Greetings once again from Mr. Jefferson's university. It is the home of a school that did not attempt a class action lawsuit against the ACC for disrupting the Big East and then gladly sign on once it was invited into the fold. But that's another story. Right, Dave?
Let me backtrack for a minute to Colonial Williamsburg. If you have never been there, you are really missing out on one of the great tourist attraction our nation has to offer. Throughout the downtown area, buildings have been restored to reflect their appearance in 1774 when Williamsburg was the colonial capital of Virginia. I call it Disneyland for history teachers.
Everyone in the town is dressed in colonial garb, the restaurants have colonial fare, and I was wearing my three-corner hat around the streets. As if the ambience of the town wasn't enough, we happened to be there on the weekend that Revolutionary War reenactors had gathered there. They were recreating the 1781 occupation of Williamsburg by the British army, so all the reenactors were wearing their red coats. Lots of fun!
Of course, I and a few of my teacher friends had loads of fun egging on the occupation force. But that is another story as well. Suffice it to say that I have pictures of when I was arrested by the British troops and my eventual time spent in the town stocks. Not the most comfortable place to be.
After spending way too much time in a town that brought out the dork in me, we headed out yesterday morning for UVA. We are staying on the Lawn, which is the original part of the campus designed by Thomas Jefferson himself. The rotunda is at one end, and the Lawn is lined with colonnaded buildings and small single dorm rooms all the way down. Unfortunately, I have the one farthest from the rotunda and the bathrooms are communal outside deals that I have to walk to every time nature rings the little bell.
But our time here promises to be very rewarding. I have spent all my time so far either in class or in the cavernous library, so I have yet to go out and explore the town. But at least I am getting my work done.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Paul
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