GETTING MY HANDS DIRTY
August 22, 2010
During my last semester, I wanted to find a Microbial Ecologist at Columbia who could perhaps act as a mentor to me during my Senior thesis year, but according to my advisor, there was only one specialist in that field in the entire academic system, and she was actually at Barnard. It’s kind of hard to believe that at a school as large as Columbia, all the microbiologists would be working in the medical field, but it’s true. So I was pretty excited and nervous when I walked into Dr. Krista McGuire’s office one afternoon to talk to her about her work. I felt like I kind of had a lot riding on that conversation, because if she wasn’t willing to teach me about Microbial Ecology, then I didn’t know who would. But to my relief, Krista turned out to be a really friendly and encouraging woman, and very graciously invited me to join her on her research trip in Malaysia where she studies microbes in rainforest soil. Taking the trip meant turning down a chunk of touring (right during festival season) and summer school, but there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity.
That was many months ago, and since I’ve spent the greater part of this summer touring with Au Revoir Simone, the research trip was pretty far from my mind, (aside the occasional doctor’s visit to get all my inoculations in order). The ladies and I traveled all over Europe, collaborated with Air, then came back to the US for a handful of dates on the West and East coasts. When we returned home last week, it dawned on me that I had about three days to prepare for a two and half week trip to one of the hottest, wettest places on Earth, and I didn’t even own hiking boots. A small fortune later, (why is tech gear SO expensive!?) I had amassed a wardrobe of insecticide-laced, wicking, breathing, anti-microbial outfits, down to the matching bras and panties. Plus a hat with mosquito netting, a headlamp (which made me think of Animal Collective), and a toiletry bag stuffed with boxes of medication I hope to never open like Cipro and Plan B (seems highly unnecessary, but my doctor insisted). And now, finally and kind of unbelievably, I’m on a fifteen hour flight to Hong Kong, with a short layover before arriving in Kuala Lumpur.
The girls and I have played shows in Southeast Asia before, in fact, we were in Singapore not too long ago, but for such an experienced traveler as I am at this point, there is something about traveling as a student that is totally out of my comfort zone, and makes me feel like a kid again. For one thing, and I realize how this sounds, I’m not wearing a dress on this flight. I usually pride myself on traveling stylishly, mainly because I’ve noticed that people are generally nicer and more helpful to well-dressed travelers, and I’ll take any additional kindness I can get at an airport. I haven’t been getting much love dressed like Dora the Explorer. When I get off this plane, there will be no sweet man waiting for me with a card that reads “Au Revoir Simone” to help me with my luggage and whisk me away in an air conditioned van to my nice hotel, which I’m not even expected to know the name of because ‘it’s taken care of’, and where I would usually first take a long bath and then lounge around in a robe for a few hours. When I land in Kuala Lumpur, my first stop is the hostel (I still don’t know how I’m getting there) where I’ll be sharing bunk beds with the other research students. While in the rainforest, not only will my hair and makeup not be done, but also I’ve been assured that I will be covered in leeches. Fungus may grow wherever it feels inclined to do so. It’s a gross fact. Have you ever watched “Survivor Man?” A friend of mine actually had a spider lay eggs in his arm. In his ARM!
I realize I sound spoiled, and I guess that’s the point. During the early years of the band, our traveling style left a lot to be desired. I slept on floors, sometimes even three at a time to one bed, and sometimes as many as six people in one hotel room. I hauled our gear from train to train in Japan, and on the London underground, and up six floors in European hostels. Typical fears ranged from theft to bed bugs. I’m pretty sure many people would have quit touring under some of the conditions we often found ourselves in, but it was a labor of love, so all the headache was worth it. And though there are still times (like touring the US) when we have to slum it a little, at this point in our careers we’re very grateful that our standards have been permitted to rise. We travel like ladies now.
In the academic world, I’m starting from scratch again. It’s a disconcerting feeling to have at 30. But there’s also a pretty great flip side—for one thing, I have three blissfully free days ahead of me in KL before we leave for the rainforest, without any photoshoots, interviews, or in-stores on my schedule. I can’t remember the last time I traveled somewhere and didn’t have an itinerary, someone telling me when to wake up and when to eat. There isn’t even one piece of musical equipment in my luggage. The only gear Krista requested me to bring was 5 boxes of latex gloves, for what purpose I can only imagine. I guess my headlamp counts as ‘gear,’ too. Either way, I’m not carrying a keyboard, which is both weird and liberating.
