Quick Update on My Favorite Things

First of all, let me say that it is too early to be up on a Saturday morning, over Labor Day weekend. However, we are back in Franklin, visiting family and Evelyn decided that if the sun was up at 7:00am, then she should be as well. Since my mother's house isn't very big Brigitte, Evelyn and I are all in the same room, so when she decides that she should be awake at 7:00am, that means I have to be as well because I sleep on the side of the bed next to the crib and she has long arms and the ability to throw stuffed animals on me as well as punch me in the leg and surrounding regions while yelling "Wake DADA!" over and over until I open my eyes or grunt or something. So, here I am an hour or so later writing this "quick" blog because...well, because today was my first day to sleep in in two weeks and I am awake.
Onto, the subject of the blog...
Well, first, a quick update on Oxford. I started work on August 13th with classes starting on the 20th. The students all seem to be pretty nice and I like the fact that I am back in an environment where everyone is on a first name basis, students and faculty, faculty and faculy, faculty and staff, etc. One of the most difficult transitions for me at TSU was the formality of it all. "Dr. This" and "Ms. That" and the students couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that I was the professor and not a Doctor. So, it's nice to walk through the halls with people calling me Michael instead of the undeserved "Dr. Barnett."
It has been a challenging two weeks as we are opening the season with a show in a newly renovated theatre that had the majority of its lighting budget cut (which means I have lights without the power to turn them on), so I've been scrambling to find a solution since we go into tech in less than two weeks. However, I like the people and generally come home exhausted but feeling good about the day.
Okay, the subject of the blog. A couple of weeks ago Brigitte, Evelyn and I were driving South on I-55 from Southaven, MS (a suburb of Memphis) back to Oxford. We were in Southaven because, even thought it is a little over an hour away, it is the closest Target to us, and Brigitte is a big fan of Target. We had driven up to print out some digital pictures and since we always preferred the print quality at Target to other locations we decided to make the trip. We get there and look around only to discover that they have no digital photo kiosk. So, that sucked. However, Southaven also has the closest Krystal, which we had for lunch, so it was not an entirely wasted trip.
On our way back from Southaven, having enjoyed a "Sackful" of Krystals and having been rejected at Target we see a sign for the town of Arkabutla, MS. Brigitte snickers and looks over at me to say "That place is named after two of your favorite things, Arkansas and the butt!" Then she proceeds to laugh uncontrollably.
Now, I have no love for Arkansas and as far as "the butt" goes, well...I think she must have been on a Krystal high. Yesterday as we were driving to Franklin Brigitte was still giggling at her "joke." I hope you enjoy it as much as she does.

Enjoy the sunrise!