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Since I'm done with all of the work for my Master's degree, I can get back to the very serious business of inane blogging and posting silly pictures on teh Internets. Like this one, of me sitting in the office working on my last paper. It's chilly in the house, yo!  This week is going to fly by, too. Here's the lineup: Monday: class from 4-7; El Azteco with my classmates afterwards. I suspect there'll be a chimichanga, some chips and salsa, some sangria, some fried ice cream, and later some diarrhea. Tuesday: Holy Day of Obligation; and a reception at Cowles House where I get to meet and greet with President Simon. (The reception is unrelated to the obligation...) Wednesday: anybody want to go to lunch? Thursday: drinks at The Post starting at 4:00pm. Ellison is coming over that night, too. Friday: my parents arrive sometime, the College of Education has a reception starting at 3:30, then there's a ceremony in the Kiva, then the University one at the Breslin at 7:00pm. Saturday: coffee with Drew; maybe getting the Christmas tree in the morning; dinner with the fam to celebrate in the evening. I think there are a couple of other things in there that I can't think of right now. Also, I joined the MSU Alumni Association this weekend. And I got a special blessing at Mass this morning and a St. John's coffee mug with a big block S and "ALUMNI" on one side. Crazy!
So this morning I successfully defended my portfolio for my Master's degree program. It was a little strange, and possibly a little anti-climatic, especially given the drama of the 72 hours leading up to the defense itself (if you don't already know, don't worry about it, all's well that ends well). I was scheduled this morning at 9:15-9:45am. I arrived around 8:50am and the small conference room was empty. Dr. Davis, Dr. Fairweather, and Dr. Weiland were the faculty members who were set to grill me within inches of my professional graduate school career--or so I thought that's what they were there to do. I mean, it's called a "defense," right? Everything went really well. I like all three of them, and I've been working with Dr. Weiland on my independent study stuff now since the summer, meeting on a weekly basis, so he's pretty familiar with me and he and I have a good rapport. I had Dr. Davis for two classes in the Spring and she likes me, so that was good. And Dr. Fairweather is my adviser and he and I have had some good conversations over the span of my program, so that was fine, too. A very receptive crowd who were all interested in having me succeed. Not a tough audience. Although they did ask some interesting questions at the end. I was given 20 minutes to talk about what I've learned, how I've progressed, offer some reflections, demonstrate personal growth, etc. and then they were supposed to have 10 minutes to ask me questions at the end. I went a little long on my overview part, but it was intermixed with questions and comments from them, so I assumed it was just mushing together into one big thing. Not so! Marylee told me I needed to wrap things up! Sweet! It went by so fast! I still have so much to say about my experiences in the program! But, alright! I'm done. Subject to your questions, this concludes my presentation. Questions were fine and easily answered. They weren't softballs but the first question I responded with some thoughts on leadership, and Dr. Weiland said that my answer was exactly what he was hoping I would say. Gold star for me! Then they asked me to leave the room for a few minutes while they deliberated. A few minutes later I was back in the room and being congratulated for having successfully defended my portfolio (and by extension, my experiences in the program). It's like I'm done! (but I still have two and half pages of my last paper to write...) So that was it. I was a little nervous going in, just a little stage fright. And I got dressed up for it, which they all commented on as well. But everything was fine once I started talking. So there it is. Portfolio defended. Final class in the program on Monday evening. Celebratory drinks on Thursday. Then commencement on Friday afternoon for the college ceremony, and Friday evening for the University ceremony. Then I'll wait until grades are submitted on the 22nd, and someone on my staff will officially confer my degree in the student information system. Then it's official!
The problem is that when I get finished eating the bowl of ice cream, I always want MORE ice cream. I don't think there's every been a time when I finished a bowl of ice cream and thought, "Yep, that was plenty of ice cream." This is why I'm tubby. /I was not surprised I already had a tag for "ice cream."
Here are the rest of the Thanksgiving trip pictures. I think we left off with breakfast on Saturday morning.  mmm...delicious French toast...mmm ( Moar pictures, plz! )
I'm a little behind in getting pictures from Thanksgiving posted. I've been busy trying to finish a Master's degree. But just in time to remind everybody that Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, here are a bunch of pictures from our wonderful, crazy, chaotic, and super fun Thanksgiving with Mom, Dad, Deej, La, Kevin, Michael, Jack, Conor, Kate, Declan, and Drew. Oh, and Belle, Chester, Susie (Cindy Lou Who), and Charlotte (Charlottokiss)--the dogs. So here we go, onward to the pictures. There are a ton of them here and many more in the album (linked below).  Thanksgiving in Fredericksburg! ( Pictures! Pictures! Pictures! )
Dear Coach Weis, Thanks for caring about Notre Dame as much as you do. Thank you for all of your charitible contributions and your work to help those in need. I wanted this to work out, but I wish you and your family all the best. ***** Below is a press release regarding coach Charlie Weis. Please note a press conference is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET tonight and can be viewed live at www.und.com. For Notre Dame,
Chuck Lennon ’61, ’62 M.A.