Anyway, I’m not really that prissy and I’m having some fun at my expense here, but I guess I’m feeling some of the growing pains of this new life I’m trying to wiggle into. And, Deet-exposure notwithstanding, I think this trip is going to be really good for me. I can’t wait to check all the little, damning boxes “Yes” on my Customs forms when I return to the States. “Yes,” I have played with some exotic dirt!
Paolo A. said,
July 25, 2010 @ 8:32 am
Hi
it seems like you have fitted the old proverbial saying “you wanted the bicycle ? and now ride on! “.
So now you have to deal with microbes…a real deal for a girl that like everyone else is used to prolonge the make up for better styling or a perfumed bath.
For all i can suggest (on my esigue travelling experience) to you is to increase your biolgical self defense system with vitamin C, oil of cod liver, pills of green tea leaf and stimulants against fatigue.Sure you will have an armor to wear up into the jungle of Kuala Lumpur.
Is intersting how you put yourself in discussion leaving afetr your self all the learned commodities, i admire you.
At one point is useful to fell continuosly in the hands of nature only away from all the world made up only by humans , not God….the nature world of God…..
I think can be fun for you to record or hear all the sounds coming from the place you visit the rain forest….sure a gooood air in it.
For what i see on the web the place you are visiting is at a pretty much modernised point, so you will have not only the minumum of comforts i guess, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has been rewarded the best airport hotel and there’s a 5 stars Rainforest Bed and Breakfast with bed starting at 12$.
I think you will enjoy let us know.
Ah..you got luck to see many different places…as for me i continue
being like DJ in my room with continuosly 5 hours music while drawing an endless piece of work that never ends with graphite pencils, finger pain exercise on electric guitar and if it came good an after night in cheapy hotel in Rome, after the blonde redhead concert in Auditorium ’s Sala Santa Cecilia in Septemebr.
My best wishes for your study research.
Steven said,
July 25, 2010 @ 9:30 am
Good luck on the trip!
jaime said,
July 27, 2010 @ 2:09 am
dora la exploradora!
have fun. learn a lot. take photos. take care
Paul M Lyren said,
July 27, 2010 @ 12:34 pm
You know Heather, after you become whatever it is that you become in the scientific world and save the planet from its inhabitants, and also play it a lovely, sub bass lullabye - you should really write a memoir; instantly option it to Sundance, and have Kristen Stewart play you in the film! And, apart from Kristen Stewart - I am not really joking. Following your progress in the virtual world is a wonderful read, and oddly inspirational as well. I wish you all the best, great adventures and will be checking in regularly. And, I work for Mattel who makes the Dora the Explorer toys… There is a doll and adventure set I have at my desk that you may enjoy upon your return!
Matt_A said,
July 29, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
Hi Heather,
Your research trip sounds awesome, I’m not gonna lie, a big part of my scientific curiosity and interest lies in what I don’t know about the crazyness of the rain forest. Take it to a tiny level and its pretty awesome. How many people get to know intimatly just what’s brewing in the steamy mud while the rest of us work and sleep? Speaking of which haha,I saw you guys in our steamingly hot venue “t.t. the bears” in Boston a little while ago, and I have to admit, I wasn’t really expecting to have my mind blown the way I did. In the days that past it occurred to me that embarrassingly enough, you guys pushed me off this little cliff I’d been standing on the edge of(metaphorically, this isn’t a comment from the netherworld). Now I seem to be knee, or more probably, neck deep in what my friends are dubbing a “quarter life crisis”. I sent you guys this embarrassing little gushing message of praise right after through the ARS site that I sorta hope never gets read. Now strangely enough I creepered my way into your blog and am really surprised to find its about science, a part of my life I’ve long neglected and I can feel begging me to get back in-touch with. So despite the fact that I can never get even with you and pay you back for that awesome show, I’m wondering if you could do me a second favor and let me pick your brain a little bit about science, and how you balance it with your creativity… and maybe how you got started? I feel I’ve overslept (in my life I guess, I got to work on time today) and I’d love to figure out how exactly you got the wheels of change moving and ended up “starting over” with your boxes of gloves and awesome research trip invitation. I understand you are probably way too busy for this sort of thing, that its a little weird seeing as how I’m just some random guy, and that I’ve already taken more than I can return from your show. So if you can’t help me out its totally cool. And with my rant over, I hope your trip shows you awesome things you weren’t even expecting, and I hope your sans-keyboard travels are as fun and novel as they should be. Thanks again Heather.
