Sept. 30, 2015
It happened when I was scoring the winning goal in a soccer game…I was delivering a roundhouse kick to a man trying to steal an old woman’s purse…I blocked a shot while warming up with the Red Wings. Any of those would be great stories to explain my recent injury. But no, it’s nothing that exciting. You see, only I could break my toe in a baking accident. (Technically, it’s not actually broken, but for all the pain and ugly colors, it might as well be.) A baking accident you ask? Yes. Here’s some advice — it’s probably not smart to start baking cookies at 11 p.m. In my haste, I managed to pull an entire drawer of baking pans onto my big toe. Not just the pans — the actual wooden drawer, too. Ouch.
I should have been ready for it. I mentioned in my column last week that I once had been on crutches. That same day I had a conversation about how I always wear heels because I’m short. And I ordered a new pair of great dress boots online. Remember I also mentioned I have a bit of “the shining?” Apparently I also have the ability to curse myself. I found myself on crutches (again) for a few days, in a walking boot for a few more and not able to wear my heels or my new cute boots for a little while longer. All thanks to a batch of caramel apple cheesecake cookies I was making for a staff gathering. And yes, I did make those cookies — Spartans Will and all that.
My daughter was sympathetic, but not really surprised. She’s kind of used to me being a bit of a klutz. I figure at least I’m giving her great material for a one-woman show sometime. Armed with her degree in musical theatre and more talent than you can imagine, she’s in NYC doing the struggling actor thing. She’s just starting her career, but she’s already done some pretty cool things on the stage.
Spartans have a long history of doing extraordinary things on stages all over the world. Researchers, performers, physicians, teachers, students, musicians, athletes — no matter the stage, Spartans are worthy of multiple ovations.
William David Brohn has received many ovations in his career as a musician and orchestrator. The Tony Award winner and alumnus will serve as Grand Marshal of this year’s MSU Homecoming, Spartans Take the World Stage. Make sure to check out all of the great activities, like the Friday parade and the game against Purdue on Saturday.
Ethan Wingrove’s family has three generations of Spartans who will celebrate Homecoming. He’s a sophomore who lives in Shaw Hall, the same hall his grandfather, Jerome Hull, lived in when he was a student in 1949. Hull earned a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate and spent decades at MSU as a horticulture professor. Read Wingrove’s STUDENT VIEW: Planting Seeds, to learn more about this Spartan family.
Matt Zierler knows the importance of a world stage. He is an associate professor of international relations in MSU’s James Madison College. As an expert in U.S. foreign policy, international security, international relations theory, international law and international cooperation, he understands that a worldview is key to any education. That’s why he teaches a study abroad course in Brussels, Belgium, to help students learn about issues related to NATO and the European Union. Read his FACULTY VOICE: Take a Leap, to learn more about him.
It takes Spartans of all kinds and on all stages to make a difference in this world. The Spartan nation is made up of more than a half million incredibly strong individuals. But Spartans also know that our true power is in our collective strength. We celebrate our biggest victories when we work together. Some days we’re saving lives or cleaning up the environment. Some days we’re making discoveries or teaching young minds. And some days, we simply celebrate.
This year we celebrate 100 years of the MSU fight song — Victory for MSU — and all the victories it represents. A celebration like this deserves something special, so we took hundreds of Spartan voices and put them into the first-ever virtual Spartan choir. The result is a truly amazing video that truly shows our collective power. (Major props to my colleague, Anthony Siciliano, who edited it all together. I can't imagine how hard that was.) Check out the MSUToday FEATURE: Celebrating Spartan Victories, to watch the final video and learn more about Spartan successes.
Fight! Fight! Rah! Team, Fight! Who Will? Spartans Will.
Lisa Mulcrone
Editor, MSUToday
@LMulcrone
Photo of the Spartan Marching Band and crowd by Kurt Stepnitz