... at a place where I was the art director 25 years ago. It's interesting because creative types like myself work side by side with machinists, welders, and others who have a slightly more simplistic take on politics. Many like Trump because "he says what other people are thinking." I'm friends with these guys, so I must tread cautiously when I suggest that being outrageous is NOT a prime qualification for being the President of the United States.

The scary part is that there are SOOOO many otherwise intelligent people whose logic and reason goes out the window when it comes to presidential politics. Gonna be an interesting election season, no matter what happens, so strap in, kids; it's gonna be one hell of a ride!

I have friends who are pretty well set in their anger at the government and think blowing it up is our only option anymore... educated people. It's that kind of realization that raises the hair on the back of your neck.

I am fortunate in that I will have a five month hiatus from all this fun as I head out into the wild and do my job for the guvvamint with no interwebs or teevee and barely any radio...I get to hang out with the wildlife and man am I ready!

I have two weeks left before I load up the Toyota and get out of here.

... I've been a few places in the western back country (backpacked the Grand Canyon for a week and celebrated New Year's '75 at Phantom Ranch! Among other things...) Everything either stings, sticks, or stinks.

I will look forward to a full report on your adventures!

of being out with the grizzly bears and wolves and everything else out there. I'm in Montana, much nicer than AZ in my view. I get to do all kinds of stuff like document wildflowers and whatever I see while I'm in the field. I plan on being safe since I'll also be doing public education about safety in bear country. It's a new gig this year and I'm pretty excited about it. The only parts that stink really bad around here are the cattle grazing allotments.

I'll certainly file a report when I get back!

(And I expect to have more fun outside the national parks than I've had working in them in uniform, a welcome change!)