Finish One Project, Start Another, Followed by a Second & Third, Knowing It's Time to Start Thinking about Project Four and Five for the Fall

 

It's me, I'm.....I'm the problem, it's me.

That probably is the first, and the last, reference to Taylor Swift on my blogs, but I admit I'm singing more often than not these days. It's not that Kwame Alexander influenced me to always be a "yes" believer, it's that the two of us have figured it out...and it words. Of course, he's sitting much prettier than I do these days, but I have the same vision for readers and writers across the United States.

I met with the Westport Library people yesterday to begin dreaming StoryFest '24 and I love all they have in place, and am now curious how to help, assist, and bring in more writers, teachers, and students. I have a plan. I love the visionaries at Westport Library, and I see us continuing an ongoing celebration of authors in southern Connecticut, especially in relations to K-12 education. We shall see what comes of it, but I am excited.

I did a lot of trim work around the yard last night, not wanting to process the world until I'm ready to. I also delivered items to school around southern Connecticut, got a haircut, graded, and ate leftovers. It's amazing how much gets done when one doesn't have to be in person to teach or on campus to attend meetings. It's bliss, actually.

Ah, but it's Friday and I'm sure we're all thanking God for the weekend. I'm hoping for a slow, uneventful occasion as it's been an insane semester...as of today, Fairfield University are off-contract for the summer months. I still continue with National Writing Project work, but it means the faculty emails slow down 99%. I look forward to the serenity.

They Kept It Really Subdued. A Quiet Night on Mt. Pleasant with Michelle and Jessy (Which is Definitely NOT Normal)

I know when the ladies want to get together it usually means chaos, laughter, much wine, and absolute need to go crazy. We've done this at my house many times, and I simply learn to be patient as the booze does it things and wears off. I cook. They salsa. And we talk....a lot.

I love ever second of it.

Last night, I got the house ready for a back patio barbecue, but they came in subdued attire and mood. A couple glasses of wine, no dancing (except Michelle's Alvin Alley routine)(and wig...and wig), and a great meal. When they left by 9 pm I was like, "Bonus. I can't watch t.v. and fall asleep without having to stay up until 3 a.m."

Perhaps we're all getting old. 

Of course, we were trying to keep Karal from jumping on Michelle, too, because she goes insane when Michelle comes over. 

Chicken, rice, grilled vegetables (incredible mushrooms), and brownies for dessert...the kind of evening that can't be had when the semester is in full toll. Ah, but summer is here and we have opportunity to meet up, laugh, and look ahead.

Not a bad Wednesday at all. And $35 for 3 people to eat is much better than $130 if we went out. Besides, I love cooking.

And with that...back to the grind.

I Wondered How Karal Would React After Mt. Pleasant Calmed Down This Afternoon. Somehow, She Found a Way to Find Bliss and Serenity for Herself

It's always a risk to bring a suitcase in front of Karal. She goes into depression mode and anxiety panic. Who is leaving? Why? How long will I be left? Does nobody love me? This is what happened when Ger wheeled his luggage to the first floor. She loves the company, the walks, the extra set of legs to get in front of and trip. After I dropped him off, however, she collapsed in the sunlight, content as an angel.

Speaking of, Ger is such a celestial thinker - there are no words for how much he triggers me to be a better man. 

Yesterday, I recorded my first class (asynchronous teaching can be fun) and brought dinner to friends. I cleaned up some more, said goodbye to the genius, and edited a manuscript. I now need to think about the last phases of yard work, 2024, and figuring out where I want to expand a significant butterfly garden. I have over 18 Milkweed plans that have popped out of the planters, ready to be relocated. Debating if I want them by the blueberries or to create a barrier to the house behind me or not (as I hope to compete with their poison ivy). Such a war. 

I am thinking about finding my own sense of comfort like Karal. I wouldn't mind a day of lying around reading the piles of books that have most recently been delivered (in anticipation to the July/August work ahead). 

