I'm baaack!

Refreshed by a week in the woods with 100 of my closest relatives, I return with a new, positive outlook on life. Having had the opportunity to share horror stories with siblings and cousins at other academic institutions, I have a renewed sense of how fortunate I am to be at a relatively well-managed, highly respected institution. The college is in no danger of shutting down; my president isn't embezzling money; my relationships with my colleagues and students are basically healthy. We've got an exciting new public policy program that should strengthen links between our campus and D.C. Each new class of students is smarter and more accomplished than the previous year's class. I'm paid less than I'm worth, but more than I deserve.

My town is kind of two-horsey, but it's got a lot of things going for it. The new pizza-sub shop that I complained about a month or so ago, for example, turns out to be excellent. Genuine New Jersey pizza, stromboli, calzoni, etc. - they deliver, but it takes me only 5 minutes to walk there from my house. Also, the other night I went to the renovated downtown theater (7 minutes from my house) to see 2001: A Space Odyssey on the big screen, quaffing down beers and mixed drinks during the show. It's the little things that matter, you know.

And Gettysburg is not as laughable a little town as many in this vast land of ours. The newspaper in Staunton, Virginia, for example, publishes verbatim every health inspector report on the town restaurants. I now know, for example, that one restaurant was cited for storing raw scallops above raw tomatoes in its refrigerator (it's supposed to be the other way 'round, you doofuses!) and the hot dog stand was storing its condiments at an excessively high temperature. I'm guessing Staunton residents (at least those who subscribe to the News Leader) don't eat out much.

So I launch myself into the new academic year with a spring in my step, a smile on my face. My colleagues will call me Mr. Congeniality. My students, Mr. Cuddles.

Oh, and that anti-Appalachian joke I posted previously? Bad form. I apologize.