Moving to Missouri

As an update to the last posting, Dad resigned from Texas State University.  He was able to secure a tenure-track position at Northwest Missouri State in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.  We are all very excited about the upcoming move, but it has certainly interrupted our summer in New Mexico.  The silver lining is that it has provided some time for Magellan's paw to heal away from the incessant search for chipmunks. 

The ultimate decision to leave Texas State came down to the fact that I would not suggest any undergraduate enroll in that University.  I could not work for an institution in which I do not believe.  I mentioned to Julie that for every good day I spent at Texas State, there were about four days that were borderline miserable.  The President of the University is completely incompetent and runs the University like a Wal Mart-- high volume of student with very low interest in quality of life for students or faculty.  I am certainly looking forward to a change. 

The problems were not limited to the upper administration.  The department of Geography is an abusive department with no direction and no scruples.  Changes that were promised when I interviewed did not take place in terms of being an abusive department.  Older faculty who are not the least bit qualified to assess my research took pleasure in assessing everything I did.  The department chair never learned what I did after seven years and still believes that I am an urban planner.  This is tragic and shows how little they care about anything but themselves.  I am so glad to be gone and will only miss about 4 or 5 out of 30 colleagues.

Through facebook and this blog, we will chronicle our move and new position(s).  The attached photo is of the Administration Building at Northwest Missouri State.

Kevin

End of the academic year

Today marks the end of another academic year at Texas State.  It was the year of many firsts: the first year that I had tenure, the first year of Julie working and teaching in the department, and the first year that I officially realized that I have no interest in spending my career at Texas State.  I have been disenchanted for a while and been carefully seeking other opportunities, but my friends kept encouraging me by saying that things would greatly improve once I became tenured.  This did not happen, and in fact, things actually got worse.  The dam broke during the March faculty meeting when our department received a visit from the Provost.  The Provost is generally in charge of academic affairs on campus.  In his purely disingenuous way, he described how the faculty and staff would not be receiving raises for the third out of the past four years.  He blamed the legislature.  He blamed the numbers of returning veteran students who have large tuition reductions.  He did not blame the upper administration for hiring numerous vice presidents who largely contribute very little.  After explaining the "grim" financial situation of the university in the midst of America's most robust growth area and economy, he suggested that we donate money back to the University.  Texas State has one of the worst student to faculty ratios, is run by people who clearly do not care about students, and treats faculty like dog poo.  I will not donate money so that more vice presidents of stapling papers can be hired. Anyway, we look forward to our return to New Mexico this summer, but we are already dreading returning for one more year of drudgery in San Marcos.  Please keep our pack in your thoughts and prayers as we identify a new path that most certainly will be far away from Texas State University.

Kevin

NFL Picks

We know that this is the biggest week in the Romig Pack blogosphere. Although we receive lots of feedback about dog stories, volunteering, and the life and times of the human members of the pack, the money really comes rolling in regarding our infamous NFL picks. Due to a lack of television, our picks have not at all been influenced by the Mike and Mike 2-a-days nor any large-scale sports programming. As usual, take these prognostications with a grain of salt, and please, please do not bet your life savings on these picks.

AFC East
JULIE: NY Jets, Patriots, Dolphins, Bills
KEVIN: Patriots, Bills, NY Jets, Dolphins

AFC North
JULIE: Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, Browns
KEVIN: Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Browns

AFC South
JULIE: Colts, Texans, Jaguars, Titans
KEVIN: Texans, Titans, Colts, Jaguars

AFC West
JULIE: Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs
KEVIN: Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers

NFC East
JULIE: Redskins, Cowboys, NY Giants, Eagles
KEVIN: Eagles, NY Giants, Redskins, Cowboys

NFC North
JULIE: Packers, Lions, Vikings, Bears
KEVIN: Packers, Bears, Lions, Vikings

NFC South
JULIE: Falcons, Saints, Bucs, Panthers
KEVIN: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Bucs

NFC West
JULIE: 49ers, Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals
KEVIN: 49ers, Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals

Super Bowl JULIE: NEW YORK JETS over Green Bay Packers
KEVIN: ATLANTA FALCONS over Baltimore Ravens

The Summer of Cool is Ending

It has been a wonderful summer in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico. The air temperature never hit above 85 degrees and most days did not even reach 80. This is very far from what we are accustomed to in Central Texas. We spend a lot of time outdoors and our cabin is not even equipped with air conditioning. As he received tenure and a promotion at the end of the spring semester, it was the first summer Dad can remember enjoying since 1998. That time period included 4 long, brutal years in Arizona, 6 long, hot Texas summers under the gun, and one mosquito-laden summer in North Dakota. We look forward to many more summers above the heat. Here is a photo taken this morning of the area above our cabin. Moses

