A Massey day, grading, and packing.

The last couple days have been busy. On Friday, I went to lunch at Massey (and had a nice time and a good meal), then ran a few errands before a quick dinner and back to Massey to head over to Convocation Hall at U of T. This is where the last Massey Lecture for this year was held. Margaret Somerville was the speaker/lecturer. She's been in the news, making people angry with her over her views about same-sex marriage. She's clearly an intelligent person who has thought through her views quite carefully, and that's always something to be appreciated. She did make a couple uninspired statements (at least to my mind), but these were overshadowed by an interesting, thought-provoking talk. Now, mind you, I don't share her worldview and assumptions about the duty and nature of humanity, etc., but I feel better now that I understand where she is---and other people like her are---coming from. And, she's really not anti-gay/lesbian as an overall philosophy; she just doesn't think they should be getting married. (Which to her mind, doesn't make her anti-gay/lesbian, though I suppose many people would disagree.) Read her stuff if you're interested in finding out more. Whatever you think about her worldview or the policy implications of it, this kind of thinking is important, and I was very glad that I went.

After the lecture us Massey folk and assorted hangers-on went back to the college for the reception. I had a great time talking with new and nearly-new friends. LG strolled in later on, just back from a day trip south of the border. (I might have a minor crush on him.) He insisted to walking me to the subway station at the end of the evening, despite the gross weather.

Thus ended my Massey day. Well, except for the part where I came home and told FN all about it, because I know she would have loved the entire evening . . . especially the lecture part!

Needless to say, I didn't get much grading done on Friday, so I still had 15 left to do Saturday. I managed to get those done and handed in to my prof. at his house this afternoon. I just managed to finish in time! Craziness.

I am missing Hallowe'en parties (including the famous Massey one) so I can pack. Which I should get back to . . .

I'll write from Minneapolis when I can! My plane leaves Toronto early Sunday afternoon.