Kelly in Kansas

It's the start of another week and I'm certainly glad daylight savings time is over. It was too dark too late in the morning. We're finally having some great fall days and I wore myself out working outside yesterday. We've had so much rain that there hasn't been the opportunity to make steady progress on the outside work. 

I spent two days at the Eisenhower Library last week. There were newly released documents (or at least critical parts of documents) and I also discovered a new big topic to investigate after I finish the current one. I'm actually pretty excited about given that I can do such a much better job this time around. I had taken teachers to the Ike Library a few years ago but otherwise it had been over a decade since I had researched there. But I was looking at some of the same collections with new and much more experienced eyes and felt much more efficient. This is the part of my job I've missed - doing my work and not scrambling to get material together for teachers that they sometimes use and sometimes don't. 

I'm headed to a national meeting and looking forward to engaging with colleagues from a variety of disciplines. I'll be in DC again in a month so there isn't the push to see and do everything in the evenings there normally is. I'm headed up early so that I can get out to Archives II to meet with the Assistant Archivist who was responsible for my appointment to the committee. I solicited his latest insight into the NARA move to a more comprehensive digital strategy and so I will navigate out to College Park and then get myself back. No rain is expected which always makes traversing walking and riding to the meetings and walking around in the evening. We were there for the election this time last year and I still remember waking up at 3 am to hear Katie Couric say that as Pennsylvania went, so did the rest of the country. It was amazing to be in DC that next morning - I hadn't thought about what great effort it would take to buy a newspaper announcing the election results. And, since we were near the capitol area, there was the post-election buzz in the air. 

The semester is on the downhill slide. Lots of grading awaiting me and managing some various personalities in both positive and less than positive ways. 

I'm using Facebook more for daily updates and to share but I'm not quite ready to let go of my version of reflective practice. I should be putting big project updates on that blog but I have to get a bit more organized. And I'll be learning Wordpress as a result of some of my service activities. 

Fall is definitely one of the best things about the academic life. And living in the Midwest. We had outstanding color this year despite what seemed to be the continual rain torrents. 

Labels: academic life, ACERA, DC, Eisenhower, Eisenhower Library, electronic records, ERA, Facebook, fall, Harry Truman, NARA, National Archives, Washington, WordPress

Just as I went to bed last night, the wind seemed to get quite loud. Given our recent storm experiences, I decided I should get up and check things out. By the time the satellite signal came back on the tv, the worst of the 70 mph winds had gone through. The tornadic activity was most likely on the front end of the storm. But I'm glad I was in the basement for the worst of it apparently. Guess I won't be doing the weedeating first thing - hopefully it will dry out enough later to do it sometime today in spite of our already getting 90 degree heat.

Molly was excited to see me when I got home late Monday night - in contrast to Shadow's pouting to let me know he was mad he'd been left. So, Molly doesn't seem to have the same separation anxiety issues as Shadow did - another thing to cause less stress for me. The neighbor was kind enough to pick her up for me so I didn't have to wait until the next morning to get her and it gave both dogs a chance to play.

I had her hair cut while she was there and it's now quite clear she is 100% poodle. So, although she looks quite different with her short do, she's becoming more and more "my" dog.

The work in DC went very well - interesting people and interesting projects to discuss. And great food at Zaytinya - a now regular stop on any trip to DC. It was weired, however, not going into the National Archives while I was there.

Summer planning is moving right along.

Labels: DC, dogs, Molly, storms, tornadoes, travel, trip, winds

Last night's dinner and stay in the Kansas City Power and Light District was fun. Great weather and fun walking around last night and this morning.

I arrived at the airport early (!!) and so I stopped at Zona Rosa to pick up a few items - including quart size ziploc bags since I had figured out I had reduced my load for a one-night stay down to a manageable carry-on on - although I wish I would have brought my pull behind instead. Oh well. It will be great not having to wait for luggage on the other end - but especially when I arrive home tomorrow evening - it might save me as much as half an hour getting out of here.

The plane is here - which is always a good things. We'll be a few minutes late getting off the ground but will probably make it up in flight time. It will be fun to walk around downtown without having to carrying anything after I check into the hotel. I'm still trying to decide what to have for dinner tonight. And walking the DC Mall area before it gets too hot this summer will also be fun.

