Happy belated birthday to my blog!

I only just now realized that last week was my blog's birthday. On March 4, 2005, I wrote my very first blog post, and thus a highly unremunerative yet also highly satisfying endeavor was born.

I really didn't plan anything, but if we consider today my blog's birthday party, here's what we did to celebrate:

Alexander Johnson, "A press gang seizing a waterman"

• wrote a proposal for a book chapter. After the sweat was dry, I
• went to breakfast with my son and had an omelet and toast. Thus fortified, I
• met with one of my all-time favorite students to discuss digital storytelling, etc., and then I
• met with one of my all-time favorite colleagues to discuss how to press-gang someone into taking his place as a faculty leader next year, and who that someone might be (look out, people! I will be e-mailing YOU!). Having assembled that list of names, I
• took a bunch of notes and turned them into a table in preparation for my
• next meeting, which involved developing a work plan so that we could have fewer meetings--genius! After that,
• I met with my colleague to finalize the proposal and send it off. Feeling free as a professor on spring break, I
• went to Target and bought pretzels, Perrier, shampoo, almond M&Ms in Easter colors, and a pair of white jeans. And a couple of spring break magazines.

My trip to Target. For my blog's birthday, obviously.

 I drove home then, to

• submit my manuscript to two competitions and to
• decide our evening plans, which were 
• to eat Indian food and 
• watch House of Cards.

That's quite a party, don't you think?

Dearest blog, I am sorry there was no cake, but happy eighth birthday anyway--over spring break, I hope to spend a little more time with you.