Four thirty a.m., and I’ve been wide awake for hours – okay, today’s going to be a disaster. Can’t complain (who am I kidding – I can always complain). But I can’t expect much sympathy – the past two days have been grand.

Letsee – when did I last write? Saturday morning, Christmas, just before the “Race Around the World”. Was great fun, especially as I managed not to die. No, it was good, really. Just the hardest 2-point-something miles I’ve ever run. What with the altitude and soft snow, it was harder than some 10k runs I remember. But running in such a surreal setting, surrounded by all these crazy, amazing people I’ve come to call friends – it was great. A real bonding experience. Really. I didn’t take any pictures myself (I was too busy running and trying not to cough up a lung), but I’ve posted a bunch of pictures other folks took up at

        http://picasaweb.google.com/david.cohn/20101225RaceDayOtherPeoplesPictures

(I should mention, if I haven’t already, that down here we have a shared network folder, colloquially referred to as the “I-drive” where people tend to put photos they want to share. Apology here: I’m usually good about it, but I’ve failed to tag who I grabbed which of these pictures from!)

Anyhow.

Following the race, we all piled into the galley for an awesome Christmas day brunch. Joined Ashley and Sean in the dishpit to help clean up for an hour or two (had an odd mix of Motown and unrecognizable to sing along with). Wandered off to the music room to play a bit, and was on my way to the library to sneak in a nap when I came across Storm, Trudy and four or five others sitting on the hallway floor by the post office cubbies. Molly had received a care package of, uh, “stuff” from Japan, and a “floor party” had broken out. There were sundry packages of unrecognizable and inscrutably-labeled candy (would *you* put a chewing-gum-like substance called “Black-Black” in your mouth?), stickers, stamps and little wooden party-favor toys. No one was being allowed through without taking a piece of candy, trying a toy or having their hand stamped. Who was I to pass up an opportunity for some floor time?

After 20 or 30 minutes, I realized that I really did need that nap, excused myself and zoned out for a lovely little siesta in the darkened library (which seems to become more of a nap room on vacation days). Got up, ironed my “Sunday best” and gussied myself up for the Christmas dinner.

….eh. Y’know, a play-by-play journal of the weekend isn’t going to be very satisfying for anyone. It was a fun weekend. A lot of us were all up late Saturday. I slept in Sunday. Did some writing for my story. Called home, called some friends. Hung out with the Traverse guys as much as I could. Had awesome leftovers for lunch and dinner (okay – you know you’re spoiled when, for Sunday leftovers, you look at a pile of lobster tails and melted butter, and decide that you’re just going to have Cheerios this time).

A perfectly lovely weekend. Followed by an inexplicably sleepless night. Tried going to bed nice and early so I’d be well-rested for the coming week, and, well failed. Tossed and turned until close to midnight, and found myself snap-wide-awake again at three this morning. No idea why.

Did hear equipment noises some time in the night; guessing it was the Traverse finally pulling out of town. They were supposed to head out on Christmas day if they could get all the machines fixed, but the little delays added up, and they were still trying to muster yesterday afternoon. I’m going to miss those guys: Jen, Storm, Mark, Guy and the others. Only got to spend a couple of days with them, but there was something about being around them that I loved. A frame of mind they seemed to project. I dunno. It felt like a Good Thing.

So – I guess that’s the weekend wrap-up. Coming up on 5:30 now, and I think I might as well just get up and start my day, and hope that I can get through on caffeine.