I was pleased to read yesterday that Annette Gordon-Reed, Dartmouth Class of 1981, has been awarded a $500,000 MacArthur "Genius" grant. As I've mentioned before, I had the privilege of working on her seminal book, the National Book Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning The Hemingses of Monticello, during my time at W.W. Norton. And since I was the one who sent out the advanced reader copies to the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize judges, I have long (facetiously) claimed credit for her success, which has now been increased by this most coveted of awards. But in all seriousness, a hearty congratulations to Professor Gordon-Reed!
October will see the launching of The Waterman Institute, a new center for faith and learning at Dartmouth. Named for early twentieth century minister Rev. Lucius Waterman, the center is not officially affiliated with the College, though it caters heavily to the Dartmouth and Hanover populations. A number of my former colleagues at The Dartmouth Apologia, now graduated, have administrative and other roles at the Institute. The first official event is a three-week series entitled "What's the Point of Education?" I'm excited to see the Institute get off the ground and look forward to its continued growth in the Dartmouth and surrounding communities.
Out in Siberia, the chess Olympiad is starting to come down to the wire. With two rounds to go, the U.S. men's team is in a three-way tie for fourth place, two points behind leader Ukraine. On the women's side, the U.S. team is in a ten-way tie for eleventh place and is in all likelihood out of medal contention. Go USA!
In other news, science has once again spent countless quantities of time and money proving what grandmothers the world over already knew: Gargling salt water can help alleviate cold symptoms.
About Me
- Robert
- I'm a 2009 graduate of Dartmouth College who loves Jesus, my wife and all things Northeast.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Celebrations timely and premature
Ellen celebrated her birthday this past week. Exciting in its own regard, this was especially momentous for us as it was our first special occasion since returning from the honeymoon. Since her birthday fell in mid-week, Ellen had to put in a full day at work, but we managed to properly observe the occasion all the same.
On the subject of holidays, we stopped at a nearby Kohl's earlier in the week. What to our wondering eyes did appear but ... Christmas decorations! Ellen and I were duly aghast. I can understand retailers' wanting to get an early jump on the Christmas shopping season by preempting Thanksgiving by a few days, but putting up decorations more than a quarter of a year early is just tasteless.
From the chess world, the Olympiad is currently underway in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. After five rounds, the U.S. men's team is in a large tie for sixth place with four wins and one loss (to Russia) while the U.S. women's team is tied for third-fourth place with four wins and a draw (to Hungary). Monday's matchups feature the men in action against Vietnam while the women take on Georgia. Go USA!
Closer to home, I won the Troy Fall Octos on Saturday. Sponsored by the Knights Chess Club of Keene, New Hampshire, the tournament was run as two four-player sections ("quads") instead of one eight-player section (an "octo") as originally advertised. This meant stronger competition and more exciting games, so I didn't mind the change. After three hard-fought and exciting games, I finished with a score of +2 -0 =1. It was only my second over-the-board tournament since January, but I was pleased with the result as well as with my games themselves.
On the subject of holidays, we stopped at a nearby Kohl's earlier in the week. What to our wondering eyes did appear but ... Christmas decorations! Ellen and I were duly aghast. I can understand retailers' wanting to get an early jump on the Christmas shopping season by preempting Thanksgiving by a few days, but putting up decorations more than a quarter of a year early is just tasteless.
From the chess world, the Olympiad is currently underway in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. After five rounds, the U.S. men's team is in a large tie for sixth place with four wins and one loss (to Russia) while the U.S. women's team is tied for third-fourth place with four wins and a draw (to Hungary). Monday's matchups feature the men in action against Vietnam while the women take on Georgia. Go USA!
Closer to home, I won the Troy Fall Octos on Saturday. Sponsored by the Knights Chess Club of Keene, New Hampshire, the tournament was run as two four-player sections ("quads") instead of one eight-player section (an "octo") as originally advertised. This meant stronger competition and more exciting games, so I didn't mind the change. After three hard-fought and exciting games, I finished with a score of +2 -0 =1. It was only my second over-the-board tournament since January, but I was pleased with the result as well as with my games themselves.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Back in the saddle
It's nice to be back in New Hampshire, but after a year in Buffalo, I've had to reacquaint myself with the realities of rural life. One jarring realization was that it's more than ten miles to the nearest store that's open past 10 pm. Additionally, you can't watch the Yankees on television unless it's a national broadcast, since New Hampshire is considered "out of market." On the plus side, though, the lake/foliage/stars are magnificent. You just can't get scenery like that in Western New York (though it certainly has pockets of great beauty). But most importantly (and on the subject of great beauty), Ellen is here, which no place else can boast!
Just before the wedding, I was rehired by the same ambulance company for which I worked following my college graduation. My New York State paramedic certification does not transfer to New Hampshire or Vermont (where the company is physically located, although it operates under New Hampshire protocols), so I am in the process of "transferring my card," as they say. Given the considerable amount of bureaucracy involved, things are actually progressing relatively quickly at this point. Hopefully the process will continue to go smoothly.
While I wait, however, I am doing my junior/senior time at work. Whenever an ambulance company hires a new paramedic, he gets paired with a more experienced paramedic while he gets acquainted with the equipment, company policies and procedures, etc. It's an orientation of sorts, coupled with an informal evaluation of skills. As junior/senior time can often take a number of weeks, I'm fortunate to be able to do it now. This way, once I test out for NH/VT and my paperwork all goes through, I'll be able to go online right away.
