date: Fri Jan 8 14:10:21 1999 from: Keith Briffa subject: Boulder meeting to: jto@ngdc.noaa.gov Alright Peck - I am not surprised if you are a little pissed off , hearing indirectly that I am not coming to the meeting. I am sorry but I was going to let you know when I had decided definitely. Now I have had my mind made up for me because Sarah has just gone down with the dreaded influeza bug that kept me in bed for several days over the festive season. Parental responsibilities will now significantly increase for a while. Please be assured that I was anxious to attend this meeting for science primarily, and for politics slightly , and significantly for social reasons. I was having to waver, though, because of pressure of work. I know you are probably pleased to save the money but I hope you might have expected some useful contribution from me to justify it! Please note that I do not wish to fall out of the loop as regards future meetings and my inability to attend this one in no way reflects any lack of enthusiasm on my part. I am happy that Ed is attending, as his thoughts partly mirror my own on a number of important topics related to the mechanisms and interpretations of palaeoreconstructions. Phil , will no doubt also verbalise some of these ( as well as some that I do not share!). I have only now decided that I can't make the meeting so Phil was characteristically too quick off the mark by communicating this to you. Again accept my appologies and reassure me that I am still on your party list for the future. Keith