MARAC Report

Two weeks ago, at this point in time, the Brave Astronaut clan was enjoying a breakfast buffet at the Hershey Lodge as part of the Spring 2018 MARAC meeting, held in Hershey, PA.  It had been a good meeting, with some informative sessions, and a great plenary.  The business meeting was getting underway and it was time for the Awards portion of the breakfast.  Unbeknownst to me, I was about to be surprised with the MARAC Distinguished Service Award.  I had no one to blame but myself, having started the "tradition" on dropping the award on an unsuspecting colleague, when I chaired the committee.  Surprise is always better than staged theatrics.  Except when it happens to me. :)

I have already expressed my thanks to those individuals who nominated me for this great award, as well as the members of the committee who selected me.  In my shock and surprise, I was unable to adequately express at the Business meeting my thanks.  I wrote the following, which will hopefully be published in an upcoming MARAC newsletter.

First, let me thank the MARAC Membership and the Distinguished Service Award Committee for bestowing on me this incredible honor. To have my name listed alongside giants in our profession and our organization like, Danna Bell, Lauren Brown, Lisa Mangiafico, Ron Becker, Jodi Koste, Jim Byers and others who came before me, is very humbling.

I would like to also thank those individuals (it’s possible I may have said “blame” in my remarks on Saturday morning) who nominated me for this award. To be recognized by them for (in the words of the nomination form) “significant contributions to MARAC which have contributed to the success of the organization” means a great deal to me and I am truly grateful for the honor.

I have been a MARAC member since I became an archivist more than twenty years ago. I quickly sought ways to contribute to the organization, joining the Steering Committee as a Member at Large, was later elected Treasurer, and finally served as MARAC Chair. Along the way, I sought counsel from those who had come before me, including those named earlier, along with Marsha Trimble, the late Leonora Guidland, Becky Collier (our incoming Chair), Lucious Edwards, Fynnette Eaton, Geof Huth, Jeff Flannery, and many others, all of whom are just as deserving as I of recognition by this great organization that we all support and love.

Speaking of love, I really must thank my wife [Mrs. BA], who is in attendance at her first MARAC Meeting in several years (that should have been a tip off to me!), along with our two boys, [LBA and SoBA]. Some of you may know that Mrs. BA and I met at the Spring 1996 MARAC Meeting in College Park, where she was giving a workshop on Arrangement and Description. It was MARAC who brought us together and now sixteen years later, we are one of the “MARAC love connections” and the three of them make me a better archivist, husband, and father, in that order at least for this venue. Also, [LBA] spent some time in the MARAC cradle that was made for the late Leonard Rapport and passed down through the organization for many MARAC member children to sleep in. Ted also was a dues paying MARAC member for a few years after he was born – and he has talked of following his parents into this wonderful profession.

In closing, I was talking with a few colleagues earlier in the meeting that we had noticed that our organization had gotten younger of late – and that is not necessarily a bad thing. We “seasoned” members of this organization are revitalized by the infusion of younger talent entering our profession and look forward to working with them to further the mission and goals of our organization and our profession.

Thank you again very much. I am deeply honored.

Off to MARAC Hershey!

Today the Brave Astronaut Clan is headed for Hershey, PA for the Spring 2018 MARAC Meeting.  This is one of those occasions where the entire family is headed to a conference - the fact that the conference hotel has an indoor water park and there is a free shuttle to HersheyPark made it kind of hard to keep LBA and SoBA away.

There is a game that archivists play at meetings, which we call "BUZZ" the archivist.  Basically, you have to identify the archivist in the hotel lobby without looking for a name tag (which some of my colleagues forget to take off).

I spotted this on McSweeney's a while back - maybe we have a new game to play in the hotel bar.

Academic Conference Hotel Bar Bingo

Signers: Pennsylvania

This is the week that I am in Pittsburgh for the Spring 2016 MARAC meeting, so it's only appropriate to look at the state in which the Continental Congress sat (albeit on the other side of the state from
where I am) and the signers from the Keystone State.

Pennsylvania

• George Clymer (1739-1813), a merchant by trade was elected to the Congress in 1776 and served on the War Committee and was instrumental in bolstering George Washington and the Continental Army.
• Benjamin Franklin - for Dr. Franklin see the entry on the Declaration Committee.
• Robert Morris (1734-1806), also a merchant, like Clymer, formulated a plan for a National Bank and was appointed to serve as Financial Agent (the forerunner to the Secretary of the Treasury).  He went on to serve in the Pennsylvania Legislature, attended the Constitutional Convention, was appointed a Senator, and was later tapped by President Washington to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, which he declined, instead suggesting Alexander Hamilton.  Ironically, Morris died in relative poverty.
• John Morton (1724-1777), was a judge immediately prior to being elected to the Continental Congress.  He was responsible for submitting a report on the proposed Articles of Confederation, dying shortly after the report was presented to Congress.
• Benjamin Rush (1745-1813),was already a prominent physician in the Philadelphia area before becoming involved in the cause of American Independence.  One of the few blemishes on Rush's career was his criticism of a fellow doctor for the Continental Army.  The Congress and General Washington supported the other doctor and Rush resigned his commission.  He went on to serve as Treasurer of the US Mint.
• James Smith (1719-1806), a lawyer, has one of the lowest profiles of the members of the Continental Congress, holding few offices after the Declaration and given the circumstances that his collection of papers in his officers were destroyed in a fire shortly before his death.
• George Taylor (1716-1781), was an Ironmaster and was concerned with the production of iron for the majority of his life.
• James Wilson (1742-1798), was a lawyer and judge in Pennsylvania.  He was committed to the cause of independence but represented a colony that was not for independence at the time.  After a delay, Pennsylvania's delegates were swayed and Wilson voted for independence.

