Happy 2014 all. Life churns on here in Strickler Hall. For all of you out there familiar with our program, you will be interested to know that we have a new graduate director. Dr. Steve Sohn has assumed those duties after being handed the reigns by Professor Jennifer Gregg, who did an outstanding job in building our program. And we have a new addition to the Communication family--well technically Lindsay Della has a new addition since she gave birth to her first child, a strapping baby boy, just before the holidays.
Professors Joy Hart, Kandi Walker and I are in the process of finishing up our book, "Talking Tobacco: Interpersonal, Organizational, and Mediated Messages." This edited volume will be published by Peter Lang out of New York very soon in the spring of 2014. We will be glad to have that off our plate--it has been a long road getting this book ready to go.
That means I need a new project to work on. After doing years of "heavy" research on "heavy" topics like tobacco and cigarettes and smoking, I'm ready for something a bit lighter and more fun. So I'm getting ready to launch into a project involving some aspect of epicurean research; that's food in plainspeak. Something having to do with food and communication. Not sure exactly what but looking forward to working with my old KMOX/CBS colleague Dave St. John on this, even though he lives near Syracuse and for some reason continues to root for the Orangemen. Also looking forward to having the assistance of my new GTA Sam Hughey; she is enthused about the project as well so good to know I've got several people on board already even though the idea at this point is rather vague.
Sam is also helping me with my Comm 303 Intro to Communication Technology class so if any of my students are reading this, you'll be intersecting with her soon. And I have put a link to her blog on our Blackboard site so you can get to know her a bit.
I continue to direct our internship program--looks like a record number of folks doing internships this semester at locations as varied as the local TV stations, to the Kentucky Derby Festival, to local agencies and everything in between. More and more students seem to be getting the message that this experience is crucial to their professional future. And as our friends with the i2A program at UofL stress, this experiential learning is a phenomenal way to build critical thinking.
My daughter is now 16 and driving, my little guy has turned 14, I've been happily married to my wife now for 23+ years, and we've lived in Louisville now for closing in on 19 years. Jeez time flies when you are having fun....
Strickler 310 signing off for now.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
160 MPH is Exhilirating
So I drove an Indy car at Kentucky Speedway this past Sunday with my friend Rick Gevers. It was an Xmas present from my wife and kids.
The G forces are absolutely incredible in the banked corners. And I was only going about 160 as opposed to the 215 that Indy car drivers routinely hit on high banked mile and a half ovals. I have new found respect for these folks for the physical toll that a race must take. And the mental toll must be incredible - I was 100% focused and dialed in and can't imagine what it must be like to do 100 laps at high speeds going wheel to wheel with other drivers.
Needless to say I was drained after, likely from the adrenaline that surged through my body but also probably from the death grip that I had on the wheel. But it was truly a fabulous experience....scratch that one off the bucket list!
The G forces are absolutely incredible in the banked corners. And I was only going about 160 as opposed to the 215 that Indy car drivers routinely hit on high banked mile and a half ovals. I have new found respect for these folks for the physical toll that a race must take. And the mental toll must be incredible - I was 100% focused and dialed in and can't imagine what it must be like to do 100 laps at high speeds going wheel to wheel with other drivers.
Needless to say I was drained after, likely from the adrenaline that surged through my body but also probably from the death grip that I had on the wheel. But it was truly a fabulous experience....scratch that one off the bucket list!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Time to Get Rolling
There are actually people outside walking around campus! The start of a new school year is like the coming of spring each year. Things have been just dead around here. Just like early February. But, gradually everything awakens and comes to life.
Starting to see students. Starting to see other faculty. Parking lots beginning to fill. The summer slumber is over.
This should be an interesting school year. Our department has a new faculty member, Karen Freberg, who teaches in the area of strategic communication and social media--she should fit nicely. And we are gradually instituting our new strategic communication curriculum to replace our old advertising and PR courses. Certainly makes much more sense.
Comm tech world keeps changing and that makes for interesting developments for class as well. AT&T trying to buy T-mobile as announced last spring. Now Google is trying to buy Motorola and get into the smartphone manufacturing end of things. The big keep getting bigger. Makes for good discussion with students.
At home it sucks having little kids who are now growing up---I've now got a high schooler and a middle schooler---I want them to stay little forever. It also sucks when you cut half your finger off with an electric hedge trimmer like I did last week. After ruptured disk and kidney stones in the spring, it would be nice to have a hazard free/illness free fall. Fingers crossed.
