Tenure -The Holy Grail of a Professors Life

For a professor tenure is a big deal! Holy grail might be a bit strong-there's always full-professor!

As defined by the Institute for Higher Learning (the big wigs who govern the state colleges of Mississippi) tenure "serves the best interests of the faculty and the University by protecting faculty members from dismissal... In our society we regard the acquisition of knowledge to be of paramount importance; and society, through enlightened self-interest, provides the University as a place for teaching and learning. Tenure in universities provides protection that scholars require and serves society’s aspirations that scholars should have freedom of expression."

So Jay (John) received tenure in June! Yippie! Now he can continue being the radical that he is with a certain measure of safety! He was also promoted to Associate Professor!

To mark the occasion, his wife (me) had an elaborate plan for a surprise party that amazingly everyone actually kept the secret and he claims to have been geniuely surprised to find out that Sarah's going away party was actually his tenure party!

We decided to view it as funny rather than a tragedy that the local bakery spelled tenure "tensure" and put a bad imitation of Cookie Monster rather than Jay's favorite muppet Grover on the cake! We even sang the tenure song-there was no speech-Dr. Green said now that he had tenure no speeches were required-Alkie chastised him for "pulling the tenure card already".

We had guests from far and wide (facilitated by Jolana's wedding the same weekend). Thanks to Katie and Jon for making time during your visit from DC and to Anna and Roger for driving in from Louisiana and convincing Jay's this was the only weekend for the carpet installation and of course the carpet! All the folks who drove in from around the Delta.

Many thanks to Cameron, Sarah, Amy, Emily, and Emily's Jay for the cooking. Thanks to everyone for keeping the secret!

My Summer Vacation

The Green's headed back to Decatur last week in the new Focus! Our mission: clean out Judy's (Jay's mom) garage and remodel kitchen!

To start the trip off right we got bluff seat tickets to watch the Memphis Redbirds vs. New Orleans and spent the night in West Memphis. It was a great game the Redbirds won and relaxing on the lawn with my family was nice after a hectic week!

We arrived on Saturday, assesed the project, went to Lowes to gather supplies, the first of many trips to various hardware stores including Ace, Mt. Zion, Lowes and Menards, Forsyth and True Value, Decatur!

Sunday:
Judy and I took on the yard with mower and weed eaters while Jay started moving furniture and things out of the kitchen. The kids were off with other grandparents for the day!

Monday and Tuesday:
Judy and I with some help from Tony spent cleaned out the garage-we rented a dumpster and everything! Even item in that garage has now been discussed, tossed, donated or -if staying catergorized and placed in it's proper place! While I did not threaten my mother-in-law-we did discuss how to avoid accumulating stuff-just say NO!

Judy and the kids went to the library to replenish their book supply!

Jay again with some help from Tony began ripping out the old linoleum floor, this took for ever! By Tuesday night the floor was up and the primer was down and walls patched and ready to paint!

Wednesday:
Jay and I laid the new vinyl tile while the kids went to see Kung Fu Panda. Pugsly came to pick up his dumpster and Judy worked on various projects. Jay, the kids and I headed over to Keith & Jamie Brooksher's house for steaks and to catch-up since we had not seen each other for about 5 years! Jay went to high school with Keith.

Thursday:
Jay had the house to himself to paint the kitchen. Judy, the kids and I headed out on a daytrip to Indianapolis to have lunch with my best friend and Tony's godmother, Kelly.

Friday:
Little touch up in the kitchen paint, re-did a smaller table found in the garage to put in the kitchen to give Judy more space. Moved all furniture back in and celebrated the 4th with Krekel burgers! Yum! Watched the fireworks on the lake from the front yard! Went back to the hotel tired!

Saturday:
Judy met us for breakfast and we hit the road for the 10 hour trip home. We stopped for a picnic in southern Illinois for lunch and Memphis Pizza Cafe for dinner and made it home by 9:30pm!

What we learned:

While the shows may claim to do it in 48 hours I am very suspicious, maybe if we'd had a crew at our disposal-but we sure did get a lot done in one week!

You can cook anything in a hotel kitchette if you try hard enough-we had pasta with bolonese sauce, fajitas, and pasta with chicken and veggies!

The Hawthorne Suites in Decatur has great breakfasts, there was actually a real person cooking real eggs, potatoes, bacon, etc each day!

Now we need to start on a few projects at our house!

Shout Out To My Village

Hillary's right it does take a village to raise a child!

Last May Jay took a group of students from Delta State University and University of Michigan to Biloxi for research and mom went to Memphis for chemo. I had Edye and Tony on my own for a week. I realized how it really takes all three of us to raise my kids when I was on my own. I had to seek out other members of the village to get people where they needed to be-granted it might be easier if the kids were closer in age and had the same place to go!

I began to think about how over the years it has taken a number of family and friends to raise these kids. I want to shout out a thanks to them all.

Robert, Randall, Valerie, Peyton, Whitney, Stacey, Renee, Lisa, Tracy and Zach, Bryce and Jenny, David and Kendra, Donna, Sarah, Emily, Shari, Paul, Amy and Mark, Mom, Dad & Dixie, Beth, Brandy anyone who ever watched my kids or shuttled my kids out of love, family, friendship, carpool or coop-babysitting.

