Wonderful Williamsburg for the Weekend

So after that awfully alliterative title, perhaps I should finally tell you about my trip to Williamsburg this past weekend. On Thursday night, Jeff and I trekked over to his parents' house and ate some yummy home-cooked chicken and slept. In the morning I got up to get my truck inspected. I took it to this GM dealer (after all it's a GMC), except it wasn't a GM dealer anymore - it was a Hyundai dealer. Luckily they were still an inspection station so I still got it done there. Had to replace the wiper blades, so they now have the Hyundai symbol on them which amuses me for some reason. After that we headed down to Richmond to Thai Diner Too to have lunch with Jeff's friend Savannah. However, on the way, we discovered that Savannah had to stay home with her sick kid so we went to Thai Diner Too by ourselves. It was good! Then we went to Savannah's house in Church Hill which is a nice neighborhood. She has a really sweet pit bull named Will, and she lives with Thomas and his son Silas who is an adorable toddler and he was a bit sick. But I made silly faces at him and he liked us. Savannah is also pregnant with twins, and studying to become an art teacher. Pretty cool.

After that we drove on to Williamsburg, and went to dinner at Sal's with my grandmother. It was good as always. From there we drove to campus, then rounded up the troops to spend a Green Leafe gift certificate. Megan, JG, Trevor, and Will ended up coming. We ate cheese fries, had some beers, watched some basketball, and generally had a good time. After that we ran into Ashley and Margaret who were going to the drag ball, so Jeff and I decided to go too. It was great - Will Martin picked me up and carried me almost all the way into the room, and everybody rushed up to us when we got there and gave us a gigantic hug. The Lambda people are so awesome. Also Rachel A, Erica, Pablo, and Alex Y were there. After drag ball ended only an hour later (sadly) Jeff and I went to Rachel A's room with a group and hung out for a while, then went back to bed.

On Saturday we were supposed to meet Suz in CW but she didn't make it. Instead we met Zach and Trevor in CW and had a Cheese Shop picnic on the Palace Green. It was lovely. After that Jeff and I went to Jamestown Beach because the weather was so nice and read in the sun. Then we went to Zach and Trevor's room to watch with them and Mel the adult musical comedy version of Alice in Wonderland and eat pizza. Next we drove to the Huttons' house off campus for the yearly Classics banquet, which just happened to be occurring (fortuitous!). It was cool to see classics club people and my profs. Also Sam Angley made an awesome Pantheon cake and an awesomer penis-shaped cake (which was also delicious!). After that Jeff and I met up with Minda, then went to the UC which is now the SC to grab Kat, and Mel was there too. We talked for a while then went to Wawa where I sadly did not get mac n cheese because I was too full. Or a milkshake even! Wawa run fail. Oh well. Then we sat on the Sunken Gardens until it was too chilly, and after that we went to Landrum and met up with Suzy as well as visiting Katy, who rooms with Catherine Cole who also happened to be there! We hung out for a while in the basement then left for sleeps.

Sunday we headed to Newport News to meet Suz and my mom for lunch. Managed to catch Suz this time, but my mom couldn't make it because of traffic - ugh. It was pretty unfortunate. We went to a Mexican place in City Center called Salsa's which was decent and quite cheap. Then we walked around for a while and then headed out to try to make it to a dinner party in DC with Jeff's APCO friends (at Karly's house), which we did make, though we were late. It was yummy and then we walked to Eastern Market to return some library items. Basically, a jam-packed fun weekend!

Since then:

Monday - there was THUNDER! For I think the first time since I've lived here.
Tuesday - trivia! Carla came with Mary and Rob. We did terribly; the picture round was female tennis players, and basically just blonde Russian ones. It got better from there though, just not better enough. Before trivia I went to MLK library and read, which was a good way not to go home.
Wednesday - work was great because I got to hang out with my supervisor while he did database stuff then he took me to get a burrito at CalTort! Also it was nice out so we ate at the Sculpture Garden by the now-closed ice rink which, I found out, is actually in a giant fountain! Cool. Then after work and stopping by home I met Jeff at Mt Vernon Square, and we went to the DCist Exposed Photo Exhibit's last day at Longview Gallery. There were some cool pictures and all for sale for a mere $100 or more. Way out of my price range. Then we walked towards home and found ourselves in Logan Circle, at which point we realized we were close to the Whole Foods. We followed the trail of people with Whole Foods bags to the store and decided to grab salads at the salad bar for dinner - and they were awesome. So many toppings... mmm... On the way back some guy outside of a personal trainer place asked us if we worked out but didn't try to sell us anything and then some nice middle-aged ladies laughed with us about it.
Today - nothing special.

