Duke University has chosen me to speak at their Fannie Mitchell Career Conference in late January! I'll tell the weird story of my convoluted career path and answer questions from students/profs/alum, and I may even get to reunite with some friends who live nearby...

The song, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," is in my head right now. My Christmas spirit is overflowing, and that is very handy, since I have 15 holiday parties to go to (a number that continues to rise) in the next 22 days.

I have also become a high-tea fanatic. I think I have gone to afternoon tea (British style) 5 times within the last three months. In the process, I have discovered Jose Gaspar's hidden treasure: Sophia's Tea Room. (Located just off Henderson, a block before Henderson becomes Manhattan.) She home-cooks the scones and desserts and makes the finger sandwiches herself. I adore those scones, and the curried egg salad sandwiches and the pumpkin cheesecake!!

I also joined a local branch of the Red Cross Angels, and have kept busy with the Junior League, which has been fun. In fact, volunteer work for Junior League led me to show a couple of my portraits at Tampa's Mayfair Design Showhouse for a couple of weeks in November.

C'est tout.

Photo from Duke archives.