Summer months are better months, because I get to conduct the want with my own hands...figure out the orchestration and rhythm I want, without all the noise of others and their agendas. I get to make music, and I'm thankful to Ger for pointing that out as he introduced me to Jacob Collier and led me down a rabbit hole of musical genius.

We need the same for teachers...and that is where I hope to focus the rest of my career.

It's Always Good Having Company on Mt. Pleasant, Especially When It is a Classy Friend Who Keeps Your Intellect Alive & Always Questioning Next Steps

It's been fun sharing writing, reading, speaking space over an extended weekend with this powerhouse of a human being, but it's time for Ger to depart and start his journey back to South Sudan. We put in miles around town, had the best conversations, and ate incredibly well. We were fortunate to have many options (many of them requiring the kindness of others). Living in the moment, and making the best of each day is what it's all about.

But back to reality for the two of us this morning...still so thankful that he came by for the conference and to touch brains before he returns home for more work. Funny how quickly we've become brothers and family. I've been channeling his perspectives since my high school teaching days when I wondered about the coincidences in our lives...now, such coincidences bring more meaning than I ever imagined.

Now to prep for the 1st graduate class of the summer, which I need to get my head around that sooner, rather than later. I don't think the day is supposed to be a wash like yesterday, but I know the rain was fantastic for all the seedlings popping up across my yard.. 

Karal will hate the return to an empty house (Ger was her preferred cuddle space and she left my shoulders alone for a few days). She likes a lively house. The back porch grill is up and running for the season, and that's what matters most....hospitality and guests.

And of course, Connecticut Writing Project hats for South Sudan leadership.

We May or May Not Have Re-enacted Our Younger Carefree Days Last Night Around a Fire Talking About Global Citizenry Ahead

I told Ger in the morning, hopefully by 5 someone will invite us for a barbecue. We hiked Lordship by the water, I mowed the lawn, we did laundry, etc. but no invitations arrived. I started cooking what I had and before we knew it we had our own Memorial Day BBQ: Trini-chicken, potatoes, salad, beans, rice. He went for a walk and when he returned he had beers. King came over and I built a fire...the rest is history.

To be honest, I didn't build any fires last year. Chitunga's departure sort of put a wedge in that tradition as it was the two of us that sat around a fire chatting until the late night. Bourbon helped. When he moved to Iowa, I simply collected piles of items to burn, but never set them on fire (there's some Butch in me after all). 

Last night, however, we kept a fire going almost to 1 a.m. and around the fire we talked: global politics, history, next steps, our intentions, educating youth, culture, lived experiences, joy. It was one of the more memorable nights where you realize the company is perfect, the gathering intentional, and the friendship 100% sincere. And the temperatures were absolutely perfect to be outside, to think of memories of what and how such an evening came to be, and simply relax. 

That was probably the best part of the day...we simply chilled out, laughed, talked, and shared thoughts. It will definitely be one of those moments to be cherished forever...

He named his son Haow, the Universe, and that is all you need to know about Ger. What coincidences he brings. 

I Left Most of the Day to the Wedding Photographer for Taking Pictures; Instead, I Simply Absorbed Every Moment for What It Was

A special congratulations to the Wooley, Sealey, & Johnsons on successfully seeing the marriage of Justin and Juliet as a tremendous success. That castle in Portland, Connecticut, overlooking the river was beautiful, and the weather could not have been better. I was honored to host my first service and I'd be willing to do it again. Reverend Cran-diggity at your service,        

     It is an absolute honor to join other pastors from Universal Life Church such as Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, and Lady Gaga to officiate today’s ceremony. I have been contemplating the request to officiate the wedding of Justin & Juliette since last fall when they invited me to get ordained and I continue to wonder, “What were they thinking?” Ah, but I’m a man who loves coincidences and what the Great Whatever delivers…and we just never know how our paths will roll out.

