Hammer on My Left Waist

I see my self this time. I'm a geological engineering student and I got to deal with the hardness of field work, though honestly I feel I'm not really own a high sensitivity on anything related to the field. So how could I survive on this kind of work? Let's see how time would help me, as I see it needs a long experiences and filedtrips on many more geologically challenging places. Anywhere in Indonesia seems like incredible places to learn geology . Thankfully we have a complete packet already containing vulcanoes, mountainering , valleys, streams & rivers, cliffs, lake, beach with dunes or coral, caves and outcrops, that available and waiting unpatiently to be observed.

This mind bother me after I undergo Kuliah Lapangan Program which include 12 days KL Bayat, 3 days regional geology excursion on at least passing accros two basin (Yogyakarta Basin and East Java Basin), and the last was Individual Geological Mapping located in 65 different kavlings for each student. My kavling was at Padas Subdistrict, Ngawi, East Java. In this program we taught how to work as a real geologist, and definitelly it much harder than theories we used to learn at class. Some lessons I captured were that geology's an expensive work so that we must have a strong dicipline and hard work, no beefing, not afraid of hot or rainy weather or even extreme field, and pay attention on field data accuracy. How important the data is like keep the data as keep our soul! Hah..

Many lecturers involved in this program, they taught us how to use compass for measuring the strike and dip of rock bedding also for determining our exact location by shooting two possitions of points in front of us that recognizable on topographic map; then how to use hammer for rock sampling; noting and plotting datas we got from the field including morphology, petrology and structural geology datas; next was doing measured stratigraphic for detail analysis and interpretation of depositional environment, the age of rock and also integrated historical geologi.

Geo Hammer: One Weapon for Geologist

In Bayat we once again introduced about "tired" as one of geologist bestfriend. We walked all day long on our mapping area with the widht of 2 x 2 km from 7 am until 5 pm for about 10 days. My legs was felt like going to broken. My back was never as painful as it was. Yeah, mostly Bayat felt like a hell for me, especially the earlier days. As usual, I didn't feel comfort with such a thing, that's why I always got to bed earlier compared to other girls. But, a lot of memories I can remember from that 12 days.

The following program was regional geologic excursion . We had trips around Yogyakarta, Wonosari, Kendeng Zone, Rembang Zone and the surrounding. It was quite relaxing, not as heavy as in Bayat. We just came into one stop site, doing a little observation and then hearing explanations from lecturer, and moved to another stop sites. I prefer to record the explanation than to made notes, as I mentioned before that I was very easy to get tired or get sleepy when the day hot, and then my concentration and focus were gone, my mind think slower and bla bla, especially when I worked in group, things are different when I worked individualy that I could only depend on my self, it push me to stay awake and focus.... huft, yeah I don't know that Geology could be this difficult. Anyhow, I'm really proud to bring hammer on left waist, and say, I'm a field worker!.... :D

And finally we had arrived to the most important part, that is individual geologic mapping. I'm so lucky to had my own porter to help me doing my mapping. He gots everything easier, starting from driving me during the proccess, help me memorize the strange little paths wandering the forest, until sampling many rocks to be observed more precissely on campus laboratories (Optical Geology & Paleontology Labs). My group comprise of five people. We're living for about 12 days in a comfortable basecamp in Bringin Subsdistrict. I love to be together with them, basically we're all some sort of lazy people (but we all had high intention to be smarter J) that lined up in one appropriate group. I really feel comfort with that fact, because I hate to be pressed, I want to get free and relax in a while too. But it's still long long way to go until this mapping fully done. Data processing is my next challenge to comprehends all that I got from the field. The presentation will be held at Desember or January next year if I'm not mistaken. Hopefully everything will going right for me.

Here in this mapping , I'm helped and guided by one of my lecturer that I think He's awesome and great regarding his fantastic life experience. I always love hearing stories like that. It felt like fairytales to me, but could give me inspiration and more power to confidently moving foward better reaching what I deserve to. Questions often bugging my head, something like," will I be like him", or, "look at your self now, what's on earth to make you feel like you are going to enter one of that Big Fishes? Or even the small one!!". To be honnest I feel like having nothing to be sell to them. Yes I have, I meant, I now how my self is, but it's hard to show my energy up. Reading in many geologist blogs, it seems that entering geology is very promissing decision, but for me it also frightening and fearing. Or probably I just hate the demand. Anyway, life's full of demand, isn't it? Eventhough underpressure life is something that definitely being a burden to my shoulder, but sometimes I have an excited time enjoying adrenaline rush living under that burden. I'll going crazy if I think negatively all the time, right? Push and push positive mind to stay survive.. :)

Beat The Depth!

