I have a chair!

Here's a Brazen Shameless Hussy moment: A friend just e-mailed me with a total day-brightener. To my absolute astonishment, someone pledged $500 to honor ME by endowing a chair in my name in the auditorium at the new Minneapolis library! The money will be used to buy new books. I think I recognize the name of the donor as someone I met in graduate school. This is a campaign to recognize and honor Minneapolis authors. Read about it here. They are still collecting names and money to honor other Minnesota writers. One hundred and forty-four chairs have been fully endowed, and they still have 81 openings. A list of other potential honorees that have been suggested is included; their chairs can be added if anyone pledges the money. Contributions are tax-deductible. A number of my friends are on that list. Hey, could we scrape up the money to honor pameladean or Lois McMaster Bujold? Or add Eleanor Arnason or naomikritzer to the list?

(Gah. That's my name there. Right under Garrison Keillor's. Wow.)

Edited to add They're trying to get a campaign up and running to raise money for other Minnesota writers at mnstf here.

Dumb things seen on the job

Today, I opened a Federal Express package and took out another envelope--marked for certified mail. With postage paid.

So they paid for certified mail and then sent it Federal Express. Go figure.