For those that don’t know me, my name is Dr. Bryan Ripley Crandall and I work at Fairfield University where Juliet and Justin met. In fact, I had Justin in a philosophy course and quickly admired the way he looked out for others…so much so I hired him to work with my summer programs where his father also teaches. With his territory also came Juliet, as they began dating almost immediately in their first year on campus. 

Although I’ve seen Justin dressed in graduation robes and Teletubby attire, it was not me who witnessed him dressing as an astronaut during a campus dance their freshman year. That was all Juliet, and before Justin’s many facial hair transitions. You see, to her it was a Westhill t-shirt. She went to Norwalk. There’s the star-crossed lovers thing, too, and of course she’s Juliet. Stony limits cannot hold love out. It seemed appropriate to reference the Bard.

I must admit, however, the hardest part of being asked to officiate this wedding was figuring out what to wear. I wanted to ask Justin’s mom, Jen, if I might borrow her pink power suit – the one she wore to Isaiah’s and Val’s senior award ceremony last year, but pink’s never been my color and I will never have the fashion sense of Jen. In any court of law, Toni and Kristin might know something about that, the verdict is very clear. I will never have Jen’s fashion sense.

         Friends, family, and all the plus-ones, I welcome you to this beautiful celebration, a commencement of two individuals into one partnered life. For those of you who get emotional on such occasions, I also welcome tissue packets. You see, I’m a bit of a leaker, myself….meaning it’s easy for me to tear up over meaningful occasions such as this….a trait I also share with Justin’s father, Dave, and one I recently learned I also share with Justin. Der Marvel-Film war sehr, sehr Traurig, mein Freund. Just imagine Juliet in Germany having to help her fiancé work through time heists and infinity stones, while Germans walked by saying, “Schauen Sie sich den Mann-Jungen an, der wegen einer Superhelden-Aktion weint.” That’s Deutsch for Germans laughing and pointing a man boy whimpering over the end of his superhero Marvel series. Be thankful, Justin, that you were born without Thanos’s chin – I’d hate to witness the facial hair you’d put on such a face. But do know, superheroes are with you wherever you go, and will always run in our blood, as the great Captain D is with you, and always by your side.  

         So, we are here, together, to join worlds…although they aren’t as mythical and intergalactic as Asgard, the Quantum Realm, or Wakanda, they are just as magical. In fact, I’d argue our world is beautiful. Today, we have the joy of bringing the Wooley, Sealey, Johnsons together with the Bosangues. This is for Juliet and Justin. This is for Justin & Juliet. Their Human Togetherness. The Ubuntu, the Bantu word for community and strength. Around my neck is a scarf, partly because I wanted to show my fashion sense to Justin’s mom, (it isn’t a pink suit, cuz it’s hard to accessorize as a male), but I found a liturgical stole that represents the importance of circles joining together to establish a pattern between the individuals we adore, admire, love, and appreciate – the couple before us all today. This ceremony is part of a tradition, not only to officiate the fusion of both Justin and Juliet’s worlds, but to bring forward the legality of intertwining lives. It’s a circle like the letter “O” and if you add such an O to God, you have good, and that is what today is all about. The good that will comes from seeing Juliet and Justin hand to hand, eye to eye, family to family, and embracing their lives together.

         There’s also tremendous good in this ceremony, this congregation, and there was even good during Justin’s romantic proposal at Fairfield University where he plotted and planned the entire moment, but forgot to factor one item….what happens if it is pouring rain and Juliet resists getting out of the car because, well, she’s thinking Justin’s gone crazy. Why would he want to walk around campus during a downpour? It’s all good. It’s remains good. And lucky for us and him, Julet said, “yes.”

         Kristin, Michael, Dave, Kris, Jen, Mark, Serena, Richard, Toni, Michael, Linda, & Cooper, she did say yes and, as a result, the families grow bigger and stronger together. Both families encircle one another. Christina, Chris, Zoe, Steve, Esha, Matt, Connor, Claudia, Elise, & Arman, this includes friendship, too, as circles surrounding the marriage today of Justin & Juliet, also envelope you. They’re in this together, and so are we.

