From: Dave Bakken [bakken@eecs.wsu.edu]

Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 12:46 PM

To: cs564@eecs.wsu.edu; GridStat@googlegroups.com

Cc: bakken@eecs.wsu.edu; dave.bakken@gmail.com; beth.bakken@gmail.com

Subject: Thanksgiving Dinner Invitation

 

Dear CptS 224, 464, 564, and 500 Classes (and fearless TAs) and GridStat grad students,

 

We are having Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday at our home, and inviting over some students as we do every year. You would be quite welcome to come if you like. We fully understand if you cannot make it. There is no obligation to come, and we will not be offended if you cannot.  Typically there are 10-20 students who come, mostly international grad students (since most undergrads live nearby and go home to family that week).  And we are blessed by the diverity of their backgrounds and heritages.

 

If you would like to come, please reply by Monday noon if possible so we know how many to expect, but if you do not know until later than reply when you can and just come. If you do reply, please reply to me at EECS (where I sent this from) plus to myself and my wife Beth at home (cc'd). There is no need to micro-spam everyone this was sent to with your reply! :-}   So don't hit "reply to all" accidentally.

 

You are free to bring any family members with to the dinner. If you do RSVP, please have the subject line be "Thanksgiving Dinner RVSP (X)", where X is the number that will attend in your party.  In your email, please be sure to mention the names of everyone coming, and the ages if they are children.  If you are arriving more than about 30 minutes late, please call us so we know you are still coming; we will probably start eating about then.

 

Note: please don't wear a tie, or I will tease you without mercy like I did one of my students when he did this his first Thanksgiving at our house. :-} He has come later times but never *ever* again with a tie.  We will be providing the food and drink, so there is no need to bring anything.   If you are a good cook, and want to bring a dish from your home country (especially holiday food), you are welcome to, but this is not required. And almost all students who come will not bring anything (which is probably fortunate, at least if their cooking skills are anywhere near mine -- I am strictly a hunter-gatherer).

 

(FYI, in American culture, it is not appropriate for a student to bring a gift to a professor (a former student its OK, but not a current one), so please don't bring a bottle of wine or a gift of some kind.)

 

We will start at about 1pm, and go into the evening with playing board games etc. We will probably be done about 7, though you are free to leave earlier if you wish or if you are asked to leave because you rooted for the Huskies or even just came dressed in purple and gold.

 

A map to our home, as well as parking notes, can be found at:

http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~bakken/BakkenHomeMap-v4.pdf. Note on this what is "Corner Drug" is now the "Town Centre", that fancy (for rural Pullman) brick office building downtown.  Also, where it says “Safeway”, that is the place where Rite Aid and Arbys are --- Safeway has moved across the street since I made this map.

 

FYI, more on the history of Thanksgiving can be found at http://www.thanksgiving.org/2us.html.  It started with early settlers held a feast (including Native American "Indians" who helped them) to thank God. In America, extended families of all kinds get together on this day, no matter their religious background or lack thereof (it is not a Christian holiday like Christmas and Easter are).

 

Also, the Apple Cup football is 3:45  Saturday on Fox Sports Northwest.  If pigs fly and the Cougars somehow lose, the game will NOT be a suitable topic of disussion at Thanksgiving.  Need I say more?  The game is in Pullman, and the weather is looking reasonable (45 degress and no rain), so if you have not been to a game yet in person, this would be a good one (if you can get tickets).  Its quite a cultural experience, not just the game but hanging out with fans ahead of time in the Field  House (big brick buillding by the track and football field, next to Bohler Gym).

 

Let me know if you need a ride or can provide one to another student. I can do a run with my minivan to pick up folks at the department if needed. Again, if you are coming please reply no later than Monday noon if you at all can.  But if you don't know you will come until later, just tell us as soon as you can and just come.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

----

David E. Bakken, Associate Professor, Computer Science School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Postal Address: PO Box 642752; Washington State University; Pullman, WA

99164-2752

Shipping Address: 102 EME Building, Spokane Street; Washington State University; Pullman, WA 99164-2752

Phone: 509 335 2399   Cell: 509 592 0238 Fax:   509 335 3818

Email: bakken@eecs.wsu.edu

www.eecs.wsu.edu/~bakken  & www.gridstat.net