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Rapid Review

The lack of posting the Thursday and Friday resulted in several people writing to me out of concern. I am doing ok. Here is a brief run-down of what had transpired between Wednesday and today:

Thursday... I was the host of our Department's Annual Poster Session. This is a very big event for our Department that displays undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research and is a way in which we try to communicate our efforts for "the greater good" to the larger University Community. It is a way in which we try to merge our research that is published nationally and internationally with our local community of people. Of the several posters my students had, I was pleased with all of their efforts.

Friday... This was the Campus-Wide Honors Program Presentation Day, and I had two students present their research as part of their work in the Honors Program. Both students did wonderfully and their research was well received and well presented. This also marked seven weeks since my beautiful mother passed away.

Saturday... I again went to the inner-urban church (for the first time since my mother's passing) that I spoke of in February instead of my regular parish. It was nice, and I was hoping to feel renewal of my faith. However, while I enjoyed the Mass and the Homily, I did not feel that greater connection I used to experience. I still struggle greatly with faith at this time. I would like to believe again, with the joy and the happiness I once had, but I am not there and I am not sure if I shall be able to get there again.

Sunday... My wife and I cleaned the house stem to stern.

I am a bit on edge because I have to begin jury duty on Tuesday. It is utterly asinine to have Professors be required to serve jury duty during the last 2-3 weeks of the semester. This is the THIRD time our damnable legal system has called me and they put me in the same damn block of time each and every time I am called. It infuriates me. I think jury service is wonderful and appropriate, do not get me wrong, but no matter how I try to explain and try to ask that my service be moved to a month where I do not have active classes... the idiots refuse. So, the next two weeks may be unreasonably difficult.... perhaps tomorrow I shall write about how I try to handle classes while serving on jury duty. It is a nightmare.

PipeTobacco