MIDRATS
Even though this station has been under civilian management for at least 10 years, it's interesting to note how much of the lauguage on station still has a military feel to it. The kitchen/ dining hall for example is called "the galley" and the midnight meal for day-sleepers is called MIDRATS. (short for Midnight Rations) It might seem clever to call the people who work nights "Mid-Rats" but that name hasn't ever stuck.
Usually when I'm on shift in the power plant at night I'm alone. Since I can't leave the plant unattended to go get food from the galley it means I usually skip MIDRATS and microwave something I find in the power plant's top-loading "deer meat" freezer. The exception, of course, is if there is another operator hanging out in the power plant who can relieve me for a few minutes so I can go grab a plate of food.
Grabbing a plate of food has a different challange since the local scavenger gulls called Skuas have showed up. Since they don't have any natural preaditors in Antarctica and the Antarctic Treaty prevents us humans from "interfering" with them these birds have no fear. A couple of times I have walked within two feet of Skuas and they turn their head a little but don't otherwise move or make any indication that they might want to. Several times during the season there will be the remnants of food lying on the ground near the galley being pecked up by Skuas who have successfully scared someone into dropping it and running.
(Our "take it or leave it" recycling bins where people put useable things that would normally be sold at a garage sale are labeled "SKUA" in honor of these lovely birds)
I'm not working tonight so I'll be heading to MIDRATS in a few minutes. Only about 10% of the station works at night so I probably will pass the rest of the time tonight by doing "fun reading" or catching up on e-mails.
As a brief side note: lots of people down here keep blogs so they can keep people at home updated on life here. I'll start posting blogs of people I know in the "links" section on the right side of this page. (insert disclaimer about me not editing what they write on their own blogs here)
Usually when I'm on shift in the power plant at night I'm alone. Since I can't leave the plant unattended to go get food from the galley it means I usually skip MIDRATS and microwave something I find in the power plant's top-loading "deer meat" freezer. The exception, of course, is if there is another operator hanging out in the power plant who can relieve me for a few minutes so I can go grab a plate of food.
Grabbing a plate of food has a different challange since the local scavenger gulls called Skuas have showed up. Since they don't have any natural preaditors in Antarctica and the Antarctic Treaty prevents us humans from "interfering" with them these birds have no fear. A couple of times I have walked within two feet of Skuas and they turn their head a little but don't otherwise move or make any indication that they might want to. Several times during the season there will be the remnants of food lying on the ground near the galley being pecked up by Skuas who have successfully scared someone into dropping it and running.
(Our "take it or leave it" recycling bins where people put useable things that would normally be sold at a garage sale are labeled "SKUA" in honor of these lovely birds)
I'm not working tonight so I'll be heading to MIDRATS in a few minutes. Only about 10% of the station works at night so I probably will pass the rest of the time tonight by doing "fun reading" or catching up on e-mails.
As a brief side note: lots of people down here keep blogs so they can keep people at home updated on life here. I'll start posting blogs of people I know in the "links" section on the right side of this page. (insert disclaimer about me not editing what they write on their own blogs here)
posted by Adam at 2:39 AM
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