Went to REI with Brad yesterday and got a serious case of wanderlust. (That's what I get for standing between a bookcase full of trail guides for the foothills in GA and SC and another full of Let's Go books for Europe, Egypt, and Nepal.) I'm back to entertaining fantasies of spending a year travelling after finishing my PhD and before getting a job (which I know is fairly unrealistic, unless I get a sweet gig travelling as an EIS with the CDC) or skipping a spring semester to hike the Pacific Crest with Jason. In the meantime, I'll settle for being really excited about my new chalk bag for climbing and envious of Brad's new climbing shoes. (I know if I'm patient I can just ask Mom and Dad to spring for them for xmas).