Is this week over yet?? Will it be over soon??
Today was our teach-in day on campus. This was coordinated primarily by a colleague of mine, and I provided assistance and arranged for a visit from the author of Affluenza (the campus common read), who flew in from Golden, CO. Let's keep in mind that this is an author of a nationally available book / documentary that is anti-consumption. File that tidbit away.
So, his plane is late yesterday and the person I'd arranged to get him from the airport couldn't do it. So I go (Allison in tow) to the airport to pick him up in my 2005 minivan with leather seats and DVD player (found out later he drives an 86 volvo). Then my previously mentioned colleague and I take him out for dinner at a restaurant suggested by Brian, that I'd never been to, where the average price of an entree was $35.
Next add that today's plans were based on picking him up from his hotel in the a.m. for the activities on our campus, dropping him back off at his hotel, and then his speaking engagement for this evening would get him there later. Unfortunately, he had to check out of his hotel before talking on our campus. Scramble to work out alternative plan. Ok. The person who I had planned to co teach with at 10am (teach-in related) sent me a note at 8am that she was thinking of backing out. I had no alternative - I forced her to stick with plan A.
Co-teaching went fine. Noon-lecture went fine (actually a packed hall - awesome). Lunch went fine.
"What would you like to do for the hour between now and when I take you to your next drop-off point?" Reply: 'I'd really like a nap. Do you know where I can take a nap? You said you lived close, could I take a nap there?'
Uh....... Midwest hospitality (or simply never having to deal with someone's request to nap at my house mid-day) takes over and I agree.
Imagine - if you will - being very stressed out about this campus-wide event that you've planned. Imagine - if you will - that you have arranged for this author to fly across the country to give a lecture you are hoping people will come to. You had to go out to dinner the night before. You were up at 6am and working on your computer trying to get last minute crap done. You know what you haven't done ALL WEEK? Yeah - clean!!
To add insult to injury - you are pulling into your driveway and Chemlawn has sprayed your lawn that day. I swear those little picket signs were not there in the morning.
Your garage has not been spring cleansed. You walk through a laundry room, packed with stuff, to a kitchen where school detritus, newspapers, and breakfast bowls are sharing happy space with stamping equipment, markers, and toys. I clean up more when 13 year old babysitters are coming over!! This is an author who writes about the environment and the trappings of having too much stuff!!! Oh the irony.
And so, he lays down on the couch for a short nap (Astro and I go hang out in the sunroom), and then around 3pm (which is when we're supposed to be at the next locale) I let the dog into the kitchen thinking that the clickety-clack on the tile will rouse him from his nap. It does. I'm quizzed on the deeper meaning of a poster that is hanging on our wall solely because (a) it's framed and (b) it's never previously been hung in my grandparent's house.
I drop him off at FVT. I hope the rest of the presentations went well. He seemed like a very nice guy. I can't imagine what he thinks of me.
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