Work-life balance

On JOIDES Resolution, the scientists and crew work 12-hours shifts every day during an expedition, either 12 noon to 12 midnight (day shift), or 12 midnight to 12 noon (night shift). There are no weekends or evenings off from the assigned duties. In addition to getting much-needed sleep during the opposite shift, social conversations and activities are necessary and welcomed to ensure a friendly, respectful atmosphere and a work-life balance.

Each half-triangle in this quilt connects to an activity or event, not just during Expedition 390 but also for the majority of expeditions. For example, the top row has HELLO name tags, representing everyone getting to know each other. The cameras are for all of the photographs everyone takes. The surgical masks are a nod to EXP 390 and 393 both requiring a hotel quarantine for one week before sailing, and the wearing of masks and COVID tests the first 11 days on board. The clocks represent shifting our bodies and minds to a new time zone and working hours. 

The second row has music to highlight music playing while we were on and off shift. The coffee represents the expresso machine and the coffee some people brought with them to make. The exercise equipment is for the exercise room on the ship. The tacos are for the special, international-themed meals prepared by the galley.

The third row starts with rainbows that were seen often during our expedition. The lava cake is a weekly dessert prepared for us and something to look forward to! The origami bunnies are for our time at sea during the Easter holiday and one of the co-chief scientists making origami bunnies and hiding them around the ship for us to find on Easter morning (filled with candy, too!). The whales were one of the greatest distractions that brought everyone out of the research labs when the bridge made an announcement that whales were spotted off the bow.

The fourth row begins with chocolate which people brought and frequently shared. The birthday cake is for the birthdays we celebrated onboard. The ping pong paddles are for the times we rearranged the conference room tables and created a ping pong table. The books are for the reading of books we brought with us or available in the ship's library.

The fifth row starts with bacon, as those on the day shift were sleeping during the breakfast meal and went two months without bacon. The playing cards and Rubik's cue are for some of the ways we passed time. The red Moon is for the red Moon that we observed in the Southern Hemisphere while at sea.

The sixth row starts with a crossword puzzle that would lay out for anyone to jump in and solve. The paper airplanes are for a contest we held during National Paper Airplane Day. The smiles are for the incredible community that came together for sharing our lives/cultures and much laughter. The ketchup and fries fabric is for the discussions at meal time if ketchup belongs on top of french fries or on the side.

The seventh and final row starts with the dark skies and shooting stars we were able to see. The film reels and popcorn are for the movie room on the ship and the times we viewed movies off shift. The cornhole represents the cornhole board and bags that were constructed and played in the core lab. The final image is for sunrises and sunsets that many of us took the time to gather together to view.

The majority of the triangles were purchased as fat quarters from Spoonflower.com. The white background fabric is 3 Cats Shweshwe fabric, a Da Gama Textile manufactured in South Africa. The long-arm quilting was completed by Old Country Store Fabrics (Intercourse, PA) with a music pattern to highlight how music was played during and before/after our 12-hour shifts. Quilt measures 55 inches tall by 33.5 inches wide and was completed on June 29, 2023.