I took my second organic chem test this morning. I got a 99% on my first one, and I think I could get as high as a 95% on this one, if I'm lucky! Just call me the OCM (that would be Organic Chem Master). This is very likely the "display of hubris" that will be closely followed by the "inevitable downfall". But being aware of this will make the fall hurt less, right?

Lindsey and I are going to run off with Dano and Martin this weekend to a lake on the Olympic Peninsula and camp. And hike, and swim, and have a fabulous Cuatro de Julio. I'm really excited about the Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate we bought tonight for the smores. Mmm, I think someone may filch it if I don't keep all three bars unwrapped and next to my pillow...for security, you know.

A lot has gone on in the two weeks that I've been back from Alaska. I flew in Sunday night and it was at least 85 degrees here at 1 am (and I though AK was hot at 80!). I started in on o chem the next morning with my first class, and it's been going steady ever since. There're about 20 other crazy people taking these two classes back to back with me, and we've formed a really good study group relationship. We've been kicked out of Bannan at 12 and 1 am multiple times this week, because they notice the lights blazing. We're just in there working problems on the whiteboards, but it's paid off in our test scores. In two weeks we've covered what normally takes 5 weeks, and we're now halfway through the quarter. And in two weeks we have the final. I think I'm going to go crazy.

Tom flew in from Mexico and stayed with us for almost a week starting sometime last week. He left Tuesday to go work on his parents' herb farm. No, other herbs. I'm going to miss him a lot more than I ever thought I would - we had a few long talks last year, but living with him let me see a little glimpse of who he is on his downtime, and he's pretty cool. He picked up Ender's Game and got through half of it before he had to go. Those of us in the cult know he's alright if he's a self-motivated convertee.

I'm 2/3 of the way through Felante pelos Muertos, Rachel! See, I'm even going Portuguese for you. It's hard to read that and my o chem book at the same time, but all the devious little twists and turns have me hooked again. Most of what I remembered is happening in this book, so I'm doubting how much of Xenocide I read. I remember the whole plot of Path and the OCD society, though. My memory is as holey as one of Patrick Bateman's victims. Maybe I'll get to the fourth book by September. And then we can talk.

And now I will sleep. Tomorrow we get to drive around Puget Sound to the O-P and find a lake that has free campsites. It'll take maybe 3 hours, but Dano's stereo is broken. We get to make our own music. Definitely will need full night of sleep. Noche, patos!