(excerpt from letter written 9 Dec)

I stopped by the Career Center this morning after classes and talked to M. K. for a bit about grad schools. I told him that I was looking at environmental sciences, but I really don't know where to look for them. He said a web search would be a start and that he'd look into it as well. I know it's kinda early to start looking, but judging from how quickly this past semester went it certainly won't hurt. From the way the grad program requirements look, I will probably have to get a B.S. before being able to get an M.S. But who knows, perhaps a BS will be enough... I haven't looked very extensively, but it would be likely that I'd stay here in Cali (San Fran State University has an interesting Biology department, although I'm sure that it is extremely liberal...)
K. also said that they are planning to expand the summer internship program, so I might be able to get a job in the field I am looking at, which would be great. Not only would I be able to see if I would really like it, I'd also have something really good to add to my sparse resume.

It was so gorgeous yesterday afternoon. the fog had rolled in, thick and high covering the hills and creeping up the mountains 'til they were gone, getting caught in the trees and the hill crests. It looked as though the hills themselves were rising out of the mist - so surreal. I looked out and felt as though I didn't belong to the mortal world at all, the slight wind, the cool dampness, the colors beyond description. Perhaps those poor people who think they are actually elves have something to their claim... I wanted to step through whatever barrier it was that kept me tied to the ground and within this humdrum, prosaic little circle of things, and walk into the beauty I was seeing, become one with it... (just fancy that, plain brown me, part of the breathtaking aching beauty of nature. you know something, I think that is why I want to go into environmental science...so I can perhaps find a way to do just that...) I'm so ridiculous, but it hurts to remember how awe inspiring it all looked...

sigh, and now back to your regularly scheduled reality...