October 3, 1998

I had filled out a volunteer application in June of this year or so, and eventually I was called in for an interview. I got asked questions about my previous experience, and things like "How does an ozone tower work?"

I basically had no idea how an ozone tower worked, so it got explained to me. In short, there's ozone, which is three parts oxygen. The water goes through this, and since ozone is unstable, it bonds to the crap in the water and kills bacteria and stuff. It's bad if it gets out into the exhibit, so the ozone gets filtered out and the water goes back nice and clean into the exhibit. At least, that's my understanding of how it works. Correct me if I'm wrong. =)

I got showed about the aquarium a bit, and then I was informed that I had to be 18 to volunteer there as an aquarist. Well, I was only 17, so that wasn't going to happen.

A few days after my 18th birthday in September, I got a phone call. I was asked if I could come in that following Saturday. They had never told me they *would* let me work there after my 18th birthday, so I was quite surprised. I had birthday plans that Saturday, so today was my first day instead.

I was told that I would be working with Mark, and I had to wait at the front of the aquarium for him. After hanging around a bit, he showed up and introduced himself. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place him.

He showed me his exhibits, and then told me that I would be feeding the lobsters. He brought a pole over to his desk along with a plastic fork. As he explained what I was to be doing, he got some electrical tape out and began taping the fork to the end of the pole.

I said something like "Oh, that's the Cabrillo way." (Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a place I used to volunteer at when I was younger.)

He looked at me and said "How do you know that?"

I told him I volunteered there a few years ago and that was how they had me feeding lobsters. Mark informed me he worked there too, and asked what year I was there. I told him, and it turns out that we had been working together around the same time. Suddenly I remembered who he was and said "You were the guy who was setting and drying out the shark jaw!" He said he was, but couldn't place me. I told him I was the girl who swallowed goldfish. (I swallowed two while I was there =P) Suddenly he remembered exactly who I was, LOL.