaking, I expect it's only going to get colder, drier, and darker as we move into winter.
What I want to throw out there to all the followers and Denver folks reading this blog is watch how things change here. We are at the start of something, perhaps the coldest winter on Earth in the most remote spot on Earth. 47 save brave souls are living and working the new South Pole station, which was built only a couple years ago. 45% of the people here have been to Pole previously. The station is awesome in my opinion because it has a superb kitchen, greenhouse, band room, workout room, and sauna. I've hit my niche... one of the three station Chefs, boxing and kickboxing coach, wannabe rock star, interior decorator, and peaceful dude. I'm set. Considering the fact that I have a degree in physical geography (def: the study of the relationship between the environment and humanity) I plan to observe the South Pole winter from an inside and outside standpoint. Several times a week I hope to show what we're cooking and what's shaking on station; an inside perspective. At the same time, as news comes down from North about climate change, international nuke issues, car recalls, political stuff, Olympics, etc. and we are sitting here staring at Southern Lights for entertainment, I want to show what it's like to live outside the box; an outside persepective. I'll say this time and time again, but this is pretty much like living on an icy Mars. A continent larger than the size of America made up of ice, snow, and mountains and no more than a 2,000 people living here. We are natives to this place... it's been three seasons for me in Antarctica, heck I'd migrate here if I could.
Anyway, to regress back to the topic of a book. Over these next 8 months I’m going to document the big picture, everything from a few humans living at the South Pole to Neutrino research and it’s eye in the sky. Although restricted to a mile-wide diameter from where I type these words, things will evolve. Hair will grow, skin will crack, auroras will blossom, people will open up, people will go crazy (aka Toasty), boxing techniques and music will hopefully get better for me, as well as my dishes as I dig through cookbooks and learn from my Chef. We have a great team and I'm going to enjoy watching each and every one of us work and live in this unique environment resembling a station on Pluto, or a frozen Mars. Just observe what happens Now, and what becomes 8 months from Now. We're in for the long haul.