Paroxysmal State of Affairs

In doing some Environmental Geology work in the GIS lab today, I discovered a scale for ranking the magnitude of volcanic eruptions (the VEI - Volcanic Explosivity Index):

0 Non-explosive........................daily [ex. Kilauea]
1 Gentle........................................daily
2 Explosive..............................weekly
3 Severe......................................yearly
4 Cataclysmic.................10's of years
5 Paroxysmal...............100's of years [ex. St. Helens]
6 Colossal......................100's of years [ex. Krakatau]
7 Super-colossal.......1,000's of years
8 Mega-colossal....10,000's of years [ex. Yellowstone]

I decided that the descriptors of the scale would be an interesting way to quantify miscellaneous events that I'm observing. For example, I would say the current situation involving the schoolwork and other tasks I must complete by graduation (May 27th) is of Paroxysmal magnitude. The daunting list reclines smugly, watching me flounder, my anxiety a flowing tide when I fail to walk in awareness. Often the list takes the shape of a black anvil hovering above, waiting for a chance to fall. For the sake of fun [or not], I have prepared a list of the said tasks:

• old Geo worksheets (Floods, Landslides, Landslide article Q's, Coastal Hazards) DONE 4/18
• study for Geo Final DONE 4/18
• Native American history paper (>10 pgs.?)
• study for N.A. history Final DONE 4/18
• make more ceramics (finish phoenix sculpture, 3 teacups for Jenna's set, etc.) DONE 4/17
• Ceramics art/healing presentation DONE 4/6
• Internship log & journal DONE 5/25
• Photography portfolio (print pics, write captions/statement) DONE 4/7
• Photography Landscape assignment DONE 4/7
• Centers Project final evaluation DONE 5/23
• Cultural Ecology paper (Phoenicians >10 pgs.)
• Cult. Ecology final essays from Fall
• May class (Urban History) DONE 5/26
• Capstone (reading/planning, Spring Break research, paper, presentation)
• work for Dorothy (letter to students, EcoLeague stuff, announcements) VOID
• organize/sort everything in room VOID
• pack everything (for KS, for Ashland, for NOLA) DONE 5/30
• have yard sale for NOLA trip fundraiser POSTPONED
• organize Post-Apocalyptic Puppet Church Funk of the Century (advertising, decorating, setup, cleanup) VOID
• Parsonage application due May 3rd for June NOLA trip VOID
• select & buy digital camera DONE 4/18
• final updates to KTW website, brochure copies

Despite the seeming impending doom, do not be frightened -- the anvil will never drop. The work that needs to get done always manages to do itself in the end!