I'VE BEEN MAKING LISTS. I'VE BEEN CATCHING UP ON TELLY. I'VE BEEN DOING THE END OF YEAR FILING AND ARCHIVING OF NOTES AND

packing up books to donate

. I'VE BEEN LAZY AND IT'S TIME TO GET UP IN THE MORNINGS AND START CHECKING THINGS OFF -

routine exams and checkups

, SOME BACKED UP WEB WORK, VISIT SOME MUSEUMS I'VE BEEN INTENDING TO GO SEE ALL YEAR:

Museum of Science

, HARVARD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, ETC. I ALSO WANT TO GO BACK TO THE MFA AND

spend a day browsing art

, TAKE TEA AT THE GARDNER HOUSE AND

walk the Emerald Necklace

.

I WILL BE SAD TO LEAVE MY NEW FRIENDS FOR THE SUMMER, BUT WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE

Rosey

WITH ME IN SOUTH AFRICA. IN A TWO-MONTH PROGRAM WITH ONLY ONE WEEKEND OFF, THE CHANCES THAT I'LL BE DOING ANYTHING BUT WORK IS SLIM, AND SO I SHOULD

enjoy this pre-trip lull

WHILE I CAN. MORE AND MORE AS I ALIGN MYSELF WITH A LONG-TERM GOAL AS THE FIRST PRIORITY, THE MORE I UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF MY LIFEBLOOD AND ENERGY HAS BEEN WASTED ON PETTY DRAMAS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT AREN'T WORKING. OF COURSE, MY MOTHER HAS BEEN TELLING ME THAT FOR YEARS.

I AM EXCITED TO DO A POSTCARD SWAP AND TO SEND THEM NOTES AND LOVE FROM AFRICA, AND TO GET LOVE FROM EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, PARTICULARLY FROM MY FRIEND WHO IS GOING TO

Morocco

(WHERE I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO). THERE IS ALSO TALK ABOUT JUMPING THE LAKE FOR A FEW DAYS IN ICELAND FOR THE

Viking Festival

SINCE THERE'S A BIG TOURISM PUSH FOR NEW ENGLAND AND ICELAND, SO QUITE AFFORDABLE.