My mother picked up the bowl of chili I’d put aside as finished at lunch. She looked at it and said “It isn’t finished,” and scooped out a part of a spoonful and held it in front of my mouth there as I sat at the table. I was 51 and being fed another spoonful by my mother. I found my face starting a smile as I opened my mouth. Then she tipped the bowl upside down and poured five or six drops into the spoon. “Good to the last drop.” Another presentation of spoon. This time I was chuckling as I opened my mouth. She had a mischievous look as she turned away with the bowl and spoon.

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My teaching in the Mass Communications department has come to an end. With an influx of new professors they have chosen to teach the courses I've been teaching as an adjunct. There is no insult intended here nor is there one taken. It strikes me as normal that Mass Comm profs would want to teach Mass Comm courses.

It's been an odd pleasure, for the past seven years, to teach courses in social science research and then to supervise social science theses. I do enjoy such research design and figuring out how best to collect and analyze data. I've also enjoyed working with Mass Comm majors. They are unlike English majors in that they are unusually extroverted. We English types tend to be introverts, intensely interested in our own thinking. Mass Comm majors are interested in everybody else. I have found that refreshing, and will miss it and them.