-Matt
Nuno V said,
July 30, 2010 @ 8:02 pm
Good Luck Heather, avoid been eaten by bugs because I want to see you in Copenhagen
(Huge coincidence, you’re playing there just 5 days after I move to Denmark ahah)
admin said,
August 7, 2010 @ 6:42 pm
Ha, I love that idea, Paul! I’m gonna get working on my screenplay eventually.
admin said,
August 7, 2010 @ 6:46 pm
Hi Matt,
It’s so nice to hear that our show moved you so much, thanks for telling us! I’d be happy to answer your questions about science, creativity and going through a quarter-life crisis–I had one myself, and joining the keyboard club that became Au Revoir Simone and taking an intro to Astrophysics class which propelled me to go back to school are the two ways I got over it. What do you want to know?
Matt_A said,
August 10, 2010 @ 12:06 pm
Thanks for answering Heather, no to make you sorry hahaha. Well I have lots of little brain picking questions, like about how not to get sidetracked into science I’m not interested in. It seems like a silly idea, but I work in a pharmaceutical building and I see an awful lot of people who stare at their pipettors with what can only be utter contempt. Let’s quote Grizzly Bear and we’ll call it “a routine malaise.” I know that the dreams that make me several orders happier than any other dreams or real life happenings are ones where I discover something, a room– a tomb or something, that no one’s ever seen. There are lots of variations, but I’m so content/excited, calm/giddily elated that I know it means something big. I think they refer to how I just love to discover things. I love making intuitive leaps of thinking, and not only that… this sounds crazy, but despite my amateur level of knowledge in physics, I have some theories that no one seems to have proposed yet as far as I can tell. Now after years of lamely running from my intelligence (I swear my head’s not actually this big), I need to go back to school and catch up on all the math and in-depth knowledge so I can articulate my ideas appropriately, along with the new ones I’m bound to have along the way. This is where I see the iffy-ness set in, if I go to community college or something along those lines… how do I bridge this gap from amateurish outsider to a worthwhile voice in the community without getting stuck in some corporate machine or something else along the way? Is it all about meeting the right people? In which case I better trick a good school into accepting me? I’m checking out all sorts of different mediums as I consider myself a writer, but I’ve been drawing alot and writing songs with my little sister lately… I feel that my creative life will move forward no matter what, since for me its all about spontaneity and listening to my heart, my humor, my wonder over trippy or contradictory things, and also my inner teenager (angsty or otherwise). But I feel completely overwhelmed and daunted by the task of establishing a fulfilling intellectual ( <- not really the word I want, but oh well) life. So how’d it go for you after the astrophysics class I guess? And what sort of decisions do you feel led you to soil sampling in the rainforest instead of say, being locked in a bitter staring contest that you’re sure to lose, with a pipettor? This is a really long comment, and I would definitely understand if you don’t want it clogging up your blog, you can email me at Matthius86@yahoo.com if you want, or put it up anyway, in which case prob delete my address haha.
As a side note, I’m taking my little brother and sister (they aren’t that little, I guess I should just say younger) to see MGMT in western Mass. on the 11th and I took the 12th off from work. It should be a great area to catch the shower from, I’ll probably be getting more light pollution from your self important metropolis than from Boston haha. Unfortunately, with just siblings and my buddy Dreon(he thought you guys were great too) going, I’ll have a great view and an empty hand. Oh well, it’ll still be awesome. I hope you find some darkness and some good company for the sky’s version of pop music (which is scary, because even in it’s most “sell out” moments, its still soul shakingly awesome). On the off chance that you watch alone which seems impossible, I’ll be sendin good vibes in your direction, and if you believe in human consciousness being interconnected, maybe you can pretend that’s as good as seeing it with someone cool.