My plane leaves today after work
Well, my people, I am off this afternoon for a week's trip to Vermont. I am visiting the campus of my college, Norwich University, where I'm getting my Master's degree in Diplomacy. This is a required one-week residency during the 18-month degree program. While there, I will have to present one of my academic papers in a round table as well as participate in discussions and mixers to get to know these people I've been conversing with online.
Should be a lot of fun, and I've never been to Vermont before. I'd like to be ambitious during the week and visit the Ben & Jerry's factory and take the tour. I'm also visiting some friends in Nashua, NH who were in the Army with me in Texas. I also plan to visit the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial while there. All in all I'd like to see as much of northern Vermont during this week, since I don't expect to be there again any time soon. But then if I really like it there, maybe we will go back sooner than never again!
I made sure to be completely ready for my trip. Over the weekend I stopped at L. L. Bean and bought some turtleneck sweaters and corduroy trousers. I made sure my rental car was going to be a Volvo (pre-bumper stickered, natch).
I plan to attend a maple sugaring protest rally, protesting the harvesting of maple syrup from those poor trees. It's as sticky a outrage as Abu Ghraib.
Through these efforts, I hope to pose as a New England academic for the week. Wish me luck!