         Juliet and Justin remarked they didn’t want anything in particular to be recited, so I did as Crandall does and worked through my books to find words for the consecration.

 

From Plato: Love is born into every human being: it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of two and heal the wound of human nature.

 

From Corinthians, Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

 

From Zohar, A husband and wife are one soul, separated only through their descent of this world. When they are married, they have reunited again.

 

From the Q’uran, And we’ve created you in pairs.

 

From bell hooks, Love is an action…never simply a feeling.

 

Finally, from the Mandalorian, this one is for Ish, This is the way.

 

And here we are today, together, to put the love of Juliet & Justin into action before our collective…this community…this human togetherness gathered as witnesses to today’s ceremony. The love of Justin and Juliet a gift given to us all, a celebration of magical miracles, and miraculous magic works within and throughout our lives (if we choose to pay attention)

 

Justin and Juliet asked if it would be alright to share their vows with one another and I thought, “Why not? I’m all about celebrating the voices of others. Juliet, as I imagine might be true for days ahead, asked to go first.

 

Juliet says her vows

 

Thank you, Juliet. Justin, you’re up next. Please share the vows you wish to be expressed (hand him a tissue)

 

Justin says his vows

 

Justin & Juliet, before I go on I have my own questions: Do you, Justin, promise to meander philosophically throughout your life, to help your partnership with Juliet to grow deeper, more intimate, whackier, and stronger, as you pontificate more ideas, quandaries, and ideological snafus? I do. Okay, good then. And do you, Juliet, promise to hold Justin accountable to his taxes, the finances of the home, and to keep his philosophical brain grounded on earth, numerically, and (perhaps), help others in the congregation with their own W-9 forms?

 

Glad to hear that.

 

Thank you for that.

 

Juliet and Justin, seriously now….please join hands.

 

Do you, Juliet, take Justin to be your lawfully wedded husband? 

I do.

 

Do you, Justin, take Juliet to be your lawfully wedded wife?

I do.

 

It brings me tremendous joy to ask Mr. Ishmael Wooley, youngest brother of Justin, to bear forth the two rings to Arman who will hold them for the couple. Afterwards, you may paint a Basquiat painting of the two of them if you like. 

 

A ring represents the circle of life, its cycles, and the wholeness of our communities, very much like the Ubuntu philosophy, and the gathering of both families today. By exchanging the rings, a couple brings forward the promise to join their communities, uniting not only themselves, but their friends and their families, in a symbol of faithfulness and unending commitment. It is time to exchange the rings.

 

Exchange rings

 

Upon your fingers are the promise of love and the dedication, hope, and strength of all the days still to come. These rings are the interlocking of a greater story and all the narratives yet to be written. Such is the power of love. Such is how so many tales are written underneath the sky above.

 

By the power invested in me at the request of the couple to officiate today’s ceremony and through the eyes of the State of Connecticut (and Stag Country), I now pronounce you, Justin & Juliet, man and wife. Woman and husband. You are a married couple. 

 

So the time has come, you two….You may kiss one another in celebration of the day and the fact that you both have chosen one another to unite as one..

 

Friends. Family. Parents. Siblings…it is a wonderful honor to present THE WOOLEYS.

Leaving this Here as a Place Holder, As These Last Few Days Have Been Beyond Description (Incredible), But I'm Still Going At It.

And today he officiates his first wedding. I am totally honored and have been working for months to make it all possible. Last night, after a youth conferences with 100s of kids, I attended the rehearsal dinner where I was gifted a t-shirt that summarizes it all.

Ah, but today, I need to arrange the dog, pick up girlfriends of the groom's family who don't have rides, and conduct the ceremony. Oh, and the paving company that as to come next week came early, so I don' have my driveway. Can't make any of this crazy up. My car is parked a street over. 

For now, however, I need to get one more day of accomplishment under my belt, and I hope I'll be able to process this past week with posts over the next few weeks. It has been too incredible for words. 

but for now I need to hit the road, hit the services, hit the ritual, and hit the ceremony as best as I can. 

Justin and Juliet are getting married. 

Walk Toward the Setting Sun Tonight with @GerDuany at Walnut Beach (Before Tomorrow's Big Celebration of Southern Connecticut Youth Writers)

There are two things I love about life: coincidences and The Great Whatever (I HEART HUCKABEE reference). My buddy and good friend has returned to Connecticut for the Writing Our Lives & Cultivating a Collective workshops with southern Connecticut youth, joining authors Patricia Park, Don P. Hooper, and several teacher leaders and student activists from across the region. Why? To promote writing and to have a celebration of words, storytelling, and the power of teacher leaders who dedicate themselves to literacy excellence.

Last night, after a stop at Jerry's for a haircut (he needed a good shave), we went to Milford to hike the ocean trails and to do what we do best...think the big picture, discuss the power of our lives, brainstorm possible collaborations, an simply appreciate the company of one another while we have it.

Karal was left at Pam's so it was a walk for more 'chilling out.' At one point I looked at the setting sun and said, "Look, We're not walking towards the rising one, but it's the same thing" Sun = life. It was actually a beautiful beach night. We were supposed to find a drumming circle, but apparently it was cancelled, so we just did a much needed walk-n-talk.

But now I'm off...100+ kids, 8 teachers, several school districts, and the madhouse of bus arrangements, food schedules, and hope for the entire day to go smoothly. The end product is all the student writers will be published in Power of Words '24. This is what happens when we invest in teacher excellence and the incredible books children desire to read. 

And we're off.

Highlight of Yesterday, Finally Got to Meet Miss Piper-Doo, Beth & Dan's New Dog & Wood Sprite

I've never met a quieter dog. She's dainty, curious, but absolutely hushed. She moves with grace, makes no noise, and doesn't even make a peep. She's the Pied Piper of Silence, and absolutely adorable. Little Miss Butterfly ears...a Papilion. Too sprite-like for words. 

Beth gave me the special treat by brining out her carrot garden. She hides treats inside different carrot and Piper pulls them out one by one looking for those with treats. It's precious.

Thankful for Dan for picking up a pie and happy I stopped to get Italian ice. One more day of pulling everything together for Friday's conference and I know I am getting there slowly but surely. I pick up Ger today at 4, as he's arriving from DC. 

My psoriasis are out of control (spots on fire), but I can't get in until the end of June. Must be everyone is having flairs. I alway know when my stress level is a little too high, as my legs catch on fire. 

Still I walk. Still I keep the pace. Still I do what I can for teachers and K-12 kids. 

Today, I finish up the consecration, need to get that printed out, pick up more books, and make sure everything is set to go so that Friday goes smoothly (which is always a crazy mess with buses from the different districts. 

All we can do is hope. And love. And work hard for others. And go to the carrot garden to find just the right one for a treat. 

Love My Dragonflies & Love Taking Time to Find Gift for Authors & Presenters from Mellow Monkey in Stratford...It's Shopping I Can Deal With

Slowly, but surely, I'm getting items checked off the to-do list in honor of the week ahead. Authors travel has been arranged, additional books have been ordered, the kids are preparing at their schools, and I found gifts to thank everyone for doing their part. The temperatures are up there, too, but it's okay because the sun is hot, but the air is cool. Step in the shade and it is beautiful. I love this time of year.

A beautiful journey it is.

I also spent most of yesterday morning preparing remarks for the wedding on Saturday and I'm more comfortable with my role than I was a week ago. I needed to read more...research more...think more. My stole arrived in the mail yesterday and it is perfect for the type of wedding I'm comfortable running (no, it isn't frogs and dragonflies, although I thought about it). 

'A beautiful journey' sun catcher for the authors.

I also power washed the outdoor carpets as best I could and tomorrow I'll get to the patio furniture. I used to think holding a hose was powerful and adulthood, but then I got this powerwasher. Now I feel like I'm in a Marvel movie. 