My blogwalking hobby shows many of famous geologist's blogs that lead me to know that geologist used to travel around the planet and majority has side activities such as photography & diving. Both are costly because good photograph needs good camera, diving trainee & it's equipments also not cheap.

I'm not that attracted to both, howefer from the articles I realize & conclude something, that be able to swim is a must! Fact that an accident sometime occure in offshore oil rig that could requires us to jump or not to jump to the deep-dark-cold sea. The Piper Alpha accident already proove it with 167 people die, I saw on TV. And that issue become the worst offshore accident & biggest attack to Britis oil industry that period.
I know other several smaller cases. And be able to swim defenetely much help. It doesn't means that I'll work at that kinda industry anyway, it's just.. not that easy, moreover in...offshore??
Sure I don't hoping something terribble to be happen, it just kinda my prevention action, better prepare your umbrella before it's raining, right?

So that's the background.. which apparently not strong enough to keep my body slides freely on the water. After long time no contact with pool, yesterday I dismissed my boredom by practicing swim with my brothers.
Well, I just curious, how to make my body moving on water.
Why it so difficult to stay floating and breathing?
I should have learn it since I was a child. That's the point. I didn't though that it'll be critical by now. Come on!

Hmm, Water...the fourth holy element after earth, air and fire, it has a strong power to cure... Ups! What a Dan Brown influence!
Ahaha..
Basically I've never exactly learn to swim. But able to swim make us either looks cool or healthy, isn't it?
Somebody just teach me how to do that sucks!
It's okay if the water surface is under my nose, unfortunately the situation is totally different start from 2 m depht or deeper. So scary, I can't imagine If I swim 'till the center of pool, then I lost my breath and my energy is used up to keep me floating. Once more, horrible! I've to beat my paranoia first I think before I could go any further.
Meanwhile, dealing with the nature is what geologist do. Nature keep numerous incredible lake, swamp, river, lagune, beach and ocean. So what will it be if I can't swim? feels uncomplete 'coz a puzzle's lost. Hoho, one of my stupidnes. Next day probably I'll try it out again, perhaps better luck next time!!
:-)

Behind the Scene : Geologic Mapping

One new thing I got last semester is geologic mapping.I'll write it down everything about and involved on, including laugh and tears during the long process wich take approximately 3 months(march to may).
Professionaly geologic mapping is a highly interpretives scientific process that produce geologic mapwith certain simbols and colour, used for overwhelming geoscience work such as coal mining;characterizing oil and gas source;predicting earthquacke, vulcanoand lindslide hazard; and much more.And the mapping I did quite good exercise to reachthat level. My geomorphologic and structural geologic mapping united as one and my group located in Patuk, Gunung Kidul, it's about One hour from UGM. We're devides into 1 groups. Important note that your mapping could be heaven or hell extremely depends on Who's your group mate.Some show their frustating bad attitude that made others mad, stress, or cry.Sounds dramatic? That's what surely happend.Luckyly mine's "heaven".
Honestly after several time field survey finnaly I got the field taste, strangely I felt comfort, it's like pretend to be real geologist exploring the field browsing for either outcrops or geologic structure without being bothered by procedures and ruleslike in official fieldtrip. We're lonely, free, wild and ready to reveal the nature's secrets! Haha. There splashing feeling to come back again and again nevertheless the fields incredibly hot, or sometimes raining hard without bring any raincoat! A geologic spirit guess so, I don't know where it from.
Every field visiting cost about Rp. 15.000 for consumtion and gasoline charge. In order to collect the data we must observed to Patuk EVERY spare time we had that means I couldn't back home (for 2 month!) easily like I used to, that's the annoying part of mapping probably. I didn't even electing for legislative candidate due to our first mapping! What a trully bad politic awarness(Ups!).
We ride our motorcycle slowly, moving arround our eyesto found someting like fault, joint, bedding then measured the dip-strike.
It's knda funny interacting with local dweller in our 3 x 4 km lot since they're remarkably polite. Those traditional old people used to say hi and asked us to take a sit or drank for a while in their simple house even we're strangers. My rich non javanese group mates wondering and pleased to saw that kinda attitude. Well, it is Javanese.
If we done with the fiel, after 3 months, the next chalenge is making the mapping poster in full computerize format, but none of us masters corel draw. That's a hell. Every groups confused, frusstate, and stressed of how to make the right poster, we're newbie right? To accomplish the poster we forced to work hard, we went home very late until about 2 am everyday an a week!!Even, could sleep for 2 hours felt like a big gift from God. It is Geology. Everyone's tired, some cry. All curious about the mapping presentation, the next step after create poster. Some say it's the time to beat us withsuch difficult questions concerning our poster. Well, I guess it's true, becauze my group was horribly beated with no mercy.
It's fine, the point is about exercise our self for KL next year...

