I just *love* Maypoles!

Of course, they're a lot of fun to construct and weave. A little instruction goes a long way to make the woven result integrated and beautiful. Usually some part of the pole has a wee bit 'o chaos woven into it as the dancers settle into the pattern..."up and over, left and right"... In fact there are many ways to weave a Maypole, and I was most fortunate to come across this merry band of revelers just as I arrived back at camp.


I had a bit of a problem on Friday afternoon-my sleep apnea caught up withn me, making me miserable. I tried to do too many things before I left - my thesis defense, preparing for an information literacy conference, gardening. I decided to check in to a motel about 20 miles from the Gathering to get some sleep with my CPAP.

What a difference a day makes.

I arrived back at camp around noon - a balmy 70 degrees in the Nevada desert, windy. Everyone said I looked much better, and I felt GREAT! (Note to self: do not doubt the powers of the mighty CPAP!

The revelers danced the ancient dance, and afterwards, a friend snapped this photo of the beautiful and warm SheilaZ and me. Love ya, Sheila!

A short note to say that I passed my oral defense at 1:45PM Monday April 30.

My Chair let me know that morning that I only needed to give a 5-10 summary, not a 30-40 minute one. I can save the more elaborate talk and PowerPoint I did for a Seminar at a later date.

The defense itself was pleasant enough, but I was schvitzing a bit, as all candidates must. It's part of the tradition.

Correct a few typos and stylistics, make short elaborations on a few points, and submit to the Graduate Division by July 6. Can! I then file forms for submission to ProQuest/UMI's Theses and Dissertations database.

The candidate waits outside for a few minutes, and is then joined by the Committee Chair, who informs you that you successfully passed. I re-joined my committee members in the seminar room. Handshakes and hugs all around, and then my Committee members were off to teach their last classes of the semester.

I deliberately planned the defense date to co-incide with Beltane, or May Day, an auspicious day in the Pagan calendar. The first day of Summer in most climes. Time for a shift in my life. Time to end one very long but fruitful endeavor and to begin others.

Later that afternoon, I went to Kapi'olani Park to the place I held a May Pole dance last year. I had my berimbau with me and played until the Full Moon rose over Diamond Head. I took pictures. Pictures to follow.

I can't wait to meet "The Ruler Lady" in the Grad Division. She's the one who measures the margins on theses and dissertations to ensure that the left margin is 1.5 inches (for binding, but noone does that anymore - ProQuest/UMI microfilm the title and abstract pages, and PDF the rest.

I'm going to have my picture taken with the Ruler Lady, so stay tuned.

I've been asked to walk in the graduation procession in August...hmmm. Frank's flying back from Boston early as one of his graduate students will be getting his PhD and walking as well. And his student's wife, also a graduate student, will be finishing her PhD too, and graduating - isn't that sweet?! So the three of us, wearing black in the August sun, finishing years of study. Ok, I'll do it, because I've heard tell there's a party in here somewhere for us!

Will report on my MayFire adventures in the Valley of Fire, and the New World Rhythmatism revival in
Henderson, Nevada soon.