Fun with Purchase Orders

wow. i haven't had a day this busy in a while. i spent the morning being a model TA and "taking care of" o'brien. then i talked charlie into coming to port st. joe with the class when we go in a couple of weeks. ok, i'll admit it. charlie complained that he was bored and volunteered to help me out. also, we have three vehicles signed out and only two authority figures in the class (and yes, i am one of the authority figures), so that means we needed another driver. gretchen's tagging along too.

after a busy morning of performing TA-related duties, i headed over to the lab where i met with dr. v. and gretchen to plan our research-related trip to port st. joe, which will be taking place next week. we've decided to leave on monday afternoon and come back on wednesday. this means that we have to get our shit together and get ready to leave. hmm...that statement works both literally (if you substitute "shit" with "stuff") and metaphorically. anyway, while rooting through the lab and various storage areas, i discovered that i have to buy some stuff for this trip. and that means that i get to experience my first purchase order procurement. dr. v. got me an account number (i feel so special) and signed five blank purchase orders for me. oh, the purchasing power i now possess in the form of 5 simple sheets of paper... you may not find my first purchase order experience quite as exciting as i do, but dr. v. and i have determined that this will be a very deep and meaningful experience for me (ok, so we laughed a little when we decided this). i've filled out my purchase order, gotten a PO number from joyce (who surprisingly asked no questions other than where i was making the purchase), and determined what i need to buy. so tomorrow, i will take my purchase order into spectronics and buy some 6" cable ties to make cages (we already have mesh, PVC, and rebar) to keep little urchins in and big urchins out. i've never bought anything with a purchase order before, obviously. it makes me feel important. i am going into that electronic supply store armed with a purchase order and dr. v.'s cell on speed dial (just in case this deep and meaningful experience goes bad) and coming out with a couple bags of cable ties and a receipt (to be returned to the proper sea lab personnel). then i get to go to a thesis defense at USA and later learn how to safely transport liquid nitrogen. sounds like fun, eh?

overall, the weather today was crap, but it turned out pretty well. i like to be busy.