Well, It's Official

It's Thursday the 21st, and I still haven't left town yet. I know
it's crazy that I'm complaining that I'm not getting a month-plus
Christmas vacation, but Cal has made me soft--if there's not enough
time to walk to Oregon or try and snowshoe the entire John Muir Trail,
it shouldn't even count as vacation. I am the only EC that hasn't left
town yet, the office has been completely emptied (the research team
broke up with the NGO we used to partner with, and the NGO moved out,
long story), I just sent off another (hopefully the final) draft of my
report on scholarship programs for the World Bank to the profs in the
States, I've locked all the doors, and now I wait. Hopefully they'll
get back to me in a few hours, say the report is marvelous and ready
to submit, and I can leave tomorrow for ... for wherever I decide to
go from now until the 29th when Marcus comes and we climb Kili.
Writing this report has been pretty tough, so I'll likely just take a
couple buses to Mombasa and go snorkeling at the beach. Not the best
way to adjust to altitude for climbing Kili, but oh well. I also
wouldn't mind going to Rwanda, or visiting Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru,
and Hell's Gate NP, but I think I'll get a chance to do all those
before I leave, so all is well.

Happy holidays and much love, everyone. If anybody wants to spread
holiday cheer by getting the Sufjan Stevens Chrismas EP boxed set and
Chuck Klosterman's new book to Marcus before he leaves on the 27th,
I'd be forever in your debt.

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