Giddelonk

Well, here we are at Canyon School. Galen just told us how to do our web pages on a Mac <the only redeeming quality of this machine is that it is colorful, but then, it's "grape" which is none too cool...oh well> Not that I've ever made a web page before anyway, so I apologize for the grotesqueness that you will soon endure.

We had our first marathon session last night *9pm-4am* that's a long long long time. But, we did get to sleep until noon, so all is well. Do you want to hear what I've done so far this morning? Of course you do. OK, I woke up at 11; I was quite awake and not too happy about it because usually once I'm awake, it's over, there will be no more sleep. But I made myself go to sleep until noon *good decision*. Then I went to workout, then I went to Smith's *grocery store* and bought some peanut butter and apples. I didn't have a spoon though...so I just kind of dipped bread into the peanut butter <yeah, you should try that sometimes....it's great>. Now I'm here, and about to hear Don talk about the electromagnetic spectrum...whoopie! heh, alrighty, I'm outta here, more later.

Our group is really great...good variety. I would tell you about them, but I won't because they have pages too, so get your lazy self over to their pages!

I really hate Mac's, I thought you all should know that! I can't get my stuff to load and...oh, I don't know, WORK, but I'm pretty sure that's not the computer, it's probably me. Today is Galen's birthday, how exciting is that?

Don has a cream 1960 Thunderbird! That is the coolest thing EVER! It's very very sweet * I just saw pictures * it's birthday is on July 1. Sadly, we will have just left.

We're taking a break right now; John just talked to us about the asteroid that we are trying to track. We are failing miserably, but we shall reign victorious, fear not.

We ate at Gabriel's last night, I don't think I've laughed so much in my life. Jacob has determined, through scientific testing, that girls emit gamma rays when they give "the look". So, he and Lisa glared at each other for almost the whole meal. Of course he tried to deflect the gamma rays by sticking straws in his nose and eating about 12 tortilla chips at a time. <laugh, sorry, I know that wasn't funny to read, but, if you were there, it was funny =)> Yeah, I ordered fish tacos...what was I thinking? I mean, fish...tacos....that just doesn't mix, does it? Not that it was bad, it was actually pretty good, but still....I'm ashamed.

OK, everyone, right now, do you know where your favorite STEVE BUSCEMI look alike is?? Mine is in the room with me. Donald E. Casperson IS Steve Buscemi!

 Ok, so, there you have it, thanks to the amazing Mac-photo-paint-thing skills of Jacob Higginbotham...one word...WoW

All right perhaps I should actually type about actual Earthwatch events.... perhaps.

Well, we were going to have another marathon night at Fenton Hill last night, but it was cloudy <mwahaha, foiled again>. We probably won't go out there tonight because it is supposed to be really cloudy.

More startling revelations later...

Last night we went to Fenton Hill for an all-nighter. (9pm-4am) You will soon hear the account of the coolest thing I've ever done...which occurred last night, well, I guess it was this morning.

Did you know that one can work the same math problem for over 2 hours...yes, it's true, we just did! It's rather depressing considering the answer didn't come out right either. Ya see, we've been tracking an asteroid and we were trying to determine the radius of its orbit <assuming that the orbit is indeed circular>. But, it didn't work out. I think it's because it was so far away from the ecliptic...about 37degrees. that means that its tilted...which equals hard math that we didn't do...so

Hmm...would y'all like to hear about the coolest thing that I've ever done? Well, you're about to, so read on...

Saturday Night:

We went to the Gisler's (Galen) house for a fiesta. It was by far the most fun I've had in Los Alamos. It R0xXorD...if you will *it was l33t* hehe, sorry. Anyway. Everyone went swimming with Andy and Ellie *and Holly their cousin* before we went over there; Jacob and I stayed at the Gisler's and helped....we are melaninically challenged and don't do well with the ol' UV rays. It was a good choice...I mean, we got to make melon balls! Rock! Yeah, and then we helped with other stuff and hung around until everyone else showed up. The food was good, but the company was AwEsoMe. Galen played Beatle's tunes and we sang. His wife plays Hammer Dulcimer among other things...including TiN WhiStLe!!!! sweeeeet, We played together, it was so cool. They have so many instruments...let's take an inventory shall we: harp, 10-15 tin whistles, 5-8 recorders, a cane shaped thing that's kind of like a recorder, piano, keyboard, harpsichord, didgeridoo, hammer dulcimer...and I'm sure they have more....whew, I wish my family was like that...man, it was so cool. Sigh....

