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SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL OF YOU FROM THEA HODGE

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We’ve had several big events in the family this year which is why I’m writing to you collectively. The biggest event was the arrival of our first grandchild, April Hodge Greenberg, daughter of Dr. Susan Hodge and Dr. David Greenberg (both are Research Fellows at Washington University of St. Louis). April is a lovely and delightful infant. Is there a special sweetness to having a grandchild because one is spared the daily chores? Unfortunately, we are also missing the daily seeing and hearing and cuddling since wee April lives more than 500 miles away. Well, we shall be properly doting grandparents and plan to “spoil” her as often as we have the opportunity.

The other reason for writing this long and collective Christmas letter is that Phil received two honors this year. So, in addition to telling you about children and grandchild, let me tell you about husband and how his honors have been enjoyed by me.

The first event took place in a spectacularly furnished set of rooms in the State Department Building in Washington, D.C. in November. At the desk on which John Hancock or somebody of his time signed one of our historic documents, Phil signed a book thus signifying his formal acceptance of election to the National Academy of Engineering. I was enormously impressed by this process and by the surroundings. I wandered around touching tables and books, stroking cloisonne jars, checking out the lounges, looking at paintings and other early American period art including intricately carved wardrobes and some statuary. Much of this is normally out-of-bounds to sightseers; I knew that I might never have such a lovely opportunity to see and touch again. The next evening we attended the Academy banquet in formal “bib and tucker”, feeling rather grand. Phil’s mother came into town to attend with us, an extra bonus to have her there, too.

During the day Phil attended business meetings, discussed problems , and generally worked. But the astonishing part of that day was the way the Academy wives were treated. About 60 of us were shepherded around in Washington to a few places of tourist interest but in a decidedly non-tourist manner. We were taken behind the scenes, into semi-private or working areas, and escorted by curators rather than guides. I was completely willing to be treated as a VIP but had to remind myself several times that I had done nothing specific to deserve it and needn’t develop a swelled head nor expect it as my due henceforth. However undeserved it was, I enjoyed it all quite thoroughly.

Phil’s “elevation” to Honorary (Life) Membership in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers took place later in November with a multi-media presentation of his life and works (so far!). It was beautifully done, for me rather sentimental. Lisa, our youngest, was able to take a few days of vacation to be in Atlanta with us which made it even better. For the presentation-show, they used slides of photographs of Phil as a baby, of him with April asleep on his chest, and of many events in between including a unique shot of Phil on top of Mt. Ritter (taken by David Bogy) and several of his own beautiful and artistic nature photographs.

I am happy to report that none of this has affected him in any noticeable way. He’s the same relaxed, informal person he’s always been, wears shorts and sandals to the office from May to October, might wear them to the Guthrie Theater if I would agree to accompany him in such garb! He seems to face each new class with the same anticipation and concern, and he continues his research with papers and books spread across and around our large dining room table (while a handsome desk collects dust in the study).

Our two younger children are doing essentially what they were doing last year. Philip T. is a design engineer in a company which builds industrial buildings in the steel mill area of Northern Indiana. He passed the professional engineers’ tests last spring and can now add PE after the BSCE on his office door. This makes him the first “real” engineer in the family even though his father has been called an engineer for many years. Elizabeth (Lisa) is a programmer-analyst with Control Data Corp. in Sunnyvale, CA. She has been working on a project very closely related to the computer operating system my Center is about to acquire. CDC has sent her to Minneapolis-St. Paul (where their computers are built) 3 times since early November to help debug part of the system. Having one of our far-flung family in town has been a rare and true pleasure.

I continue as Assistant Director of the University of Minnesota’s instructional and research computer center. My particular area of responsibility includes, among other things, many of the activities organized to make our computers easy (or easier, at least!) for the university staff and students to use. I have no doubts about the importance of computers to the modern world, but considerable doubt is creeping upon me about the importance of my job to me and vice Versa. I have had two careers: full-time housewife and mother; then part-time housewife and mother plus full-time involvement with computers (with a little extra school and grad school thrown in along the way). Perhaps the time has come for a third modification. Recently, I read an article in which the authors posed a question something like this: if you suddenly discovered that, instead of 15 more years of professional life, you had 40, how would you use that time? I found this a most provocative question and I leave it with you as we approach the fresh new year of 1978. May it be a happy and productive one for you.

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Phil joins me in sending best and happiest wishes to you, everyone. –

Thea

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