And while he didn't sign the Declaration, I would be remiss if I didn't include anything about, "Gentlemen of the Congress, I say ye, John Dickinson."  A lifelong opponent of American Independence, when the time came to sign the Declaration, Dickinson announced "I'm sorry, Mr. President. I cannot, in good conscience, sign such a document. I will never stop hoping for our eventual reconciliation with England, but... because, in my own way, I regard America no less than does Mr. Adams, I will join the army and fight in her defense, even though I believe that fight to be hopeless." (1776).  Dickinson College stands as one of Dickinson's legacies.

Air Travel in the Archival Profession

I've been to a fair number of conference since joining the archives profession.  On occasion I have flown to these meetings.  There is often the discussion that if the "archives charter" went down the DC archives profession would be devastated.

There was one conference that Mrs. BA and I were returning from (it was New Orleans the week before Katrina hit that city), we had a very young LBA with us.  We got to board first and as our colleagues filed onto the plane, we were afraid that LBA might not hold it together for the flight.  But he is a very good flier.

Here's a list of "54 Thoughts You Have When Flying With A Colleague." It appears to involve drinking to get through the experience.

1. Great, another business trip.
2. I can’t be a wreck when I travel. Must keep it together. 
3. Although, chances are, Colleague X is also a wreck when traveling. 
4. Maybe this will bring us closer together? 
5. Hmm. Should probably avoid being a mess all together — very unprofessional. 
6. Yes. I will be totally professional. I will have my fancy carry-on and my hair will look perfect.
7. Will be like Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air.
8. Should I ask Colleague X to go to the airport together? Is that weird?
9. It’s not like we carpool to work together…why would we ride together for this? 
10. What should I definitely NOT talk about?
11. What mistakes have I made at work recently? Definitely don’t reference those.
12. Should I suggest we get a drink before the flight?
13. Everyone needs alcohol before a flight.
14. Even at 11 a.m., right?
15. Just one drink. Do not get too drunk.
16. I mean, but drinking is OK, right? We have happy hour after work all the time. This is no different? 
17. Except it is. Because you are traveling with your work colleague.
18. We are representing our company.
19. This is actually kind of fun. We’re having an alcoholic beverage, discussin’ THE BIZ like COOL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS. 
20. Do I admit my fear of flying? 
21. No, no. You want to seem very impressive.
22. Just one more drink, maybe.
23. OK. Boarding time. Do I ask if we’re sitting together?
24. Is it weird to sit together? 
25. No, you are technically traveling together, so you should sit next to each other. 
26. Oh shoot, we’re in different aisles. Do I ask if we ask someone to switch? 
27. This is awkward. If it were a friend or S.O., of course we’d be sitting next to each other on a plane.
28. OK. Now we’re sitting next to each other. 
29. These seats are…close.
30. Do I look straight ahead while talking? Or turn to look at my Colleague? WHICH IS MORE PROFESSIONAL? I AM TRYING TO BE A MODEL EMPLOYEE.
31. Time for takeoff. Just be calm. Don’t talk now. Now is not a talking time. Do not make that bad joke about the CEO’s wardrobe.
32. It’s not a funny joke. 
33. Except we’re both not talking now and I don’t like this airplane because it is very bumpy.
34. Ugh, of course you just made that joke about the CEO’s wardrobe. Dumb.
35. The beverage cart is coming through.
36. I could sure use another drink. But should I…?
37. FUCK IT. Yes, I would like a vodka tonic. ::Avoids all eye contact with Colleague:: 
38. Act natural. You are not being judged. 
39. Now I’m just going to pretend to go over those notes for the meeting. VERY SERIOUS NOTES. 
40. Maybe I should try and sleep? 
41. No. What if you snore. 
42. Do not sleep.
43. Oh god, TURBULENCE! 
44. Do not freak out. You cannot look like a little baby when you are hoping for a promotion.
45. You must show calm under pressure.
46. This is all a test. 
47. And I have failed. I will never get promoted again. 
48. OK, stop it. We are all just human. 
49. It is OK to be a wreck while traveling, right?
50. Just smile and talk about how excited you are to meet VERY IMPORTANT CLIENT. 
51. Ignore the bumps. 
52. This isn’t so bad, right? 
53. And it’s only a few days. 
54. You can make it.

Take a Left on that Road, you know the one with the number

The Brave Astronaut is wrapping up a trip through the Empire State this week, having attended the Spring 2014 MARAC Meeting in Rochester, New York.  There was a lot of driving on roads with both names and numbers.

Growing up, one referred to the Long Island Expressway as that - not 495 (its Interstate Number).  The New York State Thruway (which we spent a fair amount of time on this week) was not I-87 or I-90 - it was just the Thruway.  Living in Maryland it is always the Beltway, I-95 is I-95 (though it gets confusing sometimes because the Beltway is also I-95 at points and there's I-95 in both Maryland and Virginia.

Most of the other major arteries in the DC area Wisconsin Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, Georgia Avenue, etc., also have numerical designations for them in the state of Maryland.  Route 50 in Maryland is also named the "John Hanson Highway" and MD Route 410 is known by other names than just "East-West Highway."  Then there's always US Route 1, with it's many monikers.

