Paul Pinet   So many things have happened recently. I've completed my first year as chair of the department and am slowly learning the ropes, trying to continue the able leadership of the recent past provided by Bruce and before him by Art. The anchor pin, of course, is Dyann. Without her continued guidance, hard work, and experience -- the real "nuts and bolts" of the operation -- the department would implode overnight. So I'm doing my best not to interfere with all of this forward momentum. Recently, we as a department began digging deeply into our curriculum for both the geology and environmental concentrations, looking critically at all aspects of our academic and research programs. Our intent is not only to improve their quality, but also to integrate the parts into a more coherent whole. An outside review committee was on campus last this fall and helped us assess our strengths and weaknesses. During my year-long absence, Connie has agreed to be chair, and I'm grateful for her selflessness to take this responsibility on. On a personal note, I did manage this summer to get away with Marita for 12 days on our sailboat (a sloop-rigged, gaff-headed catboat), cruising the waters of Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. Oh, the good life! This past spring and summer, I worked hard on the second edition of my oceanography book while also continuing to write chapters for my book on "wilderness ethics." The latter project has been a four-year-long on-and-off project that I expect (hope) will be done by the end of Falll 99. At the moment, I'm in Manchester, England, directing Colgate's study group at that site. My teaching responsibility is to explore with the Colgate students how technology has influenced and continues to shape our ethical bearing and views of humans and nature. For me, this is a challenging, valuable experience, as the students and I try hard to unpack the complexity of this important issue. Next spring (Spring 2000), I'm on sabbatical, and will be working on my wilderness ethics book, writing papers on erosional patterns along Lake Ontario with Charlie, and writing some essays on science and the natural world. I really look forward to immersing myself in all of this.