Spring Teaching and Learning Conference Style. . .

A sunny but cool spring day yesterday for the in-person day of our annual internal spring conference on teaching and learning at my institution. Well-attended and busy with a number of male professors and administrators actually attired in suits and neckties, or some combination of sports jacket and odd pants. One administrator even sported a very nice pair of black leather cap toe oxford shoes. Not something you see everyday here in Mid-Michigan where it's usually sneakers or some kind of work boot, but then he is from another country after all.

Rather than my usual navy blazer, I decided to go with this particular Glen Plaid number on the top just to shake things up a bit. Worn with a light blue OCBD shirt from J. Press and vintage Black Watch regimental necktie by Reis of New Haven that I stumbled across many years ago at my preferred thrift/charity shop in our old stomping grounds of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois.

Otherwise, a good day all around. A number of people stopped to ask more about my particular poster on collaborative learning during the poster session, and 19 or 20 people attended my later round table discussion on -- Surprise! -- collaborative learning practices.

Next up, a conference in Washington, D.C. at the start of June, and I will stay with my sister in the capital district about 10 minutes from the hotel-conference center hosting the event. And visit the D.C. location of J. Press of course. In the meantime however, plenty of work outside to get the back porch, front, and rear yards in shape for the season. Between mowing, related lawncare, moles, and weeding flower beds, it's an ongoing battle.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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Mid-June Thursday Style. . .

A nother pretty typical variation on the theme for late spring, summer, and very early fall. I'm a huge fan of Madras and have several such shirts in the seasonal rotation. Lightweight, exceedingly comfortable, and even dressy when pressed and tucked in, which is the usual way of things here at Totleigh in the Wold. Now, if I had my druthers, I'd still rather be skiing the trails in the upper half of "The Mitten" (of Michigan), in the Upper Peninsula, or Ontario. But summers ain't so bad either, and I'd look pretty funny walking around in cross-country ski attire during June. -- Heinz-Ulrich

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