Chicago with the teachers will be fun next month but I think the highlight will be NYC in July. And, I'll enjoy the drive to Madison in early July. I already have an inexpensive guest spot on the way up and on the way back. . . . although the way back does include my goddaughter.

I hated leaving Molly yesterday but I'm sure she will be fine.

Labels: DC, dinner, Kansas City, KC, Mall, Midwest Airlines, Molly, plane, Power and Light District, travel, trip, Washington

Mollydog is making sure but steady progress feeling more secure in her new environment. And, for me, it's wonderful having a dog who doesn't run off at the slightest opportunity. Molly did, however, figure out how to get out of the fenced part of the yard yesterday - but it was to come to me as I was getting the lawnmower out on the other side of the house where she couldn't see me. I knew that her ultimate escape was inevitable given that the humane society warned me she had gotten out of her kennel gate into the larger fenced area whenever someone was out there working and/or walking another dog.

And, yesterday, she also made great strides playing with her neighbor Manny - the corgi next door. Manny is several times her size but he quickly learned if he wanted to play, he had to kick it down a few notches. Then, they just had the greatest time running around together. It will be good socialization and exercise for both of them. And, it looks like I won't have to venture out on the ice to walk her in the winter like I did Shadow because running around in the yard is enough for her to eventually do her business.

I think it will be harder for me to leave her today at the vets to go to DC for a grant project. Manny's mom is picking her up for me so that she will be here when I get home on Monday night and won't have to wait until Tuesday morning to get her.

Since I have to leave her today, I will head up to Kansas City and explore the Power and Light District as it continues to grow and have breakfast with a friend in the morning before heading out. Not sure where I will eat tonight but somewhere near the P&L District - unless I succumb to Gates BBQ first.

When I get back, I'll have two weeks to finish up a multitude of projects. And the house is finally close enough to caught up to do that in a reasonable fashion. I'm learning to set boundaries and not let other people make their deadlines mine - especially given that group projects take everyone working together and not one person directing the rest of us like students. And, it's making the ultimate project a richer one given that more of this later group is so much more heavily involved in the implementing the subject of the ultimate product - it's a continuum and not a "been there, done that". That's one of the largest visions we all share.

It's raining AGAIN but I should drive out of it in KC and will have great weather in DC. Now I need to go figure out how light I can pack for an overnight stay.

Labels: DC, dog, grants, Molly, neighbors, projects

I arrived back from DC last night and ran into large snowflakes about 30 miles from home. Some folks were being too cautious given the semis that could come up behind us at any time but that was the only real challenge. Not having freezing rain coming down was a definite plus. I think the Tahoe made all the difference - it's heavier than my Explorers were. If I had been driving an Explorer, I'm thinking I probably would have slipped off the road.

I need to finish grading work from this semester. I finished up an OAH newsletter article this morning and then went to Joplin to pick up a Fed Ex package from Santa Fe that required a signature.

Also, a dear friend who is only 40 has been diagnosed with cancer. Luckily, it's small and early . . . . .

More later . . .

Labels: DC, Explorer, snow, Tahoe, weather

I'm back but busy catching up on doing all the work that didn't get done with the personal issues going on over the last two months.

I hit the road tomorrow for a grant project and should be able to put my thoughts together and do some catch-up posting.

Plus, there's the end of the semester crunch!

Winter has arrived although we missed yesterday's upper Midwest snow and ice but today it looks like we will have one more day in the 50s.

Labels: DC, on the road, winter

I've been meaning to spend more time at our university library and recent circumstances have allowed more time for doing work there instead of at home. Much to my surprise, I not only found 5 or 6 interesting new books, I found more like 25. I just immersed myself knowing that I couldn't focus on any one thing for very long anyway. Lots of 20th century history along with blogging, podcasting, and education books had arrived on our shelves. I also worked on an Eleanor Roosevelt encyclopedia entry. I hope to do some research in our special collections and in the records annex for the county historical society nearby (in my hometown across the state line).

Today I'm off to DC for a National Archives electronic records meeting. It will be good to be away and engaged and learning and interacting with fellow professionals as well as many who are leading the way into the digital future.

Labels: ACERA, books, DC, electronic records, library, National Archives, research