Chicken wings were my contribution to the potluck this evening following a
full day of CCR-programming–panels and discussions thematically linked to "You
Are Here: Mapping Disciplines, Selves, Communities."  I’d have photographed
the dish (lemon pepper wings and usual hots) as well as the celebrants, but I
forgot my camera at home.  Collin’s

last

two entries say a bit more about the events of the day; as grad director he
shouldered much of the coordination of the day’s events with support from

J. and many other behind-the-scenes contributors, of course.  After
such an intensely packed day of conversation, I can’t help but reflect upon the
quality of the program, faculty and students, and my good fortune at having a
place here.  It’s not an easy time of the year (classes start next Monday)
for people to block out a day for a kind of program defrag, and yet, that most
everyone turns out, engages, interacts amiably and with interest, shares
excitement about the semester ahead as well as oncoming projects validates the
feeling I have that this is the right program for me. /near end CCR plug/ 
But seriously, an annual fall community day that works this well tells me
something about the program.

Oddly enough, I’m also wandering dreamily (and sleep-deprivedly) through a
bit of nostalgia (on the verge of Bette Midler earworms, memory lane tear-ups,
etc….I said verge) from the flurry of old-friend emails I’ve enjoyed in
the past few days.  In fact, I just sent two rather long emails to friends
from half-forgotten undergrad days, one in KC who I’ve been blogvangelizing
(yeah, P., start one up), and another, M., who just moved from Chicago to
Durham, N.C.  Explains the site traffic from duke.edu at least.  And,
yet another good friend–from my MA program–just emailed to tell me what she’s
teaching this fall, how things are going with family, alma mater and the GKCWP. 
And so, on a day when I’m energized by the SU grad program and colleagues, I’m
enjoying a double-lift from being in contact with a couple of really good
friends, some of whom I haven’t been in contact with for a year or more.
Guess this is just a quick note that it’s nice, and that the premise of ‘you are
here’ is somehow amplified in a conjunction of friendships.

Added: Keeping count? This is entry no. 400 at EWM. Commence fireworks and fanfare. Or not.