September 2008

Labor Day Work
OK. So I said that we painted the basement in August but apparently August and Labor Day Weekend blend together in my memory. It turns out that we painted during Labor Day Weekend. The result was unimpressive. All we have now is a regular basement...unassuming and clean. However, it adds to the lengthy list of things we have painted in the house to give it a face lift. I will post some before-after pics on my Picasa page.

Faculty Development Ideas
At the kick-off meeting for the faculty of the College of Technology, I introduced myself to Provost Engstrom. I explained that I had noticed that the Center for Teaching Excellence at the UM seemed to have fallen by the wayside and that I would be interested in coordinating an effort to rekindle interest in it. He directed me to discuss things with the Assistant Provost Arlene Walker-Andrews. I had already met Arlene because her husband teaches in the physics department so I wasn't too nervous. I met her in her office and we spent nearly an hour talking about her charge to improve student retention, how faculty development plays into her plan, and how I might fit into things. Unfortunately, the UM is under a budget crunch and since the CTE had fallen by the wayside the money had been reallocated. So I offered to write grant proposals to try to fund the program and by extension a position for me.

The UM has Dr. Otto Koester working as an aid to faculty who want to write grant proposals. I met with Dr. Koester and he shared resources for grant writing. He also shared his ideas for a faculty development program. His spontaneous brainstorming has proven to be the first of many interested voices that I have heard. Since I cast my net I have been getting lots of "nods" from faculty and staff all over campus. Cross your fingers for me. Starting a faculty development program might be my lifelong career endeavor.

Grilling
As part of a welcome back to Missoula, Jen and Jim decided that we should have a little party. So one Saturday afternoon we invited Jen, Honey, Jim and Teresa and a new friend Dana over to eat, drink, and be merry. Always a good time. Mike made Manhattans, Hendricks Martinis, and Bloody Marys for our guests. I went old school and had a Cosmopolitan. Our guests grought almost all the food. Yum! On the grill: an assortment of sausages, corn on the cob. Plus we had a couple different salads.

Back to Colorado and Other Stuff
After kicking of the semester, Mike returned to Fort Collins for a magnetics conference. When he was getting ready to leave I commented that I think weekend conferences are silly. Why not just have the conference on traditional work days during the week and leave the weekend for being the weekend? He claimed that either way he would have to do double-time to cover his workload (teaching + research) and that this way people in the academy wouldn't have to miss much class time. Of course, the Wednesday after he returned he said disgruntally "who's idea was it to have weekend conferences?" I smiled... Academics typically work during the weekend but it is usually on their own timeline. Having a conference on the weekend that runs 13 hours per day is a little on the steep side.

While Mike was gone I got together with my new friend, Todd. We met at the Kettlehouse for a couple beers and some conversation outside the COT. Todd is cool but when I went home I was most excited about one thing: he and his wife like to cook! It has been five years since we had anyone who liked to cook in our lives. Sure, people liked to eat our food in Colorado but sharing the kitchen and the creative process with someone is special and we miss it. (Don't worry Jim. You will always have a piece of our hearts.) I was so excited that I forgot to get a picture for my photo journal.

I hold office hours for my students every Wednesday. I chose to have them in the cafeteria because the room gets a lot of traffic and I get to see a lot of students. When the group gets big we can spread out and take over an entire table to work on math. Last year I had a ton of fun during office hours...and a couple times after they ended we all stayed to talk politics, education, and about our hobbies. This fall my office hours overlap with Todd's down time between classes. When students are not there I have this fabulous new friend to hang out with. When students are there Todd sometimes helps (lucky students to have two teachers). One Wednesday was extra cool. After working through some of the homework problems, my student, Chad, and I hit the freebee table. He snagged a copy of "Look Who's Talking" on DVD. I scored a VHS of "Supergirl" and a cook book. The book is Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cook Book from 1961 and it is filled with cultural treasures like this: "I believe a woman's place is" As I was purusing through my new treasure I noticed that it is illustrated by Andrew Warhol. I stared at the name and thought to myself, "did the Andy Warhol illustrate this book? No. He was an art-teest..." I called my artsy fartsy friend Teresa to check. "Andrew Warhol is a famous artist, right?" Teresa confirmed that I was remembering correctly and, more importantly, that Andy Warhol did all sorts of stuff in the 60s to make ends meet.

Overdue Congratulations
One day when I was walking home from work I realized that I have not publicly congratulated my brother and my sister for their achievements.

Alex is Saving Lives
Congratulations to Alex for joining the Border Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) efforts for the US Border Patrol. He endured more physical and technical training during the spring of this year and has been promoted. His job is very humanitarian in nature. He looks for and rescues illegal aliens who try in vain to cross the US-Mexico border. Go little brother! I am so proud!

