Celebrating on the Saugatuck...Didn't Get Everyone, but It Captures the Committee Members from the Last Year That I Lived with Online

I will go to my grave saying this with my hand over my heart, "Serving on Rank & Tenure is humbling, hard, full of integrity, rewarding, and eye-opening. It's made me grayer, yes, but also a better human being. It is the best service I've done as a member of the higher education community."

And that's all I want to say about that. 

My 3rd year comes this Fall, and my 3-year term will be complete in 2022. Phew. I ended up on the committee because GSEAP needed a member, and no one, I mean NO ONE, would do it. As Faculty Chair, it was my job to recruit. I tried. I lost. I sacrificed myself when I couldn't find anyone. And I'm glad I did. Serving on the committee is a great window into the excellence and integrity of other departments on campus. It is amazing to see what so many others do, accomplish, offer, and share. It keeps me honest. 

We ate at Arezzo's on the Saugatuck River in Westport, all vaccinated, and the first time face-to-face without a screen in front of us and piles of papers to our side. It was mostly Italian, but we all go seafood and, to be honest, the best part was the lemon sorbet at the end. It was super hot and humid, even with a breeze and umbrellas on the water. I love how a couple of days of heat turned into a week...every time you look at the Weather, the wave seems to extend. We're 20 degrees over normal June temperatures. 

I also ran to New Haven to pick up more books for the summer teacher institute. It's weeks away and I'm getting anxious about having a fantastic time (albeit it online...which I really wish it wasn't). 

The Joseph Bruchac show aired, and today is one for haircuts, planning, and opening the UNLV Research and Teaching Young Adult Literature Summit. I'm looking forward to meeting new people, and working with authors I've yet to high-five with. 

And I had the sea bass. It was alright...but sometimes I think restaurants charge crazy lunch prices simply because of where they are and what they claim to stand for. It tasted like fish with potato wedgies. Nothing fancy. A light lunch. 

But that lemon ice sorbet. Boom. I would have been fine with six or seven of those. So refreshing.