Reasons to Celebrate

1. New carpets.   
2. Bastille Day.  It's today.  France is probably partying in the streets.
3. The fall semester starts in a little over a month in London.
4. Visa applications being approved.
5. A really good job packing your luggage.
6. Finding a flat.
7. Friends coming to visit London.
8. Kittens.  Just to continue the theme.
9. Catching a 6:03am flight.  Not as easy as it sounds.
10. Birthdays.  Claire just had one.  Bill's was a few months ago, and Heather and Sarah have them coming up in a few months.  Everyone has one this coming academic year, even those people born on February 29th.  And the London Center is turning 40 this year!  

Recalling my student days, we didn't usually need much of a reason to celebrate.  Receiving lost luggage was a reason for celebration, seeing a film was a reason to celebrate and even Tube strikes were reasons to celebrate.  The ICLC has more fixed criteria, but turning 40 surely meets it.  In that time we have had over 6,000 students, well over 100 faculty, approximately 78 trips to Stratford upon Avon, 8 directors (plus a few interims), and an unquantifiable number of cups of tea during the Irish Lit class.  When asked to count how many times ICLC students have arrived late due to delays on the Circle line, that task was found to be impossible.  Yes, a lot has happened over 40 years at Harrington Gardens.

Put your party faces on, the ICLC is turning 40!

Being the 40th anniversary of the Ithaca College London Center, it is our Ruby Jubilee.  Therefore the theme color of the year is red.  Gifts will be given to staff members who have rubies as their birthstone.  All baby girls born to people with any association to the ICLC will be named Ruby (their middle names will be Elsie.  Their surnames will be left to the discretion of their parents).  As it is a Jubilee year for us, that Tube line will run a special service to Gloucester Road (via the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines).

There may be some facetiousness presented here (except for the gifts to staff members with rubies for birthstones), but we do intend to celebrate!

-Elsie (who has been on holiday)