A Heartbreaking Review

Now, it's time for me to review my study on last second semester. Although it tragically end. Not all of the test result has launch yet, but I've feeling my bad instinct after undergo that heartbreaking final semester test. No problem. Thankfull to Allah. Morover I've thousands
time apologize to family, nature and Allah of my shelfishness, lazyness and stupidness. Whether they hear me or not I don't know.

I wish I could memorize all the knowledge I got forever. Eight lessons on my list colouring my days last semester. I love several of them. They're petrology, geomorfology, structural geology, environment science, physycal chemistry, macropaleontology, mathematic 2, and physic 2.

Well, let's begin from petrology, the next step of crystallography & mineralogy. Encompass about rocks (petro) and it's occurence, whether igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. We're rock eater!
Understanding kinds of rocks really important, can be applied in many technical geoscience work. I'm trully bad in this case. I mean, what's rock about rock? Dirty hard thing from the ground..?just kidding. Better atracting crystal mineral than rock. Nevertheless I quite into carbonate rock, whose fosil on it. Economycally better. The lecture? I don't wanna talk about it.

Geomorphology. I learn geomorphology with spirit & eye-popping, seeing the lecture is so impressing, profesional and easy understanding. A doctor from university in Brunay. Geomorf concern on the earth relief & it's occurence, wich caused by exogenic & endogenic force. Earth's so shapely. Before, all I know the earth landform's just mountain and sea. Listen, have you ever heard about cuesta, bajada, butte and submarine fan? There are hundreds of other uniquely shaped earth morphology we'll know when studying this eyecatcing subject.

Structural geology. Learning 'bout earth structure & the developer force. This the most chalenging, imaginating and coolest lesson in 2nd semt packet. Geostruct asissts must be very smart. Everybody know it. Mr. Darno, the lecture, is my favourite lecture ever. He teach patiently, make sure everyone get what he say, although not all pay attention. I see in his eye a light of cleverness and high dedication. Hi's no doubt a good role model. I'm not that good in geostruct yet at least I love it a bunch. It focus on studying joint, fault, fold and unconformity. I used to hate them but not now.

Environmental science. Every work must pay attention on environmental affect. Quite important for such engineering student. During the class the situation not better than in the traditional market, yes, Mr. Wawan is tipycal 'not dangengeous' lecture. It's fine, his Japan education background could a little cover that susceptibility.

Physical chemistry (PC). Lesson about matery in solid, liquid, gas and the mixturing process between them. I'm not sure what exactly it about. After 6 month presence, I know NOTHING 'bout Physical Chemistry. I mean, really nothing, due to the super weird lecture. We didn't even got every sentence he said and even what's the topic of the day.

Macropaleontology. Dealling with thousands year death macroscopic creatures, this a jumping point to the next stage micropaleontology wich more economycally benefitable. All invertebrate fosil to be described here each week. The most disiplin lecture Mr. Kandar handle this subject and succeed to made me woke up earlier.

Mathemathic 2. Fascinating hyperactive lecture Mrs. Hanung didn't help anything easier, instead, it seems like watcing circus show in class. It's main topyc is indefinite integral. A hopeless subject.

Physics 2. I found it more complicated than 1st semester since it talk about electricity and capasitor, also magnet. Unfortunately, exact sciene today never as easy as what it was in senior high. Our head already fully loaded with stones!

Well, that's it. This busiest semester is over miserably messed up. Too much spoiling around and lack of hard working getting everything worse. If only I could turn back time....