It's Official!

In today's mail I found a brown envelope sporting British stamps and marked "Printed Papers" and "Please do not bend". I couldn't for the life of me imagine what it was--my official membership certificate in the Cloud Appreciation Society! It took only three days to get here!

Rather diminutive in size, it is large on classiness (as you can see from the photo at left). The text reads: "We do hereby certify that Sukie Curtis was elected [!] as a member of this society on 5th June 2009 and will henceforth seek to persuade all who'll listen of the wonder and beauty of clouds."

I am member number 16, 078.

The accompanying new member letter from the Society's founder, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, shows considerable eloquence, wit, and charm.

"Enclosed you will find an official membership badge [smaller than a US Quarter] and a personalised membership certificate. The certificate displays your unique membership number, which should be quoted in all correspondence with the society and should be written on your forehead at any society gatherings.

"We hope that you will wear your badge with pride and display your certificate in a prominent place for all to see. No expense should be spared when it comes to the framing of this certificate.

"We hope that you will visit us at THE CLOUD APPRECIATION SOCIETY website soon. Until then, look up to what Aristophanes called 'the patron goddesses of idle fellows', marvel at their ephemeral beauty, and never foget to live life with your head in the clouds."

Now, don't you want to join, too?

P.S. If you go to the Society's website via the hyperlink above (the one in all caps), it should lead you to the Cloud Photo Gallery. Scroll down a bit until you see a row of small photos. The photo that I took and sent to them last week appears in the left-hand end of the row of recently submitted photos. It is what's called a "summertime halo" or, more scientifically, a circumhorizon arc.