Going Home

I'm here in cold, cloudy Ohio. I gave a talk today at my alma mater as part of their colloquium series. I've been alternately looking foward to and worrying about this trip for a little while -- I was excited to have a chance to see my former professors again (although I see them at conferences and so on), but it was also a little nerve-wracking because this is the audience whose opinion means the most to me. I think it went well, though, and I had a great time visiting with everyone. They have a wonderful group of new young faculty, too. I had the same feeling tonight as I did when I first visited OSU, more than a decade ago, as a prospective student: these are such smart, fun, interesting people, and I really enjoy being with them.

Tomorrow I head out to Mansfield to visit some other friends, and then to Springfield to visit family. (I'll certainly be doing my time on the highways of Ohio! And Budget gave me a dreadful rental car -- a PT Cruiser. I don't mind them when I don't have to be behind the wheel, but it feels like it has a ton of blind spots.)