a*list ohm with turtles

 

This week of dances were all ones I knew.

Friday was "Weapons", for a bit of mystery.

Monday found me with "The Bad Guys2" in their travels to Egypt and outer space.

Wednesday was a new one, "Light Of The World", but its story was one I've known most of my life.

Then, today, Carolyn and I finally got "Caught Stealing" seen again - and yes, I just may be getting a crush on Austin Butler!

To quote a line he says to his girlfriend, "I'm sexy even when I don't say anything" - to which she replied, "Then shut up!"

Good one!!!

No meal with her this time, though.

I had a Naturalist 101 lecture at OHM Savannah!

Hooray!

I need to remember to get there a bit earlier, so I can chat with more of the folks who come for these ocean-themed talks.

"Conserving Loggerhead Sea Turtles" had drawn me in, as it had the full room, plus whoever was tuned in online at facebook. 

I sat in the very front row, which had been left empty.

Guess that was for me!

(smile!)

The talk was given by Kristen Zemaitis of the Caretta Research Project., an organization that started near the same time that I was in the STERI project my junior year of high school.

As I told her afterward, both that science program I was in, plus the sea turtle research, had me thinking of a career in marine science... but I chose the Navy first... then I chose chemistry once I finally went to college.

Now, I'm back to looking at the ocean and its life again.

(smile!)

I made sure to grab some swag for my great-nieces and great-nephews.

One never knows where a spark might lead to a fire!

another summer's eve at skidaway!

 

"You were at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography again? Most excellent for a Tina Tuesday! What was the topic this time?"

This was a history lesson, given by Dr. Herb Windom, the first person hired for the fledging site back in 1967. I think my favorite point in the talk was the one with the photo of the North Atlantic Bight, color-coded for water temperature. That made for a very nice tie-in to the OHM talk a few months ago. I think I impressed him that I knew about the five rivers feeding into that site. (smile!) Right place, right time for me!

 

"Very cool! Did you say 1967? That means Skidaway Institute is the same age as Dood!"

 

That's true! Jackson, the young man in charge of this public outreach activity, had sent the email invite to me twice, so I knew I had to be there. Then, once the talk started, I understood why. I know what it's like to be the first one hired at a site, the lack of organization and the need for changes almost daily. That's how it was when I was stationed at Galeta Island in Panama, when I was the first woman ever to be there. That meant there was only the one bathroom in the building. We had to put a sign on the door that let folks know when there was a woman aboard!

 

"I remember those days! Wow, that was so long ago, g'friend."

 

Yes, I got to Panama in April of 1978. So very long ago!

 

"Herb didn't run into any issues like that, though. Right?"

 

Correct. Only men were out there at SkIO then, but the buildings were prefab and the boat for research held only three or four people. It took a while to get funding so they could get a bigger boat - marine research joke alert! - but the one they now have lets six or seven researchers and equipment go out on the ocean, with a full crew, too. Overall, "The History And Early Days Of Skidaway Institute" was a lovely trip down the memory lane of the retired professor. He kept it light and casual, much like my lectures were when I was teaching. I highly recommend viewing his talk!

 

"Thanks, I'll do that sometime, but not right now. Bounce had "The Long Kiss Goodnight" on earlier and I recorded it. I love that movie with Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson! What an excellent flick!"

 

Most def it is! You go ahead and enjoy that. It'll be nice to be able to fast-forward through all the 'mercials!!! I'll catch you on the flip side!

bday67 gift from OHM... and i helped!

I'd signed up for this arts and crafts meeting just over a month ago.

"Trawl To Trash Workshop"?

At the Savannah office of One Hundred Miles?

Yes, that works for me!

Located right at Bull and 33rd Streets, I could get there easily.

Then, at last, today was the day!

Eric and Lily had all we would need on the tables: fishnet, rope, and plastic thread.

Plus, there were bags of snacks for us!

So, what was the source of the netting?

Primarily it was donated by old fishermen who were retiring from life at sea, fishermen who wanted to make sure their old nets didn't go to waste in a landfill.

Good for them!

So what was our process?

Fold the netting in half, then use a whipstitch to bind the raw edges together on the sides of the 'bag' in process.

After both sides are done, the white rope was threaded through the top, and, presto!

A lightweight tote bag worthy of hauling drinks and sunscreen to the beach or wherever!!!

I even used the one I made to capture my butterfly bag!

Eric and Lily were thrilled to see that I was immediately putting it in use!

Many thanks to them for this workshop!

Now that I know how to make the 'Trawl To Trash' tote, I'll have to keep an eye out for future workshops.

Maybe I can even get the four little blondes involved with doing this... that would be good summer fun!

 

 

something for my mind...

Have I mentioned that Savannah again has a branch of One Hundred Miles?

Oh, I have?

Truly, I am so thankful we do!

While I may yet make it to Brunswick to a lecture at some point during these evenings with daylight going on to 8 PM and later, I'd really rather not make that 90-minute drive on I-95.

Right?

Tonight, I didn't have to, as the Naturalist 101 Lecture was held right here!

