The mug was fired and ready for glazing, so I made my way to the ceramics studio. One of VSU’s ceramics guys, Michael WhoselastnameI’llgetlater, was preparing to do a “soda firing,” and both Andy and Harry encouraged me to hop into that firing. I would be very happy with the finish, they said.

Even knowing that they would just rather not do another firing in another kiln now that everything is cleaned up and packed away, I trust their aesthetic judgment. I glazed the inside with a basic black glaze, and in it went.

In other “here at the end of all things” news, Stephen will be reading through “Milky Way” with the orchestra tomorrow at 11:30. At lunch, I wrangled an invitation from David to come teach the piece to the vocal majors at 11:00.

I always forget how hectic and tiring the last week is for me. Everybody else is coasting, enjoying the kids, enjoying the evenings, winding things up, and I’m scrambling trying to catch all the events, getting speakers and directories prepared, and endless exit interviews in the evenings.