Funny - thanks Tiger....

Some more woo woo....

Woweee...check out this video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

Ahhhh SETC...

I'm sitting in the airport waiting to fly home from Chattanooga and SETC. I have been gone since Tuesday. It snowed while we were there. I saw lots of old friends, went to a sh*tload of meetings, presented papers, panels, drank, ate, slept...no wait, I didn't do much of that.

My colleagues and I were talking about, as K put it, "I would have hocked something to make it to SETC!" Our students went for the first time and only because the school paid for the van and drove them there. Hard to believe. I wonder if young students aren't so used to being handed everything that they don't know how to think about solving their own problems (employment, education, etc.). I just remember piling into a car with four to five people I didn't know or even like very much to get to SETC, then pile into bed with at least 3 other people (if you were lucky enough to get the bed and not the floor or tub) to sleep for a couple of minutes so you could get up to audition, attend workshops, and meet people. I was very self-directed and remember thinking at the time, that I wasn't self-directed enough. No child left behind....

Thank all the gods and goddesses that it's our spring break this coming week. I'm sleeping Monday, then doing taxes and travel claims on Tuesday and Wednesday, then riding the train to DC with Jacob and our friend to show Jacob "our nation's capital." Looking forward to that, although I can't really think about it right now.

My life on the weekend....

Even more vaginas....

So we made $4000 for the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse and 6 of us are off to New Orleans in April to Eve Ensler's VDay to the 10th celebration. Fabulous! We're off to New Orleans because the president liked it so much he gave us money to go. I gotta say, it's been a really long time since I've been onstage and experienced a crowd like that. Everyone had such fun and the air was just buzzing. I was smug for a week. Take that...Dubyah (those in TN will know what I mean).

Oh and...yeah....I told you so....Dubyah!

tee hee

Oh and...yeah...on a whole different subject...to the dean... regarding one of my former colleagues...I really did tell you so....backed the way wrong horse didn't you? pthttttttt....


not that I'm bitter....

Vaginas....

Yes, I am doing The Vagina Monologues for the first time ever at FMU, but the fifth time for me. I cast half faculty, half students. The experience so far has been wonderful! In fact, today at lunch, the president asked me how the play was going. I said, "very well." He said, "let me know how I can help you." Sigh... He has been very supportive. The FMU Foundation found us a sponsor even. Morgan/Stanley gave us money to hold a fancy ticketed reception in order to make more money for the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse. Pinch me....

Link to the student newspaper article:http://media.www.patriotnewsonline.com/media/storage/paper1198/news/2008/01/08/News/Students.Faculty.To.Perform.Acclaimed.Play-3146869.shtml

Happy Holidays!!!!

Well, it's 80 degrees here in South CackyLacky. Can you believe it? Still no rain, so no paddling. We're heading to MO this weekend for the holidays. I hope to see some Tennesseans on my way. Had a GREAT first semester. I'm so happy to be here. (I just posted grades and am glad it's over, can you tell?)

Jacob has had his share of holiday orchestra concerts. Then last weekend we went to a music party. He played fiddle until midnight, then got bored. I lasted until 2am. Fun fun.

Hope you all have a great holiday season. Hope to see most of you. More blogging next semester.

Some woo woo...

This really resonated with me this morning. My additions are in ().


If a (wo)man thinks that his (her) happiness is due to external causes and his (her) possessions, it is reasonable to conclude that his (her) happiness must increase with the increase of possessions and diminish in proportion to their diminution. Therefore, if (s/)he is devoid of possessions, his (her) happiness should be nil. What is the real experience of (wo)man? Does it conform to this view? No. -- Sri Ramana Maharshi

reception at the presidents house

Yesterday, the AAUP (American Assoc of Univ Professors) was invited to a reception at the president's house. The AAUP is sort of a policing organization to support university professors and make sure they are treated fairly and allowed academic freedom by their administrations. The house is an old plantation home, absolutely gorgeous. Just goes to show you that he (Fred, the pres) knows where his "bread is buttered" so to speak. Last year, he won the highest award given by the AAUP. This is such a weird and wonderful place, one where the administration respects the faculty.

I have also been asked to sing at the annual Pee Dee Fiction and Poetry Festival: http://alpha1.fmarion.edu/~pdfiction I am singing and doing a presentation about Appalachian folk music. Jacob is going to play fiddle with me. I am playing after Sharon McCrumb's keynote (mystery writer who sets many of her novels in Appalachia). Cool huh? I'll remember you little people....

RAIN RAIN YiPPEEEEE

Finally some rain! It is humid as all of hell, but who cares. My little grass seedlings are up and about 3 1/2 inches high. I hope by tomorrow I'm knee deep in new grass! I am so tired of/opposed to watering. Not enough rain forcast to fill up the rivers. I may be finished paddling before I even got started here in SC. Spring will come...

I made friends with some boys at an antique store. Have a cool new wool rug from India and a really funky shelf at much reduced prices. You know me and certain types of boys... It's why I'm single probably... See picture of the rug and den.