The Gondoliers Commandeer My Family

This rates as the lead story in April because it will have so much impact on May, June and July.  Jeannie Beth had been wavering about trying out for a part in this summer's Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's production of The Gondoliers.  But when her friend Amy wanted to try out, it helped Jean decide to do it.  But the biggest surprise was that Nancy tried out too!  And all three got parts in the chorus. 

Nancy did ballet and gymnastics years ago and sings very well.  She likes to dance much more than I do.  So who am I to say no, when she lets me continue to take BCS sports photos and to teach Bible. 

Bucket List Item:  Selection into the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society

Apparently, the term "bucket list" is related to the term "kicked the bucket."  In any case, one desire I've had since 2001, when the School of Business and Economics became AACSB accredited, was to be inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma international business honor society.  Beta Gamma Sigma is to business programs what Phi Beta Kappa is to programs in the arts and sciences. 

I was inducted as a member of the less prestigious Sigma Beta Delta honor society, for non-AACSB accredited programs.  I was even a chapter officer of ΣΒΔ, but was not allowed to join BΓΣ because of my non-faculty status.  However, this year Dr. Regina Schlee, our local chapter president, decided to submit my name as an SBE faculty member.  The fact that I've had an Instructor title since 2000, and that I'm going back into the classroom for the foreseeable future, may have prompted her action.  But it's clear that across the school I am seen as a faculty member despite my lack of a faculty contract.  On the new SBE web site launched this month, I have the unique position of being listed in the Faculty and Staff directory as both a faculty member and a staff member.  2013 marks the centennial year for BΓΣ.  On April 12, 2013 I accepted my nomination and officially became a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.  On Tuesday, May 7, I will participate in the induction ceremony as the lone faculty inductee.  I will then add my name to the local chapter BΓΣ web site that I redesigned and moved this month, from the business school site to its own site.

Beta Gamma Sigma only admits the top 10% of undergraduate and master's students.  Faculty with doctorates can be inducted if they graduated from an AACSB accredited business program, or if they have achieved tenure.  Non-tenure track faculty (like me) can be nominated after six years of service.  I have taught for 13 of my 24 years at SPU. 

At the inauguration, April 2nd, of Dr. Daniel Martin, J.D., Ed.D, SPU's 10th president, I processed with the faculty at both the on-campus convocation and the inauguration ceremony at McCaw Hall.  It was especially gratifying to be specifically approved to march with the faculty, trustees, and the dignitaries from other institutions.  The picture here shows us gowning up in the "green room" at McCaw Hall.

At the event this month, I thought back to another inauguration in 1982.  Nancy and I were there, when it was still called the Opera House, and we saw Dr. David Le Shana installed as SPU's 6th president.  I believe that event was a catalyst to encourage me to pursue the Ph.D.  But at that time I had already applied to the U.W. Ph.D. program and was studying Church History and Christian Education from Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary via correspondence.

Dr. Le Shana was the president when I was hired by SPU in 1989.  And he "retired" (after a 1990 faculty vote of no confidence) in August 1990.  Subsequent events resulted in my lay off, along with 29 other SPU professional staff in mid-December 1990.  I had to find a new job by June 1991 or I'd be out of work.  I, however, got two job offers in March 1991 to remain at SPU.  The now defunct Division of Continuing Studies wanted me, and the business school offered me the MBA Coordinator's position.  I considered both positions and opted for the one I believed would provide the most job security.  I chose wisely.  And 22 years later I'm still in the business school, but with a different position, more teaching opportunities, a higher salary, and having just a few more years to wear the golden handcuffs that Jeannie Beth's upperclass years represent.  But I still do love my job.

Faculty Dinners

If I'm going to step up to acting the professor, one social event Nancy and I can add to our schedule is a few of the faculty dinners SBE holds.  They are community building events.  This month we joined our eastside neighbors Dr. Al Erisman and his wife Nancy, along with the Karns', Kauppila's, and Mason's.  It was a fun three hours with tasty, simple food, wine, dessert, and good conversation.

Nancy and I aren't anti-social, but events like this have been rare in our lives.  We've been missing something.  And maybe this is another prompt to get our house in order so we can host one of these dinners.  Everyone says they want to see our unique house.

Needs and Wants

For a few years, I've wanted a shofar — a real kosher rams horn shofar.  Maybe it's the old trumpet player in me.  But on April 13th and 20th, I led the Saturday morning men's Bible study through the Battle of Jericho in Joshua 5 and 6.  I had only my "American shofar," the cow horn I bought at Glacier National Park when Bob and Ginger Rutherford gave Nancy and me the grand tour back in the 1980's.  (Bob had driven one of the red tour busses at Glacier Park in the summers before World War II.  We even came across his bus. It was a trip to remember.)  On Saturday, I blew my horn LOUDLY and I got the men to shout!  It was a surprisingly special moment.

Well, I'd looked at shofars on the Internet and had seen YouTube videos of them being played.  I read about them and made my choice.  Although the "Yemenite" shofars made from the African Kudu are long and elegant and make a great sound (and would be a wonderful gift someday.)  I wanted to own the more traditional rams horn.  My research said I should not look for one smaller than 18" (measured around the curve).  And that was what I ordered on eBay, for $69, and $10 for shipping from Jerusalem, Israel.  Alas,  the seller claimed the shofar I had bought was damaged and he wanted to send me another.  So, sadly, I cancelled the deal.  It was my first eBay deal to go bad.  But someday . . .

Our 99th Avenue Pond Gets Fixed

For a few years, every time it rained, our cul-de-sac would become a small lake, deepest at the northwest corner.  The drain there didn't. 
I remember going out there in deep snow, in what turned out to be leaky boots, and tried to unplug the unpluggable.

It looks like the property on the west side of the cul-de-sac is being marketed as a building site.  Nancy tells me our neighbors that paid way to much for the old house have sold at a loss to a builder.  And nobody is going to build next to our periodic lake.  So this week a contractor came in and dug up the drain line to set right the problem.

This is especially good news, because the draining pool had found our north property line as the outlet for its excess.  Parts of our fence had taken the brunt of the run off.  Water is the ultimate solvent.

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

New neighbors due west of us insisted on a fence between our properties.  This should have been done long ago.  I'm just glad we did not have to pay for or build this one.  But Tony the builder had liked it that his small back yard looked bigger when it seemed to include our wooded side yard.

One resident had dogs and they did not stay in their yard.  They also tossed leaves onto our property.  The new sturdy fence puts an end to all that.  But it also puts and end to my friend Steve and I having clandestine beers on their patio on the 4th of July.  It's been hard to sell but the yard has always been kept up well. 

The Challenge to Speak for God

Studies in Matthew continue, but the rush is on to be ready for Matthew 12-16 at Emerald Heights in June and July.  I have only three PowerPoint shows (3 hours) completed, but the lessons that go with them are still skeletons.  It is a challenge, but one that pushes me. 
The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.  And, as the image above describes, there's no middle ground in a life of faith.  There is
no intersection between fruitful and fruitless.