negothick expressed some puzzlement about the structure of the course I'm currently taking at The University, The History of Christianity II: 1000-1900.  I do believe it's at least partially driven by (oh! the horror!) the professor's own interests and strengths.  His specialty is the religious experience (what a modern spiritual advisor might call the " ( Read more... )

As of January 1 I've been managing the 4 guys in our Bangalore group; given the time-zone differences, they mostly support the geographies that the rest of my group supports (everything east of the Rockies), so it made sense.  I've only met them once, though we talk on the phone weekly, so I've been looking for a way to spend some face time with ( Read more... )

A query to the hive-mind: a dear friend is turning 50 shortly, and B&I will be taking her out for a fancy brunch to celebrate.  I'd also like to get her a gift, but something in the memento/low-key line rather than a Statement.  50 of something?  Marbles, golf tees, gumdrops, crayons, state quarters ... I'm coming up dry.  She loves to read, cook ( Read more... )

The temp has broken freezing, the wind has picked up, and sheets of ice are breaking loose from the roof and sliding off thunderously.  I'm on the second floor under the roof and it sounds as though they're only iinches from my head!

The ice pellets fell all day, and overnight they turned into 1/2" of ice sheet.  The small trees across from the front door are bending gracefully under their coats of ice, and I nearly fell on my butt trying to walk to the car.  Yes, the gravel in the courtyard is frozen into place and coated to slickness: slippery gravel without a crunch.  So I ( Read more... )

Snow to the north of us, snow even to the south of us, but here in our little pocket of the Piedmont, the forecast is 100% chance of ice pellets for the next 48 hours.  "Ice pellets" -- ?  I've never seen that one in a forecast before, but it's all too accurate.

I'm scheduled to fly to New Jersey tomorrow for a meeting and just got off the phone ( Read more... )

I've mentioned that over the course of my career I've both attended and taught professional courses.  I'm struck by just how different the process is in those classes versus the classroom I'm sitting in twice weekly at the U.

Looking around this morning, I noticed that

• there's no milling or chat at the start of the session.  Neither are there coffee ( Read more... )

Went to my first class sessions yesterday and today.  (This is a Monday/Wednesday class, but because next Monday is a holiday, all Monday classes had their first session this past Tuesday so that Monday-only classes have a session before 1/26.  If I ran the circus, they'd simply have started the semester on Monday, but what do I know?)

ANYway, the ( Read more... )

So tomorrow I start school again!  I'm signing up as a Community Scholar (non-degree student) at UVa.  We're about 30 miles from campus, so if I choose judiciously I can manage a course a semester, which for enrichment is probably all I can handle anyway.

There are a couple of dozen courses relevant to my interest, but only one that met my criteria ( Read more... )

Next up, family fun -- I have a feeling there was more than this, but this is the only thing I can remember, two months out ...

About halfway between our place and the Big City lies Rural Ridge Farm, which grows a couple hundred varieties of heritage apples, as well as stone fruits (plums, peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines) and other pome ( Read more... )