Hello my dear friends. Please forgive my extended absence, but with the madness of finals on the loose, coupled with the general holiday frenzy, I haven't seen a computer in three weeks. It's a miracle I still know how to type.

On my way home for break:

So I decided to get an early start, it was the day after my last finals wrapped up, and I was feeling good. I got up at around 5 AM and, brewed some coffee, ate a bowl of oatmeal, brushed my teeth and was out the door. By 6:10, I was well out of Burlington on I-89. The dry powder from the dumping of snow we all had enjoyed over the past few days was drifting across the highway creating a beautiful milky-way, just feet away in the still pre-dawn twilight.

I was taking it easy, given the conditions, when I heard my tire squawk for traction. Immediately, I took my foot from the accelerator, but it was too late, the car began to spin on a large tract of black ice.

A barrage of multiple choice questions and answers played out in my head as the rest of me tried in vain to control the spin. Finally the car began sliding sideways, and I braced for the inevitable impact.

Luckily, the very same white stuff that caused the tires to loose traction ended up saving my ass. The deep drift of plow shifted and wind strewn dry powdered snow acted as a natural airbag; saving my car from major damage, and my skull from the big old trees only ten feet away from the front of the formally careening car.

Thanks for the luck, Santa. Next year, can I just have a sled instead?