As you may know, Loren and I moved to the Boone area after I finished my undergraduate work at ETSU. I hope to begin the grad program in International Relations and Comparative Government at Appalachian State University, but am currently taking a break. I look forward to the labor of love in PSCI, but like St. Augustine said, "Lord, give me purity and give me continence, but oh no, not yet." I have too many things I want to do before beginning a faithful decent into graduate studies.

For now, I am working at the new Camp Harrison of the YMCA. Planet Herring Ridge is the Environmental Education program of Camp Harrison, and I am fortunate to be a new instructor there.

Herring Ridge is a lot of fun. It is quit similar to River Ridge, the E.E. center I formerly worked with in Tennessee, but there are many differences. I am learning a new Choice model for high ropes facilitation which creates a very different motivation and goal set than the Challenge-By-Choice model I am familiar with. I have new requirements for the method of tying old knots, which I am having a surprisingly difficult time adjusting to. I am learning new emergency procedures, new challenge elements, new wetlands ecology curriculum, and a new management structure. All in all, I am having a lot of fun.

The YMCA camp is also, of course, a conference center. Though I enjoy the E.E. function far and away more, my responsibilities reach across the board and have had only one week of E.E. thus far. The kids from Countryside Montessori were wonderful and made our first week a breeze and a standard to reach for with each subsequent group.

The E.E. season will be over in mid November and I am searching for a full time job elsewhere. I am thrilled at the possibility of working for an international relief agency, and am working hard not to let my head remain in the clouds. Maybe in the spirit of the good saint I could be granted just a meager portion of purity - at least purity of single mindedness for the moment.