It's been... how many days now? As at conference, time here stretches and shrinks and wrinkles and sometimes seems to wink and disappear altogether.

I just finished spending some time trying to work out my written goals for my time here. I've never been one for writing out goals or strategies, so it's slow going-- fortunately none of it's due until next Friday. I hope. Anyhow, I left my room to come here for a few minutes and found half my building sitting in the great room playing cards and eating pizza. Irresistable. But I, alas, must go to bed early tonight. Breakfast is at 7:00 every morning (including tomorrow-- I have a seminar that starts at 8:00) and this business of going to bed at midnight, getting up at 6:30, and then spending the day in classes and meetings and studying and then exercise is simply not working for me.

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, happy, and wise.

Perhaps.

It's strange to be here and continue to have my expectations confounded again and again. (God's laughing at me right now.) I can feel a bit of my cynicism slipping away every day. I've plenty to spare, however; nothing to worry about there. And we haven't yet started any of the stuff the Dead Heretics so love to shred and examine and dissect every week-- though I hear that next week we have some classes on spiritual warfare.

It will be a good six weeks. I have no doubt of that now. Challenging and occasionally frustrating, but a worth-while experience. And certainly one that will help prepare me for what I will encounter later on.

Blessings.