ALL THINGS SAGE

Welcome, to what I hope will become a weekly look at Russell Sage College through the eyes of a faculty member and proud Troy resident. This first blog will be like the "pilot" for a television series: an introduction of characters, the setting of time and place, and plotlines that that carry you in future, so...let the set-up begin!

A career in academia is not a job, but a lifestyle choice. There are long hours of teaching, socializing, organizing and learning during the school year and though I might get a breather in the summer (thus I begin this blog), September is never far from my mind. I teach theatre courses in the Creative and Performing Arts Department, several freshman courses in the general education curriculum, summer courses, direct two productions a year and act occasionally with the New York State Theatre Institute. Russell Sage College is a close-knit campus with terrific students and abundant intellectual resources. I hope to tap into the minds of my colleagues when writing these blogs and cover many of the lectures and events that occur on campus.

My wife and I live downtown with our nineteen month old daughter, an old dog and middle-aged cat. As working parents, we have become very skilled at juggling schedules and individual needs to maximize our family time and enjoy Troy. Until last fall we were happy homeowners, but outgrew our tiny house in Little Italy. We are now renting a larger space on Washington Park while figuring out our next step, much of which has to do with where our daughter goes to school. We love Troy for the festivals, markets, architecture, restaurants and friendly people. Living here has been very good to us.

That's enough set-up for today. Like they say in acting, if you give it all away, the audience won't want more. Enjoy your June and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you.