I was going to write something about how introverts have more interesting thoughts than extroverts, but I couldn't think of anything to say! This made me worried that I am becoming more outgoing. Whereas I used to have such amazing thoughts and fantasies that talking to any real human being was a chore, I now occasionally seek out such opportunities!

I think it's hard for anyone, introverted or extroverted, to know what to do under such circumstances when one's entire character is being reevaluated. So it was that I set off on a thousand mile journey to discuss the matter with my guru. When meeting one's guru, or "guruvenating", as I prefer to call it, it is best to be well-prepated. It is well-known that many gurus spend their lives sitting Indian-style on barren mountain peaks in order to purify their wisdom. Mine, of course, has set up shop in an underground labyrinth of some forgotten empire. And so it was that I paid extra attention to the party and items I would need to complete this journey.

For the trip I selected myself, without whom the trek would have been ultimately unsuccessful, and a capybara herdsman named Crook. He brought with him a troupe of capybara, giant rodents resembling guinea pigs, which he had named Flopsy, Mopsy, and Clyde. I thought this was especially convenient since for the purpose of Lent the Vatican considers capybara flesh as fish. I did not tell him this, because I did not know whether or not he was Catholic.

Finally, I must mention my personal inventory. Among the various requirements of life, I took with me:

• An external frame military surplus backpack with a giant "H" written on it, in red
• 3/4 length orange Thermorest sleeping pad
• 40F Slumberjack sleeping bag
• Sierra Designs "Lightyear" one-person tent
• 4 D-cell Maglite
• Gerber LED flashlight
• A strange LED flashlight that attaches to my ear
• Two chairs: one for myself, and one for company
• A small alcohol stove
• Ethanol fuel for said stove
• Lighter for said stove
• Pan for said stove
• Plastic fork and spoon
• Leatherman Wave multitool
• Work gloves for climbing through steaming hot pipes
• 400 gallons of water, 50 pounds of potatoes, 30 pounds of beef, 20 pounds of onions, 6 dozen eggs, 1200 gallons of milk, 140 pounds of spaghetti, 100 pounds of spaghetti sauce

Crook seemingly brought only the aforementioned "pack" animals, himself and his guitar, and a thick wool blanket which, obeying some terrible non-Euclidean geometry, appeared at times to take on the form of a rectangle, and at others to appear more roundish, like a spider.

Also, and this is important, so remember it well: I probably forgot to mention some of the amazing things we took. For instance, I am sure I took extra pants, although Crook denies this! In any case, as the story unfolds, do not be too surprised if I mention an inventory item that has not been listed yet. Don't tear your hair out if you cannot find these items, or seem to be stuck at some puzzle! Hints and walkthroughs are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from Saffire Enterprises at 1-800-SAFF-HINTS, and cost $2.99 per minute. If you subscribe to the monthly installments of Some Adventure games for $79.95 per year, the per-minute fee is waived and members are instead charged at a flat rate of $7.90 per call. Instead, one can join PLAN PLATINUM to receive our weekly print newsletter featuring Rambo the weasel!

TO BE CONTINUED

Bleh, about what I thought:

431S Translation of Computer Languages B
418 INTRODUCTION TO TOPOLOGY AND MODERN ANALYSIS A+
216 Introduction to Relativity A-

I think I should study mathematics.

Jacks Fork - Kevin
Originally uploaded by Kevin Saff.

Here I am stopped in the kayak in the shadow of a bluff on the Kacks Fork. The upper and lower stretches of our float were quite scenic, but the middle section is not federally protected, and was filled with the sights and sounds of construction equipment replacing trees with campgrounds, as well as a throng or two of persons from those campgrounds. We paddled through those areas pretty quick.

Jon was far ahead on the kayak, which could go faster if you had the energy, and was of course far more maneuverable than the canoe. A woman by one of the campgrounds asked Karen and me "Are you children having a good time?" I didn't know how to respond to being called a "child". "Kid" I would have understood.