(That's an inside joke for the bfe, though I have learned that these talks about nature and the ocean are not the physicist's thing.)

 

Stephanie Chewning lined up some specialists to provide "A Study Of Gray's Reef", with the talk being simulcast on fb.

That, no doubt, accounted for the low turnout at this office, as almost 700 people opted to watch it on the social media site instead of hunt for parking.

I'm glad to have been there in person!

 

Sarah Porter - the older woman on the right - is the National Marine Sanctuary Chapter Director at Gray's Reef, the NMS site just 20 miles offshore of the Georgia coast.

So what does that title mean?

She's in charge of fundraising and community awareness.

After all, if you want people to save something, you have to get them to care about it, and that is her goal.

 

She and Danielle Oxman took turns giving us the tour of the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, including showing a short movie of the wonders to behold there at that live bottom reef that exists about 65 feet below the Atlantic Ocean's surface.

They postulated that the rich nutrients coming into the Georgia Bight, which is the indented are of the coast, from the five rivers is believed to be responsible for that live bottom reef being there.

Those rivers are the Savannah, the Ogeechee, the Altamaha, the Satilla, and the St. Mary's.

I should have asked about the effect of the Gulf Stream, too.

The Gray's Reef area was discovered in 1961 and became a NMS in 1981, thanks to then-President Jimmy Carter's actions to protect it.

Amazingly, it's a 22-acre tract, roughly, with other pockets of live bottom reef which have been found nearby on the ocean floor.

Both of the speakers brought up the Ocean Discovery Center.

It's right on MLK, it's been there a couple of years, and it's free.

But had anyone in the audience, myself included, ever been there?

Sadly, no.

That sounds like a nice day trip next week for me and the great-nieces.

They're on spring break.

(smile!)

why this 'new year's start' is better

The Weather

On this 3rd day of the rebooted 2025, I've had a high in the mid-70's, with the night going to the low 50's.

The highs will remain in the mid-60's to mid-70's well into next week.

Hallelujah!!!

How had it been for the original start of 2025?

That had also been on a Wednesday, just as this was.

The lows were in the 30's each night, as the days would struggle to warm into the low to upper 50's.

That first Friday reached the upper 50's before crashing into freezing.

Evening Events

On this 3rd day of the rebooted 2025, I've been out to the AMC-11 for a foreign film for the second time this week.

The first was on the Chinese New Year for an actual film about San Francisco's Chinatown- such fun!

That was followed by lunch - and dinner! - courtesy of Applebee's and AARP.

Today, I was there again, this time for an Irani film set in Tehran: "The Seed Of The Sacred Fig".

No one would ever call that one 'fun', as it was a family drama involving the missing gun of the government-employed father.

I knew which female in the family had stolen it early on, but the story was well crafted.

That, also, was followed by lunch - and dinner! - courtesy of Texas Roadhouse and Melaness.

They gifted me the Tater Skins for belonging to their loyalty club, a gift I'll also enjoy for several coming breakfasts.

Melanie's Christmas gift supplied another $10 toward my grilled shrimp meal, half eaten there, half here at home.

Next up was the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, si?

While that's what I had done that first 2025 Friday, that's not the way it played out on this 'first' Friday.

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced it into being gone from Savannah since 2021, One Hundred Miles has returned!

Tonight was the grand opening of its new office on Bull Street, just north of the public library.

Excellent location!

The place was packed, but when I met Megan and Beth and Cate, each one already knew my name!

I very much appreciated that!

I did step out for a while, as the space was very loud with so many folks talking.

When I did, I stopped to admire this graffiti on the back wall and was joined by Gabriel, who is a blues pianist who lives in Darien, where OHM also has a new office.

He asked what I thought it was and I pointed out the base of the flower stem and that it was "Unplugged".

That was a nice pun for the musician!

We both wondered why it was left unsigned, but I postulated that perhaps the piece was not yet completed.

Gabriel thought that might be true.

Perhaps we shall meet again some time.

(smile!)

Home Movie Night

On that first Friday of 2025, I'd watched a rented, Christmas-themed, movie for a second viewing.

On this 'first' Friday of rebooted 2025, I saw a movie that was 'new to me' that I recorded when it showed up on Bounce two days ago.

I liked the premise of a young fan of kung fu movies getting transported back in time to ancient China to return the Monkey King's staff.

Altogether, "The Forbidden Kingdom" had a foursome of misfits on that quest: a failed monk (Jet Li), an old drunk (Jackie Chan), a lost traveler ('Jason'), and an orphan girl.

A foursome?

Like in "The Wizard Of Oz"?

Misfits, like in "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"?

Of course I was captivated by this 2008 time travel adventure!

Plus, with its setting in China, it was a perfect way to continue the new year celebration.

I hope to see this Chinese fantasy wuxia again someday!

Yes, I am so glad I choose to reboot 2025!

Now, I'll need to find more ways to celebrate for the twelve remaining days.

That's right, the Chinese New Year has 15 days of celebration, culminating in the Lantern Festival.

Hmmm... I wonder who will have that event?

(smile!)