How wonderful it would be to be young again.  So full of energy, ignorance, folly, and certainty.   To be again that arrogant, opinionated, save-the-world hero.  To go boldly where none have gone before; and to brave the elements for the joy of existence.  To protest at Syncrude and try to stop the world in its tracks with one bold action.  Maybe to die a young martyr for a noble cause, or at least a few ducks. 

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The only good reason to go to a conference is to catch up on lost snoozing and delayed naps.  I confess that no matter the time of day, as soon as the lights dim in a conference room, my eyes shut and I lapse into blissful somnolence.

I am convinced that I do not sleep too deeply to hear the presentations and judge their merit.  I know I am able to write about them afterwards.  Although the end result may be fiction rather than fact. 

No matter.  Another opportunity to sit back and drift off is coming up.  I refer to the conference in October in Vail, namely the resuscitated Tailings and Mine Waste ‘08. 

The secret to intelligent conference attendance is to prepare.  Read the summaries before-hand.  Absorb the abstracts.  And if they produce proceedings—a rare event these days–scan the introduction and conclusions of the papers. 

To help you prepare for Tailings and Mine Waste ‘08 I have written a review of the program.  It is easily accessible at this link.   Take a look and it might persuade you to register and come and enjoy the fall air of the Colorado Rockies.