TGMS

So this weekend was the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show (TGMS), a big international geology exhibition held at the Tucson convention centre every year. As part of the geology society at the U of A, i helped in the junior section all weekend and had a great time although i'd had enough of the kids by the end. Some kids were really smart aswell, they could recognise rocks etc that i didnt know at their age, others just wanted to see the volcano explode (which was fine by me) and others didn't give a toss but a good time was had all the same. I was working with an American friend of mine, Nick - the traditional nutty professor but very knowledgable, he wants to teach, need i say any more.

The show itself was pretty good aswell, lots of rocks, fossils and minerals on show and sale and really cheap too. I brought a fossil sharks tooth for $1 (make into a chain), 3in polished ammonite for $2 and a cool geode for $8. I could have spent thousands though. It was great, even the stone carved bathroom sink was tempting!

Lots of funny stuff to report, most of which i can't recall right now but below are a few highlights.

• Part of the junior section was giving out free minerals to children. Kids would pick up an egg carton and go around and pick up rocks from trays. However, we made one kid cry when he opened his egg carton to find a dead lizard inside! Me and Nick couldn't stop laughing and Derek, the resident reptile guy, picked it up and, just to prove it was dead, started squeezing it.
• Everyone in the geology club is on a geology degree so they know atleast some geology. On saturday afternoon we had one helper who walked over to our table and ask me: "What's this then?". "Granite" i reply, slightly bemused. "Oh ok, what's this then?". "Granite". "There both granite? Cool, whats this one?". "Take a guess!"
• I managed to put a kid off McDonalds milkshakes when i revealed that they contain a sizable portion of Kaolinite (clay). It's true aswell, it thickens the 'solution'!
• One lady came over to me and i showed her the crystals you can grow at home. Despite going through the whole instructions and repeatedly saying these happen over night, she asks: "So how long does this take?" Jesus!
• When we blow up the volcano, i normally try to play the trick with pumice and pretend its really heavy by passing it to someone. This kid cottoned on to what i was doing and when i suggested he passed it to his sister he said: "Nah, i won't bother. She's not strong enough!" Cheeky little sod!

So now, this next week is going to be mega busy with work. By the end of the month ive got a lecture to give on the Tibetan Plateau, paper on the active tectonics of the Kamchatka pennisular, reading for active tect and plateaus, field trip write up to finish, grant proposal to write, Duke of Edinburgh's award ambassador presentation to record and still working Mars and my 4th year project. Busy busy busy...

Laters!