Just call me red!

For awhile now, I’ve wondered if redheads really have more fun.
Being down in Antarctica I figured was a good place to test my hypothesis. I brought down some henna hair coloring, knowing that it’s a natural plant product and is only temporary.

I selected the cast of characters that would help me: Dawn (housing manager) and Linda (PM sous chef). We secured a hidden location (the community salon that is not yet up and running) and got to work.

I was very nervous and fearful that the end result would leave me with a carrot top. Would my skin coloring match the color of my new hair? Would I need a new wardrobe after this? So many questions I didn’t know the answers to and was very anxious. I decided to take the plunge anyway!

We met at the salon after dinner and got to work. Linda and Dawn did a great job reassuring me that it would look great. Linda also said that if it looks bad, we can just shave it all off. (Not so reassuring, but funny none the less!) And I would have five months for it to grow back.

The application and scalp massage.

Dawn did honors of applying the cream (henna cream is said to be more conditioning and not as drying as the powder) while Linda read the directions very clearly and carefully. Initially she started with the directions in Spanish. This didn’t help my comfort level. She shortly moved to the english version and rememberd that I eventually will be writing her evaluation. I got a great scalp massage throughout the entire application. It was a little spa for Marci.

I choose to keep my eyes close for most of the application; partly to be suprised and the other part, out of nervousness.

After the application, the three of us sat around and read some literature that was left in the salon. This included some old People magazines and a book on the wisdom by barbers and stylists. We were suprised and confused by some of the entry’s of this book, but it kept us entertained for the 35 minutes I let my hair ‘marinate’ in the copper colored henna cream.

The application was done and the nerves set in.

When it was time, Dawn carefully checked the status of how the color was working. She did a great job massaging my scalp and keeping me calm. At that point I realized that I couldn’t turn back now. It was a done deal.

She rinsed out my hair according to the directions Linda read and, voila! I had become a red head! It was initially shocking (and still is when I see myself in the mirror), but it looked great. I had picked a great product and great characters to assist.

I dried it and added some product (more to control the curls than anything else). We cleaned up and went on our merry little way.

The final result...red curly locks!

It’s been a few days now and the response from people is GREAT! There is shock and confusion. There are some people questioning if something was different or now (mostly men…since they often didn’t notice these little things anyway). And many people really like the change. I’ve been called ‘Red’ a few times, but it’s done with a genuine smile, so it’s okay.

I will monitor the progess and level of ‘fun’ I have as the color gradually washes out and fades naturally. I will keep you all posted regarding the theory of red heads having more fun or not.

Happy smiling faces after an evening of nerves!

Frozen Apples & Crystalized Honey…Rosh Hashanah at McMurdo

The Chapel of the Snows on the eve of Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah was another success at McMurdo Station.

We grew since last year. This year we had 7 guests; almost a 200% increase!

The Jew Crew

The evening started off with a fabulous meal including round challah (fresh and very tasty!), brisket, roasted chicken, potato kugel, glazed carrots, apricot honey cake, and fresh chocolate rugalach. It was an amazing meal!

Later Friday evening, we gathered at the Chapel of the Snows for an Oneg (defined as a gathering to celebrate a Sabbath or holiday). We popped open the ‘aged’ (who knows how old it was) Kedem grape juice and said the blessing over the wine (It was so old, it had sediment on the bottom of the bottle.) Since no one had brought any challah either, we opened an ‘aged’ box of Manichewicz Matzoh. We also said the blessing over the matzoh. We couldn’t tell if it was old or not, since it normally has such a dry and stale flavor.

It’s traditional to have apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate and encourage a sweet new year. Since we didn’t have any fresh apples, I made the executive decision that frozen apples and crystalized honey would just not do.

So instead, we just sat around and chatted. We got to know each other better and talked about getting together for Kol Nidre (the start of the Day of Atonement) as well as starting to plan for our second annual McMurdo Channukah Party, the hit holiday party of the season!

The smallest prayer book in the coldest, driest desert on earth.

Although not the same with out family around, it was a great evening and a great start to a new year.

It was so cold, I froze my eyeballs!

Again, I am not the photographer, but this picture really speaks for itself!

So, you probably imagine that Antarctica gets pretty cold most of the year. And yes, that would be a safe assumption. This past week, I had the wonderful experience of realizing just how cold it could be.

Most of last season and the first days of this season were relatively fine; meaning -25 to -35 below zero and the winds were bearable. And although some of you may shrug and grimace, that’s average and I could be fine in that with proper outer wear.

Last week I had the pleasure of experiencing VERY, VERY, VERY cold Antarctic temperatures. For a few days, it was colder at McMurdo with the windchill than it was at the South Pole. We saw temperatures of -85 below zero with the wind chill (and a few hours when it was even colder) and maneuvered safely through it (for purposes of work only-recreation is not allowed in these conditions).

Some of my fond memories were leaving work all bundled up with the proper attire and it was so cold, my runny nose became snot-cicles and I really belive that my eyeballs froze. I am not sure if that is even possible, but it sure felt like it.

Not crying over spilled milk:
Another funny story, I was leaving the dining area with a covered cup (or so I thought) of soy milk for my hot chocolate later that night. In the short 4-minute walk outside from the dining area to the door of my dorm, my milk spilled within my big red pocket and froze. When I got up to my room and starting to unload the milk, my coat, etc, I noticed these dime sized white spots all over my gloves…it was frozen milk! It was one of the strangest sights I’d seen in a while. I would’ve tried to capture this sight on film, but they started to melt right away by the time I figured out what they were. It was confirmed by tasting them, so I was glad it was just milk. Lesson learned: either wrap better or don’t transport milk in these conditions.

Well, that was last week and the weather has warmed up. Yesterday there was even a high of +5 above zero. It was like a heat wave. So, wherever you may be reading this, enjoy your temperatures and be careful with how you transport milk!