Some time ago, the website, Greater Greater Washington, posted an article on this "phenomena."  A little consistency would be nice.  If I have to travel a road, I would like for it to stay with me for the time that I'm going to be on it.  That would lead me to think about sticking with a number, because the names can change several times, sometimes within minutes.

Thoughts?  How is it for you?  What are you used to?

Off to Another Conference!

The Brave Astronaut Clan is on the road for another professional meeting.  LBA and and SoBA are along for the ride - but they're really here for the baseball portions of the trip (Cooperstown, a Rochester Red Wings game on Saturday, and maybe a stop at the Little League Museum on the way home).

The Spring 2014 MARAC Meeting is being held in Rochester, NY this week.  There is a full slate of activities, sessions, and events for my friends and colleagues to do for the next few days.  BuzzFeed posted a while back on the "Awful Stages of Attending a Conference."  Hopefully our meetings aren't like this.

1. You have to wake up at a stupidly early hour because the event starts at 8.30 ON THE DOT.  Even though half the delegates arrive late and no conference in the history of human evolution has ever started or ended on time.  (For years, we have been toying with our schedule to try and get some events moved to different parts of the day from first thing in the morning - but someone is always going to get screwed.) 
2. Conferences usually take place in the basement of musty old hotels, where there’s no phone reception. (This is becoming less of a problem as hotels join the 21st Century and provide free wi-fi - so you can keep playing that game of Words With Friends or Candy Crush.) 
3. You’re supposed to be networking and exchanging business cards, but it’s too early and you find it endlessly awkward peering at people’s name badges to see who they are. (As the President of the organization, I meet a lot of the conferees and I'm ashamed to admit that I have stolen more than a few glances at name badges when people come up to me.) You're supposed to be networking and exchanging business cards, but it's too early and you find it endlessly awkward peering at people's name badges to see who they are.
4. And when you do see someone you know, you can’t remember their name so avoid making eye contact. (I know someone in the profession that when engaged in a conversation with him - he would constantly be looking past you for someone else to talk to.) 
5. There may be an exhibition area where sponsors can tell you all about their wonderful products. They may have hired a DJ. (In my memory, there's never been a DJ - but we get some good swag from our exhibitors - and there's often candy - something that LBA and SoBA will root out very quickly this week.) 
6. Then the conference itself starts. There are some great speakers… and some not so great ones. (As a profession, we are not the most dynamic speakers - but we do OK.)  
7. If you're a journalist covering a conference, you're often reduced to searching for laptop battery power. (We don't get a lot of journalists covering our meetings.) 
8. Lunchtime! Now you have to try to eat and chat while holding a plate and cutlery and and a drink. Good luck. Bonus observation: What’s with those metal food heaters you get at conferences? Where do they come from? (We have pretty good luncheons - I used to avoid them unless the topic really grabbed me - but now as President, I'm there.) 
9. You are praying there are cakes. Please let there be cakes. You are praying there are cakes. (We have pretty good breaks - and at this conference there is reported to be ice cream!) 
10. After lunch is when you have to ward off that sleepy feeling. (Yeah, I try not to go to sessions in the afternoon - I don't want my snoring to disturb the presenters.)
11. It wouldn’t be so bad if conferences weren’t so expensive. It will cost you $6,000 to attend the TED event in Rio this year. (Well MARAC is still pretty affordable - and most of the time - our employers will help with the costs.)
12. And when it’s all over? There’s a free bar. Which you make full use of. (MARAC's Hospitality Suite "After-Parties" are legendary in the organization.) 

101 Objects That Made America

Last week was the Fall 2013 MARAC Meeting in Philadelphia.  Many of my colleagues (including Mrs. BA) work at the Smithsonian, which has just come out with a list of items in their holdings that tell the American Story.

See what you think.  Items 2-10 are grouped under "Wild America," items 11-20 are listed as "Discovery," 21-34 in "Voice," 35-48 under "Power," next is "Invention" for items 49-60, followed by "Community" for items 61-70, then items 71-79 are under "Happiness," then "America in the World" for items 80-91, and finally "Freedom" for items 91-101.

