10/8

Location: Yellowstone National Park

The Elk with the Chandelier Antlers
While driving to Mammoth Hot Springs this morning our group managed to get a glimpse of a bull elk whose antlers were an enormous chandelier, watching over his does and fawns of his harem. One of the fawns had a gimp leg and was walking with a limp. Sadly, a predator such as the wolf will most likely target the fawn and... well...that's the circle of life. The students were at professional meetings all day while I caught up on grading. I couldn't stop thinking about that little fawn with the gimp. In some ways it applies to ECOEE. Every group will have a scapegoat or what we call them, "the weenie". This person may be different, misunderstood, or vulnerable in some ways like the fawn. The wolves will attack when the others aren't watching, when the fawn has strayed from the group, and when defenses are down. However, if that fawn is always protected, watched out for, and surrounded by it's family...the wolves will go up against a heck of a fight and that little fawn may have a chance to become that bull elk with the chandelier antlers.
~Kimberly Janus
Spay and neuter your pets!

Entry 2 of the day (Since Jess was not around to write in the Journal this day Jeff and Kim got their turn!):

We are almost to the mid-way point of ECOEE 2010 and I haven’t killed anyone yet- not even my grad assistant who constantly tries to annoy me and tries to assist me in losing my patience!!
Everyone we meet along the way talks about what a good group this is- patient, interested, helpful, considerate and so on. Little do they know what goes on behind “closed doors”!! Farts and burps sound different butt smell the same!! Front Country clothes look and smell like back country clothes. The multiple repeating of feedback until someone (and it is usually only one someone) finally gets it!
Sometimes good food and lots of it, but I am tired of eggs!! Almost always cold food after long announcements in chow circle, and even longer debriefs.
But this is the life of ECOEE- every ECOEE. People I neat think I have the greatest life, little do they know!!...with all the complaints here…They are pretty petty compared to all I get to see and experience with all these folks, even with ADHD grad assistants! I really do love my life!!
Jeff