energy exchange

Students are back and with them have gone the days of sleeping in and riding whenever I wanted. But there are better ways to spend my time. Working with them on projects, like rebuilding rock walls on campus during our two day community service, not only reminded me of how much I love that work, but also how great it is to work here.

"Oh. You want to teach some students about masonry and fix some of our crumbling retaining walls?....sure, we'll give you a crew for a day." Sweet.

The results were nothing spectacular. We didn't have stone cutting implements or mortar, but rocks were re-stacked and walls were rebuilt. We gave back to this community/school that gives plenty of leeway and opportunities to succeed.

Wrong tool, right job. 

And to experience the world around us. For instance this winter ecology I'm co-teaching that is split between classroom learning and telemark skiing in Rocky Mtn national park.

There's a reason Trail Ridge Rd is closed in the Winter. 

The snow is limited up there but the wind sure isn't. So night rides continue on rollers. In that bike shop in my basement. Also a nice touch of working here.

Luddite. 

Long days beginning with "morning exercise" (a requirement for our students), continuing with tele-skiing, class prep and meetings, then rollers, has forced me to break my coffee fast. Not the best timed diet restriction I'll admit. It was meant to get it out of my system so come March at the True Grit I'll pour myself a cup and feel turbo boosted. A month and a half might've been a tad excessive for getting it out of my system, so maybe mid-february I'll try this out again.

Black Hole - Black Gold