Golden handcuffs

Quick update: Marci's bloodwork came back fine. Whatever feverish mystery illness she had 3 weeks ago wasn't one that spells trouble for The Peanut. Now, to find that giant plastic bubble. . .

I just received tenure officially at Medium-Sized University near Major Urban Center last Friday. One veteran faculty shook my hand and said, "So, I guess we won't be seeing much of you around here anymore," (referring to the way some faculty disappear from "extra" work on committees and other service once their job is secure). Some think of tenure as good and bad. The good part is knowing where you might be working for the rest of your career; this is also the bad part.

Believe me, with all sorts of other things in flux these days, I read the promotion as an unmitigated good. Another recent development on the work front is the possibility of going to China over the next academic year. It's still in the early stages, but there might be some Chinese students who want to finish their degrees abroad where I work. So, a small group of us might visit their university to discuss what we have to offer. A chance to visit the Great Wall would be, well, great. They were working on that thing from the 3rd Century BC to the 17th Century. So many people died building it that it's sometimes called "the world's longest graveyard." On first thought, this seems kind of depressing, but, actually, all those people would be dead by now anyway.

I'll close with some random information.

In music news, let me recommend Imogen Heap. I keep listening to the song "Hide and Seek." The duo Gnarls Barkley channels Al Green on their release of "Crazy" which is also on high rotation on the iPod.

Marci and I see Dr. W. this Friday. I'm looking forward to hearing that little fast heartbeat again. I bought a stethascope this week, but all I could hear was Marci's stomach growling.