Behind the curve

I gave in. I joined Facebook, the social networking site that allows people to reconnect, or meet new friends. I was into the reconnecting thing, since I knew some of my old friends were members. It turns out, almost ALL of my old friends are members. I was just about the only one who wasn't.

Now, I always thought these types of Web sites were sort of dumb, but now that I'm living so far away from everyone, it really serves a purpose. I've missed knowing what all my friends are doing, and now I'm not so out-of-the-loop. I don't feel quite so all-alone anymore here on the other side of the country.

It only took me a few years to catch up with what everyone else was doing, but I seem to always be just behind the curve when it comes to things like fads and technology. I don't have an iPod yet, and my younger friends at work think it's ridiculous that the music industry is still selling CDs. They think that "nobody buys CDs anymore." It may be half-true, but I'm still buying them. For now anyway. Rick and I are definitely heading down the path that will some day lead to iPods, but we aren't there quite yet.

California burning

For anyone who hasn't heard, wildfires are ravaging California. Although our little corner of Northern California has been spared for much longer than the rest of the state, we're starting to see some evidence of the burning elsewhere. Air quality alerts have been issued for many places, but so far, Crescent City is OK. Our county's southern town of Klamath is expected to have an air quality alert issued this week though. I can see the dirty smoke and haze from fires hanging around the coastal mountain range. But today I saw the strangest sight. A gigantic plume of smoke was rising to the east, very visible, even from my house. Apparently it happened when, from about 3-5 p.m., fires were stoked from the dry heat in the Siskiyou Wilderness area. You can see it in this photo our photographer took.



I'll be happy to escape this burning state come August, but I still worry about it. I don't really know how folks can live with these wildfires year after year. So many people south of me are evacuating their homes, then returning, then evacuating again. And the air is so poor that people are urged to stay indoors. It seems like fires are a big a factor every year.

The heat here is also mild compared to the 100+ temps elsewhere in the state. Crescent City is topping out in the mid-70s or so. Hot for here!

Well, I'm enjoying the lovely parts of Del Norte County for my final month. Last weekend, a co-worker and I went beachcombing, but it was so windy we couldn't last longer than a half-hour or so. We also did an inland hike, which was much better.

Rick started his job on Monday, and all is going well. I miss him though :(