Finals Time

It has been very damp and rainy here for the past couple of weeks, but a week ago I caught the "Quad" at the university on a sunny day. Finally it is warm enough for students and faculty to sit outside and enjoy nice weather between classes. This week is finals, with commencement on May 12-13. Since I'm teaching part-time now, I don't have/get to go to commencement.

Last Friday the student newspaper staff held its end of year picnic at our house. The plan had been to barbecue in the back yard, but a week of rain and persistent drizzle took us to Plan B, which involved cooking under our neighbor's carport and somehow squeezing 17 eager young people onto the front porch and into the living room for some light-hearted awards and the passing of the silver mug from last year's editor to next. Here Adam is smiling because he has just passed the cup on to Paul. The toy air gun is not part of the editor's official equipment, but something that the last 4 editors have passed along. That wacky tradition started when we had a budget funding crisis about 4 years ago. The silver cup was started in 1991 and it still has room for a few more names on it before it will have to be retired.

Speaking of retirement, it looks like I'll still be the adviser of this group in 2007-08. Rumors of my "total" retirement have been laid to rest, but I stand firm about not teaching in the fall. The Elderhostel catalog came today and there are some really neat trips and excursions coming up! First, of course, I have to grade the 15 final papers that were turned in today by my feature writing students, and get their grades posted. Back to work.