Lots of time to write a blog today but not too much going on for me this week. I have jury duty and can't seem to get myself dismissed. I've gotten to chat with a high school teacher/assistant principal who teaches a study abroad course that will travel to Equador and the Galapagos Islands in June for 19 days. The focus of the course is ecosystem effects of climate change. The conversation had me reminiscing about the study abroad course to Vietnam that I used to teach; the topic was also around climate change. I also started thinking about how traveled youth are today compared to when I was in high school and college. Not that I am old....

 

Or maybe it's a California thing? I look at the Advisors whose consulting reports I review and I find it remarkable the extent of international travel that takes place compared to my past institutions. Perhaps it's a reflection of the global economy that California operates in or the diversity of the California population. I'm not sure. Regardless, the opportunity to travel and do so using consulting days is surely an employment benefit, like sabbatical leave, that is often overlooked and not recognized as being unique to UCCE.

 

I was able to participate in phone calls earlier this week while I waited to be called. So I saw an overview of the Project Board progress yesterday. It looks like things are on track for the scheduled June release. I'm pretty much caught up on email as a result of not scheduling too many meetings but that ends tomorrow as I had assumed I would be dismissed as a prospective juror by now. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. I ended up having to miss a meeting in Denver with other Extension administrators (Monday and Tuesday) and the Imperial County field day, held today #UCANRDREC. It looks like the field day was well attended.

 

 

Overall, it's been a crazy week - with ducks in our pool, removal of a honeybee swarm in between hail storms (thanks to Shannon, Jake and Marcy for your ideas how to find someone to re-home them!), and the inability to get a handle on my schedule. Oddly enough, one of the bee keepers I called, who didn't want to come get our swarm, was in the court room I was assigned. He was excused (as were about 25% of the 81 of us) because of his business. Of all the times I have been in O'Hare and been surprised to not run into someone I know, I am shocked I knew a fellow juror despite only living in the county 10 months. Not sure what that implies. 

 

I had remained hopeful to be free soon but that has now passed. I am juror #7. Looks like late nights and early mornings plus a full weekend of work in order to mostly stay on top of things. I still hope to catch the meteor shower for Earth Day.