I was in a super mood the whole weekend. Sun in Boston, so me, my wife, and a bunch of friends went out to breweries in the sun. A few days prior, I got my Smartish Pace contributor's copy with a poem in it I was pretty proud of (and right next to our own Aaron Poochigian). And on Friday a golf match in the horrid rain that promised to be a very late night was cancelled--got to spend it with my wife and a friend, and while doing so learned I passed the MTEL SEI (Sheltered English Immersion) and MTEL Latin after studying for about 3 months for both. I've already passed so for English and History (and teach English Lit), but this offers me a wide range of freedom now.

All in all a good week.

The project I've been pouring most of my waking hours into lately (Voter's Edge California, a non-partisan and free platform for candidates to present their qualifications and priorities to voters...which also shows where candidates' contributions are coming from, so you can follow the money) has a public service announcement out now, in advance of California's June 5 primary election.

Woohoo! I'm delighted.

I am in the process of retiring from university teaching, selling my house, and moving to Iowa. Today I gave my last exams, and soon I will be turning in my grades and clearing out my office (and home in Minnesota). Though I have mixed feelings about stopping teaching and leaving behind my friends of thirty years, I am excited to have more time ahead of me for writing, translating, and actually living with my long-term companion. He and I have been together for over fifty years now, but have actually lived in the same place for roughly half that time. I have had some splendid retirement parties, and tomorrow I will get to hear one of my poems set to music and played by the university orchestra. It is delightful and stressful at the same time, but I am ready for the next step. With luck, I will be able to participate more regularly on Eratosphere once some of these current distractions are in the past.

Susan

More lovely news from you, friends; it's so delightful to hear it all.

Susan... teaching is wonderful, but retirement is even better, trust me! Good luck with the move, and being with your man. (We all met in Cambridge a few years back but I've forgotten his name, sorry.)

My youngest child is having her first baby in three weeks' time, and I'm getting very excited, especially as she and her husband have opted not to know the sex of the baby.
Maybe my next post here will be to say, "It's a boy!"
Maybe my next post here will be to say, "It's a girl!"

Jayne

What a nice collection of great news! Congratulations all, mazel tov!

Cheers,
John

Jayne, try to break it to them gently that they will have to know sooner or later.

Best wishes, Susan.

Julie: "The project I've been pouring most of my waking hours into lately... Woohoo! I'm delighted."

Beautiful work, Julie.
Now I know better why you took exception to us exasperated spherians threatening to leave the country because we “give up”.
The ad is nice and crisp -- retro looking -- and strikes at the viewers conscience quite well. I only wish we could find a way to flood the market with these consumer- oriented educational spots that made enough people wake up, sit up, stand up and pay attention -- and vote.
x

So we have members who are entering and members who are leaving their academic careers. Sweet, congrats to you all. The depth and variety of learning is wonderful around here.

Congrats, Jayne! Speaking of the circle of life…

Julie – non-partisan civic engagement. Hmmmm. There must be a less homely name for such a beautiful thing.

Bank ''Holly'' Day euphoria!

Today is a UK Bank Holiday, and my husband and I have spent it felling a 20ft+ holly tree. Chainsaw, harness, ladder, ropes... damned hard work in very hot temperatures!

The tree has been a bone of contention for many years, as it was on the border of our property but actually belonged to our neighbours. It has been ailing for a long time, depositing much detritus on both sides of the fence. It needed to go!!!!!

The previous neighbours, who ignored the problem, have recently moved Down Under (I would have actually preferred them to buy a house on The Moon, but New Zealand will suffice!) and the new owners are lovely, reasonable people who were amenable to the tree's removal; they were also getting all the detritus from it.

I've waited a long time for this. I love trees, and we have many, but a sick tree causes a lot of problems. I can see a whole new patch of blue sky from my kitchen window -- and I've celebrated today's [exhausting] activity with a bottle of fizz. Cheers!!!

We still have to log all the wood, and deal with the removal of all the foliage, but once it's seasoned we shall enjoy many a winter with a lovely fire!

Happy HOLLY day indeed! :D