Executive Director, University of Notre Dame Alumni Association
Associate Vice President, University Relations
### November 30, 2009 Weis will not be retained as Notre Dame football coach University of Notre Dame head football coach Charlie Weis will not be retained, University director of athletics Jack Swarbrick announced today. “We have great expectations for our football program, and we have not been able to meet those expectations,” Swarbrick said. “As an alumnus, Charlie understands those goals and expectations better than most, and he’s as disappointed as anyone that we have not achieved the desired results.” Swarbrick recommended the dismissal Sunday night to Notre Dame’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “We have established an evaluation process for all of our athletic programs that, in the end, results in a recommendation from Jack to me,” Father Jenkins said. “I accepted Jack’s decision and look forward to working with him on selecting a new head football coach who is the very best choice possible for the University and especially for our student-athletes. “I am most appreciative to Coach Weis for his service to Notre Dame and our community. He and his family have my prayers and best wishes.” Weis spent five seasons as Irish head coach from 2005-09, with his teams achieving consecutive records of 9-3 (Fiesta Bowl appearance) in ’05, 10-3 (Sugar Bowl appearance), 3-9, 7-6 (Hawai’i Bowl victory) and 6-6 in ’09 – for an overall 35-27 mark (.564). Swarbrick announced that Rob Ianello, the Irish assistant head coach/offense, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, will assume responsibility for football operations until a new coach is hired. Ianello has spent the past five seasons on the Notre Dame staff and previously was part of football staffs at Wisconsin (1990-93, 2003-04), Arizona (1994-2002) and Alabama (1987-89).
These past couple of days have been wonderfully frenetic. Six kids to seven adults isn't a good ratio for maintaining any semblance of order, and definitely not for quiet. But it's been fun, and it's been good for Drew to rock out with all of his older cousins. (They range in age from 8 to 4.) I've eaten too much. But not nearly enough. But more than I should, and I'm not even remotely near finished. Good thing academic attire isn't like a wedding dress that would have to be resized. Man, my Mom makes good stuff. I have succumbed to a cold. My nose is currently running like a faucet and my head is stuffy. I don't think I have a fever (although I'm sure I'll pick one up on the flight home) but I'm not feeling great. I've been eating tangerines and drinking orange juice today. We'll see if it helps. We fly out tomorrow morning at 7:30am. Which means we'll need to leave here right at 5:00am. Which probably means no shower or anything, and no real clothes for Drew, just roll him out in his pj's and dump him in the car and pray he falls right back to sleep. Good luck with that, I know. Also, the flight here takes an hour and eight minutes. The flight back takes more than two hours. 'sup with that? I must go blow my nose again. Then I think we're decorating Christmas cookies. Yay!
This year I am thankful for... -Claire and how incredibly supportive she's been especially this last year when I've been taking two classes each semester. I love so many things about her and I know that I would be totally lost without her. I'm incredibly amazed almost daily at how unbelievably good she is at being a parent, a spouse, and a friend. -Drew and all of the joy that he brings to my life and our lives collectively. It's overwhelming to watch him watch me and do the things that I do and to see him digest so many things and sort through everything and come up with his own things is such a gift. His laugh and his voice when he's singing or when he's saying crazy things is the best. -Ella and how strong she already is. I love feeling her move around in Claire's belly and I love talking to her and dreaming of all the wonderful things that life will bring with her. - almost being done with my Master's degree. Seriously, I'm ready. - my crazy family. Right now I'm in a house with seven adults, six children, and four dogs. It's been pandemonium since we got here and it's wonderful. - good friends, old and new, far and near. - the fact that I still have a good job, and a roof over my head, in one of the worst economies in the history of the State of Michigan. - music and my continued ability to listen to it and to make it. Especially this year as Drew has taken more and more of an interest in playing the drums or the guitar with me and me, Claire, and Drew always singing together. - my faith. More than ever I find the Gospels and the Catholic tradition to be supportive and sustaining in stressful and challenging times. - my health and my family's health. So many people that I know this year have had to deal with medical hardships that it's made me realize how fortunate I am and it reminds me that I should always be thankful for all of the little things.
Drew and I played some guitar tonight. This was the first time he's worn his guitar with the strap. Usually he just sits on the floor and plays. But today he wanted to stand up and rock out with me. So we did. We played Feist's 1234 and Panic! at the Disco's Northern Downpour. It was fun.  ( More pictures! )
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