What to Give/ what NOT to Give a Geologist for Christmas?
Christmas shopping for that special someone is sooooo hard! And when that “someone” is a geologist, this does not make things any easier. We are a picky breed – yes, picking up rocks everywhere, but you gotta realize, these aren't just ANY rocks, they have to be that certain special “picky” kind of rock only a geologist can love!
--Do not give a geologist a “pretty crystal sample” from a rock shop. Yes, we do love rock shops, and we love to look and browse, but if you note what’s on the geologist’s desk (mine in particular), you’ll notice that our samples are rarely “pretty.” In fact, they look quite ugly to the non-geologist; we like to collect our own samples, especially the “ugly” kinds that make other geologists “ooh” and “ahhh!” in envy.
--If you must give a sample of something geologic, an ammonite is always appreciated.
--A fifty-power pocket microscope. Not terribly expensive, and if the geologist doesn't yet have one, it’s because he/she’s been too stubborn to buy him/herself one.
--Do not give field boots. Boots are a personal thing between the geologist and her… sole. Anyway, field boots should be tried on at one of those stores that have little fake mountains to climb to check their fit and potential behavior on rock slides.
--Do give socks. Field boot socks, nice ones, like trekkers and hunters have, that “wick” away the moisture (whatever that means) are always appreciated.
--If you love your geologist, give gaiters made of snake-bite impenetrable fabric. These are particularly encouraged for geologists who wear shorts in the field. Snake gaiters make a geologist’s shins bite-proof up to the knee: if snakes are about that want to bite higher than the geologist’s knees, the geologist should choose an alternate field area.
--A new Swiss Army knife, since a geologist always has broken off the tip of his/her old one trying to ascertain the hardness of chert.
--Some geologists lose hammers regularly, some never. However, even those who have never actually lost a hammer have had to go back over their tracks to retrieve a hammer from wherever it is they left it – usually they can see a photo of it as hammers are commonly used to show scale in pictures (the geologists who lose their hammers have lots of photos of the last time they saw their rock hammer). A GPS device that attaches to one’s rock hammer would be very useful, if these exist… well, I don’t think they do. In lieu of such a device, a GPS tracker would make searching for that hammer a lot easier. And, of course, a lot of other things as well.
--A police whistle. These are great for making the kind of noise that warns away bears before the geologist blunders into one; they can also be used to “tweet” for help when out of cell phone range or to locate a lost field partner; they’re great for helping round up students and getting them back on the bus.
--A field vest. A geologist cannot have too many pockets. Remember this when buying a field vest as a gift. Pockets, pockets, pockets… MORE pockets!
--A sling-shot. I, personally, have used one to discourage the ravenous attacks of Greek sheep dogs, but they work just as well for other noxious creatures. Such as cows, that can be quite frightening when up close in the field (their field, actually). Also one can spend time target practicing on trees while waiting to be picked up.
--While I don’t know of a geologist anywhere who would turn down a gift of a new field vehicle (other people call them 4x4’s, we call them vehicles), geologists are practical folk who understand that even Santa hasn't got that kind of cash on hand no matter how much he loves us.
He does love us, doesn’t he? Every year he gives us the entire earth as our Christmas present!
Annie R. Image – mine, of course. The tree is about 60 degrees from original horizontality.
Other places with geology gift suggestions: http://blogs.agu.org/georneys/2010/12/04/what-to-buy-a-geologist-for-christmas/ http://geology.about.com/od/activitiesbasics/a/giftideas.htm http://www.ukge.eu/EN/?gclid=CIChufzyprQCFYlb3godsjcAMw http://www.geosociety.org/pubs/ http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/publications
