14 Days and Year Twenty-Seven

And so at the end of July this summer, I went back to Kentucky for a pair of family gatherings.

Primarily to get together with my dad's side for a remembrance of his dad. And then since we were there we saw mom's side too. And while we visited, my aunt who worked for the University of Kentucky in their grant management group got me an interview with the dean of geological science. In the interview he asked about my GRE scores, and I thought I could remember the scores. He said if the numbers were what I remembered them being, then they were good enough for a full ride as a graduate student.

Dad and I worked to get in touch with the house sitter, and have her dig through my stack of papers on my desk. As it turned out, they were good, and I was set. And I had three weeks to get back to Kentucky for school to start.

I drove cross country with my youngest cousin. He's in the Air Force, and makes my dad look like a safe, slow driver. We got from my parents' house in Concord to his in Louisville in 35 hours. And that included an 8 hour stopover somewhere in Wyoming or Colorado. I was very tired and don't really remember.

My first year in grad school, was pretty cool, and I was most shocked by student teaching. We all got one section of the Intro Geology lab. You have no idea how the chalkboard resonates behind you until you do a full lecture.

Living with my aunt and cousin was good enough while I was there, and I made some good friends at the school.

But it sure is hard to be surrounded by all of that limestone with no igneous rocks in sight. And being landlocked sucks. Each time I went home, I wanted to see the sunset over the Pacific, and touch the rocks in the Marin Headlands.