It wasn't until much later in the day yesterday that I heard news. After learning of the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and 7 astronauts and an avalanche west of Calgary that claimed the lives of 7 students. I can now understand why colleagues may not have been able to chat yesterday, and I'm embarassed that it was such a big deal to me at the time.

The tragic deaths of the Columbia crew over Texas and the students from Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School on a field trip near Revelstoke, B.C. certainly add a perspective to my "connection problems" that I didn't have yesterday.

My condolences to the families and friends of those lost in each of these tragedies.