Tonight I received the Best in the Northwest Presentation Award from my professional organization! I received the highest score of all the presentations at this conference out of about 35.
I get a free all-expense paid trip to present at the national conference in Austin, Texas, a place I have always wanted to visit! And I get to represent all of the Northwest region.
I am overjoyed, humbled and blessed.
Beaming.
I just completed my second presentation at my professional conference. After my presentation (on educational/restorative sanctions for student conduct), a Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs (upper-level administrators) from another college approached me to ask if I would come to their campus and train their conduct officers and peer judicial boards… for compensation, too!
WOW. To be asked to do that at my age in higher education is a huge honor and one I of course enthusiastically accepted!
Professional success is the best natural high!
p.s. I also packed the room for my presentation and was recommended by 90% for Best Conference Presentation award, according to the evaluation results! Wow!
Parc du Champ Mars
Paris at dusk, January 2010
Ryen, you’re the best. Thank you for the card! The Weeks o’ Stress is almost over … just need to make it to Tuesday.
Anonymous asked: If you had 24 hours to live, what would you do?
Sh*t, I knew it. This cold is going to be the death of me. I’m a little pissed I didn’t get to see how LOST ended but whatever.
Seriously, though…
I would grab Nicholai and my sister Aly and jump on a plane. I am torn between going someplace I know and love (Scotland) or someplace new that I always wanted to see (Chile). Regardless, we would go somewhere. I would take lots of pictures. I would call those important to me and tell them how much I cherished them. I would write my will on a paper napkin at lunch. I would play the piano and sing at a karaoke bar. I would spend the evening talking and laughing with my partner and sister at a low-key Mexican restaurant, eating beans and rice and drinking Diet Pepsi. Finally, I would spend the last hour of my life hiking someplace beautiful, perhaps to a quiet beach or hill overlooking a valley, and say goodbye.
I want to die like I live, a tourist of life.
So this weekend I am going to a four-day professional conference and I am doing two presentations. Preparing for this conference is the most stressed I have been since grad school! But once it is over, I will relax by doing the following thing:
My mom’s text about LOST at 10 pm last night…. Palm/face.
A few weeks ago I was silly and accepted a dinner party offer for tonight (Tuesday, Feb. 2). Of course tonight is LOST premiere night, what was I thinking?
The hostess just sent me a message - she is sick and dinner is canceled.
You’re all mine now LOST.
favorite food lately
yogurt + honey + granola + dried cranberries + raspberries = heaven
Added to my grocery list.
