The Eagle (from Dolly's Eagle Sanctuary) Has Landed

So. First off, a blog forecast. Thanks to the tender enlightenment of some of my new second-year friends here, I expect that as soon as classes start, the tone of my writing will nosedive into the following progression: first a dead silence, during which you can be certain I am in a teary heap on the bathroom floor at Mars Hill screeching for Smruti to hand me my Elvis mini-flask or die, having just been acutely informed that everything I thought I understood about myself and the world is laughable. My eventual return to the radar will likely be followed by months of bitter, forlorn, this-shit-is-real blog entries. Make no mistake: this what I came here for. But for these remaining days of pre-op, I am choosing to gaily carry on in my normal, lighthearted, winsome vanilla airs. (And roommates: Before you announce what I am *full of*, just because you caught me gnawing my hands like beef jerky the other day, or manhandling my angst with margarita slushies Saturday night, or heading out for my 50th impulsive Home Depot run, doesn't prove a thing.)

On that note, what's been up with me: Well, after 10 weeks of running around all crazy-like, given over to some serious task-mongering as well as some serious high jinks around K-town and East Nasty, I'VE MADE IT, all the way to the shining sea. And I don't mean Myrtle Beach. If you'll allow me a few acknowledgements in my moment of victory: First I would like to thank my family for being patient with me all summer, taking in stride some tasty elbows and scowls in the path of all my GRAND preparations for my GRAND journey. Second, thank you Knox and Nash friends for celebrating me so generously all summer and for the many goodbye festivities. Next, I owe Miss Leigh Ann Polsgrove--who I hereby christen "Leighanndiana Jones"--a whole satchel of jam band tix and t-shirts for her 8 days of utterly delightful cross-country companionship and gentle forebearance. If you are traveling, take Leigh Ann and thank me later with Mexican food. Really, we had so much fun, didn't we Leigh Ann, and saw so much beauty along the way. OH and also, thank you to JOHN HOPPLE of St. Louey and CHAS BURKS of Ogden, UT for their hospitality! They made two lucky dames of us.

Some pix of the trek:

THE GREAT NORTH AMERICAN BIZZLE EXPEDITION '07