Dear Diary,

Finals week is upon us. Without any pesky exams to study for, I’ve had a little time on my hands. For the first time, I decided to read some of the comments on my Chronicle of Higher Education blog. As it turns out, I’m not as well liked as I thought I was. Reading through, some of the people were downright cruel. I have feelings too! I thought people would be more receptive to my use of the blog to cheerlead for Penn State. Who isn’t interested in reading the great fan mail I’ve received over the years?  Luckily, I’ve had my friends at the CHE take care of it for me. I haven’t checked recently, but they tell me they posted some sort of filter designed to remove malicious comments. I really hope it works out. Those meanies can comment on that ninny E. Gordon Gee’s blog over at Ohio State, if he even has one.

More after the jump…

This week I also planned my family’s New Year’s getaway. Times are tough, but the economy’s never too bad to take a winter vacation. This year, with my Nittany Lions winning the Big Ten and playing in the Rose Bowl, I figure we’ll make an appearance out in Pasadena. It isn’t often I get to see my good friend, Stephen Sample, the president over at USC. Last time I saw him we were playing a round of golf outside D.C. during one of those higher education symposiums a while back. He’s got a pretty good handicap, but he wears one of those dumb visor things. I don’t understand the point of them. It’s not like he has hair to show off like I do. He might as well wear a hat to save him some humiliation.

After Penn State wins the Rose Bowl, we might also jet down to Key West for a few days for my wife. She’s quite a Hemingway buff. This will be maybe our fifth time down to the Keys. I’ve found it’s good to get away from the frozen tundra that is Central Pennsylvania, if you have the means to do so. Maybe I’ll get a tan. Lord knows I’ve been looking a little pasty lately.  Also, I do love a good Key Lime Pie. Perhaps I’ll have the Creamery whip up a Key Lime ice cream flavor for my personal use?

Speaking of the Creamery, with our current budget difficulties, the Creamery may need to be scaled down. It’s a very expensive proposition to run. I’d rather just institute a freeze on wage hikes. I can’t live without my Creamery ice cream. I’ll have a lot more of it to myself after this week. I can’t wait. No students on campus will also allow me to complete my annual ritual: seeing how the other half lives. For one night, I forgo my cozy bed at Schreyer House for some unsuspecting student’s dorm room bed. It’s always by random selection and I leave a nice note for the student to find when they come back for spring semester. I feel it keeps me in touch with the student population.

That’s all for now.