Afuera

Can’t imagine I ever settled for a job indoors. Every morning in the forest is absolutely wonderful. Just standing there and listening to all the birds and mammals and bugs is definitely one thing I’ll miss about La Selva (good thing I'm trying to come back). Around 11:00am we had a little rain scare, but luckily got to finish out our third straight field day.

Plot was busy today; as Tinny and I banged out 66 trees, Amanda, Debra, Susan and Tommy (from Jones, Oklahoma) mapped seedlings. Finished up at 12:50pm, very good time. I need to put air in the bike tires and I miss my bike (every time I feel like grabbing air on a bump in the trail or just winging it down some dirt path).

It’s nice to be back to writing my own blog, although I, and hope you, found yesterday entertaining. Talked to my parents/family on the old Skype for a while today. They’re convinced I’m a good writer, so I plan to write the Great American Novel (that’s the title too) at the age of 47, then I’ll be really stingy about the movie rights since everyone will love my book so much.

Talking about writing and reading and books and movies makes me think about Harry Potter. I sort of gave up after reading the Goblet of Fire. Should have considered finishing up 5, 6, and 7 (soon) down here. Maybe in the in between time after trees and before school. My course load is going to be quite a contrast to my summer; tropical succession ecology to chemistry, chemistry, physics, physics, & math (ha).

So remember the 80-90 cm Boa? Saw about a 2 meter one today about five yards from my bed, just outside the cabina. It was big, juicy, and tasty looking; certainly ideal for a petting zoo, although customs probably won’t agree. Umbrella (ella ella ey ey ey) is stuck in my head. Time to look into hot new summer country.

Yummy, Yankees/Mets is on Sunday night. The three ((out of dozens) (?!)) of us who find subway series entertaining should have a blast. I wonder if over-usage of parentheses will hurt my forthcoming novel (it will probably be the “in” thing to do then) (along with blogging every chapter, ha). Good thing the NBA Finals isn’t exciting anymore; otherwise I’d miss watching it more. Right now all I miss is Tim Duncan’s facial expressions (that’s old school, son).

Pops informed me that the application for campus parking permits came in the mail. That doesn’t make me miss the vibrator (sarcastic quip). I have this killer idea for my culminating research project. Once I’m sure nobody’s done it (and once it has a killer title) I’ll share. My mind has been going from groundbreaking research idea to Umbrella (ella ella) all…day…long…

Not blogging for four days (Re: yesterday) was bull, and turns out the picture promise is too. My bad. I must commit myself to enter data every day, as opposed to letting 450 numbers sit and wait in the notebook. Spent the afternoon with that and laundry. Seriously considering shaving pretty soon, realized I’m not the sprawling facial hair type, like some.

Having candy, and a tapestry, in the office is quite nice. Removing and washing my dirty clothes also has helped to eliminate some of the stench. Just some residual backpack smellies now. Overslept this morning, felt pretty bad about that, so early bird (me) gets the worm (huevos, hur hur hur) tomorrow.

Just realized I could blow my entire summer stipend the first week of school by seeing Kenny in Hartford and going to the Yanks/Sox midweek series each night in Boston. Let’s not. Got Cynthia (GIS Manager) turned on to the iced coffee at dinner tonight. Karen baked brownies today, yum. Brownies and pizza. Had some aftertaste later, but the food was good.

Amanda & Debra (Debra’s getting rabies today, she won’t be too much fun anymore) are at Finca el Bejuco batting, Tinny’s quietly avoiding bike lessons like the plague. Less than 200 trees to go in LEP (three solid field days and we’ll be donezies two days ahead of time). That last batch of data looked really good, so I’m generally psyched.

The longevity of this entry makes up for the brevity of yesterday (those are cool words to use in a sentence some time, try it). I’ve been trying to print this article on wood density for three days, but every time I try the printer is out of paper (a hindrance since the paper tray is locked). Reading computer screens is bad for the specs; seriously, print my blog (then recycle the paper!).

You know microgreens (e.g. broccoli sprouts)? I want a microforest to like keep in my room, basically a terrarium, but microforest sounds way better. Ad on ESPN.com: “we are all witnesses” (pic of Lebron) (subtitle left out: to the beginning of Lebron’s Dan Marino career) (wish I could still say Peyton, shoot). That’s only going to get picked up by a fraction of you (sorry) but you can’t predict where the old stream of consciousness will run.

That’s quite enough for one entry, wish I had a play to share with you right now. Keeping my ears open tomorrow, and maybe my shutter (of the camera, eh?).

BP