Summer decisions, balanced blood and empty eyes.

The summer is never too far away, not when you have to decide what to study... should I return to Canada to work in the arctic on seabirds, or stay in Sweden to work on shorebirds... For my future, I'm probably going to life the rest of my life in Canada, so, that makes sense, but it sort of feels like a failure, not building stronger connections here... the future is the sum of past, especially with projects like this, so I'm really agonizing over this.

Otherwise, life prattles on as usual. I dazzled my professor with a modelling project on Auks and Seals, he wants me to try to get it published, which is the highest honour for a project. My half brother Jeff is getting married, and will have a daughter in June! Amazing... though, for me, I'll probably never see this niece, as I never see Jeff, have never met his finance, and will likely live in very a different part of the globe. Too bad, Uncles are usually really cool.

And now, some more observations about swedes and north americans: Unlike in Canada, where the signs of a good listener are nodding, showing expressions of interest, and asking relevant questions, the swedes consider this all very excitable and somewhat rude. One should just sit very still and quiet until the speaker is finished. "Dead in the eyes" is how I might characterize them.

But thats okay. I love them anyway. I'm for the most part glad that I came, despite having perhaps the wrong reasons.

I can die a happy man because of 2007

A round of applause for 2007: I did good work at Environment Canada, went to the Haida Gwaii and fell in love with seabirds, worked for the USFWS in Alaska, and started a Masters in Sweden. I also ended a 2 year relationship, had a strange one in the summer, and am otherwise single. Other than the last bit, a great year of professional development and honing my interests.

What now for 2008? I hope to do exciting thesis work in the summer, and other than that, just interesting biology courses, and try to rectify that whole "being single" issue.

I can't seem to sleep.

Red Sea Diving 2007

Went to Hurghada Egypt to do my advanced open water diver certification, over christmas. Christmas hua ekbar!