1. The Star-Spangled Banner
2. The American Buffalo
3. The Duck Decoy 
4. The Bald Eagle
5. Coast Redwood
6. Stegosaurus
7. Audubon Plate
8. Passenger Pigeon
9. Life Preserver (from a Westward Exploration journey)
10. Bierstadt Painting
11. Neil Armstrong's Space Suit (didn't he just die?)
12. Lewis and Clark's Compass 
13. Gold Nugget 
14. Polio Vaccine 
15. Dark Matter Spectrograph 
16. Scopes Trial Photograph 
17. Benjamin Franklin's Experiments 
18. Burgess Shale 
19. George Catlin Paintings
20. [James] Smithson's Will 
21. Walt Whitman Photograph
22. Bell's Telephone
23. Remington Typewriter
24. Marian Anderson's Fur Coat
25. FDR's Microphone 
26. Nat Turner's Bible
27. Langston Hughes' 'The Colored Soldier'
28. Middle Mississippian Mask 
29. Chavez's Jacket
30. Andy Warhol's Michael Jackson 
31. Louis Armstrong's Trumpet
32. Nam June Paik's Electronic Superhighway 
33. Justice O'Connor's Robe 
34. Telstar
35. Lincoln's Top Hat
36. Appomattox Table and Chairs 
37. Gordon Photograph (a runaway slave, whose picture showed the multiple scars of many lashes)
38. George Washington: The Lansdowne Portrait 
39. Susan B. Anthony's Gavel 
40. Red Horse's Drawings of Little Bighorn 
41. Greensboro Lunch Counter 
42. Predator Drone 
43. Bell UH-1H Iroquois Helicopter
44. Enola Gay 
45. Wright Flyer
46. Wonder Woman Comic 
47. Colt Revolver 
48. White House Timber
49. Clovis Points 
50. Singer Sewing Machine 
51. Cotton Gin 
52. Levi's Jeans 
53. Eames Chair 
54. Eniac computer 
55. Edison Light Bulb 
56. Kodak Camera 
57. Morse Telegraph 
58. John Bull Locomotive 
59. Model T
60. Space Shuttle Discovery
61. Ration Ticket 
62. Pueblo Jars 
63. "This Land Is Your Land" 
64. Suitcase From Japanese Internment 
65. AIDS Quilt 
66. Emergency Money
67. John Deere Plow 
68. Stagecoach 
69. Negro League Baseball 
70. Psychedelic Signboard 
71. Barbie
72. Chuck Berry's Guitar 
73. Irving Berlin's Piano
74. R2-D2 
75. Ruby Slippers 
76. Teddy Bear 
77. Ali's Gloves and Robe 
78. Jordan's Jersey 
79. Richard Petty's Stock Car 
80. Spirit of St. Louis
81. Novus Orbis Map
82. "M*A*S*H" Sign
83. Fallout Shelter
84. World Trade Center Sign
85. Gas Mask (from World War I)
86. Pocahontas Engravings 
87. Giant Panda
88. U.S. Olympic Hockey Jersey 
89. Vintage California Wines 
90. USS Maine Bugle (blown up in Havana harbor, sparking the Spanish-American War)
91. USS Oklahoma Stamp (sunk in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor)
92. Stained Glass Shards (from the church in Birmingham Alabama)
93. Geronimo
94. John Brown Daguerreotype 
95. LBJ's Pen
96. Thomas Jefferson's Desk 
97. Piece of Plymouth Rock
98. Harriet Tubman's Hymn book 
99. "Clipper Flying Cloud" 
100. Stamp Act Proof
101. The Pill

Off to the City of Brotherly Love

Tomorrow the Brave Astronaut will depart the launchpad for Philadelphia and the Fall Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.  I'm taking the train (something I like to do - but don't nearly do often enough).  I did however score an Amtrak voucher because I don't need the return leg of my journey - so a trip could be in the cards later.

The reason I won't be taking the train home is that Mrs. Brave Astronaut, also known as the First Lady of MARAC, will be joining me for the end of the conference.  Some of you, my dear readers may recall that I was elected as Chair of MARAC in the Spring - this is my first meeting that I will preside over as Chair. 

I am sure that the attendance shattering record of archivists coming to the meeting have nothing to do with that fact. :) However, to commemorate and celebrate Mrs. Brave Astronaut's appearance - I hope that several of my archivist friends will join us for dinner on Friday night and then perhaps a brief lunch on Saturday after the conclusion of the meeting.  At some point we will need to go and pick up LBA and SoBA who will be with my MIL.

If any of my Philly friends have some thoughts on where we might dine on Friday night - I welcome the suggestions.  I promise to keep it to a manageable number and I might even make a reservation.

On Public Speaking

Today I participated in a class offered through my employer on Successful Public Speaking.  I don't particularly have a problem speaking in public - in my various roles and hats that I wear - I tend to do a lot of public speaking.

It was an opportunity for me to hear about where "the knowledge bar" is these days and what the current "do's and don'ts" of public speaking are.  The instructor was outstanding (as she is in most things - although she is retiring in January and leaves some might big "ruby slippers" to fill).  I say ruby slippers - as she equated our experience today to going on a journey of unforeseen consequences, unforeseen circumstances, and unforeseen outcomes - much like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.  She also used some visuals, including Paul McCartney and George Harrison (she has a thing for the Beatles) and a clip from Home Improvement, specifically an episode where Jill has to give a speech.

For the class, we had to prepare (and then deliver) one-minute, two-minute, and three-minute speeches.  In the first speech, we had to "inform, motivate, or persuade" our audience about a particular topic.  The second (two-minute) speech asked us to use an illustration / visual aid to make our point.  The final speech was to use visual, vocal, and/or verbal techniques to convey our message.

I procrastinated on preparing for the speeches (much like Jill Taylor does in Home Improvement) - finally making some notes on the metro ride in this morning.  I chose the topic of professional organizations for my first speech (as most of you know, I am involved in several professional organizations, including currently serving as Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.  I spent my minute extolling the virtues of being professional active and finished under the time deadline by telling the audience to talk with me after if they were interested in being more involved.

For the second speech, I employed the visual aid of a thumb drive to illustrate what happens when you get records on a medium that is not supposed to be transferred to the archives.  Of course (for those of you monitoring - the thumb drive was my own, the other thumb drive is locked away at work).  I used the remainder of my time explaining the "problem" and the "solution" that I would employ to deal with the thumb drive transfer.

Finally after lunch (never a good time to give a speech - or listen to one, for that matter), I explained for the audience how one "Trick or Treats" with an 8-year old (LBA) and a 5-year old (SoBA).  I explained how the costume selection process went at the launchpad - LBA is planning on being Harry Potter for Halloween, while SoBA has flitted from costume to costume, before finally settling on (we think) Indiana Jones - we'll find out tomorrow what is the winner.  In order to keep the audience engaged (and use visuals), I went out at lunch time and bought a bag of Halloween candy to proffer to them, which I believe helped my case a great deal.

