Happy Constitution Day! and other happenings of today

(Krudy and I over the summer in D.C. I'm pretty sure we're at a bar, because that would seem right.)

Imagine walking into a building and seeing one of your favoritest people who you thought you wouldn't see again for years and years standing there! Today I walked into the student union only to see John Krudy down the hall, standing and talking to Mike Mayday. Krudy, as a few of you may remember from my summer posts, is a good friend of mine who graduated from Hillsdale in May and worked with me at the Times this summer.

He's been an excellent friend to me, almost a big-brother type, and he always made/makes me smile, even on the rainy DC days. He's joining the Marines in October and I didn't really have the chance to say good-bye to him before I left DC, so when I saw him today, I literally leapt into his arms, my feet off the ground, hugging him. He's here to Saturday; I am so excited.

Today is Constitution Day! So fabulous. This is one of the best days of the year. Too bad more people don't know about it or appreciate it, even though they should. Maybe that's the American Studies major in me talking, though.

Today is also the last day of the Lincoln and Tocqueville CCA. Yesterday had the two best talks, with Dr. Rahe speaking on Tocqueville and Dr. Allen C. Guelzo speaking on Lincoln's Constitutionality. The greatest part of Guelzo lecture, however, came when one of the older donors asked a question about questioning Obama's status as an American, which infuriated me, namely because people on the Right who question Obama's birth certificate are just detrimental to the credibility of the party as the 9/11 Truthers are to the Left. Also, a little more faith in our branches of government that they would allow someone who is not a naturalized citizen in office. Justice Roberts swore him in; I doubt Roberts would allow otherwise.

Anyways, Guelzo said one of the most moving speeches about citizenry and when the CCA transcripts go up, I'm linking to it for y'all. It was even better because A) he did it completely unprepared and B) his voice sounded warm, inviting and deep like Santa's. I wish more of the country had heard it, vs. the 300 or so odd people in Phillips.

The faculty round table was also terrific. We truly have an outstanding faculty. I think I might write an article on how the faculty should do more speeches around campus. We bring in a lot of great minds, but we have beautiful minds on this campus too and we should take advantage of that.

Oh, and the bestest news happened yesterday, when I got a phone call from Miss Lizzy Shell, beloved little sister of my roommate and best friend Heather (whom I call Bear, for future reference): SHE WENT KKG!!! That makes 13 new members :)

The Hillsdale Forum had our first staff meeting last night and it went really well. We're going to have a really great issue come out. I also blogged about Jimmy Carter's "racist" remark about Rep. Wilson yesterday, so if you so desire, you may read it here.

Talked to Daddy this morning; spending the day in the library reading, studying for my Art History test, analyzing a Frost poem in regards to it being a "diminished thing," typing up my next book review (my Pete Seeger one was published in the Collegian today, but the links are not up yet) and reviewing notes. I have a Students for Life meeting later, as I am on the planning committee for the March for Life and then grocery story shopping with Bets since she's having people over to Kappa for dinner tomorrow before the concert and Garden party (the all-school dance in the arboretum: so much fun!) on Friday.

This is for Haynes: Today is the birthday of William Carlos Williams, that wonderful doctor who also wrote and published beautiful poetry, like "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "Asphodel, That Greeney Flower" [excerpt]. I'm sure you'll be a brilliant doctor, but I do enjoy your prose so much that I hope you continue writing. Today is also the birthday of the writer Frank O'Connor, who holds a special place in my heart not only because he's quite good, but he was born in County Cork in Ireland, where the Robisons hail from back in the day before the potato famine forced our migration to America.