Don't Look Back , ODYSSEY Gulf Blog (year 3), Day 47, Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Day 47, Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Dear Family and Friends,
Port can be long or it can be short. This call was short though we did have some fun.  James flew down (it was good to see him after these many weeks) and we went to a see the rock band Boston in concert. It has become something of a family tradition as it was Johnny’s 4th and James’s 3rd time seeing them in concert. It is not a group that tours often, but it is always a blast.
I first saw them in concert in the spring of 1977 when they did their first tour. I was 11 and in 7th grade. My brother Michael who was 15 introduced me to them. It was simply awesome. Whether it was because I was 11, or because Mike introduced me to them, I am not sure, but they immediately became my favorite band and I went again to their concert in 1978. They would not tour again until 1987 and that year found me hitchhiking to it with my old friend Tim.  After that the next U.S. tour was 1997 and Sandy’s first one. I was stunned to learn this one this year was my 9th Boston concert.  It seems the only one I missed was a tour that lasted a week or so in 1988 and was in Canada. Of course Sandy has been to six, so its not just me… I did try once to get Michael to go with me again, but sadly he’s moved on to other tastes. Meanwhile the boys have joined me in the appreciation for the energy, the music and the message in the songs. Cathy came once and is a secret fan. We are not groupies as we have no tshirts or paraphernalia, but we do enjoy the songs and the show.
If you have never heard Boston. I would highly recommend you give them a listen. If you know then and have not listened for a long time try I suggest you go with “Foreplay/Long Time” – Johnny’s favorite. For my friends wrestling with frustration I suggest you try “Peace of Mind” – probably my favorite, but it’s hard to choose. For my friends dealing with change, I suggest “Don’t Look Back” – one of Sandy’s favorites and up there for all of us. For you Michael- it simply has to be “More than a Feeling” – the original classic.  Listen to words. Hear the message. Feel the music and the energy. Crank up the volume.  Go ahead try it.
But, here is the key.  Boston is best played- full volume. You really have to turn it up and dance. Blast the doors off (pun intended Michael) and feel the moment.
We are back on the swells and out to get more samples.  Captain Bob, first mate Hugh, second mate Ike, Johnny as primary biopsier and science team leader, and Sandy as photo-Ider and cook are all here and of course me.  Our new crew are
-Lou Falank, a technician in my laboratory who will be our backup biopsier;
-Mukhaye Muchimuti, an high school teacher from Hyde Academy in Bath Maine. who will be our data logger.
-Jaimyal Lindsey, an undergraduate from Mississippi Valley State College who will be our close-in photographer;
-Dr. Louis Hall, a Professor at  Mississippi Valley State College who will be a spotter while on whales;
and
– Conor Kennedy, a junior at Deerfield Academy, who will be on net/arrow recovery.
Attached is a picture of the team. Front right is Jaimyal in the gray t-shirt. To his right are Captain Bob with the sunglasses around his neck, Sandy and then Mukhaye in the black pants. Behind Jaimyal in the red is Louis Hall. To his right are Ike in the orange shirt and cap, Lou Falank in the black tank top, and Hugh in the light t-shirt and cap. Behind Ike is me, then the mast to my right, then Johnny in orange and Conor in the light blue tshirt.
I have also attached a picture of Boston playing at the concert and our cool sunset.
I will close with a quote from a Boston lyric – “Don’t look back. A new day is breaking.”  and for us let’s hope it has whales!
Good night.
John
P.S.  If you want to see our location on Google Maps we are at:
29.018N, 88.874W
just paste in the coordinates and click search
If you want to read the previous days of these messages- they are
posted at www.usm.maine.edu/toxicology/gulf and click on “read logs
here”.
—
John Pierce Wise, Sr., Ph.D.