A new semester has begun, and we are slowly sinking into our new schedules in Chapel Hill. Shuwen has a busy teaching schedule this fall, with TA duties and responsibility for the math module for incoming HPAA doctoral students. She is also learning how to present material to students with fancy STATA-software generated graphs. Marc's lectures are already 2/3 finished, though he will continue to participate (as an observer) in the Environmental Priorities course of which he is a part.

Mom and Dad from Chicago will be arriving on Friday morning, to spend the Labor Day weekend in the North Carolina heat. It has been a record August for heat here, and unusually dry, owing to a high pressure system that is parked over the Carolinas instead of its usual place in the Atlantic. The lush vegetation in this area has suffered tremendously, to the point that the running and hiking trails are covered with brown leaves from the suffering trees. The farmers market continues to try its best, but there are clearly fewer late fall vegetables this year than in the past, and the state's corn crop has apparently been devastated.

With all of this, OWASA (our local water utility) has imposed tighter restictions on water consumption, including strict limits on spray (sprinkler) irrigation. Imagine how appalled we were to see that one of the sorority houses near campus was irrigating its sidewalk in the middle day - clearly not allowed - on Friday! Shuwen mustered up the courage to go up to the door and inform the inhabitants of their violation, and got the response: "That's so crazy!" from the sorority girl who stood in the parking lot of the house. It is amazing to us how disconnected people are from the environmental realities surrounding them. We are both certainly guilty in our reliance on air conditioning, but we do try to stay informed of how things are going outside.

For Marc, it has been a tough month for running. In early August, he was very tired, and had to really ease up on training in the couple of weeks following the trip to Chicago, but things are more or less back to normal now. He's running more than ever before (roughly 70-80 miles/week), trying to get ready for the marathon in New York in early November. He has also found a good group to train with, part of the new Carrboro Athletics Club project associated with New Balance and Fleet Feet - Carrboro. Brent is another good marathoner, who is aiming to improve on his marathon debut from last spring in Chicago this fall (2:31 on a hilly course in Nashville). If the heat breaks later this week as predicted, everyone who does outdoor exercise will be very happy, and it may no longer be necessary to get out for a long run at 6 am on Sunday morning. What ever happened to sleeping in?

There are of course other things going on: academic and research projects, meals with friends. We will report back soon!