The View From Kalamazoo

It’s UP!

It’s heading to the printer.
It’s heading to the web.

It’s off my effing desk, and that’s what effing matters!!!

The briefest of updates, as I have been poked soundly via email regarding the aforementioned dearth. It’s lovely to have friends and colleagues that think so highly of my prattle that they nag incessantly gently remind me of my responsibilities. *snort*

• In addition to presider duties for the smashing session on blogging Shana Worthen and I have put together, it appears I’ll be presiding over another blogging session, a general, as well. Whee! I get to leave Registration! (please do not think I exaggerate my excitement, there is a reason I am so dreadfully punchy by Saturday…)

• I’ve been too busy to photograph anything I have finished and put it up in the shop, too busy to glaze this fall (so I have crazy amounts of bisque ware to cope with in January), too busy to spend as much weekend time in the studio as I’d like, and I’m sick of busy. Officially. Next big decision – do I want to keep playing with salt or shift to wood-firing (anagama) for grins and giggles. Oh yes, the survival of nations depends on that massive decision. *eyeroll* (yep, I’m as ‘interesting’ as ever, folks – sometimes no news is good news!) I have commission inquiries looming…production pottery, can I really manage it without losing my blinkin’ mind? Honestly, sets (especially large sets) really bring out the obsessive in me (did I just hear a collective groan from my closest friends? oh yes, they know, they do…like a bloodhound on crack, I am, complete with utterly random panic of the type-A variety). *fret. fret. fret*

• Too. Much. To. Do. At. Work. Seriously, it’s talk me off the ledge time. When I’m not hyperventilating I’m head*desking. That sound Charlie Brown makes when Lucy Van Pelt snatches the football away as he’s about to kick? Auuuugh! Yeah – that sounds like me on a disturbingly regular basis – scary, twitchy, insane secretary.

Add that to the bits I mentioned at the beginning of my last post, put it into your pipe, smoke away. So there. /petulant sneer

Look at the back cover of your Call for Papers. Just do it.

Note our return address and the graphic next to it that we’ve been using for decades. Recognize it? One turn widdershins and you’ll see it….

Yes, Deathly Hallows.

Bwahaha. Hahahaa. Damn, we’re good.
ROFL

Shana and I did get one session:

Weblogs and the Academy: Professional and Community Outreach through Internet Presence
[my contact info)

I haven’t started stalking people yet — volunteers for stalking are always welcome! 😀

You know, it occurred to me that I never posted about the blogging session this year. Bad me.

It was, by design, a mix of different opinions of using blogging (and, in addition, course management software with blogging-like bits since online teaching is growing more common) in teaching and from different levels of experience. This meant that it was a pretty large panel, but it went well, there were many very interesting things discussed, and the idea for next year’s blogging session was one of the topics that threaded through the session.

And so, next year. The thought I had, and tossed at my most excellent co-organizer (the unflappable Shana Worthen), was that this could consist of short presentations with a lot of time for jackjawing and questions (a departure from the roundtable, but without missing the best benefits of the discussion). I need to begin contacting folks – if you have names to suggest or you fit the bill please contact me, I don’t assume to know everything out there and who is doing it (really, even if the retired Director called me Madame Lisa Who Knows All – I don’t. I promise.)

Weblogs and the Academy: Professional and Community Outreach through Internet Presence

The blogger meetup was an enjoyable way to start a morning (seriously, as if I would have anything good to say about the early morning!) and there was so many people that we were scrambling for space. Another hearty Yay – I don’t network with any skill whatsoever, so I really enjoy these relaxed events.

Otherwise – I have a lot to say about the fun of interim years and searches, but I won’t. I would have to take some Tylenol just thinking about it, actually.

I’m considering adding ‘the long suffering’ to my business cards…

So I’m back working in the studio – loading the salt kiln, unloading, bitching about exploding wadding, dremeling out the crap that ended up fused to the glaze in my bowls when wadding went ka-blooey in the too-quickly-brought-up kiln, and then putting the pieces in again. Wash, rinse, repeat. And I call this my ‘sane time’…I’m certifiable, clearly.

Saner still was leaving the madness behind for a near-week and wandering my way down to visit a friend, road trip with her to attend the wedding of another medievalist, visit my sister and fam, and generally attempt relaxing around adults and the random and often amusing discussion that goes with that. Nice change from my regular role as harridan. Good beer, good friends, good conversation, good food…even decent weather through most of it. A thing of beauty to behold. I think eventually my shoulders relaxed despite the many, many hours car-bound. They’re re-knotting, now, but I swear they did relax.

And now…back to the chore of digging-out the desk.

The Big Announcement

Busy. Office nutz. Home nutz (The Grandmother is back in the house), but back in the studio.
Clay good.

I have something to write for Avista. I need to actually post my Congress reflection ramblings (a month late .. yes, I know.) I need to update my online store and put a bunch of mugs and stuff up there. I also need to mow the lawn and do some gardening. HA!

I moved the furniture in my cubicle around. When in doubt, move furniture – I think it’s a gender issue. I’m still organizing, reorganizing, and looking around in amazement at just how much paper I need to stuff in this place. Sheesh. Must begin work on Director’s office…my 1337 organizing skillz in action. BwahahahahaHAHAHA! Poor man….

And so it goes.

More on my week soon, now that the site is back up and limping along. :/

eta: *corrected for staff. yes, that’s a record.

Having a wonderful time, wish you were here.

Wed
May 09
Scattred T-Storms
78°/57°

Thu
May 10
Isolated T-Storms
77°/56°

Fri
May 11
Partly Cloudy
80°/53°

Sat
May 12
Mostly Cloudy
73°/51°

Sun
May 13
Isolated T-Storms
73°/55°