Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

It has been slightly over a week since I posted my last blog entry, which tantalized by promising further translations of Saint Anselm's writings and sayings about humility. I'm thankful that, over the eight months of its publication so far, Orexis Dianoētikē has developed -- for an academic blog written part time by a scholar admittedly and indulgently ranging all over the map of topics -- a solid readership. Doubtless a portion of the numerous reads of the posts and glances over the pages were one-time, non-repeat clicks. A core of devoted readers -- who subscribe, comment, wait for announcements of new posts (on Facebook, Twitter, Academia, and LinkedIn), and praise, condemn, argue or ask questions about the posts in those electronic forums -- has also developed, and continues to grow. Interestingly, a good portion of that readership is international -- particularly from The UK, Canada, Japan, Russia, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, Spain, and China.

I feel as if I owe some explanation to my readers as to why my posts have slowed over the last weeks and perhaps may not resume their normal rate for a little while longer. I am right in the middle of the process of leaving my post at Fayetteville State University, where for the last three years I have taught, researched, started a new projects, and even taken on some administrative, advisory, and assessment positions. Not only am I step by step extricating myself from the University -- grades are in, but I still have four reports to write, and was being called upon to provide information in meetings yesterday and just a few minutes ago (I'm writing this during my last meeting) -- and not only have I been continuing or making good on a number of scholarly projects and commitments -- even more importantly, I am finally moving up to the Hudson valley in New York to end the painfully-long-distance phase of the relationship with my wife-to-be, partner, and collaborator in work, writing, and life. I am very excited to be leaving with my wagon packed to the gills with the first load later on today.

So, I will be resuming my blog writing soon -- in fact, once I'm settled in, I will perhaps be able to write and publish three or more blog posts per week, some of them connected with the ongoing research, writing, and public speaking activities I'm bringing north with me. I'll be continuing the series exploring and setting out classical philosophical and theological treatments of anger. The newly started Sunday series on monastic authors and the levels of humility will resume as well. I'll continue writing occasional pieces responding to current events in politics, world affairs, educatio, and culture -- as well as bringing contemporary psychological studies reported in popular press into dialogue with ancient and medieval philosophy and theology. I'll also be writing about a number of topics in education, practical reasoning, assessment of student learning, interdisciplinary collaboration on ethics and ritial thinking, and innovative incorporation of technology and social media into education.

That's the future -- now a bit about the recent past. What else have I been doing over the last several weeks? I just gave a talk last night about the Seven or Eight Deadly Sins at a local library, and I've scheduled a date and place for my next book presentation/signing just before I leave town for good -- more on that later.  I've been keeping up with responding to questions and comments in VYou, and I have filmed and posted ten installments of my new Dr. Sadler's Chalk and Talk series.  The visit of the SACS re-accreditation evaluator team drew me in as one of the writers of FSU's Quality Enhancement Plan -- I've blogged about it here and here, and even created a video explaining the plan.  I've also been working in a more administrative capacity, bringing to a close the smaller-scale Writing Across the Curriculum close reading pilot project and the larger-scale university-wide CLA Rising Junior Examination assessment.

So, it's not as if I've just been taking a vacation -- though soon a short one may be in order!  In any case, you should see new blog entries popping up in the usual places in the coming weeks.  Until then, thanks for the reads -- and the comments.