As for the future:
Tomorrow - dinner at the Melting Pot! Karaoke!
Saturday - kite festival! possibly Good Stuff Eatery!
also... how long can we manage not to go to the grocery store? It'll have been two weeks since we went tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Hello December, you're here already?

Well so I apologize for the posting dry spell. I have been busy what with visiting Jeff, writing my 10 page Ancient Greece paper, and having end-of-classes celebrations...

So that's it. My classes are over. No more undergraduate classes for me. My academic career is over, at least temporarily. Wow. I feel mixed about it. Certainly I'm ready. But there are people and things I'll certainly miss.

The campus is just beautiful, and there are lots of great places to walk and fun, spontaneous things to do. Not that the city will be lacking in things to do... but right now I don't know as many people there. Of course, that will change. I'll get to know and love DC, too.

In other news, I got an Amnesty International internship for the spring. Waiting to hear back from Greenpeace, then I've got to decide.

Blowout was nice this year, except I'm getting a cold.

I have decided to create a Tumblr. Not sure how much I'll use it, or how it'll affect this blog. We shall see!

Carbon Leaf with Sleeperstar, 28 August 2009

This was the first AMP event of the year, the welcome back concert on campus. They brought Carbon Leaf and Sleeperstar to Lake Matoaka. I like Carbon Leaf, plus it was free for students, so I decided I'd go. It was at 8, and I left at about 7:45 with my friend from freshman year, Amallie, who I hadn't seen since we were sophomores. When we got there Sleeperstar had already started playing. I hadn't minded getting there late since I only cared about Carbon Leaf. We sat in chairs at first but then I suggested we stand so we could get a decent spot. Sleeperstar soon played a version of "Such Great Heights" and it rocked, and I suddenly realized I was really enjoying them and had been before. They were pretty dancy, and not overly loud. It began pouring, really coming down, and I was glad I had brought a raincoat. The stage was under a cover so rain didn't stop anything. They played a song called "Texas Rain" which seemed appropriate. We were dancing and everybody was really into it and it was extremely fun. Eventually Sleeperstar went offstage didn't come back despite everyone calling for one more song. But then they had to set up for Carbon Leaf. I actually only know two Carbon Leaf songs. Their new stuff sounds a lot different. They were really loud and I guess I was standing next to the speaker that the guitar was coming through because pretty much all I could hear was distortion. I went to the bathroom and then went to the Sleeperstar merch tent, where I met the band. They were super friendly and nice and I bought a CD and a poster which I shoved down my shirt, hoping it wouldn't get ruined. I went back to up near the front but got progressively more headachy because I could feel the loudness squeezing in my head. After I heard "Life Less Ordinary" I had to move to the back of the amphitheater because I couldn't take it anymore. After they played "The Boxer" which was the last song before the encore I made my way back to the dorm. I wasn't as into Carbon Leaf as I expected but it was cool to hear the two songs I knew. The rain poured the entire time which you would think, for an outdoor concert, would make it miserable. But actually it just became ridiculously fun. The Sleeperstar part was probably the best concert I've been to. The Carbon Leaf part was just so-so. And my poster didn't get totally ruined! Score.

