Pioneer Passage

Hal writes:

Today was the second of what will be 11 Pioneer Passages. It is the summer registration day for incoming first-year students. The evening before, I scoop ice cream for the students and families spending the night on campus. (Which the orientation leaders affectionately call "Hal's Creamery". I'm not so sure about the title.) During the day there is a housing presentation and then we have a table at a resource fair during lunch. That is the time when parents come up and ask questions and I enjoy every minute of it. The only downside is that my hall for next year (Southwest Hall) does not have first-year students, so I don't get to actually meet any of my students or parents. In the afternoon we give a tour of one of our residence halls which I also enjoy doing. (3 years tour guide experience at Gustavus, 2 years of coordinating tours at WIU.)

Here's a recent picture of me and my buddy John Ryan. He's the adopted son of one of my fellow RDs and his wife. By the end of the year he should be laughing, cooing, and crawling, but he is already developing a personality as you can see from the photo. (My supervisor is worried that I am teaching him to be an extrovert.) I continue to go back and forth if I would adopt. My friend Tamara had some good thoughts on her blog; you should check them out. But for the time being, the last thing we need is a Hal Jr., so I won't be thinking baby any time soon.

Now I'm off to Momentum Bikes where Anna bought me my bicycle. I'm supposed to go in for a break tune-up now that I have used it for a few days to make sure that the breaks are tight and not squeaking. Then it's time for another evening of ice cream social to be followed by another Pioneer Passage tomorrow. Mingle, mingle, mingle!