I just realized that it has been almost a week since I last posted. I've been busy, of course. Last week really flew by. I took my class up the creek, which could have been a disaster due to the amount of water foaming and splashing downward, but ended up being really exciting for the kids as we formed human chains across the water and scrambled over rocks and through the shallows. The rest of the week seemed to be over before it had a chance to begin. Somewhere along the way I found the time to eat the lollipop that G gave me for Christmas. It was green apple flavored, with a big mealworm imprisoned within like an ancient insect in amber. I couldn't even taste the mealworm, but it really grossed out the kids to see half a mealworm left after I took a bite. I've got to get more of those. They're fun. Look on Flickr for a photo. I still can't manage to upload them here.

Over the weekend, I did my first science party of the year, and like last year's first party, I got tipped $40. Then I went and bought shoes. And a cd. More specifically, a Fear of God cd, which sounds sort of like somebody vomiting inside a quonset hut during a hailstorm. It's a acquired taste, I guess. I'm thanked in the liner notes though. I'd forgotten about that. Ah, nostalgia!

Jen went with M to see Brokeback Mountain while I stayed home and watched the kids. They liked it. The kids attempted to stay up until she got back. Sophie and Nate managed. Willow and Alex didn't.

Sunday night I went and helped train this week's cabin leaders. It's one aspect of the program that I hadn't been involved with yet. Now I have. I barely missed getting the full time slot that just became available. One of my coworkers, who has been there longer than me and done a larger variety of jobs for the program, got the position. Not a big surprise, I guess. I was told it was a hard decision though. Aren't they always?

This week is off to a good start. The kids are pretty good, the sky is clear, and fungus is everywhere! This was also the first morning this winter that I had to scrape ice off my car windows before leaving. Tonight's campfire was pretty cold too, and as luck would have it we were unable to get the fire going. The kindling was all wet, my lighter was out of fuel, and the temperature was such that all paper brought outside immediately became soggy. I told the assembled kids about the dew point and about how cold air holds less moisture than warm air. They were not amused. Ha ha.

Here are a couple of more myspace links. I love that so many different musicians have these now. David Tibet and Sol Invictus have spent a lot of time on my cd and record players over the years. They still continue, in different ways, to scratch musical and emotional itches that nobody else can. Both communicate a sense of melancholy that actually makes me feel good - a kind of catharsis maybe. I could go on at length, but I won't. Mecca Normal have been around for quite some time too. When I first heard them, I wasn't sure if I liked them or not, but they were fascinating enough that I kept buying their records. I know I like them now. The last time I saw them play, they shared a stage with Godspeed You Black Emperor. Now that was an interesting pairing, possibly one that will never happen again. Who knows?