Where are you going? Where have you been?

Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Carrie Neppel and I am the author of this blog.  I believe we've met before, but recently I fell into what I like to call "the perfect storm," meaning that I was battling a sickness, battling way too much to do at work, and battling an overall lack of enthusiasm and motivation to spend some time on this blog.  The perfect storm = no new blog posts.  But fear not America (or should I say the three people who actually read this from time to time), I am back with a vengance and ready to take on the issues that deserve the most attention in today's world.  This last statement is completely open to interpretation, and I make no guarantees on the pertinence of these blog topics in anybody's life except my own. 

Okay, now that technicalities are out of the way I will address the big question:  What have I been doing?  To sum it up: everything and nothing.  For awhile I was trying desperately to get healthy, as the dreaded cold that has been circulating the town of Pullman finally latched into my system and left me with the worst sore throat I have had in two years.  Once I got that little situation under control it was all work and no play.  The end of the spring semester at WSU is like a total cluster.  There are about five million projects and events to wrap up and there are exactly two weeks in which to get everything finished.  It's a great system.  So to give everyone a brief rundown I was working with the Student Alumni Ambassadors on their end of the year banquet and awards ceremony, plus a new officer retreat, and I was also reviewing the final batch of applications for the Big Ten Senior Awards, which will be presented this Thursday at the Graduate BBQ Bash.  In between those items I was working along with the rest of my colleagues to entertain around 300 Golden and Diamond Graduates for two days during their WSU reunions (Golden Grads were celebrating their 50th reunion, and Diamond Grads their 60th).  Then on the side, just for fun, I was finalizing details on President Floyd's community engagement tour and making sure everything was arranged for the upcoming receptions.  And that was just for work.  On the side Dean and I were attempting to have something of a social life, while also entertaining the beagles, who pretty much rule our lives.

The point of the story is that you no longer have to mourn my absense, or worry that I may have been attacked by a giant grizzley bear while jogging past the research park (okay, that probably never crossed your mind, but they are out of hibernation now and anything is possible).  The truth is I caught the writing bug and have been bursting at the seams to get down some thoughts somewhere.....here, a short story, haiku, you name it.  

So hi, it's nice to see you again.  I just know we're going to be great friends.  On a side note, the title of this blog post is a direct reference to a short story written by Joyce Carol Oates.  The story appears in The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories, and it is freaking amazing.  A bit creepy, but one that is going to stay with you long after you read it.  Trust me, I read it almost three years ago and just looking at the title stirs up all sorts of remembrances.  Try it out, report back, and let me know what you think.