Baton Rouge Week 37

Hi there! Look at this—a letter on time again.
We just had a chat with Amelia. We tried to do video chat, but it seems to click on and off quite a bit. We don’t know if it is bad internet connection on our part or on their part. We moved around a few controls and managed to get the voice on their end to come through a little better.
I had a small paper accepted in the English Journal. This is a big deal in my field of English Education and very good exposure. They have a column on mentoring in each issue. I rewrote the opening story in my dissertation for the column. They asked me to rewrite the ending and send it back. I did and they accepted it and it should appear in a couple of months.
I am also now featured online as one of the new editors of The ALAN Review. After March 15 any new article submitted to the journal comes to us. If you want to check out the pictures and the bios go to: http://www.alan-ya.org/2009/03/meet-the-new-editors-of-the-alan-review/. We are excited to get started, but we realize that it will be a lot of work.
Dana and I have finished the major rewrites on a paper. We had to do quite a bit of work on it. We might have a few edits to finish in the bibliography in the next day or two. We should have it out to the editor by the middle of the week. Hurrah!
For me, lots of projects have been coming due at the same time. This is a good thing; nevertheless, it makes the days and the weeks very busy. For example, I have to meet with my students tomorrow in order to have their grades current by midterm. I also need to have part of group paper due by Wednesday. If I work very hard from now through the first week of April, I should be caught up with all of the pressing projects. You should remember that the nature of this work is that there is always something to be working on. I think that if you just plod along things get done. It would be nice if I could figure out how to end projects in some kind of monthly rotation.
I spent Saturday morning at a Stake Volleyball tournament. We only had four young men so we teamed with another ward that only had four as well. They managed to win the whole affair. I was there from about 8:00 until 12:00. After that I went to the local library to pick up some books I need for a project. Dana spent the morning delivering food and dealing with some of the challenges of the sisters in the ward. I then did some yard work and worked on cleaning some of the house while Dana went to teach her occasional Saturday class in the afternoon. She didn’t get back until about 6:30. We watched a little bit of television, before going to bed. We forgot to set the clock ahead but I still got up in time to get to my meetings before sacrament.
We did not see any movies this week. We almost went to a baseball game but decided against it this week. Now, that the boys’ basketball team has taken the SEC regular session championship, there is a lot of pressure on the boys’ baseball. They have been very good over the last 12 years and are projected to do well again this year. They better do well; the university just built a brand new stadium for boys’ baseball and another one for girls’ softball. The spring weather and the spring sports here are fantastic. We are hoping to try to get to at least one of everything. Put on the shorts and the sunglasses and enjoy the action and the weather.
I know I talk about the weather, but it is unbelievable. We have flowers everywhere. We saw a frog and a gecko on the patio door window last night. We still have squirrels everywhere. I am thinking about getting a bird feeder to encourage a few more birds. We also have a swing arbor with a flowering vine over it without a swing. I am thinking about getting a swing before Deacon gets here. I am hoping that I can spend some time reading outside in the shade.
We had a great sacrament meeting at church today. I was able to feel the spirit several times. Dana is doing a great job as the relief society president. It is always a surprise to see some of the challenges that people are dealing with in their lives. We really don’t know how blessed we all are. We visited a couple’s home to assess their needs, which were many. Wow! It is important to learn to feel the spirit and then respond to the promptings. The gospel provides the answers to consistent happiness and productivity. It isn’t always easy, but it can be worth it.
We love you and encourage you to take care of each other. Nurture each other in the gospel. Read the scriptures, pray, and start a year supply. I feel that prompting every time I open the cupboard.
Love Dad and Dana.