It's hump day and I need to continue proceeding with all plans heading into a second by second Thursday and Friday. I think when this little segment ends on Saturday night I'm going to be, "And now what?"

Oh, wait. The Capstone summer course begins on Wednesday. 

And breathe.

What's the First Thing One Does After Graduation Weekend? He Kicks Straight Into Summer Program Mode! "They Call Us Writers" (2024)

This Friday I host three authors, 8 teachers, over 100 kids, and 10 presentations for Writing Our Lives & Cultivating a Collective. I then begin the graduate Capstone for those who just completed student teaching, and then I move towards the teacher institute and the Young Adult Literacy Labs (this is the National Writing Project , 50th year). 

In the back of my mind I was going to slow down for the summer, but in the world of grants and funding, you need to play ball when they give you a reason to be on the field. It's been a fortunate year and I live to support teachers and youth...it's always for them, and the next generation of possibilities. 

I spent Monday picking up the 2024 stickers, editing an international handbook chapter, sending out final word to all participating parties for this Friday and, dare I say it, making arrangements to FINALLY visit my son in June. There is no good time, so I simply made the time. He's been in Iowa a year and I've yet to see his place (well, he's already on place #2). Alyssa has been there a 1/2 dozen times and I haven't found even a long weekend to go out west. The time is coming, especially as I prioritize what's important for my well-being and sanity. The last few years have been horrific and it's my nature to fix things and try to hold it all together. I can't any more. I'm only taking care of what I can, and that is CWP and my work. 

Today is gift day, as I have to find thank-you materials for presenters and special guests coming to campus on Friday. I also counted and this is the 27th Writing Our Lives conference in Connecticut since I arrived in 2011-2012. that's insane, especially since Dr. Marcelle Haddix and I hosted the first one in Syracuse in 2010. If you build it, youth will come. They want to write. They have things to say. They just wish schools appreciated their ideas more. That is the beauty of the 8 teachers dedicated to the youth coming this week. They get it: teaching, writing, story-telling, young people, and joy. They are the professionals beyond all professionals and there isn't a salary high enough for them. 

It's time to count down as the summer works takes off. Happy Tuesday, world. We're at it again.

This Is Not My House, But This Was Me This Weekend. Big Time Spring Cleaning & Preparing for Summer Months. Longs Days, but Worth It

My old bones will likely be sorry today. After graduation on Saturday, I went to town with the power washer Chitunga got me, wiping away mold on the fence and getting rid of chipped paint on the back porch. My house is tall, so the area closes to the house gets little sunlight, and with all the rain, the mold began. Some of the houses in my neighborhood are covered. It's gross.

Ideally, I need to redo the back patio and replace rotted boards with new boards. This is the 3rd time I thought about doing that, but decided just to paint, instead. I had a whole day so I went to town. I have carpets, so the dings will be covered, but I definitely need to put this on the radar for next year. 

Since it was overcast, but nice, I also decided to re-landscape most of my yard, weeding, relocating, putting new soil out, and adding wood chips. I also planted several seeds in different locations, as well as planted seeds in small soy pots that will dissolve in the ground. My hope is to expand the butterfly garden along my fences and towards the front yard. Right now my Japanese iris's are getting ready to burst and that is always a wonderful sight.

I then got all the patio furniture out of the shed and will need to tackle that tomorrow (cleaning it all, before lying out the rugs and bringing the outdoor pillows outside. I love my back patio in the summer and miss having the tables and chairs out. I was late this year because I was hemming and hawing about the wood on the deck. Nope. Covered it up for one more year. $70 in paint does the job. 

Poor Karal...inside all day....well, that is, after I started the day on a long walk and decided the day was as good as any to get it done. 

The blisters on my fingers will soon forgive me. Always great to hear a neighbor yell over the fence, "Man, you've been at it, at it." 

That's the only way it gets done. 

Now, I simply need to touch up the fence around the patio and repaint the bench. That will be an easy task compared to Saturday and Sunday. 

