**The Horror and the Beauty**

Noted on Dooce, the video got me thinking about the allure that must have been felt by those who worked in Los Alamos developing the hydrogen bomb. Must watch Fat Man and Little Boy again. It's power is mesmerizing and the images a beautiful in a horrific sort of way.

**Up Against the Wall**

It happens to me once or twice a year. I get so backed up, I don't even know where to begin. I have things on the "to do" list from over a year ago. I can't even get close to them.

When I get to this point, I usually have to lock myself in the house or office for a couple days, get into a groove and clean off the most pressing items on the list. Currently, taxes still hang over me, although I have done a good chunk of them, closure seems to be the problem. It doesn't help that between me and the kids, there are three federal and five state returns to complete. (Good diversion for the doldrums of preparing taxes here. - an IRS poster contest. And I don't want to hear about all you who "have it done by your accountant!") Add to my must-be-done-immediately-list an employee evaluation to finish, conference papers to review, and an employee manual to rewrite. All of these have a May 1 or earlier deadline.

So it is Friday morning, I am NOT going to the office because I know there would be interruptions. I have turned the heat on, and am brewing my second latte. First off, the employee review and then TAXES. This may require some rock music....

**So Where the Bloody Hell Are You?**

I have had a webcam bookmarked for a long time. The webcam is mounted in the middle of Pete's Pond in Botswana. You can watch the wildlife wander around. Complete with audio. The season for viewing at Pete's Pond is over and National Geographic has two other webcams available. Wouldn't you know, one of the cams is in Australia. You can view it here, but the live shot is preceded by a tourism ad for Australia. Watch it. Ah, now this entry's title makes sense, eh?

**Now That's Better**

I could have graded. I could have finished taxes (don't panic Em). I could have prepped classes. Instead I fixed the blog. Added some stuff. I am still looking for a good RSS feed of images of Australia or New Zealand. If anyone knows of one or, like me, wants to avoid working and look for one, I would love to learn about it. I also am trying to figure out how to have YouTube videos play on my site. I know some of you know how to do this. Help?

I did the math. Figuring a December 20th departure, 255 days until Australia.

**That's what I get for...**

...updating my blog template. All my customization is lost and the width has changed mashing my images together (see two entries down). I can barely find time to post these days, let alone recustomize my blog. Oh well, one sleepless night and I should be able to get to it. In the meantime... lots of conversation generated among bloggers (whose links USED to be on me blog, matey) about the trip to Australia. If it is anything like Ecuador, E. should do a bang-up job as tour guide (and probably go crazy with all of us and the concurrent mayhem and bedlam that seems to follow us when we travel). At least she won't have to play group translator.... The trip must include a visit to a place like this....