It's not a decision I have to make soon. I have to wait for them to gather all the surveys and tally them and then decide who will get an offer to retire or separate. Then they will send out packages to those they select and they will have some length of time to decide whether or not to go. The ironic thing is that the departure date will be prior to the next fiscal year which means those who are going will have to survive one more year end push.

Wakana called tonight. Her project is complete! What a job. She had to cut her master's thesis down by 2/3. But she sounded quite happy with the end result.

The annual Micronesian Fair is going on this weekend. I've been hearing about it for some time but didn't know what to expect. The Seafarers are helping out by staffing one of the beer tents. This afternoon we put the beer booths together and started selling. Very slow. Tomorrow we will meet at the canoe and spend the next two days at the fair selling beer.

The fair is nothing like what I expected. It is in Skinner Plaza which is a park acros Marine Drive from the Chamorro Village. There are two rows of canopies with people selling out of both sides. At one end of the rows is a small covered stage. At the other end of the plaza is Plaza del Espanol and the Pivoting Pope.

The booths at first glance seemed to be just another row of carnival type games and cheap junk for sale. But down at the far end I found Mr. Lujan, Master Blacksmith. He is a little old man with a cane seated behind a table covered with items he has made: machetes, adzes, coconut scrapers, fish spears, and swords. They are very expensive and very beutiful in their simplicity.

Around the back side was a pair of booths featuring shell carvers. They make lovely jewelry from large pieces of shell. The giant clam is found in these waters tand the shell is very thick. One guy showed me a sling stone made from the hinge piece of a giant clam. It was about 4 inches long and two inches wide curving to a point on each end and smooth as a baby's... uh, cheek.

Farther down is a master weaver. His assistant is a heavily tattooed young man. Unlike modern kids though these are traditional Chamorro tattoos. Each one has meaning and power.

So that's where I'll be this weekend. I hope you all have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend.