Hello?

Hi all! Have you missed me? :)

It has been a freakin roller coster of ups and downs and twists and turns so I have not had the time to blog for EVER.

We were up here for the holidays. Visiting Sydney's folks and my folks... So that was good. Sydney and the kids are still down in Cottonwood... BUT we found a house so they will be moving up here shortly. We close on the 29th so I am thrilled about that. They will be moving up here the first week in February and this 35 year old is moving out his parents' house... fricken frackin... lol.

(Okay, it really hasn't been that bad and Mom has made lunches for me from time to time... so I can't complain too loudly.) HA! Can't wait to have Sydney and the Kids up here though... glad this commuting is drawing to a close... and while the lunches have been okay, I really can't wait to get out of my parents' house.

Anyway, my new job has been an adventure... that is for sure. I like it and I knew it was going to be a challenge... just didn't know how big of a challenge... I have been building bridges with all departments around the University because the person in the position before me had burned them all down. BUT we are getting there and many of the departments have made it loud and clear that they are happy I am here... it feels good to know that people appreciate what you are doing. Before I got here, there wasn't much communication between the Office of Admission and my office... now Gina and I are looking to explore some joint possibilities. She is great to work with. Ranks right up there with a former boss.

On another note, I have had to chair the search committee for the position I am hiring and we got down to the final candidate and she declined the offer... so that has been fun. So I am scrambling to extend the search and it is a continuous headache... I just need someone (someone good) in the position, so hopefully in the next 3-4 weeks we can have the position filled. (And I can start on the reclassification of my job.) Oh, and I haven't had a secretary since I arrived either... that's been fun too. I had to ask a few favors of Gina to get one of her Office Assistants to help process the 200+ applications that just sat there for 2 and a half months from the time Kim left and I arrived... (Funny, I didn't see that stack on desk out front when I interviewed.) Despite the chaos I walked into we still brought 56 students in for Spring Semester. While I was slightly disappointed... the President was excited because that is the most international students MSUM has brought in during a Spring Semester...and in the end... if the President's happy, then that's what really matters I guess. Anyway, I dropped off a plant and a card today for the Donna in admissions because with out her, I would be in a straight jacket somewhere... much of the credit of our 56 students goes to her. Hopefully in the next week or 2 we will have a new secretary in our office here as well.

That said, with all the bumps it has been a good move. I actually have a budget of about $60,000 to make sure that we are providing services for our international students... talk about rags to riches. I took new international students out to the China Garden Buffet the other night... (It was cheaper to do that then food service... no surprises there.) It has been fun to implement the programs that we need and not worry about not having the funding to do it.That said, in the end... Work is Work. It's not all bad and it's not all good... just work. :)

Glad I made the move from a professional standpoint with the opportunity to become director and the increased responsibility that comes with that... but I miss my last university as well... especially my friends in the Office of Admission. I guess you take the good with the bad. :)

Anyway, that's what has been going on...