and now it’s May

A last long spell in my office today. I’m packing up books and materials to take with me, I'm saying good bye to my office neighbors, I'm heading home. It’s time for me to open up my summer office. Which, at least in spring, follows me and mixes freely with many days of no work at all. Or, no class-based work. Instead -- a hope for progress on my Great Writing Project.

Good-bye Bascom Hill – site of so many photos when nothing else in the course of my work day captured my eye.



boy, girl, dog


Hello open slate.

I’ll leave you with two thoughts for the first of May:

One comes from a graduating student who stopped by my office this afternoon. He said that, due to the economy, his employer deferred the starting date of his new job until January. Suddenly he has free time. I feel the pressure of spending it well! – he tells me.

Me too. I feel the pressure of spending these coming months well.

My second thought comes from my wise and wonderful office neighbor. I have often started my day by sharing slight worries with her. She’s just so good at diffusing anxiety that it’s become rather a habit. Her best piece of advice came today and I think it’ll hold me for at least the one or two months that I’m away. I leave you with it:

My very old aunt said to me – you shouldn’t waste time worrying. Things we fret about do not happen. The bad stuff comes from stuff we never worried about.


In the meantime, the sun sets on forests that are almost green, fields that are almost planted.