Today’s Art History gathering brought so many memories rushing back of that wacky, wonderful, incandescent Peter Hales. Many mentioned "His office." The dog, the classical music, the bookshelf, his bike, the lamp, and the utopian, convivial atmosphere that he was able to magically create within our brutalist architecture and crumbling walls. He was both quintessential idealist and absolute pragmatist- just like Addams and Dewey. Others mentioned his “hyperbolic praise” - we were all graced by his ability to make each one of us feel special and appreciated. Peter’s verbal felicity and his ability to speak in poetry and write circles around everyone- even when it was about the most mundane of matters. Reading his old emails will forever be a source of joy. His love and respect of the students- I remember serving on a MA thesis committee with him, utterly astounded at the quantity of edits, questions and critical generosity he had for the work. Almost everyone mentioned his great advice that he offered on all matters great and small and in all times, because he cared: “Buy a bike helmut,” “Don't talk about reification so much it dates you!” “Teach whatever you want and only what makes you happy.”- a sampling of some pieces of advice he offered to me… I so regret never telling him thank you, thank you for helping us envision and found the MUSE program. I will miss him dearly.