Et Cetera

'All Fours' by Miranda July was an odyssey down the turbulent road known as perimenopause but also a quiet nod to Virginia Wolfe's 'A Room of One's Own.' I have never read a book quite like this, in fact. Sometimes, I felt I was reading an autobiography more than a fictional work of literature but that only made the novel more appealing.The main character creates a room of her own in a seedy little motel just 30 minutes from home in order to escape her life (her marriage, her child, the routine of being a wife/mother) that is so safe it's become boring and, in doing so, recreates her life, sexual desires, and her future.

It is with great pleasure that Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) recognizes the following students' academic achievement in being named to the Dean's List for the fall 2024 semester:James Antole, KeystoneStudents who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.500 to 3.699 are named to the Dean's List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits; undergraduate day students must earn 12 credits in fall or spring semester, and online students must earn 12 credits in either EW1 & EW2, EW3 & EW4, or EW5 & EW6.

Zena Leigh Aragon of Vinton and Sophie Krueger of  Atkins were named to South Dakota State University dean's list for the fall of 2024 .A total of 865 full-time and 190 part-time students qualified for the President's Academic Honors list for the 2024 fall semester at Dakota State University.The following full-time students achieved a grade point average of 3.

The University of Dubuque congratulates the following students on being appointed to the Fall Semester 2024 Academic Dean's List. Full-time students in good academic standing (registered for and having earned 12 or more letter grade credits for the term) who earn a term grade point average of 3.5 or above and who do not have any grades of Incomplete for the term are named to the Dean's List.

The Hoover Presidential Foundation is currently accepting nominations for the 2025 Uncommon Public Service Award. The due date for submissions is February 28, 2025. The awards are presented during the last week of March in the state House and Senate chambers during the morning session. Additional recognition is given at the annual Foundation Celebration Banquet.

Fans of poetry will enjoy this diverse collection of poetry edited and introduced by Ada Limon titled 'You are Here: Poetry in the Natural World.' This collection is one of five books the director, Kelly Henkle, chose as part of the NEA Big Read 2025 list of books we are showcasing at the library. A few of my favorite poems from this collection were:'You Belong to the World' by Carrie Fountain'Nature, Which Cannot Be Driven To' by Diane Suess'Letters' by Ilya Kaminsky'There are More Ways to Show Devotion' by Hanif Abdurraqib'No Ethical Transition Under Late Capitalism' by Torrin A.

Two area students are part of Luther College’s Fall 2024 Dean’s List includes 611 students; 132 first-years, 105 sophomores, 160 juniors and 214 seniors. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must earn a semester grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale and must complete at least 12 credit hours with 10 hours of conventional grades (A, B, C, D).

This weekend I read Jonathan Evison's latest novel 'The Heart of Winter.' It is a lovely homage to the 70-year marriage between Ruth and Abe, college sweethearts whose story didn't exactly begin with love at first sight. It was the perfect post-holiday book for me, as early in the book their family is celebrating Christmas, and then the story progresses through the year, with flashbacks to the ups and downs of Abe and Ruth's life together.

The University of Dubuque held a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies Commencement Ceremony at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2024, and a Winter Commencement Ceremony at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, December 12, 2024, both in John and Alice Butler Hall, Heritage Center. The University of Dubuque (UD) is a private, coed university founded in 1852 that offers undergraduate, graduate, and theological seminary degrees as well as other educational opportunities with the intention of educating and forming the whole person.

‘More and more, he comes to realize that people fall into three camps: those who hardly, if ever, see beauty, even when it strikes them between the eyes; those who recognize it only when it is made apparent to them; and those rare souls who find beauty everywhere they turn, even in the most unexpected places. (‘There are Rivers in the Sky’ by Elif Shafak, p.