happy three day weekend!

[Bill Maurer]

    Dear social sciences grad students, faculty, lecturers and staff,

    We have reached the end of Week 8 of the quarter and have arrived at one
    of those glorious three-day weekends. Congrats to each for everything you
    have accomplished, and to all of us for our collective and collaborative
    efforts--on behalf of our students, our research mission, our service
    to our communities and each other. And thank you.

    Staff were dismissed early today, at 12pm. Traffic mitigation! Just doing
    our part to reduce congestion on the.... highways of the Internet. TAKE
    AN E-BREAK! Unplug! I mean it. I also ask that everyone be respectful
    of each other's time off this holiday weekend--and that includes each
    of us being respectful of our own selves, giving ourselves the space to
    breathe, unwind, and de-stress, and unplug. I intend to sit outside and
    do absolutely nothing at some point this weekend. Probably at multiple
    points.

    The jacarandas are in bloom. If you've got one nearby--these are on my
    street corner--pause, and remember how they always signal the end of
    the academic year and the promise of summer right around the corner.

    Stay safe and be well,

    Bill