Luscious went out with a turkey in the 10th frame last night (but I still won).
:-)
They were on their 4th game, and I on my second. I think it's a good strategy as my measly 125 isn't anywhere in the range of our budding pros. Linus, meanwhile, took down a few strikes in only his second attempt. Impressive!
the night I miss bowling Luscious sets a record! (Someone else did really well one day when I was gone and I don't think it's been repeated since. Are we talking bad omen or what?!)
If you missed the UMass Communication Department soiree at NCA, you missed some good chow! Dr. Westoutdid herself. (I know I'll be coming back for more next year, and the one after, and the next...!)
There were loads of job applicants, some potential grad applicants, and a decent number of current and former students. It was nice to meet Nessem in person, after seeing his name pop up on the department listserv once in awhile. There were students there from every current cohort, I think, and several of the cohorts ahead of 'mine' (2001).
Personally, I got to at least say hi, if not more, to Saila, Melissa, Michelle, Carmen, Viera, Jon, George (Zixu), Han, Haijing, Joanna, Lori, Razvan, Denise, Jung Yup, Niall, David, Elena, and Liliya.
Nessem, Ekra, and other previous grads where there too...along with a fair number of faculty: Michael, Carolyn, Leda, Lisa, Emily, Jarice, and Donal.
If I forgot ya, lemme know. :-O For the juicy stuff ...
VSEI (Volunteers for Service to Education in India), Amherst Chapter, has organized “Sargam”, an evening of Indian Classical Music and Dance on 20th November 2005 at the UMass Amherst Campus Center Auditorium. Artists from the Western Massachusetts area, including students and faculty from the 5 Colleges, will showcase various Indian Classical performances.
The event is a fundraiser to help support education related projects in India. A part of the proceeds from this event will also be forwarded to support earthquake relief efforts in India and Pakistan. More info: the artists and logistics.
There might have been more than usual at the lesbian potluck last night ... I know potlucks have been around forever and used by all kinds of groups, but I learned of them only through lesbian community, so you'll forgive me if I characterize the event according to 'my culture', eh? :-) Let's see, there was the unfortunate, nonattendee who still does not know that they were once gypped out of a chocolate drop dessert ... some critique of faculty (gasp!) and department politics (horrors!) ... and a few compliments (reserved mostly for esteemed colleagues).
I'm making pretty good progress with "the weblog hustle" - everyone keeps signing those consent forms (with varying degrees of permission), except for the dude from English and someone's significant other. What do I make of it when people just opt out by refusing even to sign the dang thing? I think it's an indeterminate zone (such as I've been operating in all along) and leaves me completely at my own discretion (since one of the options is never authorizing me to post under any conditions). No ban sets me loose, don'tcha think? ;-)
Much of the time we talked about our students.
Disproving rumors that I might disappear after having dinner (compliments to the chef!) in the inner sanctum of Chi Omega, please note that I escaped intact! Really, there was no threat, only me facing a wee bit of my own historical (as in, when I was in college, back in the day) "outsidership". Actually, some of my stereotypes were dispelled...I was impressed by the young women I met tonight, who were ambitious and friendly. :-) Elaine and several other students were honored for thier academic accomplishments. We spoke of many things, including class (!), foreign travel, television (I think the chef's tv reviews are publishable, and you almost convinced me to watch Nip/Tuck, which they argued actually works to convince viewers NOT to go in for plastic surgery), and work.
I'm really glad I was able to be there. :-)
Oh yes, I spent time in another dimension today. First, there was the "arrival" which extended 45 minutes from bus station to doorstep. Then there was chat, coffee, a lost wallet. Calls to the library. The police. Aha! The wallet, there all along! ;-) A car-cleaning. A meandering drive to the Asian Market for lunch. Pre-determined safety zone for clearance through airport security checks - 1:30. After consultation with the map (yikes!), discussion of at least three alternative routes, the addition of a navigator, and an anecdote about getting lost in Boston (I'm calm!): at 1:52, we pull out of the parking spot into a stall zone behind a driver camped out waiting for ... something. My blood pressure to burst a geyser? Nah, I wasn't really stressed, but was it good for conversation or what?!!! Which way are we going? Where are we? Did we miss the airport sign?
I lost a sweet pair of needlenose pliers through security. Plumb forgot I had 'em in the backpack. Had my eye on a "hard hat area" construction sign but couldn't bring myself to the actual act of theft. Could have mailed them to myself for $8 - probably less than it will cost to replace them? - but would have had to exit and re-enter through security all over again . . . such are the trials of travel. According to my good buddy, airline travel ought always be accompanied by the stress they'll taxi down the runway without ya. Memory flash: Took on the tarmac!
