March, 2013 Issue   
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Late Night Musings from the Chair

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Late Night Musings


by Todd Reemtsma, NBS Section Chairperson

Heroes
    As much as I like winter, the schizophrenic weather we are experiencing this year is starting to get to me.  With spring just around the corner, I am doing my best to practice a little patience and enjoy the winter that remains.
    This month join other members of the Northern Boundary Section in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the 53rd edition of the USITT Annual Conference March 20th – 23rd, 2013.  If you are attending the conference, please plan on attending the Northern Boundary Section meeting on Thursday, March 21st, 2013 from 8:00AM – 9:15AM in Room 203BC of the Delta Center.  At the meeting we will recognize our 2012-13 scholarship winners, hold elections for our 2013-16 NBS Board members, do our best to determine the host of our 2013 Fall Conference, and cover a few other topics and housekeeping items.  If you have agenda items that you would like to see covered, please drop me or one of the NBS officers a line prior to that date.
    Earlier this year I had the good fortune to attend a reception at the University of Minnesota Libraries for the exhibit titled Creating The World Fotoddr The Stage 1893 – 1925: An Exhibit of Scenic Sketches.  One of the unique qualities of this exhibit is that rather than being curated by museum staff as is typically the case, this exhibit was curated by none other than U of MN Professor of Scenic Design and NBS member C Lance Brockman!  The exhibit is stunning and I would highly recommend trying to catch it before it closes on March 15th - http://blog.lib.umn.edu/lib-web/events/university-libraries-exhibits/creating-the-world-for-the-sta-1.html, but what I found more amazing than the exhibit itself is how many people were in attendance at the reception who’s lives had been touched by Lance in a positive way.  During the speaking part of the reception, many people from University of Minnesota shared stories of Lance from his tenure in the department and as I watched the audience respond to the speakers and to Lance himself, it was obvious to see how many people this hero had affected.
    The experience I had at the reception led me to think about the heroes we have or have had in our lives as well as the heroes we might be or become for others.  It was obvious from the accounts of the guest speakers as well as from Lance himself that his career was driven by a passion for knowledge and quality and not an intention to become a hero to others.  But in that room full of people, most who were students, former students, or colleagues of Lance’s, as their faces displayed the admiration, love, respect, etc. that he had become a hero.  Who are the heroes in your life that you have come across?  What are the characteristics that make them a hero?  It would certainly be awfully arrogant for any of us to make it a life goal to become a hero, but it goes without saying that if we try to live up to the standards and characteristics of the heroes in our lives that we will inevitably become a hero to others.
Wear that cape with responsibility my friends!

If it’s not fun, why do it?
  - Ben & Jerry (of ice cream fame)

-Todd