Minutes 1/19

Kicking off the new year one minute early. We met in a different Lower Gage room and the effect was that our chairs were arranged like a giant airplane hangar.

Highlights from the meeting:

-Several sheets were circulated: the WC staff directory, the committee and job assignments, and the spring shift schedule. If you have any further changes, e-mail or talk to Amber.

-My coffee/milk glass separated weirdly. Leta tried to use her barista skillz to correct the problem, since I didn’t want to use my finger as a makeshift swizzle stick. Despite her skilled efforts, the drink separated further.

-Full-staff (re)introductions. I wrote down “Ellen Burns is cute as a button” and “Becca pooped worrisome rocks when she was five.” Don’t remember the details of these notes, though, sadly.

-Welcoming back folks from abroad – anyone want to post on the blog?

-There was much job shuffling.

Some notes for the week:

-This Friday from 3-4:00 there will be a WC Open House which coincides with the Grand Opening of the Speaking Center. Everyone is encouraged to attend, and Vegas people are required to be there to present their conference posters. Everyone gets free pop and a single cookie each.

-We all solemnly pledged to, sooner or later, help clean up the Moodle database. Course names and numbers, professors’ names correctly spelled, and, as always, more thorough conference descriptions. What we’re looking for: accuracy of information and details – be thorough, precise, and helpful.

-No Topics Tuesday or Wednesday. Next week Topics meets in the library.

That’s it.

Dr. Bob's Chili Feed

The WC’s doors opened Tuesday night for a staff-only chili feed, made even more delicious because of the sub-zero temperatures and snowdrifts battled by staff members on their way to free food. Between sips of lemonade, red cheeked consultants compared Christmas breaks and bemoaned the start of classes. Topics overheard: bowling matinees (particularly the “greasy ball” phenomenon), the allure of small town Iowa (with delightful turns of phrase such as “balls to the wall” and “mello like jell-o”), and Julia Childs’ career in espionage.

Both meat and vegetarian chili had been prepared by the indefatigable Dr. Bob, as well as an array of fruits, carrot sticks, chocolates, and cookies. The cornbread quickly disappeared, and the regular bread barely made it to the table before it was divided amongst us, leaving a flurry of crumbs in our wake.

The biggest development over break is the addition of a door near the kitchen area. This door leads into the Speaking Center. Observant consultants noted the presence of a spiffy Mac. I think this is a bit like adding new fish to an already-populated tank. Hopefully a tank that meets a better fate than the WC’s. If only we could put the speaking center consultants in a clear container in the middle of the WC while we acclimate to their presence. I wonder if we can make them clean our dishes. Most importantly, are they exempt from Dr. Bob’s no-nuclear-weapons policy?

- Johanna

Updates from the WC

A list, lists are good:
-After a week of rain and snow, the campus is covered, alternatingly, in lovely white wintry goodness and scary slippy ice. Monday evening saw the sidewalks as frozen canals. Just now, Danielle fell on the ice while riding her bike. Ouchie.
-The back wall (where the framed quotations used to be) now has a hole knocked in it, and a door stuck in that hole. A door to the newly-moved Speaking Center, which is slowly being filled with things like carpeting and plastic 3-drawer bins.
-Bob will be in Ireland over break.
-The new spring schedule is taped to the front desk - feel free to make adjustments
-Tues, Jan 13 (the day before classes resume) will be Chili Night in the WC. 7-9pm, or until the the chillay runs out. Bob says: "No formal meeting, no required attendance. It's fine to come, eat, and leave."
-First staff meeting of the year will be Monday, Jan. 19, about 5:30. More details, presumably, to come.
-Mike Huff is a now a model for sciency clothes: