2:12 pm so I�ve been insanely busy lately�and I�ve not written much�and I don�t really know where to start�things are good�we just had all of our scholars (80 college juniors and seniors) in Tucson for the weekend, and it was intense�we lined up amazing speakers, had some great events, and the whole thing proved quite inspiring and successful�I�ve now got a whole list of books to read and a couple of new fields to explore�it was fantastic being around so many intelligent, motivated students�I found myself really missing the in-depth conversations I used to find myself having when I was in school�the working world is far less stimulating (in a cerebral sense) than the academic world�and I don�t like that much�so I�m going to see what I can do to make sure that I�m keeping my mind going at all times�I really don�t see myself being happy staying in the position I�m in at work�I�m itching to be back in school, or to take on a more significant role here�as much as I can plan these things, I really see myself working for another year and a half or so, and then getting my masters�or, perhaps, my PhD�but that�s such a huge commitment, I have a hard time wrapping my brain around what it actually might mean�I do, though, have a strong desire to connect with college-age students, and a strong desire to teach�so the PhD thing seems to be the only way to accomplish something like that�after this weekend, it�s really become clear to me that I�d thrive more in a university setting than in a junior high or high school�ANYWAY, to totally change the subject, I�m still really enjoying Tucson and the people I�m meeting here�I�m feeling like I�m starting to get some quality friends, and that makes me really happy�I�m still a bit cautious and apprehensive, but I like where things seem to be heading�the little crushes I�ve been mentioning have pretty much faded, and I�m really trying not to let myself fall in to that anymore�the thing is, when I meet people I like-personalities I get along with really well-I tend to develop crushes right away�but, for me, a crush is something totally natural and not very meaningful�it�s kind of just my way of letting myself know that I really enjoy someone�s company�but I�ve been realizing that it doesn�t mean I want to hook up with that person�just that I like �em�I respect them�I want good things to happen for them�and, I feel that way about most people I meet�girls and boys�boys and girls�so, I think I should stop using the word �crush��cuz it really carries no �romantic� connotation for me�I�ve not felt a strong urge to hook up with anyone in that way, really�more often than not, I appreciate a good friend, a person to call when I feel like talking, someone to share a meal with or just to talk with about my day�and I�m excited because I�m starting to feel like that�s something that is possible in Tucson�those are really small things, and things most people take for granted�but when you spend almost an entire year not being physically around people who are good friends, things start to mean more than they used to