Well, here I am. Most of my friends are leaving for the rest of the summer; only a few are sticking around until right before term begins. Within a week, I will have the solitude I so dearly wanted earlier this summer; we'll see if that's really what I need. I sometimes don't know who I am anymore, I change so much from day to day - perhaps space will help clarify what's going on in my head. In any case, I'll miss you guys... have fun on your break, and see you when term begins.

Aside from the temporary identity crisis, life's pretty darn good right now. I can't remember being this happy since during, or maybe even before frosh year. I'm beginning to really enjoy labwork, I have time to ride twice a week and practice flute, not to mention reading and watching movies, whenever I feel like it. It's a shame this summer has to end - I was just getting into the swing of things. *sigh* Ah well, fall term shouldn't be terribly difficult. The plan right now: Bi 150, Bi 122, Bi 80, Bi/Ch 110, H 142, and perhaps Bi 145. And orchestra, if I don't botch the audition. And hopefully yoga, and riding once a week too. And a few hours of labwork for Veronica per week. I think that'll be enough to keep me busy, with enough diversity and fun stuff to maintain the good mood I've found this summer. *crosses fingers* We'll see soon enough.

Riding updates: I've now ridden Connecticut and Rhode Island. If I keep going like this, I'll have gone through the whole stable by fall term. RI was a good ride - easygoing, a bit slow at first, but a nice mover. Ct was ok - gaits are a bit stiff, rather slow, though a bit too spooky to be a solid beginner horse. Vermont and Tennessee are still the favorites, with Maine and Texas as close followers, New Mexico a fair fifth. I'm rapidly becoming addicted... maybe I'll try to get PE credit for a riding/yoga combination this term. It's definitely a leg workout - whoever said riding wasn't a sport never had to post without stirrups for a half hour. And communicating with the horse adds another dimension; it's hard to explain, but there's a real feeling of accomplishment after a good ride.

SURF updates: I'm here for another 4 weeks, then home for one week before term starts. Hopefully the in situs with the new batch of probes will work... today's botched set makes the fifth that haven't worked well. Drat those RNAses, degrading my probes and wasting my time. At least I've accomplished a third of what I intended to so far this summer - the in situs would be another large chunk of my SURF paper.

Random thoughts: The books for H 142 look promising - the majority are novels, it seems. Hooray for reading the Grapes of Wrath again!
Another week, and I'll be starting flute lessons with Professor Woodward at Oxy. Here's to hoping I make orchestra again this year. Not sure yet whether I'll be entering the concerto competition, but I'm definitely considering it. I'll probably pick the music within the next couple weeks... anyone mind being an accompanist?
I prefer the yoga instructor who teaches during term to the summer one - I miss the routine. Never realized I was such a creature of habit, until she began calling the postures "out of order" with what I was used to. First thought: "what the?!? That's not right!"
Sometimes, being perceptive about others can be a real curse. You sense something happening, and feel helpless to do or say anything about it, for fear of a misunderstanding... it's like knowing a tornado's coming. All you can do is batten down the hatches and hide in the closet to weather the storm, and hope everything'll be ok afterwards.
All's well at home, and boy is that a relief. Mom, Dad, and Kat - please hug Red for me, and tell him I love him, and wish he was here. I miss my Red dog...
Ideas for winter term: audition for shakespeare play, take second term of elementary German, another anthropology class, history junior tutorial under deverell or rosenstone. Who knows what the future holds?

I think that's more'n enough to make up for the past week of no posts. Night all.