Journal of a Sabbatical

September 8, 2000

two deer

Today's Bird Sightings:
Plum Island
snowy egret (27)
mute swan (4)
blue-winged teal (4)
great egret (5)
herringn gull (15)
Canada goose (42)
northern mockingbird (1)
northern harrier (1)
double crested cormorant (4)
Mammals:
white-tailed deer (2)

Today's Reading: The Story of the Stone

Today's Starting Pitcher: Tomo Ohka vs. Roger Clemens

Found myself drawn to one last pass at birding Plum Island before I leave. Once again found myself too tired to do a thorough birding pass. I'm so tired today I feel like I can barely hold my head up.

Had a very weird dream last night. I dreamed I was getting onto an airplane for a flight to Indonesia. The plane was huge with stadium seating like in the new movie theaters. It was steps and steps and steps down to where I thought business class was. Then there were two seats numbered 21C, one in business class and one in coach and I had no idea which one was mine. My old mentor from DEC was on the plane, walking up the stairs wearing blue jeans and a green plaid flannel shirt but carrying a really spiffy laptop. She asked where I was going . I told her I was going to West Timor to help the UNHCR people get their voice mail working again. Somehow, fixing their voice mail was going to save them from the militias. I complained that I had to do this before my big assignment in China. Eventually I found my seat, and the plane took off. Then I woke up.

A doe and a fawn crossed the road in front of my car. Even at 25 mph, I had to step on the brake really quickly. They just lept out of the brush right into the road. Fortunately I stopped in plenty of time and they vanished into the brush on the other side. I couldn't even tell where they'd been. It was almost like they were dream deer.