And Monday, here we go. Starting off at Subaru Service getting some work done. 

Celebrating the 12th Round of Graduate Students at Fairfield University, Year Two in the New Arena and a Wonderful Cohort of Kids

It was wonderful to cheer on all the graduates yesterday, but I'm posting Rebecca, elementary education, and niece of Shirley Klein (looking like her Aunt in this picture). We lined up in the Rec Plex, and it made for a louder procession as we all gathered in one location. Always a good day to remember how to alphabetize. When the ceremony ended, I was out of there. I wanted to power wash the porch and fence (so much mold from the rain of the year). I also got the lawn mowed, so tomorrow I can dig my hands in the soil.

In the evening, it was a night of pot roast and gin rummy, which I haven't played in a long, long time. Actually stayed out until 9 p.m. and I was sure my carriage would turn back to a pumpkin. 

This morning, it is the undergraduate graduation on Bellarmine Lawn, and a wonderful day for families, celebrations, and achievements. To be honest, I'm exhausted and have selected not to go. I simply need a mental day of rest.

More gray in the sky, but no precipitation, which is nice.

Funny how commencements are a lifestyle at this point, from high school to graduate school, always a routine in the spring at the time of exhaustion...all for the next generation, and for many, an achievement that culminates with the specialized degree.

Closer to Fine for most. Happy Sunday. May you all get the rest you need. 

Congratulations to Safiyah Sawyer and the Cast of Hamden High School's Original Production of "From Here" Being Staged May 17 & 18th

It's hard not to carry Syracuse in the blood, especially after earning a Ph.D from the University and finding your trajectory headed to Connecticut. The same is true for Dr. Don Sawyer, who graduated a few years after I did and took his work to the nutmeg state, too. I'm happy to say he's now a visionary at Fairfield University for our campus and I hope there will be more time to collaborate and work with him. 

When Dr. Sawyer invited me to his youngest daughter's senior project last week, I knew I was in. As a teacher in Kentucky, I was fortunate to lead senior projects and know how important they are for development, growth, and possibilities. Don and Latoya's daughter, Safiyah, wrote and produced a play at Hamden High School about a jazz (well, blues) singer who is mentored and falls in love with a blues (well, jazz) singer. It was a 60-minute production, well-performed, exceptionally lit, and staged marvelously. The fact that all this was a vision of a young adult still in high school is simply astounding. I couldn't help but hug Don afterwards and say, "Be proud, Pops. Be proud. If she is doing this as a senior, imagine what comes next."

Kudos, too, to the Hamden High School faculty for encouraging and supporting their senior class to have projects like this. With a bar high, kids achieve. 

I'm always fascinated by the behind-the-scenes work of any show (as I learned so much from teaching scriptwriting and running the 10-minute play festival in Kentucky with my own students). I miss that work. To write is to be of the Gods...scripting what you want others to portray. To produce is even harder as you need to bring it all to fruition. And here Safiyah doing it all as a senior at the school. Bravo. 

Shouts out to Jadya-Nekole Parma, Christian Smith, Sage Delgado, Lebron Marshall, Nerhea Byers, Anthony J. Esquilin-Ortiz, Jared A. Esquilin-Ortiz, Porter Suite, Elijah Jackson, Maxwell Jackson, and Justin Mercado for bringing Safiyah Sawyer's vision to life.

The Production, From Here, will be performed once again tonight in Hamden at 7 p.m. - All should be proud, especially the writer. How many can say, "Oh, yeah...when I was a senior in Connecticut I wrote a play that was produced at my school about this singer...I wanted to make a social commentary and so I put my pen to page." 

There's nothing better than applauding young people who see the power of words for what they can do to change the world. Here's to changing the world one story at a time.

