In 1978, I was in the second grade at Harry S. Truman Elementary school in Vancouver, Washington. We had just moved into town after living in Battle Ground, and somehow (the details are pretty murky since I was only 7) my mom got me put in to the gifted program (GCY). I think we met once a week, and it was a small group of gifted kids in my grade and the grades closest to mine (think Malcolm in the Middle, but a little less socially inept). When my mom explained to me that I'd be a part of this special group, she explained, "I think they're studying stars this year." Excited, I exclaimed, "You mean like Shaun Cassidy!?"

The b/f and I just got back from a weekend in Big Bear. No snow, but we hiked the Cougar Crest trail up to the Pacific Crest trail. For those of you out of Southern California, it's the week before Thanksgiving, and we were hiking comfortably at 7,000 feet in shorts and t-shirts. Here's a photo from the weekend:

We're too happy, right? Tell me it isn't sort of sickening.