Happy Halloween to all of you out there!  "See you on the other side, Ray!"

MARAC Fall 2012 Meeting

Today is the first full day of the Fall 2012 Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) meeting here in Richmond, VA.  MARAC was last in Richmond eleven (!) years ago.  At this meeting, the conference is celebrating its 40th Anniversary / Birthday!

I came down to the meeting yesterday with that guy Ed from Pittsburgh.  He and I (and another colleague) celebrated MARAC's birthday by playing a little golf.  Once we got to the hotel - it was committee meetings for the remainder of the day.  Today is sessions and a reception this evening. Tomorrow the meeting will have its last session, business meeting and then I will head home.  At the business meeting, I will be presenting on the recent membership survey that was conducted.

I am grateful to the individual who agreed to drive me home - as Ed in Pittsburgh, while he came to the launchpad on Wednesday evening and then drove me here on Thursday morning, is not heading back through the DC area on his way home.

"Can We Go Out to Eat?"

The title of this post is a frequent request of LBA and SoBA (they come by it honestly - I used to say the same thing to my mother all the time).  The Brave Astronaut clan doesn't eat out a lot - Friday is always pizza movie night of course - but that's take out.  We eat out maybe a couple of times a month.

On Thursday, I will travel to Richmond, VA for the Fall 2012 meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.  I will be on official travel so I will have a per diem to help with expenses for food.  Luckily none of the restaurants on the list below are in the capital city of the Commonwealth. And hey, what's up with Chicago? For the record, I have been to none of these restaurants.

The 25 Most Expensive Restaurants in America

#10.  Everest, Chicago (Average check: $546 / Cuisine: French / Prix fixe price: $110)

#9.   Daniel, New York City (Average check: $547 / Cuisine: French / Prix fixe price: $108)

#8.  Les Nomades, Chicago (Average check: $558 / Cuisine: French / Prix fixe price: $130)

#7.  Tru, Chicago (Average check: $558 / Cuisine: American Noveau / Prix fixe price: $145)

#6.  Melisse, Los Angeles (Average check: $576 / Cuisine: American Noveau / Prix fixe price: $150)

#5.  Charlie Trotter's, Chicago (Average check: $666 / Cuisine: American Noveau / Prix fixe price: $160)

#4.  Alinea, Chicago (Average check: $736 / Cuisine: American Noveau / Prix fixe price: $210)

#3.  Michael Mina, San Francisco (Average check: $844 / Cuisine: American Noveau / Prix fixe price: $115 (Tasting Menu))

#2.  Per Se, New York City (Average check: $883 / Cuisine: French / Prix fixe price: $295)

#1.  The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif. (Average check: $957 / Cuisine: French / Prix fixe price: $270)

Are You There Readers? It's Me, Brave Astronaut

Yes, I'm still here. The highly anticipated Rapture came . . . and went. It would seem most of us are still here. Evidently it's been rescheduled. Since I last posted (a recipe on April 25) a lot has happened and I have been trying to keep my head above water with all the things going on. I apologize for my absence and hope that you have been standing by waiting for my return. I will try and be better going forward. Let's say that here on the night of the first official (?) / unofficial (?) Republican Presidential Debate - I'm tan, rested, and ready [to continue].

So, what have you people all been up to? I have seen that some of my online blogging friends have also been contemplating their blogworthiness (keep it going, Stinkypaw - we love you!), others have been busy taking photographs of most of the residents of SW Scotland (and he does a fine, fine job), while still others have been out and about on vacation (from the pictures it looks like all had a great time).

Now, you people must all be starving, as I haven't posted a recipe here in three weeks now. Usually there has been enough "in the larder" so that I can have a couple of recipes ready to auto-post. I actually do have several in my Google Reader, which I just need to create into posts, which should have you all in new (and old) things to cook and eat throughout the summer.

So what have I been up to? Well first there was this. I spent the better part of this spring campaigning for a seat on my local Town Council. Intrepid readers will remember I ran for this seat two years ago, losing to the incumbent. This year the incumbent stepped aside and four of us stepped up to run. While I managed to double the number of votes I received two years ago, I still fell short. I will continue to be involved with the Town and be sure to keep my opponent - the newly elected Council Member on her toes.

After that I was the co-chair for this meeting. Working as a co-chair for a Local Arrangements Committee is sort of like being both the tortoise and the hare from their race. You plod along as the meeting date gets closer, breaking into a run here and there, sitting back while others complete their work, make a mad dash at the end and then just let the ending play out as the conference gets underway. We had a really great meeting and managed to have the most attendees for a MARAC meeting ever.

At work, things continue - as my employer undergoes a major transformation. Divisions are being realigned and renamed and my colleagues and I await the word on what will come of us. In the professional organization to which I belong, I did manage to win an election (the secret is evidently to run unopposed) - I was elected Vice President / President-elect of the organization.

Then I served as an usher for this (as I have done in the past). It was a great evening and I had the opportunity to meet and shake hands with Scott Bakula. Later this week I will begin my volunteering position at the United States Open (golf) at Congressional Country Club. I will be working on the scoreboards, so if you watch, you might see me, although I'm not allowed to peek.

Of course we are moving into the summer months so the pool is up and running - and we are looking to spend as much time as possible there. It would appear that I am the father of a "rising" first grader, which I can't spend a lot of time thinking about. But LBA will be starting camp soon and SoBA will finish another year of daycare (and might actually be potty trained before long).