The last day in SF and campus

Our last day, Jeff and I attempted to eat at Assab, an Eritrean restaurant, but it was closed for lunch. Then we got some food from Bean Bag Cafe and some fruit from a fruit stand. Then we played Mario Kart Wii until it was time to head to the airport. The flight went smoothly, and we met a guy from Snow Hill, MD! We had trouble finding Jeff's mom's car because while she gave us a very specific location, she did not tell us which lot. The flight got in early, but between having to get luggage since it had to be gate checked and finding the car we got to Jeff's at 1:30. Then we had some mac n cheese, and then went to sleep. In the morning I stayed as long as I felt possible and then came to Williamsburg. Left my ID at Jeff's, which was annoying but he mailed it to me and I got it today. One of my headlights was dangling out but the campus police fixed it. Went to the activities fair and saw lots of people I knew. Today I had classes and picked up my ID and went to lunch with Zach and his new girlfriend Kat who I have Culture and Cuisine with. Went to Juggling Club and eventually Skittles showed up (besides me and Sabrina) and we also got 2 new freshman, a guy named London and a guy named Joe. Then I hung out with Edris for a while and now I am procrastinating going to bed for some reason. Mom is coming to help me move the rest of my stuff tomorrow. I also talked to Will on the phone for a little while which was nice.

a quick lament

Oh, computer, why hast thou forsaken me? Thou used to worketh so well, but now, you are super-glitchy and riddled with viruses, you stupid piece of crap. I blame it all on using IE for 5 pithy minutes when Firefox decided to kill my video-watching ability. And so, I've been misunderstanding TechSpot articles for the last 3 hours in a vain attempt to pretend I know anything at all about the deeper workings of this hellspawned machine. 'Giving up and taking it to IT' is sounding like a good option, except they like to say, "we'll let you know before we reboot your hard drive" (that's their inevitable solution), then give you your computer back 3 weeks later, saying "ha, you dumb bastard, we rebooted it anyway!" And if you didn't back up your stuff, well, you're SOL. I think they thrive off of that tiny bit of power. It's sad, really.

SWAS is back

The good ol' Sex Workers' Art Show will be back this year in late March. You probably remember the huge controversy that it sparked last year. Well, many people wanted it back, and our new president, W. Taylor Reveley is reluctantly letting it back on campus. I would definitely recommend that you click above to read his actual statement. He says that the reason he's letting it on is not because he approves of it (neither did Gene Nichol, personally) but that he believes the students should and can decide what to bring onto campus. Which is good. He makes another good point that I fully agree with. Here's what he said:

"Repeated performances by a controversial group like SWAS, year after year, without a robust opportunity for the free play of ideas does not serve the Jeffersonian ideal. Such a pattern is a singularly sterile way to explore ideas of artistic expression and sexual exploitation. The sponsors of SWAS and its performers must do much better on the Jeffersonian front than they have to date. In addition to performing, they need to provide means for a serious discussion about pertinent issues, conducted with the intellectual rigor and civility characteristic of William & Mary. By the same token, those who find SWAS degrading and offensive should show up, prepared to articulate and defend their views."

(via The Flat Hat)

Now, I am personally fully in support of the Sex Workers' Art Show - even just as art itself. You don't have to go if you don't want to, but you can if you think you'll like it (much like I Heart Female Orgasm, and Saturday's Good Vibrations, a sex toy show, which were wholly uncontroversial). But it's true that SWAS is trying to make a point - but they don't allow much discussion of that point. They don't articulate it very well. If the message is the point of the show, this is a necessary addition to SWAS. I know that last year there was a forum about SWAS later in the week - but it would be much better if the forum were at the end, and that people could ask questions to the sex workers themselves.

EDIT: I have been informed that there was room for discussion afterwards, and MORE THAN ONE discussion venue later that week - I wasn't that well informed, even though I went. So in conclusion, Reveley is just trying not to piss off the people who give us money.

Ah yes, foolish opinions.

