Week of Feb 25th

I know I’ve started writing posts event by event, but this week was slow enough that I thought it would be best to just write one long entry.

Monday began as each Monday does with a trip to Studio Pilates here in Fayetteville where I meet with my Pilates instructor Claudia Smith. She seems pleasant and cheerful until we begin our lessons, at which point she becomes a torturess extraordinaire. Seriously, all joking aside, she is definitely working to help me meet my goal of Fabulous at Fifty…if I can survive!

Monday, February 25th was full of meetings one to consider faculty appointments and another with Colleen Williams, the chair of our Community Life Committee to plan details. The highlight of the day was that Dr. Collis Geren, the Dean of the Graduate School came over to visit the law school. We went for a tour and I was able to show him our new facilities. Anyway, it was a pleasure to have him come over and see the new space. As you know if you’re an avid “bloggie,” one of the things I need to do more often is visit other deans around campus and learn more about their schools. Dean Geren is now one of the first on my list since he was kind enough to visit me.

Dinner was with Myra McKenzie, who you’ve read about before. She’s becoming the “Mysterious Myra”—I’ll remember next time, bloggies, to get a picture of her so you can see who she is.

Tuesday was fantastic! It was the BLSA Soul Food Supper. It was fabulous! I must say it was inconsistent with being Fabulous at Fifty, but the meal was great. I did pass up the desserts and the bread, but I think the macaroni and cheese probably did me in. BLSA had set up an extensive—and delicious—menu. A big thanks to Dean Miller for treating me to this great lunch, and to BLSA for hosting a lovely event.

Wednesday was an early morning faculty meeting, and later in the day, we celebrated our February birthdays: Mike Mullane, Jo Anna Collins, Sharon Foster, Colleen Williams and Carlton Bailey. We had two special guests who came to help us celebrate, Lieutenant Colonel Clark Taylor—who you’ve seen mentioned before in the blog—as well as our alum, Katherine Shurlds (’94), from the University’s Journalism department who is teaching Media Law this semester.

Thursday morning I noticed something exciting in my office. My orchid, sent to me by Stacie Walters when I came into the deanship, is blooming! It is so beautiful and so exciting, first of all that I kept the orchid alive, and to have it bloom again. Thanks for documenting this little miracle, Michele.

Thursday afternoon, Professor Judges gave a presentation on emotional intelligence. He addressed the concept of emotional intelligence, how emotional hijacking interferes with relationships at home and in the workplace, and how that hijacking compromises performance and robs life of pleasure. The room was completely full—standing room only. Professor Judges also told us how to reprogram ourselves to deal with challenges and frustrations in a much healthier manner. Many thanks to Professor Judges for such an interesting talk.

Later that afternoon there was a farewell reception for Kay Fairchild, the assistant director of the Office of Affirmative Action, who is retiring. Her friends and fellow members of the University community came to say their farewells to Kay. We will certainly miss her greatly. She has been a true friend to the law school and also a personal friend of mine. I do wish her well, but I’ll certainly miss her presence on campus.

Thursday ended with the University of Arkansas Inspirational Singers Gospel Feast, which I attended with my mom and Bob Moberly. For anybody who missed it, you missed a treat! It was both a feast of food and a feast for the soul. What a wonderful event! Guests were served four courses while being entertained with music, dance, drama and step. The program was separated into four scenes based on different eras in the history of black Americans; each segment then was accompanied with a meal course. And the end of the meal there was a short concert of more modern gospel music, and it was fan-tastic! I’m not kidding you, it was just an amazing, amazing event. A bonus was a chance visit to the event of my favorite UAPD officer, Sid Ramirez. Thursday ended with us being very well fed in every way.