 I
Should be EnergizedSeptember has come to an end and I'm exhausted. Having a cold doesn't help.  Annie came home from Spain and Portugal on the 1st and, while she had a great time, she was glad to be home. I loved the Toledo steel Pendragon dagger she brought me. I suspected something -- but nothing this grand. It stands over 15" tall in its stand. On the 2nd I got a long overdue eye checkup and new lenses in old frames. It is amazing to be able to see clearly again.  I
tried to start exercising but have not kept it up. Cross Country
photography has been keeping me either on the course or at the computer.
But I did discover movies and TV shows on the Internet (mostly at
hulu.com). I exercise on the
elliptical while watching. I was unimpressed
with the Men in Black movie, but the 14 episodes of the
Firefly
 series were amazing -- great plot, witty writing and brave
characters. I look forward to watching the Serenity movie
(borrowed from the Library) that concludes this fiction set in 2517. Mal
Reynolds (right) is a good cross between Han Solo and Capt. Jonathan
Archer of Star Trek: Enterprise.In my reading I've begun the Richard Bolitho Naval series by Alexander Kent, and also read the second book in the Lord Ramage series by Dudley Pope. There seems to be no end to the genre. At months end I am well into Ebb Tide, the final book in the wonderful Nathaniel Drinkwater series by Richard Woodman. And in a few days the next edition of the Thomas Kydd series by Julian Stockwin will arrive at my door. I spent part of an Amazon.com gift certificate on The Privateer's Revenge. Julian Stockwin knows how to please his readers. He has produced a new edition each Autumn and recently sent bookmarks and postcards to his readers from his home in Guilford, England. I felt like I had won a prize.  Nate Runs for SPU in SeptemberNathanael finally was declared eligible to run for SPU after we sent a third copy of his BCS transcript by priority mail to the NCAA. He ran 7th for SPU at St. Martin's University on the 6th but ran in his Brooks Meet of Champions singlet since he had to race as "unattached." I've been asked to photograph those few SPU races I can attend and have added the Falcons to my http://www.bellevue1.net/SPUXC/ collection. At the University of Washington's Sundodger Invitational (in the rain) Nate again finished 7th for SPU, and this time it counted. His style is unchanged. His speed is at or near his fastest and his finishing kick is still a wonder to behold. And he's running 8K instead of 5K. The SPU women look like a lock to advance to the NCAA Division II Nationals but the men's team will be stretched to advance that far.  Jean works to make the BCS Varsity Both the BCS boys and girls have dominated Emerald City League races this season. Jeannie Beth has finished either 7th or 8th on her team. She hasn't really found her race pace yet, but hopes to make the 7th spot or higher to qualify for the team that runs at Tri-Districts (November 1) and State in Pasco (November 8).  Senior
Andrew Van Ness has surpassed Nathanael's best times and is leading the
BCS boys again this season. Junior Allison Hussey (4th in State
Track & Field in the 800m last Spring) was coaxed away from Soccer to
lead the Lady Vikings. Jean has only three races before the league championships to move up one spot on the team. She's going to have to really work hard to make that happen. Three seniors ahead of her will graduate so this is her best chance to make it to State. On three occasions we have taken Grandma Jean to races (here in Bellevue and at Lincoln Park) and she has been able to watch the runners speed by from her vantage in the front passenger seat of our van. Don (on weekdays) and Randy (on weekends) will stay with Jean when we are away at races. Randy took her for the weekend when we put finish on the floor and went to the Tomahawk Twilight Invitational in Marysville.  "My Lab" gets Subdivided In 1997 I designed the lab for the SPU business school. This month "Jeff's Wall" went up, separating "my lab" from the southern end lounge. I have a 37" HDTV to install on the lounge side of that new wall. This picture shows the lounge under construction and the three small windows that let a bit of light into the lab.  It
was a rush to get the lab ready for the start of classes on the 29th.
I worked on Saturday morning the 27th to finish up on my north side of
the wall.My boss wanted a "nice poster from Kinko's". As the building manager, the task fell to me. But Kinko's wanted $89 for what I needed. So I bought an easel and foam board at Office Depot and designed a 20"x30" poster which cost me $9.99 plus shipping from COSTCO. My experience with ordering sports photographs paid off. The result was an extremely professional and attractive sign. On another note, I saved the business school from bigger headaches by spotting and reporting a water leak right in front of our building. The leak was found in the city owned pipe, and it was replaced, and the hole in our concrete patched, one week before classes started. The water was off in McKenna Hall for parts of three workdays plus the weekend. |
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Bits and Pieces 
On Sunday the 14th Nancy, Annie, and Nathanael
drove to Oregon to pick up Tom Disher to stay with us for two weeks
before he could move into his apartment at SPU. He helped Nancy
put in more oak flooring in the Living Room and did yard work with
Nathanael.
Nate had jury duty but was not chosen to sit on a jury.
The Dean's assistant Lindsey Peterson decided to leave SPU but then, at
the last possible moment, asked to return. She'd discovered what I
already knew. Service in SBE, while not so financially rewarding, is
much more enjoyable than competing in the "real world" of commerce.
She has her MBA and had secured a job in finance in Bellevue. But
we are delighted she saw the light and got he job back just before we
were about to interview for her position.
Katherine Kleespies was married on the 20th but we have yet to hear the
details. Nancy has been so busy with the floor (only eight rows
more to finish the Living Room) that she hasn't mailed our gift to Adam
and Katherine. There are two large checks waiting with Nancy's
letter.
I learned how to use "clicker instructional technology" (see
Quizdom.com)
and prepared a presentation with it for the Dean at our annual SBE Fall
Retreat on the 25th.
We are in Luke 10 on Saturday morning. In Luke 10 Jesus prays
spontaneously. In Luke 11 the disciples ask him how to pray.
It prompted me to pray with Nathanael in my office at SPU on his first
day in college, before his first class. I confess I've dropped the
spiritual football where prayer is concerned. I suspect it is
infinitely more vital an activity than we ever realize.
I've continued some reading at bedtime to Nancy from The Queen of
Attolia.
The polyp removed from me last month was no threat. I get to do
that again in ten years. |
  Nate is a Falcon On the 26th I put on my regalia and marched with the faculty at the New Student Convoca-tion. I was the one to "pin" Nate. Annie worked as a group leader for new students and joined Nancy and I as we launched Nathanael out of the nest. I've been carrying bags of odds and ends to SPU each day this last week of September as he remembers items he's forgotten to pack. |
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My Quote from August
Saint Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)
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