It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,

It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way . . .

I was wondering what you’re doing here.

Lightning speed post because I have zero time, go!

I wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili.

First things first: Rachael, are you alive? Or has some inexplicable force prevented your Friday post from appearing on my computer? If you have died, please let us know so that we can get on with our lives without wondering what's become of you. Thank you.

It's not your aptitude but your attitude which will determine your altitude.

The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.
Well, okay. To be honest, upwards of two thousand college students remember it. Vividly.
As you may recall, I wasn't exactly having the time of my life last week, and this was due to the inconvenient sickness that I had acquired, that which we call gastroenteritis. Spanning the time between Saturday the 21st and, oh, about Wednesday the 25th, Middlebury College found itself engulfed in something of an epidemic. Of the thirty or so distance runners (including both genders), the number of unaffected was either two or three; I cannot remember precisely and for that I apologize. But you get the idea. Basically, this thing took over the school and showed no mercy. Even after my recovery I had to hunt for toilets that had not been victimized to the point of being rendered almost useless for those who wanted to use them in the usual way.