Where in the World?

[Mark Walker]

Well, it has finally happened.  My sweet job situation has finally gotten so
out of control that I am now being asked to fly all over the place with no
available time left to chase butterflies.  This is NOT how it was supposed
to be.
 
The whole month of May came and went, I saw two continents and visited 10
states and caught like 20 butterflies - all from my home state of
California.
 
I'm working on alleviating the situation, but there's not much relief in
sight...
 
So there I am, on the American Airlines flight from Boston to Charles
DeGaulle in Paris, and I'm watching that video loop where they play new age
music and show time lapsed billowing clouds, waving flower fields, flapping
insects, panoramic vistas, and macroscopic views of plants and animals and
other fascinating things.  I, like most everyone else, am hypnotized by the
images (I think that's the idea - get everybody real relaxed to the point of
zzz's), and suddenly I realize:  this is what my whole life as a
lepidopterist is all about.  It's the same feeling, the same sensation.  I
get to LIVE what the people at American Airlines are introducing many people
to for the first time.  It's what Leroy's tag line, "Let's get among 'em" is
talking about.  It's all about experiencing nature up close - about
pondering the fascination and mystery of Creation.  About getting lost in
the business and richness of physical reality.
 
No wonder I walk around most of my life feeling like I've just been in the
dentist's chair.  Life is Good.
 
So France was incredible.  I was in Lyon again.  The weather was postcard
perfect - until the weekend when I finished work.  But at least the
nightlife was happening.  I was reunited with the friends I made during my
last visit - Xav and Chrystel - and they rolled out the red carpet of
hospitality.  I had such a good time eating Grenouille and drinking Ricard
that I'm going to actually post some photos on the TILS web site.  Those of
you who might be wondering just what this freakazoid actually looks like,
you can check out the following freely accessible link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TILS-leps-talk/
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TILS-leps-talk/> , and look for photos 16-19
 
Now, I suppose Ron will have to ask me to delete these, as they have nothing
to do with talking leps... (or talking to leps, for that matter)
 
Sigh.  Michael Klein is watching Hermes Coppers while the rest of southern
California is drought stricken.
 
And Where in the World is Car Man - San Diego?  I'm in Irvine, heading up to
Palmdale, heading up to San Francisco, and then on to Paso Robles, followed
by Houston, after which will be Ft. Lauderdale, and then Delano, CA, which
is to be followed by Las Vegas, followed by a brief visit to Oceanside (oh -
my family is there!), and then Los Angeles, San Diego, and Vienna, VA.  That
will get me to July.  Perhaps I'll be able to do some counting by the time
the fireworks start.
 
See you there...
 
Mark Walker.
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