Summer in New Mexico

I am so excited today because I spent the first 4th of July of my entire life without fireworks, firecrackers, or other loud noises! Our cabin is in the midst of the Lincoln National Forest and there was a burn ban because of last month's Little Bear Fire about 50 miles north. Anyway, the forest has become our play area. We generally go on at least one hike per day. So far, my favorite hikes are: Bridal Veil Falls, Zinker Canyon, and the OSHA trail. We are continuing to explore new areas though. I was invited to the Cloudcroft 4th of July parade to see Saran ride her bike in the festivities. Even though I have only been here about six weeks, lots of people recognized me in town! I loved it when people threw candy in my direction, and I ate two lollipops while the parade took place. I did not like the horses or the really loud drag racing vehicles, but everything else was great. I do miss my friends in Texas and swimming in the river/ pools. But, I will take the nice vacation from the heat without any complaints. Come visit! Your pal, Lazarus

Our cabin in New Mexico

On May 25, 2012, our pack purchased a cabin in Otero County, New Mexico near Cloudcroft. It is a cabin built in 1965, and we had to do a lot of minor renovations. We tore up all the flooring, did some exterior painting, and had a new septic system installed. We plan to spend the summers up at our cabin and the school year in San Marcos. We have been here three weeks and so far, Magellan seems to like the surroundings the best. Now, the Lincoln National Forest is "his backyard." Lazarus really likes the cooler temperatures and Moses is honing his excellent skills as a trail guide (pictured). We feel very blessed at the opportunity to live this kind of life. We all need a respite after a long season of teaching and volunteering. Lazarus is the cabin's concierge and invites any of his friends up for a visit. The Romig Pack

Bluebonnets 2012

Well, there seems to be a bumper crop of Bluebonnets this year. We even have some in our own yard, so it made Mom's silly Bluebonnet picture easier. Here they are! Spring is really early this year.




Your Friend,
Lazarus

Happy 6th Birthday MOSES!!

Today is Moses' 6th birthday. Because it is about 70 degrees here in San Marcos today, I thought I would make him a cookie sandwich instead of a cake. This is two chocolate chip cookies (without the chocolate chips) surrounding a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We sang to Moses and he quickly gulped the sandwich so he would not have to share his treat with his brothers-- or Jack who is staying with us today. The other dogs got some cookie and some ice cream, but ONLY the birthday boy got the full cookie sandwich. We love you Moses and hope to spend many more wonderful birthdays with our snuggle buddy!

Kevin

New item for my stare

As a good bird dog, I like to stalk things. My usual stalking involves deer, lizards, cats, birds, and possums, but I now have something new to stare at. It is this time of year that Dad brings in an evergreen tree. I always hope that a bird or squirrel will hop out of the tree and want to play with me. Maybe it will happen this year?

Keep exploring,

Magellan

Update on Tenure and Promotion

At the end of last week, Dad received a very strong vote from the Geography department personnel committee in favor of tenure and promotion. This has been a long probationary period that included his two years at North Dakota as well as the five years at Texas State. We are very proud of him and this means a significant raise, a promotion to associate professor, and a lot less stress. I am hoping that this means a lot more of Dad being at home, more visits to campus and his office, and I think we should have more ice cream. To show the pack's appreciation of his efforts, we arranged the following photographs...

LAZIE


P.S. Dad specifically thanked me for my unwavering support of him over this tenure-track era. I came aboard two months into this process, and I have been along for the ride ever since.

Roses, Roses, Roses

Aren't they beautiful!

Tenure and Promotion

When I was a student at Arizona State, a wise professor once stated that academics was the last bastion of feudalism in our society. My "apprenticeship" is nearing an end, as I am up for promotion this year. Once I have this promotion, I will be tenured and be removed from a long, probationary period. You may be asking, what is involved in this process? How are you assessed? Well, in classic feudal fashion, I am hardly involved in the process at all. I prepare this "box" or "tub" with a bunch of papers, letters, and other crap that is supposed to represent who I am as a teacher and scholar. My professional life, the 32 liter version. I anticipate the process will go well, but it is very cumbersome and unsophisticated. It is so laborious and tedious that I had significant thoughts about a different career path during the past summer months. This process has unfortunately produced collateral damage. The dogs are bored. Julie has been crawling around on pins and needles. My office is a complete mess. I am so tired and strung out! Hopefully, the family life will normalize soon, but I do not hear results of the decision until April! One day, I will look back on this posting and laugh-- and isn't that what a blog is all about?

Kevin

We welcome Autumn!!

Well, this was the most miserable summer we have had as a whole pack. We're expecting our 89th day of 100 degree temperatures today! Mom and Dad blabber on about this not being as hot as some place called "Feenicks" but we really do not care! To celebrate the fall, we took a nice, long hike over last weekend in the Purgatory Creek greenspace. It was still a bit hot, but we got out early enough that the temperatures were still under 75 for the two hours we walked. The photos show our adventure! Anyway, I look forward to the fall and winter so I can snuggle with my parents and all my other friends. Take it easy y'all!

Mosi

Kevin in the San Marcos Daily Record

Kevin's latest Research Article writing project, forthcoming in the Journal of Texas Music History, made the San Marcos Daily Record. It is unusual for academic work interesting, but Kevin does a great job of making sure his research is relevant to a broad audience, not just a few eggheds!

I'm so proud of him!