Then in August, I will travel to Chicago for the Annual Meeting of my national professional organization. Among the regular professional obligations, I will be helping about 100 of my closest colleagues head out to a baseball game at Wrigley. Want to come?

Well, I am sure there is more to tell and I will try and fill some of the gaps over the next few weeks, but to get back on track, here's a recipe and please accept my thanks for coming back or staying with me during my prolonged absence.

Now I know that Easter has passed, but one of my weaknesses are those Reeses Peanut Butter eggs. And Mrs. BA's (who prefers these Easter treats, which she is welcome to) best pal sent me a link for a recipe for homemade peanut butter eggs. So here it is.

Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packages (18 sheets) graham crackers, crushed very finely
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tablespoons) butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• Chocolate candy melts or almond bark
  

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar. Mix on medium low until fully combined. You may have to use your hands to make sure it's completely blended.

Shape the mixture into eggs. I rolled it into golf ball sized balls, then formed the egg shape from there. Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for one hour.

Once the eggs are frozen firm, melt your chocolate according to package directions. Place the eggs in the chocolate one at a time, and slide a fork under each egg to remove. Place back on wax paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles and refrigerate eggs until chocolate is set.

This will make about 24 Reese's egg-sized eggs.

MARAC Harrisburg Recap

As noted here last week, I finished last week in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at the Fall 2010 meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC). It was a very good meeting and was well attended.

On Thursday, the meeting is devoted to tours and committee meetings. I participated in both parts. My MARAC Tour involved golf. Six of us played a round at the Hershey West Course at the Hershey Country Club. It was a great day for golf with perfect weather. My score however, was nowhere near perfect. After checking in at the hotel, I went off to my meetings. Unfortunately, right around that same time, I came down with a migraine headache and took to bed for a few hours before heading out to find some culinary delights in the city of Harrisburg.

The next day, I headed down for breakfast with the vendors and then to the plenary address, featuring Kathleen Roe. Kathleen is a great speaker and she kept us all entertained all the while making sure that we are doing everything we can to protect archives (and our funding). As I am co-chairing the Spring 2011 meeting (to be held in Alexandria, Virginia), I took the opportunity to talk with the vendors exhibiting in Harrisburg and getting them on board for my meeting.

All of the sessions that I attended were really good. One in particular was a new tactic for MARAC, but well done, in my opinion. It was a Pecha Kucha session, where eight of my colleagues spoke for just about 5-10 minutes on "A Day in the Life of an Archivist." There will be a Pecha Kucha session in Alexandria.

On Saturday morning, MARAC holds its business meeting. At that meeting, I was tapped to give the presentation to garner interest in my colleagues to come to Alexandria. If I do say so myself, I thought the presentation was . . . sensational.

Off to MARAC - Harrisburg

Tonight, I am making my way to Hershey, Pennsylvania (The Sweetest Place on Earth!) in advance of the Fall 2010 meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC). At this meeting, I will be making a presentation to my colleagues, inviting them to the next meeting (which is the best meeting). I am serving as co-Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for that meeting, which will be in Alexandria, VA in May 2011. If you're around, you should come.

I enjoy traveling to conferences. It is good to meet up with my friends and colleagues and hear what is going on in the profession. While I always attend sessions, for me, the most beneficial aspects of the meeting are the networking opportunities the meetings present. I will admit to having a problem staying awake in sessions at times, even in the most interesting of sessions. I don't know what it is, but put me in a chair and don't let me move for a while, and down I will go.

Some time ago, a blog I read, Marginal Revolution, written by the very astute Tyler Cowen, an economics professor at George Mason University, posted a question from a reader, "Why do people ask questions at public events?"

The exact question was:

Does anybody have a theory about the length of questions during the Q&A sessions that follow lectures/talks? Is there a relationship between length of question and age, gender, status, place in queue? Why do some people make rambling statements disguised as "questions"? How can moderators avoid such abuse of the process (pleas to keep questions short don't seem to have any effect)?

Cowen's response made note of some use of Q&A sessions as satisfying a need to:

1. "make a public statement and show them" motive.
2. "somehow feel a need to void" motive.
3. "signal intelligence" motive.

I am not sure moderators wish to avoid "abuse" of the question and answer process. Perhaps the process is part of what draws people to the talk.

My favorite method for giving "talks" is to offer no formal material but to respond to pre-written questions, which are presented and read off as the "talk" proceeds.

I recently chaired a session at a MARAC meeting, where following the presentations, I took a microphone and walked around the audience to get the questions from the floor. I felt very much like Phil Donahue and even remarked that I was feeling that way, but most of the people in the room likely had no idea who I was talking about.

Unfortunately, Q&A sessions at our professional meetings are the time when people get up and head somewhere else (the bar?, no not us). But there is value in questions posed at the end of session talks, isn't there?

Thoughts?

I will work on having another post for you mid-meeting, maybe something on Friday.

MARAC - Friday morning

After arriving safely in Wilmington yesterday afternoon, in plenty of time for my meetings in the afternoon (Thank you jfla!), I made my way through the halls of the Doubletree Wilmington, meeting and greeting with my MARAC colleagues. I spoke with a few people about heading out for dinner in the evening, and before I knew it, we were a group of 15, who arrived at the Iron Hill Tavern for dinner. Among the guests at dinner were Spellbound, ArchivesNext, jgreen31, and that Ed guy from PA. We all enjoyed several good beers and some outstanding food and great courtesy rides to and from the brewery via the hotel shuttle.