A special thanks to Tony while we have tried hard not to make him Edye's third parent (only one diaper change) since he's 9 years older. We recognize and thank him for the loving attention he gives to his sister, for walking her home from camp, for watching her when mom and dad are out walking, for knowing she is safe with you when we are at the honors banquet or some other DSU function. I don't have to worry when Edye's with him-what will we do when he moves out? Mom how is your schedule?

I am sure there are safe babysitters out there but no one compares to family and friends!

Thanks village!

Speaking of Mom's-My favorite job!

I love being a mom and a wife, it gives me more pleasure than anything-even though I love my job, but if a had to make a choice today there would be not contest--hands down--mom--all the way!

My husband really is my best friend and my son Tony at sixteen is also one of my close confidants, though he'll be the first to tell you that doesn't cloud my judgment when he's in trouble, just ask him about the hole in his wall (no mom this is not comparable to the one I put in the wall at 15!). Edye at seven keeps us all in giggles-and has almost from the moment she was born! Tony used to say that we had her to entertain the rest of us!

I recommend having your children almost 10 years apart, mine are very close, Edye kind of worships Tony and Tony is a great protector. Don't get me wrong they do fight and usually over something stupid, but they also play, read, and draw together! Sometimes there are challenges, Tony has play practice from 6-9, Jay is teaching from 6-9 and Edye goes to bed at 7:30pm-who is picking up Tony? But the benefits outway the complications!

Randon Thoughts on Cancer

We all know that many people who survive cancer take it as a sign to live life to the fullest! Some decide to take a trip they'd always meant to go on and some decide to spend more time with family.

How many do you think decide that it is high time they bought an embroidery machine? Well that's what my mother has decided to do! Don't get me wrong, buying something you've always wanted to do something you love is a great way to celebrate recovery!

I just didin't expect the statement that started with "I've learned some things from this experience and there is something to be said for not waiting to do the things you want to do"....to end in "so I'm buying and embroidery machine!"

So yippie for mom! and bring on the embroidery for one and all!

Jay's 36 Hour Tuesday

Four planes and and 36 hours after beginning his Tuesday morning in Shanghai Jay finally made it to the Memphis airport! [Most of ya'll already know this still means a 2 hour drive home]!

I must say I was very glad to see him! There were several times throughout the day when delayed planes and tight connections led me to believe it might drag out until Wednesday. Luckily I had a hotel room in Memphis and I hung out there until his plane arrived almost two hours late at 11:58pm.

After a short night in Memphis we have made it home and he is doing his very best to stay awake until tonight to help with adjusting from the 13 hour time difference. [I put a certain 7 year old on the job.]

Thanks

As most of you know--I have never lived alone and I am not especially good at it. With Jay in China for 10 days and the kids in Indiana for 8 days--I was definately alone. Luckily I have some really great friends and family that took good care of me and watched out for me and a nice Louisville slugger to sleep with.

So thank you-

To Hank for all your watchdog duties-it helped me sleep at night.
To Sarah for all the walks and dinner at KC's
To Mom and Caroyln for dinner and everything
To Randall for calling at just the right time
To Emily for girl's night
To Kelly for encouragement (yes I realize that I should enjoy the quiteness)
To Amy, Lillian and Mabel for the walk
To Robert and Lisa for introducing me to skype allowing me to talk to Jay daily
To Dottie, Claude and the kids for knowing it is hard to let go and calling every night
To everyone else who called or sent an email and understood that it is hard even at my age-but as Edye's friend at the spend the said--I did it! (Not that I want to do it again any time soon)

Soon I head to the airport to pick up Jay. Edye is home with me and Tony stopped in for about 12 hours before heading to camp (.5 miles away but he might as well be in Texas)!

Soapbox: Seatbelts

I am sure that the other parents at my children's schools love their kids as much as I do! Which is why I am totally baffled by the lack of seatbelt use and the amazing number of children under the magic 4'9" number not in booster seats. There is even a police officer who drops off his kids, front seat with no belts! Hello! Have they not see the commercial about how fast objects (including people) move forward in a vehicle that suddenly stops!

It has never been a choice in our car and the kids have never questioned it. One block or 10 hours, we buckle up! Hell my son who is now 16 and driving was in a booster until the 5th grade and did not sit in the front seat until about 8th grade! My 7 year old wanted to be measured a few weeks ago, I told her she was 3'10". She said how many more til I'm 4'9"? She knows her magic number and looking out for the day she reaches it.

Just a few months ago we had two students killed in a car crash here. All four thrown and no one wearing a seatbelt. A few weeks later a similar accident on the same highway. The college president, college newspaper, local newspapers and the local tv news all had a lot to say about seatbelt use and it's importance. Yet, I drive around town and see Delta State students (recognizable by their parking pass) 4-5 to a car with no seatbelt on!

When will people learn-if you love someone tell them to buckle up and set the example-buckle your self up!

The day my husband went to China

So Jay is in China! Check out his blog http://greensinternationaltravel.blogspot.com/ He went with a group through the American Sociological Association. He will be there 10 days site seeing and meeting Chinese academics and eating good food and according to his latest post coming up with new ideas for our backyard!

With luck all four of us will return to China in 2010! For now we live vicariously through Jay!