Long time no write

Hey guys! It’s been a while since I’ve blogged… I’ve been super busy working doubles at SJS and haven’t had much time to get online. But there’s a lot to cover because a lot has happened since the last time I wrote. Since my last entry Travis came to visit, Jen and family went on a whale watch, I turned 22, I helped out on Jonathan Stern’s Minke Project, Adam got accepted to Aberdeen for grad school, I started a photo book about my summer, and I figured out what I want to do this winter.

Travis’s visit was bittersweet. We had a great time and even took a trip to Victoria, B.C. We went to the Butchart Gardens, the Royal British Colombia Museum, whale watching, kayaking, rode mopeds around the island and celebrated my birthday together. It was nice to have him around, but hard at the same time because I could feel a difference. "Finding yourself" can be a frightening event because you may find a part of yourself you never realized existed. I'd played my whale fascination off as a passing fad, but when I came here I realized it was truly a passion. I want to explore this new found passion, but this requires I be selfish. It's hard to be selfish when you care about someone and don't want to hurt them. I talked to Travis and let him know where my life was taking me and how it was in a different direction than his. He understood and backed my decision to follow my dreams. We decided to stay in touch as friends and perhaps work something out in the future, after some personal growth on both parts. "Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn't have to hate each other for getting older... we had to forgive ourselves for growing up." ~ The Wonder Years.

It was nice to have Jen, Mitch, and Jo come visit. Their timing was perfect because Trav had just left and I was pretty bummed about the situation. It was nice to have family around to help me take my mind off things. They seemed to have a good time and I’m glad they got a chance to experience something that’s so important to me.

My 22nd birthday was fun, but different. I’m so used to celebrating with family; it was weird to not have them around. Travis and my coworkers made me cakes and we had a bonfire on Jackson Beach. The celebration was pretty low key ~ very island-like. Growing up is pretty strange. Sometimes I find myself trapped between the me of five years ago and the me of five years from now. I still feel like a kid sometimes, but then many of the decisions I’ve had to make seem so grown-up. It’s strange to think the first time I came out here was fourteen years ago… it doesn’t feel that far away.

I was really excited to help out with Jonathan Stern and his Minke Project. He’s really low key compared to the other research work I’ve done. His research flag is probably the best part. Every research vessel must have a yellow flag on the boat with the permit number for everyone to see. Jon’s flag is a yellow towel with the number written on it with magic marker. It’s attached to a tiki torch with binder ties and the torch has a twizler hanging out the top to look like a flame. As if that’s not enough, he has a rubber chicken named Henrietta hanging from the flag as well! The Minkes are quite a bit different than the orcas and often get overlooked because they aren’t quite as charismatic. However, they’re still really cool. There are around twelve individual Minkes that frequent this area. Jon names them all: Johnny Rotten, Nick Jagger (Nick because it has a nick in its fin), Marilyn (after Marilyn Monroe), Bubble Back, and Ellie. His study seems so much more relaxed because less drama surrounds the Minkes in comparison with the orcas. I look forward to staying in touch with him and helping out again.

For more bittersweet news, Adam got accepted to Aberdeen in Scotland for grad school. This school is supposed to be pretty great for marine studies and allows students to earn a Masters in just one year… so it’s a very tough program. Adam is leaving in a few weeks for Scotland and although I’m excited for him, I’m really going to miss my best friend on the island. Adam taught me a lot about the orcas and helped me meet some pretty key people in the field. I’m going to miss our conversations and dorca talk. He really helped me realize my passion for marine mammals and I hope we stay in touch.

I started a photobook on shutterfly.com about my summer experiences. It allows me to insert my own photos and write entries about them. It should be ready in October because I want to include some final thoughts as well as photos from when my mom, grandma, and grandpa visit over Labor Day. If any of you are interested in getting a copy of the book just let me know! I’m really excited about it and look forward to seeing the final product.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about where I see myself over the next few years. I’ve always been a list maker and planner (I guess I got that from my mom) and really needed a blueprint for this next year. I enjoy some level of spontaneity, but I also like to have a direction in my life. My last day of work in October 5. I’m going to pack my stuff and leave for L.A. on October 7, hopefully stopping in Vancouver along the way south. I decided not to visit the Northern Residents this year because there won’t be a study going on for me to help with and I don’t want to go up there to simply watch whales, I want to help with something. Instead, I decided to apply for a job in Hawaii as a naturalist on a Humpback Whale Watch boat. Apparently a naturalist for another company around here did it last winter and loved it. The company she worked for provided and house and a group vehicle for its employees and paid decent (enough to pay for the rent and save money). This season lasts from December through April and would be a cool way to explore while staying in the country and having sweet weather to boot! I’ll keep you all posted on how this job search goes. In the meantime, I will be finishing up my personal statement for law school and applying to schools in L.A., Idaho, and Colorado. I’m hoping to take the two months prior to Hawaii, cross your fingers, to meet with financial aid departments at local law schools and see what my scholarship opportunities could be as well as sit in on some classes. I hope this will help me make my decision when I find out where I get in. Once I find out what schools accept me, I will most likely defer one year so I could come back to San Juan Island, work a few days a week for San Juan Safaris, and help out on research boats more often. Then, I would head up to help with research on the Northern Residents next September before heading back to L.A. for a “real job” with my degree. I would want to work at a P.R. firm for 10 months before school starts to save more money and then buckle down for law school. Now, this is a rough outline and open to changes, but this is where I see myself and I really feel like taking the time to explore interests will only help my conviction to go to law school. I’m learning how fragile our environment and resources are and I want to do something to protect them. The law is about protecting what we consider important: our lives, our freedom of speech, our property, our descendants, and even a group of whales swimming around in Puget Sound.

I’m sad the summer is almost over, but I’m looking forward to the exciting opportunities just around the corner.