This past Sunday was Acorn's Land Day. It's the anniversary of the day that they purchased their land. It's also a big outdoor hangout/party. This year's celebration featured hours of performance by a Grateful Dead cover band. I was considering not attending, but someone had conveniently set up a shuttle system to get Twin Oakers back and forth, and I thought, "oh, why not? I can leave whenever I want to and I don't even have to drive." I guess that knowing I could leave whenever I wanted to made me not feel like leaving. I sported a sun hat, hooped a bit, caught up with some friends, watched a massive bonfire burn, and generally enjoyed myself. I stayed until the 10 PM shuttle, at which point the entertainment for the party had fizzled down to a couple attendees singing Disney songs into the abandoned mics.

I had an excellent run on Monday. I thought about things more clearly than I have in a long while. I pondered consent and desire. I decided to send a letter that I've been meaning to send for years. (And when I got back, I actually sent it!) We people are funny. It takes us a long time to sift through things, I guess. Things that I thought I'd moved past are still coming up, weeks, months, years later.

I missed Keegan for one of the first times on Monday. I wanted someone to be proud of me for sending that letter, and no one else here really would have understood what went into it. That was a lonely realization.

In happier news, Unicorn School is about to start having five days a week. (Finally!) The kiddos and I are steadily working our way through the course of history. Today, we learned about the Hyksos invading Egypt, Ahmose taking it back over, and the beginning of the New Kingdom. I had no idea that Egypt had such a tumultuous history; all I remember learning about in fifth grade was their mythology, their hieroglyphs, and the song "Walk Like an Egyptian." We're also about to publish a collection of traditional and original stories about Anansi, the classic trickster character of West Africa.

I'm heading to the DC area near the end of the month. It will be so novel to be around people who care about how I smell and who frequently dine out. I am looking forward to seeing my Grandma. I am also looking forward to seeing some DC friends-- it's been so long since I've been up there!

Speaking of DC friends, I might go to Burning Man with some of them this year. I wasn't going to go because I was going to be making the final preparations for my wedding, but obviously that's all off now. The ticket situation is rather tight, but I have hopes. Cross your fingers for me.

Anyway. I am generally doing well. Every now and then, I start to sink into an existential crisis, but my spirits are high and I am achieving things. People care about me. I am content.