~Saturday~ I was up at 6:45, and with Robert’s arrival at just after 7:30, we headed to Greenville, NC, which is about an hour-and-a-half ride. We arrived at my sister and her husband’s place at just a little after 9:00, where we joined them and my parents for a few minutes before heading over to the East Carolina University campus where my sister, Dr. Vivian Martin Covington, was being inducted into ECU’s Educators Hall of Fame.
Robert was such a dear and had picked up a card and a little gift for the occasion. We gave that to Viv, and the gift was the cutest little fan, which said “ECU #1 Fan” on it. Surprisingly, she didn’t already have one. (See note below about “Dedicated Pirate Fan.”) Robert really did nab the perfect gift. Thanks, my sweet.
After a welcome from the Dean of the College of Education, and then a few words from the university Provost, we enjoyed (and I use the term loosely) a talk (complete with a PowerPoint slideshow and 10n supporting statistics) about the K12 Education Crises in this country. I did relate to many of his majority-minority points, although those arguments are always framed in my mind as gay-straight arguments co-existing with black-white arguments.
Finally, we got to the point we’d all been waiting for, which was the induction of our friends or relatives who were joining the Educators Hall of Fame. It was obvious that my sister is well-loved and well-respected by her colleagues as she stepped forward to receive her certificate and to be recognized for her career-long contributions to education. They noted that, “She’s just awesome!”
(l-r: Vivian, the Provost, the Dean)
They finished each person’s recognition by displaying what was being inscribed on their Educators Hall of Fame plaques.
She was Teacher of the Year one year, hence the “Excellent Science Teacher,” and she is currently the “Director of Teacher Education” at ECU. Dedicated pirate fan is putting it mildly. If it’s purple and gold, she owns it. If it’s a pirate game, she’s tailgating before it. If it’s a degree she has (only four?), it’s from ECU. That’s what the last line is about—100% ECU—all of her degrees are from ECU.
There was a little finger-food reception after the ceremony, and again, by the people who stopped by to say they just had to meet the people who were responsible for the person that Vivian is, it was crystal clear in how high esteem they all hold her. Very heart-warming to us, too.
I absolutely love and adore my sister. (What do you mean you can tell?) And I’m immensely proud of her professional accomplishments.
After the reception, Robert and I drove my parents back to Vivian and Jeff’s house and sent them on their way to Jacksonville, and we jumped in my car and headed back to Raleigh. Vivian and Jeff were on their way to a tailgating party, followed by an ECU Football game. Really? Tailgating before an ECU Pirate game?
Back in Raleigh, Robert and I stopped by Snoopy’s Hot Dogs to grab some lunch, and back at my place after eating, he headed back to Durham and I headed directly to talk to nappy. Which I did for about four hours.
Dancing, for a Saturday night, was decent for a change. We had enough dancers there, and the crowd consistently grew as the night progressed. Bill was back after a two-week absence, and it was nice to two-step to “our song” (Sugarland’s country version of Beyonce’s Irreplaceable) again.
I also had a couple of great two-steps with Rick and a fun one with Michael.
The theme tonight was “Flashlight Night,” which evidently has moved into the 21st century with glow sticks in the shape of flashlights, the only difference being that you have to bend/break them to get them to start emitting light.
It never really got dark dark in there, as the very bright light over the pool table stayed on for quite a while, the laser lights stayed on on the stage, and there’s always the lights in and around the bar area.
I left at shortly after midnight, glad to have had some exercise if nothing else.