Nichole is Building a Business
Congratulations to Nichole for incorporating. She is officially a small business owner of AG Concepts, Inc.! This is something she has been working towards for more than a year and she has accomplished it. Now she has to keep it going. You go girl!

Making a Book
Last year I made a book. It was mostly a formating job. I asked people to send me pictures and stories about my in-laws to put in a 40th Wedding Anniversary book. As the pictures and stories arrived I scanned and typed and did some layout using Booksmart software from Blurb online publishing. Then I uploaded the book file, placed an order for a hardcover version of my work, and waited. When the book arrived I ripped open the package to find my creation. I was very pleased. The book was beautiful, the images were crisp and clear, and the text was readable.

This year I have decided to make a book for myself, or rather I will begin a series of books. Instead of keeping all my photographs digitally on the computer or printing out 4x6 prints and putting them in an album, I will make a Schneider Luck Yearbook. My goals: to document my life in a way that includes not only holiday celebrations and "big" events but little day-to-day things; to enjoy the process of viewing and choosing my favorite photos of the year; to practice telling stories; and to have a beautiful keepsake to share with visitors and new friends.

I have started my book for 2007. I chose a picture of a hermit crab as the cover photo. It is a photo that I took when I was in Panama and it represents the move we made in 2007 from Boulder to Missoula.

Welcome Alaina Autumn Schnake
Happy birthday Alaina Schnake! Rob and Jess have welcomed their second child. Now Ky has a beautiful baby sister. Congratulations!

New Friends
Mike and I invited Todd and Kimberlee and their 4 month old son named Ivan over for dinner. I thought that having them for pizza would be a good "first date" and we could see where the cooking might take us from there. Todd wants some of the sourdough starter that we have that Jim sent to us from Boston. He also wants to get bricks for his oven. :) Next time we're going to explore Thai. Now, Mike and I have cooked Thai feasts before but never pescatrian Thai feasts. So with Todd and Kimberlee we get to explore a whole new part of Thai cuisine. I am so excited to have these two as new friends. They are smart, funny, well-traveled and the first people we've met in Missoula who are in the same "life place" as we are...starting a family (no I'm not pregnant yet). Again, I forgot to get a picture with Todd (and Kimberlee this time). I do have a picture of Ivan in our 6' poof.

Old Friends
I am equally excited about reconnecting with two old friends: Carly and Kristin. Carly was my roommate in Holmes Hall at MSU during my sophomore year and I lived with Kristin at 525 Charles during my junior year. My friendships with them became a little topsy-turvy when I chose to nurture my relationship with Mike over my relationships with them. Luckily, we all three have open minds and open hearts about rekindling our friendships. What is extra-super-exciting for me is that they each are embarking on some overseas adventures in order to be with their husband and boyfriend. Until now I have no one who can understand (experientially) and possibly relate to the choices I have made (some sacrifices) for my husband. In emails to Carly I have offered some pretty raw and deeply personal reflections. I realize that I should share them here, too.

"Each time we've moved - Michigan to Madison to Boulder to Missoula - we have gotten physically further from our old friends and family. Luckily, heading into each move we have been very excited about where we were headed. That anticipation out-weighed the fact that we were leaving people behind. But after a few months in each new place I started feeling pretty out of touch, even forgotten, and lonely for girl friends. So I began making greeting cards to send on birthdays, anniversaries, mothers and fathers days, and just for fun days. Every time I put one in the mail (at least 5 per month go out) I remember something special about the person who I am about to surprise and it makes me feel less distant.

I also stalk other people's websites. Harper Savage and the Schnakes are my favorite people to visit in cyberspace...probably because their sites get updated regularly. And the GoodReads is now a place that I connect with even more people, including my freshman roommie, Lisa.
...
I have had to make some tough decisions about my career and my life in that respect. I have to admit to having dozens of conversations with Mike that led to each of those decisions as well as conversations with some of my best girl friends (Chithra in particular). Then, after having made a decision (for example to leave graduate school in Colorado to move to Montana), I have had dozens of conversations with Mike and with Chithra to try to overcome the feeling of uselessness and my lack of a career trajectory. But now I embrace my career amble. I have come to relish all the time I have to volunteer for the Obama campaign, read, do home improvement, cook, and (eek!) support Mike by keeping the household running. I also have found a couple very-part-time jobs. I teach at the local community college and I work from home for a consulting firm."


Media
Film
Waitress
Business of Being Born (no I'm not pregnant yet)

Books
Goodnight Bush: A Parody by Gan Golan and Erich Origen
Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Cook Book illustrated by Andrew Warhol :)

Internet
Sarah Palin's RNC Speech
Black Voices

Television
Political Commentary:
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Rachel Maddow Show

Food:
Alton Brown: Feasting on Waves (I'm so jealous.)