Hi All,
It is my turn to post only this time presenting you the Greek-style of writing and thoughts about ANSMET. In fact, today is less than a week prior to my departure for San Francisco. I will spend two nights in San Francisco and will watch my 3rd NBA game when the Golden State Warriors host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday – a day before leaving to New Zealand on the same flight as Jim. The dream to participate in ANSMET passes through the NBA doors. OK, that’s an awesome combination. In New Zealand the 6 teammates meet with our super duo of mountaineers already in Antarctica (or suppose to be with the will of the weather gods). (NOTE from rph…. they were still in Christchurch last I heard)
What I’ve learned up until now is that ANSMET is a long-lasting process that builds GREAT team relationships. Our efforts prior and during the Cleveland bootcamp were great. All the team members came close together, and we already feel like we’ve known each other for years. Maybe, who knows, all these crazy guys, including me, were indeed together in a previous life…who knows. It is possible, a “strange” meteorite from the Antarctica blue-ice fields could unravel the secrets of such past life… For me this is a very important trip. I would say it is of crucially importance for my country, since, for first time, Ioannis “La Sportiva” Baziotis (Scott do you hear me???) will represent Greece (yes, this small country in the Mediterranean Sea, at the SE part of Europe; at this side of the earth globe, orientation still matters:) ) in the context of ANSMET. That’s a big deal for me and my people (now I feel like William Wallace in Braveheart).
I will participate along with other brilliant guys in the Team-B, or brilliant Team (please refer to Scott’s post a week ago for terminology). It goes without saying, that Team A is also BRILLIANT. In fact, all these terms like “brilliant”, “awesome”, “great”, “superb”, sound equally appicable to my ears. All guys there, all the team members who volunteer themselves at the 41-years old of ANSMET, or at the hands of 37 years of experience of John Schutt (like the asteroid or the glacier), are indeed a mix of four important ingredients: pAssion-scieNce-viSion-METeori
Concluding, I wish ourselves all the best in this incredible mission, and to our PI Ralph Harvey and Co-PI Jim Karner a great thank from the deep of my heart for selecting me and my new friends (Barbara, Brian, James, John, Juliane, and Scott). Also, I would like to personally dedicate this mission to two influential people in my life. First, to my mother who unfortunately I lost two years ago in the age of 58. Second, to Larry Taylor, a great planetary scientist who treated me like a son while being at UTK, and lead me down the meteorite-path when we studied the martian meteorite, Tissint.
As an aside, Ralph, hopefully, you’ll inform me of how LA Lakers and especially Lonzo Ball are doing while we’re in the field (I’m fan of Lakers, though). (note from rph: not a chance. Might tell you how the Cavs are doing though).
Ioannis Baziotis, Athens Greece, 19:00 CET Friday 17 Nov