In other news, some malls in Brooklyn are trying a new tack in the war on teenager loiterers. While there are no doubt legitimate reasons for pursuing such policies, all I can think of is the Neighborhood Watch Alliance from the film Hot Fuzz.
Just before the wedding, I was rehired by the same ambulance company for which I worked following my college graduation. My New York State paramedic certification does not transfer to New Hampshire or Vermont (where the company is physically located, although it operates under New Hampshire protocols), so I am in the process of "transferring my card," as they say. Given the considerable amount of bureaucracy involved, things are actually progressing relatively quickly at this point. Hopefully the process will continue to go smoothly.
While I wait, however, I am doing my junior/senior time at work. Whenever an ambulance company hires a new paramedic, he gets paired with a more experienced paramedic while he gets acquainted with the equipment, company policies and procedures, etc. It's an orientation of sorts, coupled with an informal evaluation of skills. As junior/senior time can often take a number of weeks, I'm fortunate to be able to do it now. This way, once I test out for NH/VT and my paperwork all goes through, I'll be able to go online right away.
In other news, some malls in Brooklyn are trying a new tack in the war on teenager loiterers. While there are no doubt legitimate reasons for pursuing such policies, all I can think of is the Neighborhood Watch Alliance from the film Hot Fuzz.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wedding!
I married my fiancee Ellen last weekend in Woodstock, Vermont. It was a whirlwind weekend that started with the wedding rehearsal at the church on Friday afternoon. That led almost directly into the rehearsal dinner, which was a lot of fun. Few of our relatives had attended the rehearsal but most were at the dinner; in some cases we were meeting each other's extended family for the first time. Earlier in the week, I had been afraid that I might spend all of Friday night tossing and turning from nervousness. By the end of the rehearsal dinner, though, I was so physically and emotionally exhausted that fatigue conquered nerves, yielding ten hours of much-needed sleep.
Saturday morning began quietly enough, and I made sure to eat a heaping bowl of Wheaties before heading to the church. We arrived an hour and a half early in order to get in a bunch of pictures with the photographer before the ceremony. Despite Hurricane Earl barreling its way up the Eastern Seaboard, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping. When the time came to enter the sanctuary, I was filled with excitement and nervousness, both muted by an overarching serenity.
Yet nothing could prepare me for the flood of emotion when the rear sanctuary doors opened and I watched Ellen begin to walk down the aisle. The joy and awe were indescribable. For as long as I live, I will never forget the way she looked and the way she looked at me. Though I remember keenly what was said and done, the rest of the ceremony nevertheless seems as a blur to me.
The wedding ceremony was followed by more photographs, this time with Ellen and me together with our families. After that the relatives were dismissed, and the wedding party retired to a nearby garden for one final round of photos. It was here that Hurricane Earl caught up to us, in the form of a brief but ferocious downpour. He was too late, though, as we had snapped nearly all the pictures we desired. As it began clearing up, we made our way back to Hanover for the reception.
Ellen and I both had a terrific time at the reception. An energetic cadre of friends had done a fantastic job decorating the DOC House for the event, and the decorations beautifully complimented the picturesque scenery. Perhaps best of all, though, was the opportunity to celebrate and rejoice with the friends and relatives who had traveled from all around the country to share the day with us. There were of course more pictures, plus toasts (my best man gave a terrific chess-and-marriage-themed toast), food, a slide show and naturally the cutting and first-bite-feeding of the wedding cake. And at long last, the time came for us to make our exit.
Next up for us was a night at a lakefront cottage in New Hampshire followed by a weeklong honeymoon on the beach in Florida. It was a superlative seven days. And now we're back in the Upper Valley, excited to be building our married life together, one minute at a time.
(PS: Pictures will be posted shortly.)
Saturday morning began quietly enough, and I made sure to eat a heaping bowl of Wheaties before heading to the church. We arrived an hour and a half early in order to get in a bunch of pictures with the photographer before the ceremony. Despite Hurricane Earl barreling its way up the Eastern Seaboard, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping. When the time came to enter the sanctuary, I was filled with excitement and nervousness, both muted by an overarching serenity.
Yet nothing could prepare me for the flood of emotion when the rear sanctuary doors opened and I watched Ellen begin to walk down the aisle. The joy and awe were indescribable. For as long as I live, I will never forget the way she looked and the way she looked at me. Though I remember keenly what was said and done, the rest of the ceremony nevertheless seems as a blur to me.
The wedding ceremony was followed by more photographs, this time with Ellen and me together with our families. After that the relatives were dismissed, and the wedding party retired to a nearby garden for one final round of photos. It was here that Hurricane Earl caught up to us, in the form of a brief but ferocious downpour. He was too late, though, as we had snapped nearly all the pictures we desired. As it began clearing up, we made our way back to Hanover for the reception.
Ellen and I both had a terrific time at the reception. An energetic cadre of friends had done a fantastic job decorating the DOC House for the event, and the decorations beautifully complimented the picturesque scenery. Perhaps best of all, though, was the opportunity to celebrate and rejoice with the friends and relatives who had traveled from all around the country to share the day with us. There were of course more pictures, plus toasts (my best man gave a terrific chess-and-marriage-themed toast), food, a slide show and naturally the cutting and first-bite-feeding of the wedding cake. And at long last, the time came for us to make our exit.
Next up for us was a night at a lakefront cottage in New Hampshire followed by a weeklong honeymoon on the beach in Florida. It was a superlative seven days. And now we're back in the Upper Valley, excited to be building our married life together, one minute at a time.
(PS: Pictures will be posted shortly.)
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