Meteorite Men

I am so addicted to this show! I think I like it so much because the two guys showcased on the show, Geoffrey Notkin and Steve Arnold, remind me a lot of those I have been in the field with before. There is always a quirky person in every group, you know the one- he is chasing butterflies (or gathering tree sap- yes, tree sap) instead of measuring strike and dip on the outcrop you just climbed 200 ft to find and have yet another ridegback in the distance to conquer. It's tough to keep your temper at them, but they are just so darned puppy-ish you can't chastise them for fear your temper will boil over so you keep it all inside to protect his feelings. (Or at least for me). Then you have the guy who dresses like Charles Darwin (not sure what to say about that one) but he was smart so you don't really care how he dressed, you just wanted him on your team because he got things done. And then there is the loner who works on the outskirts of the group, but once you get to know them you find out they are a MENSA member and while not really as well-versed in geology as you would like, their sharp wit and sense of humour make you laugh at yourself. It's always a good thing to remember to laugh at yourself. :)


So as I watch this show, I see little nuances of the quirky things I have seen exhibited from people out in the field before and I feel strangely comforted. I think perhaps it is because I miss my motley group of friends that I have gathered. It's always tough to move away from people you admire and conspire with, especially for me when it comes to geology. When I watch this show it just flat out makes me laugh. The two of them [Geoff and Steve] banter at one another just as I have done with my friends out in the field, and they enjoy busting on one another as friends tend to do. (I would have had a field day teasing them about the snake boots- the only person I have ever seen wear a pair of those was the Charles Darwin guy, so yeah, um... yeah.). Not saying it's a bad thing to wear them, it just hasn't been a common practice in my experience so I would find it a bit funny. Plus Geoff takes forever to get ready once they arrive at the spot. Every geology trip I have ever been on we pile out of the van as if  we were told it was about to explode. If anyone lagged as Geoff does to get ready they would find themselves quickly alone wondering where everyone had gone off to. Unless it was an outcrop stop, at which point by the time he was finished everyone would be piling back INTO the vans. ha ha. So I enjoy watching him fiddle with getting his snake boots and gloves on as Steve is off and running. 

While the meteorites they find are pretty cool too, once they make their finds I usually prefer the part when they take it to the guy to put in the mass spec. I have to say they are quite talented in finding their treasures, and they are pretty clever in how they go about choosing sites to explore. 


If you haven't had a chance to see this show, I really encourage you to check it out. 



.