Some Things I've Done Since Last I Blogged...

Not in chronological order:

Read aloud half of some 1350 names at the CCSU Undergraduate Commencement at the XL Center in Hartford, CT

Read aloud half of some 300 names at the CCSU Graduate Commencement at Welte Hall in New Britain, CT

Wished there were more opportunities to wear academic regalia

Watched my younger daughter come in 4th in the New Britain District-Wide Spelling Bee (4th grade division)

Had lunch with and heard three entertaining talks by Merlin Mann (just Google him)

Watched two Bing Crosby movies, The Emperor Waltz (wittily written and well directed) and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (so-so), while on furlough

Attended my older daughter's school Spring concert (...her fellow singers need to remember that they are performers by whom people want to be entertained)

Watched way too many commercials for Land of the Lost

Pondered why people go see Will Ferrell movies

Helped my older daughter practice her 8th grade oration -- on the importance of arts education

Went to my daughters' dance recital but left as soon as they both were finished (at the 3 1/2 hour mark!)

Orchestrated the first-ever CCSU contingent to march in tomorrow night's New Britain Memorial Day Parade (note the traditional date!) by asking folks to march and collecting a variety of things to pass out to the crowd (foam fingers, frisbees, t-shirts, ice scrapers, pens...) Some of us are wearing academic regalia!

Wrote the 2008-2009 English Department annual report

Been puzzled by why anyone watches any more than the final 3 minutes (i.e., last half hour) of an NBA playoff game


Went to a great NB Rockcats baseball game/birthday party for my favorite young man under the age of 9

Celebrated my younger daughter's 10th birthday (best gift IMHO: a Tintin activity book; best gift IHHO: iPod Shuffle)

Went to the CCSU-AAUP Day at the NB Rockcats game with my younger daughter and her gentleman caller but left in the 4th inning because it was cold and rainy!

Celebrated my 21st wedding anniversary

Missed my last three tap classes (most recently because I spent 50 minutes on an exit ramp due to a multi-car accident at the base of the ramp)

Watched my older daughter win the district-wide New Britain Spelling Bee (8th-grade division), becoming the first student to ever win five in a row.

Began helping my younger daughter with her science fair project: growing a geode of copper sulfate pentahydrate (thanks, Barry!)

Cursed my temperamental laptop

Cut my lawn six times

Hosted my weekly radio show five times

Shopped unsuccessfully for a 21st wedding anniversary gift

Saw my older daughter perform twice in the Newington Children's Theatre production of The Hundred Dresses (good play, well done)

Saw two excellent CCSU productions: Waiting for Lefty and a new play Still Waiting by my colleague Josh Perlstein

Saw 42nd Street at the Goodspeed Opera House

Bought new tap shoes

Promised myself I'd start blogging regularly again