Fillet of Soul

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and
irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here
everything's soft... and smooth...

- Anakin Skywalker, speaking about Andy's new job and finally being home with Janine

Things are pretty groovy here, although my job, although very interesting, is getting to be more like a very educational dare. My newest assignment is quite cool, digging ca. 12th century Hohokam pit houses in Marana, just north of town. We're excavating four days a week, ten hours a day in 100+ degree heat, with a fine, tan dust swirling around the nostrils when the breeze kicks up, sticking to the thick foundation of sunblock I apply every morning, resolving itself after many hours into a brown paste. The scenery can't be beat, though -- the sky today was a Smithsonian diorama blue with cirrus clouds lifted straight out of a child's bedroom wallpaper. Beat that, office dwellers!



Now if I don't come down with brown lung, this stint will have been an amazing success. As for everyone else, read this article that Kelli clued me onto, and then send me tribute.

I also came across the weblog of a local historical archaeologist, one with whom I've enjoyed working quite a bit, and one whose job I really wouldn't mind replicating somewhere back east. Now I guess he just needs a boyfriend. Anybody know any history-obsessed candidates?

Interesting also in that Janine is in some sort of bizarre transition from being a Davis to becoming a Bockhorst. She has Social Security cards to get and other applications and God knows how many bank accounts and subscriptions and phone bills and other crap to get changed over into her new name. And I'm not really sure why she's doing it -- up until now, we've had contrasting problems: she almost always has to spell out her first name to keep her interviewers from writing "Jeanine" or "Jeanninne" or one of the surprisingly infinite varieties of her name; I always always have to spell out my last name, to keep my interviewers from making jokes about sausage. Now she's completely screwed.

And do keep that concentrated laser beam of good wishes focused on Dan and his family this weekend. Hope it goes well, my friend.