This guy spoke at W&M today. While his speech didn't even approach the sensationalism and radicalism that he apparently embraces (seriously, read the Wikipedia article). He talked about how diversity is not a good thing; how diverse nations rate lower in studies on happiness; how historically integration hasn't worked; how it's natural to want to be with people of your own race. He clearly stated that he's anti-immigration (well, if those immigrants aren't white, that is). He had a couple of half-intelligent points based on shoddy, problematic arguments. He said race is biological (not true). He completely dismissed studies that have shown diversity to be positive. He ignored the fact that concepts of race and the reactions to it are directly linked to how we are socialized to see it, and the fact that there is evidence that those views can be changed. The overwhelming reaction was disgust and outrage. There were a few legitimate, respectful questions: he responded by repeating himself and respected no one else's opinion. It was really interesting that he was there at all. It was interesting to see a radically different viewpoint than my own at work. But his defense was not appropriate; his main argument was that he was right and that's all there is to it. Ah, the things people believe. Plus he founded and edits this lovely publication.

Wrengate

Here is a site chronicling EVERYTHING surrounding Gene Nichol's resignation.

A Statement From President Nichol

This was sent out at about 10 this morning. It made me cry a little. Damn you, Board of Visitors! Go Gene Nichol!

Dear Members of the William & Mary Community:

I was informed by the Rector on Sunday, after our Charter Day celebrations, that my contract will not be renewed in July. Appropriately, serving the College in the wake of such a decision is beyond my imagining. Accordingly, I have advised the Rector, and announce today, effective immediately, my resignation as president of the College of William & Mary. I return to the faculty of the school of law to resume teaching and writing.

I have made four decisions, or sets of decisions, during my tenure that have stirred ample controversy.

First, as is widely known, I altered the way a Christian cross was displayed in a public facility, on a public university campus, in a chapel used regularly for secular College events -- both voluntary and mandatory -- in order to help Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and other religious minorities feel more meaningfully included as members of our broad community. The decision was likely required by any effective notion of separation of church and state. And it was certainly motivated by the desire to extend the College’s welcome more generously to all. We are charged, as state actors, to respect and accommodate all religions, and to endorse none. The decision did no more.

Second, I have refused, now on two occasions, to ban from the campus a program funded by our student-fee-based, and student-governed, speaker series. To stop the production because I found it offensive, or unappealing, would have violated both the First Amendment and the traditions of openness and inquiry that sustain great universities. It would have been a knowing, intentional denial of the constitutional rights of our students. It is perhaps worth recalling that my very first act as president of the College was to swear on oath not to do so.

Third, in my early months here, recognizing that we likely had fewer poor, or Pell eligible, students than any public university in America, and that our record was getting worse, I introduced an aggressive Gateway scholarship program for Virginians demonstrating the strongest financial need. Under its terms, resident students from families earning $40,000 a year or less have 100% of their need met, without loans. Gateway has increased our Pell eligible students by 20% in the past two years.

Fourth, from the outset of my presidency, I have made it clear that if the College is to reach its aspirations of leadership, it is essential that it become a more diverse, less homogeneous institution. In the past two and half years we have proceeded, with surprising success, to assure that is so. Our last two entering classes have been, by good measure, the most diverse in the College’s history. We have, in the past two and a half years, more than doubled our number of faculty members of color. And we have more effectively integrated the administrative leadership of William & Mary. It is no longer the case, as it was when I arrived, that we could host a leadership retreat inviting the 35 senior administrators of the College and see, around the table, no persons of color.

As the result of these decisions, the last sixteen months have been challenging ones for me and my family. A committed, relentless, frequently untruthful and vicious campaign -- on the internet and in the press -- has been waged against me, my wife and my daughters. It has been joined, occasionally, by members of the Virginia House of Delegates -- including last week’s steps by the Privileges and Elections Committee to effectively threaten Board appointees if I were not fired over decisions concerning the Wren Cross and the Sex Workers’ Art Show. That campaign has now been rendered successful. And those same voices will no doubt claim victory today.

It is fair to say that, over the course of the past year, I have, more than once, considered either resigning my post or abandoning the positions I have taken on these matters -- which I believe crucial to the College’s future. But as I did so, I thought of other persons as well.

I thought of those students, staff, faculty, and alumni, not of the religious majority, who have told me of the power of even small steps, like the decision over display of the Wren Cross, to recognize that they, too, are full members of this inspiring community.

