Due to a tip from Penguin Ducky, I spent the morning making rawhide drums with the Native American Student Association, which involved scraping hair and membranes off of pre-soaked hides, stretching them over frames, punching holes and lacing. Definitely gave me a new perspective on my own skin. The guy teaching the class is big into the primitive side of things, looking to master skills from pre-Columbian America - drums, hunting with longbows, building a longhouse, starting fires with sticks, the whole gamut. He took a really respectful approach to the whole process... it was a 180 from the profe dinner on Wednesday, with two very culturally savvy types. They look to the future, he looks to the past, and I think both parties are on to something.
Either way, with this and the airplane building, it's nice to do some tangible work, as opposed to the more scholastically ethereal (papers, blogging).
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