Antarctica: Others Think I'd do a Helluva Job, Too

Video created by The Sneer Review.

Since I have recently developed quite a history of visiting cold and snowy places, often during the winter (remember Morris, Minnesota in January? Or how about Helsinki, Finland in November, then again in February?), 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 lots of other people in the blogosphere who are also supporting my bid to become the official blogger on this Antarctic expedition;

Dan!, author of Molecular Fossils writes a rather funny entry asking for your votes.

Janet Stemwedel, author of Adventures in Ethics and Science, also supports me for the oofficial Antarctica blogger.

Another colleague of mine, Dr. Isis, supports my bid to be official Antarctica blogger on her blog, On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess.

Rooth MacMillan, a competitor in this competition, who is in email contact with me.

Andrew Evans, another competitor in this competition (who is and remains in telephone and email contact with me, too).

Andrew Alden, another Antarctica competitor, is also asking his supporters to transfer their votes to support me as Official Antarctica blogger!

Joe Decker, yet another Antarctica contestant, also endorses me to be your official antarctica blogger!

The Off Yonder blog includes a link from the top of the text area in support of my bid to go to Antarctica.

Richard Carter at Friends of Charles Darwin;

My colleague, Steinn Sigurðsson (another real scientist) and author of the physics blog, Dynamics of Cats, adds his endorsement to the flock; Blog Your Way to the South Pole.

A loyal reader, John Grant, a pseudonym for Paul Barnett. As John Grant, he won two Hugo Awards, the World Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, and a number of other international literary awards, and as Paul Barnett, he has has won the Chesley Award.

Eva, my friend in Toronto and author of Expression Patterns, endorses me to be official Antarctica blogger.

My colleague, friend and anti-woo medical doctor, Orac, who writes the wonderful blog, Respectful Insolence, endorses me to be your official penguin whisperer.

A reader whom I met in real life, Glendon Mellow, endorses my dream to be your official penguin whisperer in this inspirational essay published on his blog, The Flying Trilobite.

My good friend, Bora Zivkivic, author of A Blog Around the Clock, endorses me for your official Antarctica blogger and again, here.

My fellow SciBling and friend, Ethan Siegel, a brand new shiney professor at Lewis & Clark College and author of Starts with a Bang!, endorses me as your official Antarctica blogger.

Rick MacPherson, author of Malaria, Bedbugs, Sealice & Sunsets, supports me for your official Antarctica blogger.

My long-time friend, Chris Clarke, author of the blogs, Coyote Crossing and The Faultline, and the wonderful book, Walking with Zeke.

A friend whom I've not yet met, LadyMin, endorses my dream to go to Antarctica, on her blog, LadyMin's Garden.

A reader of mine who lives in Sweden and writes the Sneer Review endorses me and also gave my virtual nekkid penguin a shirt to wear (see the image at the top of this page).

The Reef Tank, a blog for whom I've done some writing, has endorsed me.

DarkSyde invited me to write an appeal to my fellow Kossians to vote to send me to Antarctica at DailyKos.

Snowball the dancing cockatoo voted for me, too (but lacking his own blog, he only sent me a tweet)

Henry Gee, author of the Nature Network blog, I, Editor.

Cromercrox (who also writes under the real life pseudonym, Henry Gee .. hey, doesn't that name sound familiar??).

Karen at The Beagle Project (earlier request for votes).

Friends of Charles Darwin.

A longtime loyal reader, Mike Haubrich, who also writes his own blog, Tangled up in Blue Guy.

Weird Science, a blog with the Sunday Mercury, also endorsed me.

PZ Myers, Pharyngula.

Bob O'Hara, deep thoughts and silliness (and again here).

My friend, colleague and one of my online crushes; Terra Sigillata.

My friend, former colleague and another one of my online crushes, John Lynch, a simple prop.

My good friend, former colleague, new author and yet another online crush!, John Wilkins, author of Evolving Thoughts (and here's his newest request for votes).

My friend and colleague, Afarensis, endorsed me several times with some really inspirational essays (and again here and here too!).

Here's an amusing request for votes from my friend and colleague and the last of my online crushes (I think), PalMD, who writes the wonderful medical blog, White Coat Underground.

My friend and colleague, Greg Laden, author of Greg Laden's Blog, provides many endorsements daily that support my dream to be official penguin whisperer.

My friend and colleague, and champion karaoke performer, Razib, author of Gene Expression, endorses me to be your official Antarctica blogger.

My friend and colleague, and very staunch supporter, DrugMonkey has endorsed me several times, and has also provided much-appreciated support behind the scenes.

My reader, teh Bard of da intert00bz, Digital Cuttlefish endorses me with several of his beautiful poems.

Fellow parrot pal and former colleague, Sheril Kirshenbaum, The Intersection (also see her latest request for votes on my behalf).

My shy but loyal reader who also writes the blog, ACW, endorses me.

My Seattle birding pal and long-time friend, TravelGrrl, endorses me on her blog, Realist at Large.

My friend and colleague, Sandra Porter, author of Discovering Biology in a Digital Age, thinks I'd do a great job as the official penguin whisperer.

The amazing ScienceWomen support my dream to be your official penguin whisperer.

My very good e-friend and another loyal reader to whom I owe so much, The Ridger, author of The Greenbelt, supports my dream.

A mystery reader, Sporula, also supports me!

A reader whom I met by hosting a number of issues of the medical blog carnival, Grand Rounds, RL Bates, MD (author of Suture for a Living), also supports me.

An internet friend and reader, Miss Cellania, also supports my bid to become your official Antarctica blogger.

My most excellent e-birding pal, Empidonax, who writes A DC Birding Blog, supports my dream to be your official penguin whisperer!

My good friend, co-speaker (at the NC science blogging conference) and former Scibling, Kevin Zelnio and crew at Deep-Sea News. Okay, I admit it; he's another one of my online crushes.

More like this

GrrlScientist,
I'd like to encourage you to hang in there still even after the votings are now ending today and you are not at the first place with it.
The voting result represents just one of three required qualifications for the Quark Expedition's Official Blogger chosen. It reflects the popularity among the general public, but not of the scientific community.
There are two other factors to be weighed in for the final selection of the Official Blogger of the South Pole. One of these is the actual scientific background of the candidate--the trainings and the practices of the blogger. GrrlScientist is a PhD in a biological discipline with the eye to decipher things brought before her with skills of probing into the core along with all the relavancies explained. She will see things at a scientist's angle. To that, she is one of the most capable writer describing the nature of things with her clear, precise, effective, and elegant proses.
The other of the two is the INTERVIEW part, which will weigh very importantly. Here, GrrlScientist would not help but exude what is necessary and good for the job, the human factors: Good humor, confidence, enthusiasm, resilience, reliableness, and soundness of the character. Out of five or seven finalists from the voting, GrrlScientist will stand out physically as well as far as I can see with her tall, lean body carrying uniquely golden long locks over her head and shoulders.
I entreat her again to be chosen as our official blogger as I long ago joined with other tireless supporters of GrrlScientist for the job.

AriSan