I have thought of those students, faculty, and staff who, in the past three years, have joined us with explicit hopes and assurances that the College could become more effectively opened to those of different races, backgrounds, and economic circumstances -- and I have thought of my own unwillingness to voluntarily abandon their efforts, and their prospects, in mid-stream.

I have thought of faculty and staff members here who have, for decades, believed that the College has, unlike many of its competitors, failed to place the challenge of becoming an effectively diverse institution center stage -- and who, as a result, have been strongly encouraged by the progress of the last two years.

I have thought of the students who define and personify the College’s belief in community, in service, in openness, in idealism -- those who make William & Mary a unique repository of the American promise. And I have believed it unworthy, regardless of burden, to break our bonds of partnership.

And I have thought, perhaps most acutely, of my wife and three remarkable daughters. I’ve believed it vital to understand, with them, that though defeat may at times come, it is crucial not to surrender to the loud and the vitriolic and the angry -- just because they are loud and vitriolic and angry. Recalling the old Methodist hymn that commands us “not to be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,” nor “afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.” So I have sought not to yield. The Board’s decision, of course, changes that.

To my faculty colleagues, who have here created a distinctive culture of engaged, student-centered teaching and research, I will remember your strong and steadfast support until the end of my days.

To those staff members and alumni of this accomplished and heartening community, who have struggled to make the William & Mary of the future worthy of its distinctive past, I regret that I will no longer be part of that uplifting cause. But I have little doubt where the course of history lies.

And, finally, to the life-changing and soul-inspiring students of the College, the largest surprise of my professional life, those who have created in me a surpassing faith not only in an institution, but in a generation, I have not words to touch my affections. My belief in your promise has been the central and defining focus of my presidency. The too-quick ending of our work together is among the most profound and wrenching disappointments in my life. Your support, particularly of the past few weeks and days, will remain the strongest balm I’ve known. I am confident of the triumphs and contributions the future holds for women and men of such power and commitment.

I add only that, on Sunday, the Board of Visitors offered both my wife and me substantial economic incentives if we would agree “not to characterize [the non-renewal decision] as based on ideological grounds” or make any other statement about my departure without their approval. Some members may have intended this as a gesture of generosity to ease my transition. But the stipulation of censorship made it seem like something else entirely. We, of course, rejected the offer. It would have required that I make statements I believe to be untrue and that I believe most would find non-credible. I’ve said before that the values of the College are not for sale. Neither are ours.

Mine, to be sure, has not been a perfect presidency. I have sometimes moved too swiftly, and perhaps paid insufficient attention to the processes and practices of a strong and complex university. A wiser leader would likely have done otherwise. But I have believed, and attempted to explain, from even before my arrival on the campus, that an emboldened future for the College of William & Mary requires wider horizons, more fully opened doors, a broader membership, and a more engaging clash of perspectives than the sometimes narrowed gauges of the past have allowed. I step down today believing it still.

I have also hoped that this noble College might one day claim not only Thomas Jefferson’s pedigree, but his political philosophy as well. It was Jefferson who argued for a “wall of separation between church and state” -- putting all religious sects “on an equal footing.” He expressly rejected the claim that speech should be suppressed because “it might influence others to do evil,” insisting instead that “we have nothing to fear from the demoralizing reasonings of some if others are left free to demonstrate their errors.” And he averred powerfully that “worth and genius” should “be sought from every condition” of society.

The College of William & Mary is a singular place of invention, rigor, commitment, character, and heart. I have been proud that even in a short term we have engaged a marvelous new Chancellor, successfully concluded a hugely-promising capital campaign, secured surprising support for a cutting-edge school of education and other essential physical facilities, seen the most vibrant applicant pools in our history, fostered path-breaking achievements in undergraduate research, more potently internationalized our programs and opportunities, led the nation in an explosion of civic engagement, invigorated the fruitful marriage of athletics and academics, lifted the salaries of our lowest-paid employees, and even hosted a queen. None of this compares, though, to the magic and the inspiration of the people -- young and older -- who Glenn and I have come to know here. You will remain always and forever at the center of our hearts.

Go Tribe. And hark upon the gale.

Gene Nichol