I'm enjoying my new courses. Even the stats course, apparently one does not actually need to know how to do the calculations manually, only how to persuade a computer program to do them. And since the computer program is almost identical to Excel in its layout, I'm breathing easier. School two days a week is strange, though, I seem to be spending an awful lot of time on modes of public transportation, listening to other people talk on cell phones. The other day I dozed on a bus between downtown Vancouver and Horseshoe Bay while a woman shouted rapid-fire Spanish into her cell phone.

Next week I'm off to Nashville. If I live through this phase of things. Although I have quite enjoyed it, I won't be sorry to have it be over. Some decisions made by the organizers of the conference have made for some very angry people on the phone. I've managed so far not to take any of it personally, which is easier over the phone somehow.