Hey all, just wanted to let you know that all is safe in the Perkins household. If you haven't heard, a Taylor University van was in an accident last night and four students and one staff member where killed.
The campus is mourning this loss. The body struck, but not broken.
Andrew (my brother) sent me an e-mail to inquire if I was involved in anyway, so I thought I would let you all know.
What if I was in that van? In fact, I probably have ridden in that very same van for a field trip. The students and staff were coming back from setting up for a banquet. The campus is heavy and silent. We didn't know any of the students personally, but just by face. It sure shocks one back into reality and the importance of everyday relationships. How quickly life can change?
Dan P
For the story
Taylor Crash
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Dan is back on the attack
Hey all, I feel like I have been gone for a very long time. Wait, last time I posted was . . .March 24, wow, I am have been busy. I brought Dr.Squiers (my advisor for my thesis project) to the airport two weeks ago so I have finally gotten some breathing room. I had to have a bunch of field data sheets and procedures for forest data collection finished before he left for Russia. Now he is gone and I just have to wait for field data to be returned this summer.
I ran my first running event last week as well. A mini-marathon. Yup, 13.1 miles of pure fun (of course they miscalculated the mileage and it was actually 14.5 miles!) I have been training since Jan, although March, with time in Atlanta and my thesis deadline, little training was actually done.
The race was put on by a dorm at IWU rightnear here and cost only 5 dollars. The 5th Annual Hodson Mini-Marathon. I ran it with a friend who hadn't been training (we both decided to run it the night before) so the fact he finished was amazing. We did about 10 min miles for the first 7.4 miles. I wanted to make sure I didn't injure myself or burnout the first half. At the halfway point Jeff said he needed to walk so I decided to take off and see how fit I really was. Man, it sure feels good to pass people.
The winners finished in about 1 hr 30 minutes and I came in at about 2 hours. The clincher however is that my last mile was somewhere between 8 min and 8:30 which means I had a lot left! Full marathon here I come! It felt good to race well. I plan on running a 10 k in Maine in July, then a full marathon in Sept in Dayton OH. A couple races in between maybe as well. First, I must recover from this mini marathon. I admit I was a bit sore. Quick fact, for every mile you race, take one full day of recovery. For me that means about 7 miles of the mini was actually race pace, so in 7 days I will begin the next level of training. Subject to opinion of body at that time, may actually be 10 days.
I ran my first running event last week as well. A mini-marathon. Yup, 13.1 miles of pure fun (of course they miscalculated the mileage and it was actually 14.5 miles!) I have been training since Jan, although March, with time in Atlanta and my thesis deadline, little training was actually done.
The race was put on by a dorm at IWU rightnear here and cost only 5 dollars. The 5th Annual Hodson Mini-Marathon. I ran it with a friend who hadn't been training (we both decided to run it the night before) so the fact he finished was amazing. We did about 10 min miles for the first 7.4 miles. I wanted to make sure I didn't injure myself or burnout the first half. At the halfway point Jeff said he needed to walk so I decided to take off and see how fit I really was. Man, it sure feels good to pass people.
The winners finished in about 1 hr 30 minutes and I came in at about 2 hours. The clincher however is that my last mile was somewhere between 8 min and 8:30 which means I had a lot left! Full marathon here I come! It felt good to race well. I plan on running a 10 k in Maine in July, then a full marathon in Sept in Dayton OH. A couple races in between maybe as well. First, I must recover from this mini marathon. I admit I was a bit sore. Quick fact, for every mile you race, take one full day of recovery. For me that means about 7 miles of the mini was actually race pace, so in 7 days I will begin the next level of training. Subject to opinion of body at that time, may actually be 10 days.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Procrastinating
I am blog-surfing right now (well, I am actually posting RIGHT now). What am I supposed to be doing? Two of my least favorite things in the world: applying for jobs and grading. Someone please give me a motivational speech.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
We Are Still Here
It's been awhile since our last post. Dan's been researching/writing on urban forestry, and I've been teaching, grading, and applying for jobs for next year. We did manage to have a bunch of people over last night for grilling, talking, laughing, and a fire. Good times at our house that we'll be moving out of in a little over a month.
One quick story. I've been re-reading Lamott's Traveling Mercies for a few weeks now when I get home from school, mostly for survival reasons. Anyway, I was reading something especially poignant from her two days ago when all of a sudden I had this motherly urge to protect Lamott from my students. Yes, PROTECT her. My students have insulted and ripped apart Faulkner, Kafka, and Dillard in the past two months (and I hear them ripping on Toni Morrison from last semester), and I am perhaps a little bit sensitive at this point, especially since too high of a percentage of them don't even read the books. Now I know why a fellow English teacher told me that he's stopped teaching books he likes. Don't worry, though, I'm not at that point yet -and least I don't think so.
One quick story. I've been re-reading Lamott's Traveling Mercies for a few weeks now when I get home from school, mostly for survival reasons. Anyway, I was reading something especially poignant from her two days ago when all of a sudden I had this motherly urge to protect Lamott from my students. Yes, PROTECT her. My students have insulted and ripped apart Faulkner, Kafka, and Dillard in the past two months (and I hear them ripping on Toni Morrison from last semester), and I am perhaps a little bit sensitive at this point, especially since too high of a percentage of them don't even read the books. Now I know why a fellow English teacher told me that he's stopped teaching books he likes. Don't worry, though, I'm not at that point yet -and least I don't think so.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
The ATL
Spring break is over, but the memories live on! Dan and I spent spring break in Atlanta hanging out with Bear and Lynn and our adorable, creative, lively (and yes, loud) three nephews: Gideon, almost 3; Isaac, 18 months; Phineas, 5 weeks. Needless to say, we were never bored!
Dan and I actually felt like we were job shadowing Lynn for the first day. On the second day, Lynn trusted us so much that she let us branch out into the internship phase: we took Gideon and Isaac to the Botanical Gardens and Piedmont Park. I was amazed at how many smiles I received from adults. Having kids brings so much attention! At the park, a woman who spoke little English just pointed to Isaac and said (with a smile), "Big boy!" after he bravely through himself down the slide, laughing as he fell into the wood chips. I felt like a proud mother - but now quite ready to be a mother. Keep up the good work, Lynn and Bear!
School is back in session and going well. Today in American Lit. we read "The Story of an Hour" and had a lively discussion on love, marriage, and divorce. Classes like that make teaching so worth it!
Dan and I actually felt like we were job shadowing Lynn for the first day. On the second day, Lynn trusted us so much that she let us branch out into the internship phase: we took Gideon and Isaac to the Botanical Gardens and Piedmont Park. I was amazed at how many smiles I received from adults. Having kids brings so much attention! At the park, a woman who spoke little English just pointed to Isaac and said (with a smile), "Big boy!" after he bravely through himself down the slide, laughing as he fell into the wood chips. I felt like a proud mother - but now quite ready to be a mother. Keep up the good work, Lynn and Bear!
School is back in session and going well. Today in American Lit. we read "The Story of an Hour" and had a lively discussion on love, marriage, and divorce. Classes like that make teaching so worth it!
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