Julie

2011 NFL Football Picks

These are coming pretty late this year so as to not interfere so much with the betting lines in Las Vegas. Not so much my predictions, but Julie has been such a shark over the past three years!

AFC East
Julie: New York Jets, New England, Miami, Buffalo
Kevin: New England, New York Jets, Miami, Buffalo

AFC North
Julie: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland
Kevin: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati

AFC South
Julie: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville
Kevin: Houston, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Jacksonville

AFC West
Julie: San Diego, Kansas City, Denver, Oakland
Kevin: San Diego, Oakland, Denver, Kansas City


NFC East
Julie: Dallas, New York Giants, Washington, Philadelphia
Kevin: Dallas, Philadelphia, New York Giants, Washington

NFC North
Julie: Green Bay, Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit
Kevin: Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, Chicago

NFC South
Julie: New Orleans, Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay
Kevin: New Orleans, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Carolina

NFC West
Julie: St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Arizona
Kevin: Arizona, San Francisco, St. Louis, Seattle

Super Bowl
Julie: New York Jets over Green Bay Packers
Kevin: New England Patriots over New Orleans Saints

A very hot summer

Hey, it's Moses here. I am the dog who occasionally likes sunning myself and being a little on the warm side. This summer, I have changed my mind. It has been so hot that I have been dealing with digestion issues and general heat stress. Us dogs have been spending a lot of time inside. This week, we will break the record for the hottest summer recorded in Austin and there is still no relief in sight. I am so glad we got to go to Michigan in June to escape for a little while. Anyway, I better get back to laying under the A/C vent.

Mosi

Kevin and Julie raft the Arkansas River

Last week, we rafted the Brown's Canyon section of the Arkansas River near Buena Vista, Colorado. We had a tremendous time and highly recommend this trip and the American Adventure Tours who provided the gear and guide. For you experienced paddlers, the runs were anywhere from Class 1 to Class 3 the day we went. The water temperature was about 51 degrees! It was so nice to spend a few days out of Texas during this epically brutal summer. Julie and I are the first two on the left or port side of the raft.

Kevin

ARF Success!!!

The Animal Reading Friends (ARF) program began in September 2010 at Travis Elementary School in San Marcos, Texas. This school-year long program attempted to improve the reading skills of seven second and third graders who were reading below grade level when they began in the ARF program. Each student would read to a pet partner team for 20 minute intervals on Fridays. The idea behind reading to the pet partner team had to do with 1) practicing reading aloud, 2) gaining confidence in reading and 3) instilling a feeling of enjoyment in reading. Quantitative measures highlight the success of this program. On average, our second graders improved 3.75 reading levels meaning that most of the participants are now reading above grade level. Even greater success was shown by the third graders. On average, these students improved 4.66 reading grade levels and each third grader began reading below grade level and ended the program reading above grade level. In addition, all ARF student participants improved their correct words per minute ability as well as reading accuracy. While these numeric measures certainly underscore the success of the program, intangible benefits such as improved attendance, gaining comfort interacting with animals, and having a positive mentor involved in their lives clearly show value in programs such as ARF. Please join us and become a positive agent for change in the lives of a local student!

2011 Michigan Road Trip

This summer, the Romig Pack decided to rent a cabin on a lake in Michigan for their vacation. The drive was long, but we got to do some fun things along the way. Two fun things we did were visit Vandalia, Illinois where Abe Lincoln served in the Illinois legislature. Lazarus Lincoln Romig and Dad took their picture with a sculpture of a young Lincoln. On the way home, we stopped in Cairo, Illinois where the three explored the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers off-leash. Magellan had a great time there. In Michigan we used the opportunity to recreate in Lake Allegan and Lake Michigan. Magellan and Dad are in Lake Michigan and Lazarus and Mom are in Lake Allegan. The whole trip was pretty relaxing though like a vacation is supposed to be-- see Magellan and Moses napping on Mom in the cabin. We had a great time and hope to go back again!

Kevin

Memphis Trip, 2011

We decided to take a trip to Memphis and meet up with Kevin's mother there. She had never been to Memphis and it was a chance to visit a city with which we all have an affinity. Our biggest outing was to Graceland. This time, we took a tour of Elvis' planes and some of his automobiles. We also visited the Rock and Soul Museum, the Cotton Exchange Museum, the Civil Rights Museum, and Sun Studios. Along with all that, we had time to drop in for a set at B.B. King's Club on Beale Street and heard a 90 year old blues man play his guitar. In Memphis, another great pastime is eating. We ate at two of Elvis Presley's faves being the Arcade and Coletta's. We also hit up Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ, Gus' Famous Fried Chicken, Rendezvous, Corky's, and Uncle Lou's. It was very hot while we were there, but we had a great time. Magellan really enjoyed the ribs from Corky's that we brought home on the plane.

Kevin

Photos: Kevin's Mom in the Lisa Marie, Presley's jumbo jet.
The entertainment room in Graceland with 3 tv's because Elvis wanted to be like President Johnson.
Blues group at BB Kings in Memphis.