The new semester is almost underway, but before we can begin we have to get the last one closed out. In the Fall the BEST project ran right up to the last day of finals, and after a full court press that lasted three days straight, we hauled everything out of the coliseum and back to Dudley Hall in the freezing cold rain. The students were real troopers, but pretty much at the end of their tether. Saturday night ended with basically jamming everything that would fit into the studio and filling the shop courtyard with lumber. So this semester starts with clean up: first with the studio after 24 hours is pretty much done (and reorganized around “better studio practices” to boot!). The shop courtyard clean up has begun, but still has quite a way to go. We have been assured that it will be done by the end of the weekend, which is great, because I think the Rural Studio folks are chomping at the bit to come get everything that might be of use. Let’s hope so, because the first REAL project of the semester starts tomorrow, ready or not. Just for the record, Ana and I are ready.