Returning to the hotel after dinner, I had time for a quick dip in the hotel pool before it closed, which I soon realized was below what was serving as the MARAC Hospitality Suite. Luckily, I was not wearing a speedo. Back up to the room and fell asleep in my comfy hotel room bed, in the dark. I had some responsibilities this morning, state caucus meeting and a plenary address, and I had every intention of attending them - until I woke up at 9:00 (full disclosure, I did wake up at 6:00, but the lure of the dark, the comfy bed, and the lack of small children asking for a show - pushed me back down for a few more hours of slumber).

Downstairs to see the assembled archival group while we waited for the first block of sessions to begin. I opted for Session 1, Congressional Collections Collaborations, which featured the Archivist for the United States Senate, who discussed the collaboration between the Congress and the National Archives. Karen gave a very good presentation recapping the creation and work of the Advisory Committee on the Records of Congress and how the National Archives (and the Archivist(s) of the United States) had worked very closely to help protect the records of Congress. And its especially nice when an archivist closes her presentation with quote from Lewis Carroll.

The next speaker is Sheryl Vogt, from the University of Georgia, who spoke to the existence and work of the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress (ACSC). As my head starts to throb (pollen counts are through the roof here, too), I am making a plan to head up to my room to take something, so unfortunately I will miss out on the final speaker, Betsy Pittman from the University of Connecticut.

The afternoon will feature more sessions, but first a lunch meeting with my Local Arrangements Committee co-chair for the Alexandria MARAC Meeting, which will be in Spring 2011 and one of the co-chairs of the Program Committee to discuss logistics. Tonight, I will meet with my panelists for the session tomorrow, which I am chairing. There is also a movement afoot for several people to go to a minor league baseball game tonight, the Wilmington Blue Rocks vs. the Winston-Salem Dash at Frawley Stadium here in Wilmington. A spontaneous JAL Tour event!

MARAC - Thursday morning

I've written this post while I await a friend to pick me up to drive to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) Spring 2010 meeting, to take place in Wilmington, Delaware. There will be lots to do and good sessions to attend, including one in which I will chair and offer comment on several oral history projects going on in the MARAC region.

Upon arriving today, I will attend a meeting of the Finance Committee (which I will rotate off of after this meeting) and assist in conducting the audit of MARAC's books. There will be no Steering Committee meeting for me tonight as I did not win my election in March to be the next Maryland Caucus Representative. Oh well, there is still another job in MARAC that I would like and hope to have the opportunity to seek that position again next year.

There will be more later, perhaps infused with alcohol related prose as there is sure to be drinking tonight. There is a collective hush over the DC area today as the Washington Capitals failed in their attempt to make it to the next round of the playoffs, falling in Game 7 to the Montreal Canadiens. I am sure that we will drink tonight to try and forget that stinging loss among other reasons - well, not that we really ever need a reason . . .

MARAC - Session #15 - Flickr

Today is Saturday April 18. After a very full breakfast meeting, I have gone off to one of the two session blocks that are being held this morning. Mrs. Brave Astronaut will be chairing a session in the second set, so I wanted to get to one of these sessions. I have chosen to sit in and liveblog again from a session. While yesterday I wrote from the front of the room where I was serving as chair, today, I am in the back of the room, working on the laptop keeping people aware of this session.

The presenters for today's session on Flickr are:

• Barbara Natason of the Library of Congress
• Judith Silva from Slippery Rock University
• Jim Gerencser of Dickinson College (filling in for Malinda Triller, who was unable to come to the meeting)

The session is being chaired / moderated by one of my colleagues from the National Archives, Laurel Macondray. As noted, the session is about how archival institution are using Flickr to showcase their photo collections. Barbara is up first, fittingly, as the Library of Congress Flickr collection is one of the best that is out there.

Update #1: Faces (or backs of the heads, I told you I was sitting in the back) in the crowd was very popular (according to the comments from yesterday's session report): 2009 MARAC Distinguished Service Award winner Jodi Koste sitting up front (Congratulations Jodi!), several colleagues from my former archival home, the Rockefeller Archive Center, including Program Committee liaison for this session, Charlotte Sturm - one of the nicest people I know. Amy S. and Kate T. and Jean G. are all sitting closely together, surely dreaming about cupcakes. Jean will be featured at the next session, where Mrs. BA will be moderating. Sitting close by the Brave Astronaut is an archivist from the Central PA region, who is notorious (?) / infamous (?) for skipping out on MARAC meetings and leaving people in the lurch. The DC Caucus chair is in the room as are several members of the New York State caucus, including Ray Lefever, who got the shout out yesterday and University at Albany archivist Geoff Williams (go Great Danes!). Somewhere in the room is former MARAC chair Geof Huth. When Huth arrives at a session, you have surely hit upon a hot topic, because Mr. Huth's time is so important, despite his comment yesterday about people not paying attention in sessions if they are being "electronically distracted."

Update #2: The second presenter, Judy from Slippery Rock, targeted her talk at smaller repositories that are looking for an outlet for their photo collections. The link above will take you to the Flickr group for Slippery Rock. She gave a very quick presentation and turned it over to Jim who began to talk about Dickinson's plan. As Jim was wrapping up, the projector crapped out on him, sort of a bummer when you are talking about photos.

Update #3: A BIG MARAC Shoutout to Rob Jenson, who came in and got the projector up and running so Jim could complete his presentation with picture support! Jim is wrapping up and Laurel will invite questions from the audience. I am out of here so I can take over for Mrs. BA, who is looking after the boys, so she can get to her session.

I will try and put together a more robust wrap-up of MARAC Spring 2009 when I get back to the launchpad, which will be a long car drive away from here.

