A Sense of Doubt blog post #1584 - Graduation 2019 and other Recent Instagrams

A Sense of Doubt blog post #1584 - Graduation 2019 and other Recent Instagrams

I have colleagues and friends!

I cannot capture in words the profound effect joining the faculty at LCC has had on my life and on my desire to stay in the Pacific Northwest. Not to tout one school over another. I also love teaching at Concordia University, and though I was invited to that graduation, the encouragement was not as strong from that group (though they are struggling with their own upheavals with the dissolution of the Arts and Sciences department). I had colleagues urging me to go to LCC graduation and the school offered to rent me a robe with my school colors.

Fun fact: apparently, white is the color of language arts, which is why most of us have a white collar drape thingie (I have no idea what that's called).

I am so proud to be part of the English faculty at Lower Columbia College. They are a tremendously warm, capable, knowledgeable, insightful, passionate, committed, caring, open-minded, cool group of people. I am sure I could think of a dozen or more other adjectives if I really put my mind to it.

I have said the following to many of them in the department, but I want to save it here, in writing, as, often, saying it out loud brings tears to my eyes.

I have taught for many schools starting with classes while a graduate student in the late 1980s. My grad school colleagues were a great community of supportive friends, and we would drink, laugh, and love together. Since grad school, I have had friends in departments and some feeling of community and support, but NOTHING like that grad school community of sharing, caring, supportive colleagues working together for a common cause. I now have such a community at LCC, and it is ineffably wonderful. The effect becoming part of this community has had on my heart and soul is immeasurably and difficult to express. I am happy, supported, included, and fulfilled (or at least as fulfilled as an adjunct instructor can be). But wait, I have NEVER known a group of full-time faculty who care more about the plight of adjuncts than this group. At a recent meeting, the full-timers spoke vehemently, up in arms, at the refusal of the college to pay us for attending the meeting and so dominated the discussion that neither Abbie nor I -- the only adjuncts in the room -- needed to say anything.

Thank the world spirit for these amazing people!! I am blessed.

Following is my Instagram post from graduation, which took place yesterday. Following that post are some other recent Instagrams with puppies and things from Portland.

Photo: Left to Right: Back row: Abbie Leavens, J Haynes Hughes, Hiedi Bauer (department chair), Mavourneen Rister, Klint Hull, me. Front row: Amber Lemiere, Becky Connolly, and Nicole DiGerlando.
Not pictured: Keegan Norwood, David McCarthy, and two others who I have not even met.



OTHER INSTAGRAMMIES

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1906.22 - 10:10

- Days ago = 1449 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.