I realize that it has been far too long since the last HQ update but in my defense, we have only recently returned from break, and our computers underwent some IT voodoo that rendered them problematic for a few days. Only one short week into the new year and we lost Derek. We knew it was coming, and we are excited for him about his internship on Dauphin Island, but we’ll miss him nonetheless. Today, in his honor, we listened to the internet radio station he created and his favorite song “Party in the USA.” Feel free to play “It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday” while you look at the pictures below.

We briefly shared Derek with Invert Paleo, but even before then Derek dove in to help them with their tray delivery.

Ok, so Derek is wearing the same sweater in all the pictures below. They weren’t all taken on the same day, it’s just cold in the range! Here he is sorting through an incoming collection, or is it specimens to plate? I can’t be sure.

Pictured below is part of Derek’s adventure IDing portunid crabs. He looks happy, this one must have keyed out nicely.

And this is from his last day, still diligently working on the photographs of the specimens that will be sent away for DNA sequencing.

I did not get any pictures of the goodbye potluck that we had, maybe because I was too busy eating. We might have lost Derek, but the others of us who were scattered far and wide (Moorea, Ecuador, Oregon, China) have begun making their way back to us. François is the last holdout, extending his holiday until the last possible minute, and maybe just a little beyond. I know they have calendars in France, François! 2010 here we come!