My apologies for a more personal posting today,  but it is Thanksgiving here in the US after all.   Here’s a list of things I’m thankful for, mostly ANSMET related……

….the amazing support we’ve gotten from the planetary community.  Without the hundreds of you who joined us in the field, the hundreds more that have studied the specimens we recover, and the thousands of you who just said “that is cool”,   we simply wouldn’t exist.

….the equally amazing support we’ve gotten from the population of McMurdo Station, South Pole Station, and the various governmental agencies that provide for us in terms of gear, labor, salary, etc.  ANSMET is a wierd thing- supported as science, but out at the end of the Earth where only insane adventure-types go. You’ve made it seem easy, piece of cake,  no problem.  Even when the problems are pretty daunting.   I am extremely grateful for the positive attitude, appreciation for what we do,  and patience you’ve shown us.

….The altruism of our leadership team and predecessors.  Our existing system,  where the meteorites are recovered and then immediately made available to the research community, with no priority access given to the field members, the curators or anyone else, isn’t an accident.  Bill Cassidy, who started ANSMET in the mid-70’s after learning about the initial discoveries by the Japanese,  fully understood he was first in line to a gold rush,  and that there could be many more losers than winners.  Faced with the opportunity to grab a handful of treasure and simply head home,  he (and like-minded folks at NSF, NASA and the Smithsonian) instead invented the system that remains in place today.   Myself, the curators at the Smithsonian and JSC, and the adminstrators at NSF and NASA all get this, even through we’re second generation.   If you have any experience in project or grant management at all,  you’ll appreciate how hard it is to maintain such a program and concensus for nearly 40 years.

….The friendship and hard work of my partners in the fieldwork- John Schutt, Shaun Norman, Jim Karner, Mike Rampey, Nancy Chabot and a few others.  They’ve been my second family for the nearly 30 years I’ve been involved with ANSMET, taking care of me when I can’t take care of them.

….My family (and particularly my wife) for dealing with my absences.  While not quite “enlisted” level,  they build up over the years to some pretty impressive totals.  Rather than dwell on all the things I’ve missed,  let’s just say I am most thankful of all for a family that understands I do this because I’m good at it, not because I’m some wanderlust-addled adventurer.  I HATE adventure.

3 turkeys in McMurdo (from last trip to Davis-Ward)

Happy Turkey Day!    -Ralph,  posting from Novelty OH