This day began in darkness, dreaming of more sleep, a stumble to the shower, and opening the front door to a bright sunrise of orange and black, like a witch etherized upon a table. Seven minutes got me to work where I administered an ACT Test which not only do I not believe in, but abhor for its demand for conformity and competition instead of creativity and cooperation. Repeated standardized tests are killing education as surely as cell phones.
For a few hours I watched stressed and anxious students stare into space, twist and fidget, yawn, look over wistfully at their cell phones we placed on a table, stretch, and finally complete the ordeal of the testing. This was day four.
It was time for the mid-morning meetings in both our houses. As luck would have it, a comedian had spoken yesterday and there had been no discussion of current events. I was able to lead the discussion, beside myself with glee, about the stunning victory of Doug Jones in Alabama. The students pretended to look for news on their cell phones; though their texting gave their ruse away. One student did capture the attention of his peers by mentioning the coming effects of the end of Net Neutrality. I was impressed how so many were opposed to this heinous repeal which happened hours later.
At lunch I walked in the warm sunshine a couple of blocks to Earth Fare and bought $3.50 worth of smoked salmon from the deli. It seemed like a huge quantity for so small a charge. I returned and had the fish on a bagel with cream cheese. Lunch is a great time for banter with students about almost anything. I told them of recent studies showing the negative effects of cell phone addiction on adolescent brains. I told them they could read the whole report on their cells.
After lunch (when I could have left since I had arrived at 7:30 AM), I stayed on for a good discussion in the Philosophy class of Heidegger and Wittgenstein. One student, who is something of a savant, is a bit like Ludwig. He has a good grasp of math and physics, choosing his words and thoughts carefully. It was a productive couple of hours immersed in ontology and the concept of Being, not only from Heidegger's point of view, but going back all the way to the pre-Socratics and Greek philosophy, generally. Later we speculated on what the world today might have become if Alexander had lived to be an old man, if Greek culture, rather than Roman, had endured.
Another student, who is a remarkable artist, had some new work to share with us. She also gave me a gift of expensive bonbons, with a small art piece telling me to "Keep on Trippin' " and that the 1960s are never over.
I drove home and took a nap. Darryl had cleaned the screen porch, top to bottom, and was napping also. At 5 or so, we awoke and headed to the Colonnade for the Early Bird specials. Having had fish for lunch, I went for the turkey, and Darryl ordered the pork loin. The place was so packed that we had to wait first in the lounge, having a cocktail before dinner. Perhaps it was the vodka in my Cape Cod, but the restaurant became a satire by Botero. Fat, old, teenaged, gray and gay diners formed parades of people trooping to large tables. Singles, pairs, parties of ten, all congregated in the two large rooms. Darryl made the Botero reference; correcting my appeal to Goya. Not thin enough he had observed, though I thought many of the faces had a look of madness. I felt a kind of euphoria, whatever they all were. After arising at 6:30 AM for four days, I was off work until January something.
Then there was the dessert. The Early Bird specials include it. Dar had apple crisp. I agreed to the ice cream, but only if they added hot fudge. So there it was, one scoop of vanilla, one of peppermint, drenched in hot fudge, along with a hearty cup of coffee. When I was just a boy, earning my sterling silver cross for perfect attendance at Sunday school, Dad would pick Johnny and me up and take us to the Dairy Queen. There I always had the hot fudge sundae. Now, on Throwback Thursday I was having just such a sundae. It was a religious experience, sure enough, sensuous as an orgasm.
What better way to end the evening and begin celebrating the Winter Solstice?
http://time.com/5058769/winter-solstice-2017/
Jameson
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