MARAC Charleston - Session #4

Today is Friday April 17. I am at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Spring 2009 meeting in Charleston, West Virginia. I am serving as the chair for a session entitled, Web 2.0 State of Mind: From Theory to Practice, featuring commenters to this blog Kate from Archives Next and J in PA.

I have just completed my introductions of Jim and Kate and Jim is going to take the podium to talk about the different tools out there for us. The presentation is being recorded and when it is released, I will add a link to it.

Update 1: Jim is asking about what tools people are using in the workplace. While this blog was created to allow me an expression of my consciousness, I do try to hit on an archival topic now and again. The majority of the audience is using at least one tool. I use many Web 2.0 tools, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogging.

Update 2: Faces in the audience: The Director of the NHPRC is standing in the back of the room. The archivist at the College of William and Mary (who is also our Program Committe liasion - and uses Twitter). An archivist with the New York State Archives, who is a friend on Facebook. Several colleagues from the National Archives, including frequent commenter here, NJM. The man who hired me to work at the National Archives, and then retired is here, along with Dr. Ken Thibodeau, head of the ERA project at the National Archives, who offered an update during the morning plenary session.

Update 3: After a discussion by Kate about blogs in general, Jim discussed the Dickinson reference blog that he created. Kate has returned to the podium to discuss Twitter. You can follow her at @archivesnext. Other big tweeters are @amycsc and @adravan. I am on Twitter at Comment Moderation@legloaj.

Update 4: Kate is now discussing podcasts. Five minutes to go until the requested cutoff so we can get the audience involved.

Update 5: Kate have moved on to Flickr. There is a lot to cover in this session! Web 2.0 rocks!

Update 6: The time is now noon, and we are getting some good comments and questions from the audience. Kate is wrapping up (after talking about podcasts, video uploading, and now wikis) and we will see what directions the audience takes us!

Update 7: The Jim and Kate show continues. Jim may have just uttered the line of the conference: Viewing Web 2.0 tools as a playground - he swears he just made it up - but it works! Discussion and interaction from the audience continues. 12:20 and we're going to questions and comments. Only 10 minutes before the lunch is scheduled to begin. The Brave Astronaut family should be returning soon and we will head out to find lunch ourselves! Herein concludes the live blogging portion of Session #4!

It's the Spring MARAC Meeting - It Must Be Time for Playoff Hockey

The Brave Astronaut family is off to Charleston, WV for the Spring 2009 MARAC meeting. Tomorrow night is also the first night of playoff hockey. Here are my predictions and comments for the first round of the playoffs.

In the East:

• Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens: The Bruins were the best team in the East all season. The Canadiens were touted at the beginning of the season as being the team to beat, yet they limped into the playoffs. I don't expect it to be close. Bruins in 5.
• Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers: This series has resulted in some tension at the lunchtable. I take a fair amount of heat for my allegiance to my New York teams, although I am not very happy with the pinstriped baseball boys. But I am a devout Ranger fan. Which makes this prediction all that harder. I don't think the Rangers can do it again this year. Caps in 6.
• New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes: I really don't like the Devils. Really. And I think the Canes can knock them down a few notches. Canes in 6.
• Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Can I just root for injuries in this series? I don't care who wins this series, but I think the edge goes to the Pengoons. Penguins in 7.

And on to the West:

• San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks: Despite a Stanley Cup win, I still can't acknowledge the existence of a team named for a Disney movie. And the Sharks have played really good hockey all season. Sharks in 4.
• Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: The defending Stanley Cup champion Wings have their work cut out for them with the Blue Jackets, who have finished the season very strong. But experience should win out over the upstarts. Red Wings in 7.
• Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Louis Blues: The Canucks sit in the Brave Astronaut memory banks as the team the Rangers beat to win their last Stanley Cup in 1994. I prefer the Blues, returning to the playoffs after a long drought. Blues in 6.
• Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames: Chicago, one of the original six hockey teams has a long history. The Flames have been around for a while however, but the Blackhawks are the better team. Blackhawks in 4.

One Down, Three to Go

I found out that I lost an election today. As many of you know, I was a candidate for Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC), the professional organization of which I have been a member since becoming an archivist nearly fifteen years ago. I am certainly disappointed in the outcome, it was an election I had really hoped to win. My opponent was a formidable candidate and she will do a great job. I will hope for the opportunity to run for the job again in two years. I really believe in the organization and look forward to the chance at helping the group continue to move forward. In a very conciliatory note from the Chair-elect, she has offered me an opportunity to serve the organization that I really do love. I hope to have some opportunity to help.

I am also a candidate for Nominating Committee for the Society of American Archivists, my national professional organization. That voting will commence next week. If chosen to be a member of the Nominating Committee, I will have a voice in selecting the next leaders of the Society. There is a lot going on in our profession right now and it is essential for us to have strong leadership to guide our profession in the right directions. So look for my name on your SAA ballot, if you are a member. I would appreciate your support. Here at my employer, I am coming to the end of my first term as the Treasurer of the staff professional association. I have agreed to run for a second term. So we will see how that one turns out.

Finally, I have made a decision to run for town council in my hometown. It is an idea that I have thought about for several months, after discussions with several of my neighbors and community members. The incumbent has decided to run for another term, but I have some ideas that I feel would benefit my town and would like the opportunity to make a difference for my community. So if you live in Cheverly, in my Ward, I'll be coming around to see you. I will look forward to hearing your ideas. That election will take place in early May.