September 19, 2017

. . . since you looked at me, threw your arms in the air, and said "you're crazy."

One full week under my belt back at the job. 

One full week to remember that fiction inevitably becomes fact, that it's only a matter of time before The Cronk of Higher Education satire becomes reality:

• For-Profit institution tries to argue it's non-for-profit.

• Department of Education approves non-profits to convert to profit.

One full week to see that my own angst over the influences on higher education only gain more traction:

• The role Buzzfeed is playing in the coursework assigned by some professors.

• This Department of Education approval for the non-profits gets reported first by Buzzfeed.

One full week to remind myself of the things that can't be shared, the things that can't be changed, the things that can't be fixed, the things that can't be left on their own.  The things that keep one up at night.

One full week to share in the sorrow of colleagues dealing with disease, decay and death in the lives of their loved ones.

One full week to recall one's role in the fate of students and staff and to not take that lightly.

One full week to see again the beauty of leadership, the power of teamwork, the compassion of caring individuals.  To see again the things that diminish everything previously said.

It's been one full week.  Here's to meetings had, meetings postponed, people counseled, people consoled, service dogs, goldfish, strategy plotted, laughter generated, crises avoided.  It's been one hell of a week.