Buddy Birthday Lunch

13 August 2025: Best part of the day? Having a birthday lunch with Hannah at Kome. Hard to decide which gift I love more: the winter hat that Cory made for me or the little picture of Theo in his Yankee outfit that I hung right on my fridge. 

BabyBud...

20 June 2025: Got to meet Theo today and see Hannah for the first time in a while. Just a wonderful experience all around. 

Theodore...

27 April 2025: Baby Theodore arrived last night. And wow: does our world need this little boy, born to two of the finest people I know. Even before he got here, he has given me (and everyone who loves his parents) such hope and joy. 

Baby Shower!

8 March 2025: Just an absolute joy to attend Hannah and Cory's baby shower today. I am so excited for this little baby boy to arrive; he's already brought such joy and hope to my world and he's not even here yet. 

Nuggets with Buddy...

15 January 2025: What a gift to spend some time with Hannah this evening (after her annual attendance at a basketball game) and just talk about everything. She, as always, was insightful, smart, hilarious, and so kind about everything. BabyBud (as I call him) is such a lucky kid. 

Buddy Dinner

2 December 2024: After a good first day back from break, it was extra-nice to end the day having dinner with Hannah. Ostensibly, we needed to talk about some work stuff, but of course we lingered much longer. So grateful today and every day for her friendship. 

Get you a friend like Hannah...

17 September 2024: I say it all the time, but get you a friend like Hannah. I texted her a screenshot today of an email from my publisher that indicates an ISBN for my book. "I have an ISBN," I said. Her response? 

"It looks like such a slay ISBN!!!!" 

The way she always says the best thing!

Day in Rockville

6 July 2024: Spent almost all day today just hanging out with Tim, Kevin, Hannah, and Cory in Rockville. You know you are among good friends when just talking, playing dumb games, and laughing makes eight hours fly by before you know it. 

Flying Cows!

14 April 2024: Cory's company did some free design work for the new basketball team in Frederick, so he had some free tickets and invited me to join him and Hannah. It was a blast. And they won!

Dinner and a show...

29 March 2024: Thanks to my rapidly-improving health, I was able to end this long, difficult week on a high note: dinner with Tim, Kevin, Cory, and Hannah followed by the Rude Mechanicals' opening night performance of Lysistrata. Just a perfect evening. 

Oscar Party!

10 March 2024: Cory and Hannah came over to watch the Oscars and it was such a blast. Just so lucky to have them as friends. 

Ice cream friend date...

7 March 2024: Yesterday's "AI blues" continued well into today. The less said about that, the better. And, unforunately, a whole blues album threatened to overshadow the day. (This is a tortured metaphor.) 

Then Hannah and I met up when she got off work, got some ice cream at Rock Hill Creamery, and talked for well over an hour. Just what I needed! 

Pre-Christmas Buddy Lunch

19 December 2023: It was an absolute delight to have lunch with Hannah today. We exchanged Christmas gifts and then went to Kome and just talked and talked. There are some tough days ahead, but I know that for me, this friendship helps sustain me through them. And I am doing my best to make sure that's mutual. 

Midnight Breakfast!

4 December 2023: This is kind of a cheat since the picture was taken on December 3, but since Midnight Breakfast kept me out until early this morning, I am counting the event as the thing I want to post about today. I had a fantastic time working the hot cocoa station with Hannah. I was joking that I was a "cocoa concierge," and basically spent my time encouraging students and hyping their cocoa creations. Also always a good time when I get to hang out with the amazing Coach Ford. 

Mel (always "Coach Ford" to me), me, and Hannah. I don't like most pictures of myself, but darn it if don't always love my "Midnight Breakfast" smiles.

I will say that I was wiped out most of today but strangely resilient. I think that's what Midnight Breakfast does to you. You pay a price the next day (especially when you don't sleep well and have to be back on campus super-early), but it's so freaking worth it. 

Labor Day Weekend Hang...

3 September 2023: Very lucky to spend most of today at Tim and Kevin's, just hanging out with them and Cory and Hannah. We never need to "do" much: have a meal (Tim always kills at that part), sit and visit, tell stories, and just laugh and laugh. Excellent way to spend the dya. 

Ice cream break...

13 July 2023: Another very rough day, but about half-way through I texted Hannah, "Wanna get ice cream when you get off work?" She was game and it was lovely. We sat behind White Hall and talked for almost two hours, until a little rainstorm moved through. 

So important in hard times to make moments like this. 

Virtual watercooler TV...

28 May 2023: Having a lot of fun watching the Succession finale tonight and texting Hannah through it. My goodness, I love TV. 

Kinky Boots

18 February 2023: For Christmas, Tim and Kevin got tickets for all of us (them, me, Hannah, and Cory) to see Kinky Boots at the Olney Theater. We had lunch first, which was amazing (the food and the company). The show was great, too. Carpooled with the kids and treated them to some Dairy Queen treats when we got back, which made it and end-to-end perfect time. 

Coach in action...

31 January 2023: I will keep it light on specifics to respect everyone's privacy, but I got to see Hannah in action as a Success Coach, responding to a student in a bit of a crisis. She was so good and it was wonderful to see her do her thing and shine. 

Sigma Tau Delta Party

2 December 2022: Another Sigma Tau Delta Holiday Party is in the books. Once again, we did it on campus and I think it went really well. A small crowd, but a good one. And Hannah showed up, which meant Tim and I got to hang out with our BabyGirl. Just what I needed after a long week.