Since I have recently developed quite a history of visiting cold and snowy places, often during the winter, I wish to preserve that tradition. I am competing for the opportunity to go to Antarctica in February 2010 -- a dream adventure that I've always wanted to pursue (and almost did pursue when I was an undergraduate researching Fin Whales and Crabeater Seals at the University of Washington). To enter, all candidates must publish a picture of themselves and write an essay explaining why we think we are the best choice, and solicit votes from the public. Whomever receives the most votes wins the job. Of course, I think I am the best candidate to share this adventure with you, but I am not the only one who thinks this. Below the jump is a list of other people who are also supporting my bid to become the official blogger on this Antarctic expedition;
Henry Gee, I, Editor.
PZ Myers, Pharyngula.
Bob O'Hara, deep thoughts and silliness.
John Lynch, a simple prop.
John Wilkins, Evolving Thoughts.
Razib, Gene Expression.
Digital Cuttlefish (and yet another wonderful poem of his).
Sheril Kirshenbaum, The Intersection.
ACW.
TravelGrrl,realist at Large.
The Ridger, The Greenbelt.
RL Bates, MD, Suture for a Living.
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Wow...you didn't add a recent count so I presume you're still in the running. Continued good luck. I understand and appreciate the exhiliration of competition for a rewarding experience and a prize.
You do know, I'm sure, that there are other cruises going down to the ice and they do as a matter of routine actually take-on naturalists and diarists as part of the interpretive crew. You certainly have the command of language and intellectual curiosity to be a marvelous observer/recorder to work on the best of these kinds of tourist expeditions..and the food is always marvelous and the people who take these cruises are usually pretty extraordinary, curious, and engaged in professional and cultural lives that are impressive.
One of the best kinds of residencies for artists and fellow travellers is through the Nat'l Sci Foundation's US Antarctic Program, and every year writers, artists, and documentarians go down to record, preserve and communicate on the research that's going on there. You should look into it, because you do have the drive it would take, and based on your resume' as seen here, you are a great candidate for that...and your blog is solid. I for one would love to see a good blog from the Ice. Good luck.
Speaking as both a regular reader and a non-scientist, it is worth pointing out that your audience isn't limited to scientists. There are plenty of people, like myself, that love to read, that are fascinated by science, and that would be a big part of the audience for whoever wins the trip. Yes, It is important to point out that you have the support of many well known bloggers and science writers. It is also important to point out that your writing is accessible and appreciated by many non-scientists as well.
Yes, and you can count me as one of your supporters as well. If you win, perhaps you can persuade Professor Steve Steve to join you (if he is not too upset that Wesley Elsberry won't be his companion.)
kevin, even the NEW second place candidate -- because now i am in third place -- knows i write well since he used one of MY LINES from my essay as the central them in his essay .. i'll let you draw your own conclusions.
well, mike, it's been a closely guarded secret, but i feel i must reveal it now that you mention this .. the ORIGINAL professor steve steve is lounging around on my bookshelves next to my bed in NYC. wesley has been shamelessly pimping one of the clones as his travel companion. HORRORZ!!1!11!1!!!! but steve steve and i know who the original is, where he is and whom he prefers to travel with (he is a heterosexual, after all -- mrow!)