The book party

This afternoon, Billy and I attended the History Department book party in the campus art gallery. It was unexpectedly lovely -- really an elegant venue. There weren't many people there, perhaps 30, which made it warm and intimate. Dr. Clifford gave some remarks and introduced the undergraduate history writing prize winner (me, for "Jesus was a Guerrilla: The Development of Revolutionary Christianity in Nicaragua), and then she called me up to receive a certificate which had a quotation chosen by the professor for whom I had written the paper. I was so touched and charmed -- Dr. Bruey! Dr. Clifford asked me to read it aloud ... so I looked down and saw that it was in Spanish ... horrors! I was caught! I had no choice but to put my chin up and read it aloud, using my most confident Spanish accent. Dr. Francis didn't start laughing so perhaps it was passable at least.

My language deficiencies are my biggest academic concern.

James Hill received the graduate history prize in writing, and Drs. Furdell, Prousis, Sheehan-Dean and Sheffler made little speeches about the books they had written this year ... most published by Brill and, thus, completely unaffordable. Receiving this prize meant so much to me. It was a validation of sorts ... a beginning. I have so far to go and so little time in which to do it all.