So here's to a good, healthy fall, and a great football season for my Cards, Tigers, Rams and Chiefs.
Starting to see students. Starting to see other faculty. Parking lots beginning to fill. The summer slumber is over.
This should be an interesting school year. Our department has a new faculty member, Karen Freberg, who teaches in the area of strategic communication and social media--she should fit nicely. And we are gradually instituting our new strategic communication curriculum to replace our old advertising and PR courses. Certainly makes much more sense.
Comm tech world keeps changing and that makes for interesting developments for class as well. AT&T trying to buy T-mobile as announced last spring. Now Google is trying to buy Motorola and get into the smartphone manufacturing end of things. The big keep getting bigger. Makes for good discussion with students.
At home it sucks having little kids who are now growing up---I've now got a high schooler and a middle schooler---I want them to stay little forever. It also sucks when you cut half your finger off with an electric hedge trimmer like I did last week. After ruptured disk and kidney stones in the spring, it would be nice to have a hazard free/illness free fall. Fingers crossed.
So here's to a good, healthy fall, and a great football season for my Cards, Tigers, Rams and Chiefs.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Back in the Saddle Again
Back from vacation. Few days in NOLA, few days at sea, and a few days at the beach at St. George Island, Florida. Quite the traveling party. My family, and my sister's family for NOLA and cruising, with my other sister and her entourage joining us for SGI. And saw some old friends who moved to Alabama--we miss them. A few random thoughts/takeaways:
* The people of NOLA are genuinely grateful to have visitors.
* Emeril Lagasse sure can cook!
* Drago's in NOLA has some kind of fabulous chargrilled oysters!
* Despite common thought, NOLA is an awfully long way from the gulf--8 hours on the cruise ship on the Mississippi until you get to the mouth of the gulf.
* There are some very large, scary people at the buffet lines on cruises. Stay away from them or you could be trampled.
* Staring at the ocean with a vodka on the rocks can be habit forming.
* The Mayans were/are amazing people.
* The St. Louis Cardinals have a large following - on cruise ships (at least ours) and in Mexico.
* Technology is amazing--nothing like driving in the middle of nowhere and being able to use the iPad to surf the net!
* Thank goodness more people have not discovered SGI! shhh don't tell anyone...
* Eddie Teach's Raw Oyster Bar on SGI is one of the most welcoming/weirdest places on the face of the planet. And Pat the bartender is one of the best ever anywhere. His wife is great, too.
* Nothing like 4 or 5 beers, a bunch of crazed 10-16 year olds, and an underwater swimming pool torpedo to loosen you up.
* Did I mention that looking at the ocean and sipping on a vodka is habit forming?
* You smell pretty bad after you BBQ 2 dozen burgers and a dozen hot dogs when it is 95 degrees with 80 percent humidity.
* Alabama has about the most varied terrain of any state. From seashore to mountains.
* I could do this vacation thing for a living.
Too bad I guess. Back to reality.
* The people of NOLA are genuinely grateful to have visitors.
* Emeril Lagasse sure can cook!
* Drago's in NOLA has some kind of fabulous chargrilled oysters!
* Despite common thought, NOLA is an awfully long way from the gulf--8 hours on the cruise ship on the Mississippi until you get to the mouth of the gulf.
* There are some very large, scary people at the buffet lines on cruises. Stay away from them or you could be trampled.
* Staring at the ocean with a vodka on the rocks can be habit forming.
* The Mayans were/are amazing people.
* The St. Louis Cardinals have a large following - on cruise ships (at least ours) and in Mexico.
* Technology is amazing--nothing like driving in the middle of nowhere and being able to use the iPad to surf the net!
* Thank goodness more people have not discovered SGI! shhh don't tell anyone...
* Eddie Teach's Raw Oyster Bar on SGI is one of the most welcoming/weirdest places on the face of the planet. And Pat the bartender is one of the best ever anywhere. His wife is great, too.
* Nothing like 4 or 5 beers, a bunch of crazed 10-16 year olds, and an underwater swimming pool torpedo to loosen you up.
* Did I mention that looking at the ocean and sipping on a vodka is habit forming?
* You smell pretty bad after you BBQ 2 dozen burgers and a dozen hot dogs when it is 95 degrees with 80 percent humidity.
* Alabama has about the most varied terrain of any state. From seashore to mountains.
* I could do this vacation thing for a living.
Too bad I guess. Back to reality.
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