Halo there my friends. I just got some pictures back from SMITH's *ye ol' grocery store*. I have one roll that has pictures of a bunch of my friends from home (Maggy/Mason/Hunter/Nordogg). The guys here think that Mason and Hunter...and Baskin and everyone else in Jackson...got stuck in the '80s...heh, I like their hair...oh well. Maybe I'll scan a picture in...maybe....

Aw, that makes me miss my buddies at home!..I miss y'all! Sad....oh well, only a few more days to go. It's raining right now, so we probably won't go out to Fenton Hill tonight...but we may go tomorrow. Who knows...

I think John is going to re-explain..only much more briefly..the asteroid math, because we accidentally subtracted instead of added...or maybe the other way around. ANYWAY, it does work! We actually found the radius of the asteroid's orbit...sweet.

Hm...... Jared=Jar^2 + b^inx *aka Jar Jar Binx....yeyah

We ate at Val Verde steakhouse last night. FAIL for vegetarians...oh well, I did eat vegetarianly..but it was grosstastic. Michael and Andy made VISTA *very interesting small toothpick array*. It was quite lovely...toothpicks/pepper shaker/tin foil/sour cream... yummy. It was in honor of the VLA *very large array* which we went to see yesterday. Ever seen contact? yep, that's the place. very nice...very nice

OH WOW, Lisa's mom sent her some grass...that's pretty funny. She hates the tanness of New Mexico.

We did our presentation today. It went pretty well, considering it was the eight of us and about twenty astrophysicists....scary stuff. *we made construction paper stars...thank you Martha Stewart*

Everyone needs a nap. We stayed up too late doing the project. I went to bed at about 2am...Jacob and Campbell at about 4:30...and Amanda at 6. How HorRibLE! So, a nap is quite in order right about now.

Our stay here is winding down; I'm actually getting kind of sad. However, I am ready to go home.

WOW, last night we had a lecture about asteroids. For some reason, Jacob, Michael and I thought it was REALLY funny and laughed for like 15 minutes. I felt horrible for the speaker, but asteroids destroying the entire east coast seemed funny at the time. I think sleep deprivation is getting to all of us. Unfortunately, I'm not supposed to get home until 10:30pm on Sunday eve' so I'm going to be so messed up with my sleeping.

This shall...alas...be my last log. I know you are all sad, as you well should be, but fear not, it shall be OK. We did a radio broadcast thing today; it was uber fun if I do say so myself..."q-r-zed, q-r-zed, this is whiskey 5 papa delta oscar, over" heh. =) NICE.

Well, I'm very happy to be going home, but I'm really sad to be leaving. Everyone was SO great and nice and fun...and I'm going to miss all of them. I'm also going to miss Andy and Ellie and Galen and Susan Gisler; the Gislers rock Sad! Well, all good things must come to an end I suppose! I took some pictures...I actually brought my big camera...a Nikon FM2. It's VERY cool, everything is manual, except the light meter *which is good, because I had to use a manual light meter with my last camera and it was SUCH a pain in the butt...so, it's ok if that is battery operated!*

Hm...I've already packed...a bit anxious wasn't I?? YES, I am! lalala. AW, It's going to be So SaD saying goodbye to everyone tomorrow!! *sniff sniff*

Rumor has it that we MAY go to a sushi place tonight for foodage. I'm pretty excited about it...sushi!! yummy. I love sushi!

Andy left today; that was quite triste. I wish he could have stayed and said goodbye to us at the airport today.

I'd like to give a special thank you to everyone here in Los Alamos! Thank you Galen for being an awesome *smiling lumberjack man* and just being a really great guy. Thank you Don for being *the scientist* and for having a *great* sense of humor. <microwave> Thank you John for helping us with our asteroid project...OK OK, doing our asteroid project, and for having a great accent.

Thank you Jim Wren and Todd Haines; Y'all rock.

Thank you Andy and Ellie. You are both so great! Keep being cool. I know you will both go far in life.

Ellie, keep singing; you're right, it is fun. Keep playing flute too! That's really cool. Music rocks! I'll send you a copy of one of my choir's cd's. <I know you're excited>

Andy, you rock. I like the way you laugh *even though I make fun of it*. Keep smiling =) I know you will.

Finally, fellow earthwatch students:

Y'all are such wonderful people; I'm going to miss you all so much. You have my email address...so email me! I'll try to keep in touch too! Let us never forget this experience; it was truly unique and we are truly blessed to have had it.