A Moment of Thoughts

Few truly want “the honest truth.”

They may ask for it, and even if you double-check to confirm that they are ok with what may be shared, they rarely think through their answer.

They get angry when you give them their medicine since they expect cake.

How are you doing? It has been far too long since I last wrote here. Can it be over five months since I last opened my brain and dribbled my thoughts through my keyboard?

The first half of the year was another interesting one on campus. Students improved, and life got a bit closer to the before-times, but the masks never came off in the classrooms.

While the country I love continues its backslide into a future that will have us even more divided into the two camps where only one side cares about everyone, and the other side wants only what looks like them. There are scary days ahead, and I wonder how dark they may get.

Me? I’m trying to continue to focus on my direct sphere of influence and ensuring that I find the positive around me and help with the things I can directly make positive changes with. My family, my classroom, and my friends. That trio is where most of my efforts go, and it keeps me balanced away from the edge on most days.

I’m trying to take some quiet time this summer. My job provides me the time, yet I always feel guilty about using it. The long stretch of weeks feels foreign to me, and of course, it isn’t something I can enjoy alone, so I’m finding ways to focus during the days to try and make it work.

I taught a new course this summer and have another exciting new one this fall.

Last week I got to do one-on-one advising with incoming first-year students.

I’ve been reading a ton of books and watching some quality shows.

Next week, there will be an overdue vacation with high-quality unplugging.

It is a weird summer where COVID is alive and well, but every day there feels like another horrible moment for humanity. Then, sitting around with friends on a quiet night, you forget about it for a couple of hours, and bliss rains down.

Life is strange, and we each get a blink of it to do with it as we choose. I know I’m using mine well, and I’m thankful for that.

Sorry for the ramble; that is how we are rolling today and what my brain needed. It needed to clean out the cobwebs to make room for more. More thoughts. More hope. More whatever I need.

I hope July treats you well, and I hope it isn’t November before I find myself writing here again.

No promises, though. It is going to be a busy fall :)