CHANGES, SUCH CHANGES

What a week or so it has been here in Greensboro, and for me.

First, I am winding down a 30-year relationship with ABC-CLIO, the company for whom I have written over 5500 abstracts dealing with all sorts of American and world history. A conglomerate, EBSCO, had bought the databases America: History and Life and Historical Abstracts a couple of years ago, but ABC-CLIO continued to do the editorial work. Now that EBSCO has taken over that part of the operation, a lot of my friends out in Santa Barbara are out of work.

Second, one of my best friends at UNCG is leaving, after 26 years of tremendous service to the university. Nelson Bobb, our athletic director since 1983, is stepping down next month. Though he and I have debated issues surrounding athletics for years, he remains one of the people I most respect on this campus. It is no wonder that a Facebook group, I'm gonna miss Nelson, already has 95+ members--it will have many more !!

Third, and most importantly, my wife Pamela has retired. She will probably be back to teach next year, budgets permitting, but her career as a full-time educator at UNCG has ended. As a lecturer, and instructor, an Assistant Director of Honors and the Associate Director of the Lloyd International Honors College, she has shaped the lives of many students here at UNCG. She guided many others to Fulbright Scholarships abroad. Students she taught a decade or more ago have come up to me to say how much she meant in their lives. I do not doubt it; she is a tremendous teacher and mentor for the young, and will continue to be! As we await our second grandson this July, I see her days filled with taking care of Jonas and his little brother Atticus.

As so it moves forward . . . . life that is. While my future course stays fairly steady, these changes will no doubt have an impact on the way I live my life. Stay tuned to see what happens!