So Long and thanks for all the fish

Nice and early tomorrow morning I head off to Moncton. My last interview in town today went really well.

I am generally enjoying my research, however I am going to have a crapload of transcribing to do, I am tying to get a jump start on it, but I have so many other things piling up too. I need to find a way to shorten the interviews a little, it is entirely my fault because I love to talk, and I love talking to museum people. Something about working as a public figure makes it really easy to ask for clarification or even to disagree with a person and still have a respectful conversation. I have a feeling if I were interviewing government workers who rarely have to deal with the public these interviews would not be so congenial.

The fact is I have challenged them and they have challenged me. If I have a question where the wording is shoddy or vague, they let me know. If someone says something that is contradicted by the literature, I feel comfortable going in and asking more, maybe even for a defense.

Something is brewing inside me though, I sometimes worry that as an academic I have chosen a career where I won't get to be around people this much, I really do enjoy the respectful back and forth, even if I sometimes burst waiting for the other person to finish their point.

Anyway, be that as it may, on to fish. Wow, they eat a lot of it, I like fish, a lot, even weird fish that other people don't like such as pickled and smoked fishes, smelt and weird fish like creatures such as octopus. However, I am really starting to crave tofu or beans or some other protein substitute. I am sure however that vegetarian things will get harder and harder to find as I go further north.

I also want to take a moment to offer props to the man who invented powdered milk. With cereal, milk and fruit I spent maybe 10 dollars, and I know that will cover me for the next week minimum. Life without a fridge is slightly more complicated but I don't mind. I am actually looking at it as a challenge, and I think the hostel I am in tomorrow night has a kitchen/stove. I can't wait to cook my own food again.

Finally, off topic again. For those of you that pray. I met a lovely woman here whose husband is undergoing one last dialysis to try and give him 6 more months of life. I know there is nothing to say that can help her, but I sat with her last night to watch TV and gave her a ride to the hospital this morning. All I can say is wow, what an accepting and kind woman, who for some reason enjoyed my jokes. I can only selfishly pray that I never have to go through what she is, or that it is a very long time before I do. Also that I can have that kind of love and support for my own family. So if some of you don't mind, just say a quick prayer for her, her family and her husband. Now go home tonight and hug someone you love.

Hugs to all of you...