Fuuuck, is it 2011 already?

I believe I was in third grade when I learned that during the winter months the Earth is actually closer to the sun.  My teacher used a magnifying glass to explain just why that made sense.  Miss Zimmerman was miles away when I learned that it was because the Earth tilts on its axis, so I never got to have one of these moments, but nevertheless it was one of those mind-expanding moments for me that made me enjoy school to an extent, even if most of the time I was there I was sneaking a book under my desk and falling woefully behind on my work.

Last night I learned that the date at which the Earth begins to move further away from the Sun in the course of its orbit is called perihelion, and that at the time of this writing, we have been moving away from our star for 26 hours.  Next year, perihelion will be on the 5th of January.  At the next leap year, it'll be on the 2nd.

Gaia has been around a great while longer than the Gregorian calendar, and She'll orbit as She damn well pleases, thank you very much.

This is what has been on my mind as I consider the decade that I'm calling the 20-'aughts.

In a few words, it kicked my ass and introduced me to some great people.

I'd like to try and find terms of truce with this new one.