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5/23/05-As a cigarette end glows when the smoker takes a puff and jet fuel exploding in the engine warms it and propels an aircraft forward the burning of trillions on trillions of carbon molecules through cellular exposure to oxygen gives us life heat and energy we individuals may not live again but our constituent carbon atoms have reincarnated countless times over the eons taking an almost endless variety of forms from slime molds to mosses oils to gases viruses to bacteria tree ferns to magnolias bromeliads to palmettos composted earth to worms guano to dung beetles mollusks to sea snakes insects to arachnids flying reptiles to jellyfish dinosaurs to birds newts to platypuses starfish to giant squids mites to minnows flukes to foxes opossums to octopi grasses to conifers leeches to eels cetaceans to lichens primates to orchids yeasts to beautyberries trilobites turtles sargassum weed coconuts monitor lizards figs coal mahogany forests starfish apples mushrooms and more one day after a gazillion chemical unions our sooty carbon selves under great stress purged finally of all dross shall be born again as perfect gems on vastly distant planets heaven for our kind organic units far outnumber the silicon molecules whole carbon landscapes abound and geologic veins coalesce into miles thick layers composed entirely of hard diamond purity...
5/11/05-There is a remote limestone channel one of many like the side ravines off the great colorado river and its grand canyon but less spectacularly picturesque the gulch has water there and here of uncertain depth once having driven in for an hour or so the watercourse becomes too narrow for us to turn the car around the walls so wide at first close in along some stretches till the sides are almost scraping the vehicle I get out to help guide us through a particularly hazardous stretch no road simply driving on the creek bed but frances goes on heedless of our separation or the risky way ahead puff in the car with her through the rear window looking back at me receding in the distance gives a couple concerned barks later having walked out I'm waiting back at the room after talking with park rangers pending her call let them know when she gets in touch they tell me so we can try to figure out where she has gone maybe arrange an air rescue but how can that be she has no cell phone there is simply no communication they seem unconcerned it is all the same to them when stupid tourists do crazy things and find themselves in difficulties they have seen it all before we are just the latest couple to get into trouble in the vast stony wilderness...
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