It is weird to walk around this office seeing everyone in shirt and tie and suitcoats or dresses. Sadly, it's because a member of our departmental family died earlier this week, and her service was today. You learn a great deal about colleagues you have had for twenty years from such an experience; you find out how your little band of merry economists have spread through a city. You also learn how some people live lives around you that you never knew, connections you didn't expect, stories you wish you had heard from the person who you now can only memorialize. You wish it happened some other way.

Got back to the office 90 minutes ago, and just delivered is my copy of the book. Indeed, a few copies. I'm going to celebrate it by getting out of the suit, putting on a sweatshirt, and watching basketball here on campus. Many toasts will come when I get to a conference in January with my co-editor and a few of the authors. I wish I had gotten the book two weeks ago, it would have been a bigger party. But I'm tossing the champagne in the garage -- in winter, your garage is your auxiliary refrigerator (sometimes your freezer!) -- and hoisting two tonight: One for a job well done, and the other for a life well done.

Labels: life