Daily Journal

January 27, 2005:
Garden of Eatin'

Day three, and still in transit. This allows extra time for the scientists to prep for all the sampling and experiments they’ll perform on-station—a rare luxury—but also allows them personal time to read, watch a movie in the lounge, watch for wildlife, and yes—exercise. The ship is equipped with a stationary bike, leg press, free weights, and a stairstepper. All are on the 03 deck, or ‘third floor’ of the ship, except for the stairstepper which is in the engine room on the 00 deck, or ‘basement’.

Exercise becomes important, not only because the ship is confined and doesn’t allow for the kind of room—or non-moving surfaces—that most sports require, but also due to the massive amounts of tasty food the cooks prepare three times daily. While there is time for breaks in between, Eddie and Mark are responsible for getting breakfast out at 7:15 and the day doesn’t end until dinner clean-up at 6 pm is completed. Most everyone agrees—we don’t eat this well at home!

A lot of jobs have terms or slang specific to them. Besides the numbering of the decks, there’s the head, galley, bridge, stern, bow, port and leeward sides, and cabins. (Translated as bathroom, kitchen, control-center, back, front, left and right sides [facing the bow], and sleeping quarters.) Scientists, too, have their own terminology for certain things. Can you think of another job where this is true? What are the benefits and set-backs of using this specific language in a field?