(no subject)

Once upon a time, I knew how to write decent academic papers. Now I can't seem to write anything that isn't pure crap. I have no idea how to get past this mental block/crisis of confidence/whatever is going on but I need to figure it out fast. The paper is alreay late. Actually I feel a bit this way about teaching too but I can fake it better in that arena.

The campus swans and Project 365 (day 27)

PNC is a lovely campus. Tomorrow is commencement and it is a shame that it won't actually be held on our campus. There simply isn't any room large enough so it will be held at Valparaiso University.

One of the most beautiful spots, in my opinion, is the pond. It looked like this when I arrived last July, like this in August, like this in October, like this in January, and like this today.

The pond is home to two swans, one of whom is shown below in my Project 365 photo for the day. The swans do not, as far as I know, have names. They do however have a history. Across the road and a bit nearer the toll road is a place that makes orthodontics. A few years ago this firm carefully created a pond and brought in two swans. The swans however preferred the pond across the way at PNC. It is easy to understand why when you consider the toll road borders their intended home and a forest and flowers surround the PNC pond. The swans moved themselves over to PNC. They were returned to the orthodontic firms pond but they again moved themselves to PNC. This happened several times before officially custody of them was granted to PNC. Last year the pair did hatch a gosling but it was killed while still quite young.

I personally think they need names; I think we should have a campus-wide contest to name them. I at least need to give them names in my own mind.



More photos of campus are here and here

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