Arrived

I landed in Anchorage last night. Some things:

I met two people on my flights to Houston and to Anchorage who were both scientists in the employ of what they referred to as "Big Oil". They both seemed like nice people, and the first man, a chemist, said that he had just been reading about a newly discovered microbe that eats asphaltine, the heaviest part of petroleum. He is an asphaltine expert, and was excited about this prospect in terms of cleanup in the Gulf. The woman I met between Houston and Anchorage had been in Alabama setting up preparations for the oil slick spreading to Missississippi, Alabama, and Florida. I will be spending a lot of time up here thinking about energy alternatives and such, and it seems right that before I get into the anti-petroleum jeremiad business, I should meet a couple "Big Oil" representatives who seem to have the right idea about the world.

Anchorage is beautiful, although that almost means nothing because that's what everyone says about it. No one sounds urbane and well-traveled when remarking on how wet London is or how dry it tends to get in the Gobi. Sophie and I went on a walk in full day-light last night around 10 pm. Strange days.

Our office is right on the water. This is worth mentioning because it is amazing.

I haven't started my real work yet, and ACF orientation isn't until next week. So this is about all I have. It feels to good to be out of my bubble. It feels good to be reminded that I have a bubble.

Onward and upward!

-Lou