TENURE

The word came in on Friday morning, December 12, which feels like a long time ago, but not too long for me to remember, at last, to honor the moment with a “news” item on my personal website. For an in-the-moment view of the day, here’s what found it’s way to Facebook shortly thereafter:

On Friday I received tenure from Wabash College.

That's the headline in our house right now, but for me the best part was all the people--folks who'd helped me along the way--that I could represent sartorially as I heard the verdict. I wore the maroon Chucks I got married in (thanks Annie!) and the suede jacket that my dad got tear-gassed in at Berkeley (thanks parents! activism, yes!). I wore a tie that my uncle, Dr. Leslie Mitchell, gave me, years ago, when I lived with him and my aunt Susan while studying Latin. (Leslie was the first person I ever met with a Ph.D.) I carried a letter in my pocket that Whit gave me when I travelled, for work (what exquisite luck!), to Greece. I had on socks (cheers Sarah & Nathan!) with Walt Whitman's face.

That's just a fraction of the thanks owed at this particular moment, but it's a start. More coming, in a variety of forms.