Learning Yoga at a 3-Hour Lunch with Incredible Colleagues from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Egan School of Nursing

It was a wonderful email inviting me to lunch to celebrate my promotion to Full professorship by two colleagues who have kept me grounded, focused, and aiming for integrity. I served three years on Rank & Tenure with their insight, their ethics, and their vision for promoting excellence across all our professions. To receive an email saying they wanted to thank me for my leadership and to treat me for lunch to celebrate an accomplishment was foreign, but graciously accepted. I love Drs. Peter Bayers and Eileen O'Shea. They are two incredible human beings who represent the best of where I work.

I accepted. We had a 3-hour lunch, and I learned yoga, with laughter, in a conversation about why we do what we do with a moral compass to guide us. 

I cannot thank the two of them enough for their mentorship, advice, guidance, support, and encouragement. If one ever serves on a such a committee together, they understand the enormous role expected from an institution of higher education. We were only one generation and we took our job very serious. We lost sleep, held our breath, maintained utmost respect for the responsibility, and simply served our academic community as best as we could.

And we did this years ago, so when they wanted to treat me to lunch, I changed the trajectory of my responsibilities to meet with them (way over due...and total admiration).

Doing the work helps us to make sense of the magnitude of the work. The wisdom  is immeasurable and they have made me a much better man. It is so strange that we have not gathered until yesterday and I am beyond happy they cared enough about me to invite me to lunch (on them!!!). They wouldn't let me pay. 

They are the best of the profession. These are the human beings that make all the work worthwhile. They are the tradition and the responsibility. 

I put a pause on my normally frantic work life to enjoy their company. In the grand narrative of it all, they are part of the everything and I will never be able to thank them enough for validating the scholar I've always wanted to be, and the mentor I hope to be for future leaders in the profession.

Laughter. Honesty. Criticality. Drive. Courage. They are the real deal. Sometimes a glimmering moment of joy.

Oh, Yeah. I'm Officiating a Wedding in a Week and Last Night We Went Over Details After Hummus, Falafel, and Shawarma Sandwiches

Phew. The garlic on our breath, but I was glad to treat the future bride and groom with a Palestinian dinner full of pita and crushed garbanzo beans. It's one of those meals where it was hard to STOP eating, but I got to know the details of the couple more and work out arrangements before next Friday (after I host a state-wide conference for kids). It's actually interesting to be ordained and to play a role to master a ceremony...in some ways, it's collecting research to write the words needing to be said within the official formats of wedding traditions. It's like being a discussant at a conference, pulling together all the parts to make a session happen. We're only on for 30-minutes of the day and I'm taking the responsibility seriously.

What were they thinking asking me?

Abi's Falafel in Trumbull is a gem of a restaurant. It's one of those places where the freshness of ingredients becomes obvious as soon as you enter the store. I didn't get baklava, and that was my mistake. I don't think, however, I could put any more food in my body.

My grades are officially in...the last of the graduate projects (overdue) came late last night. I spent most of the day catching up on two writing projects, including responding to one that was due a week ago, but I thought was due in a month. It's a good think I operate like I do and had a pretty solid first draft already in progress. I sent them what I had. 

Looks like another rainy day, but we gave meetings galore on campus and I need to get back to my writing projects. I also have to go through this year's commencement training, as they changed obligations. A 7:30 a.m. report time? Do they who Crandall is without his coffee?

I was also happy to receive another publication in the mail...one I remember writing, but the team and I moved on to other projects so I forgot about this one. Always great to get another book in the mail. 

Okay, I need to head to campus to fulfill obligations...and I'm off in 3...2...1

They'll Tell You Just About Anything These Days. I Miss Dr. Pozzi's Quarters and Sticker Bags.

A root canal is a long process, but it's really fascinating to think about. The worst part of the entire procedure was the ice test to locate the side of the tooth and area that needed work. When she hit the right spot, I jumped and said, 'Well that's it!!!!" My ear ached until she jabbed me with novocaine and numbed my entire face (and arm). There are so many phases to the procedure and I simply was fascinated by it, especially what is used to chisel into the canal. I could detect the sanding instruments, but couldn't feel them.  I couldn't imagine what they looked like (I got a tour afterwards).

I was also fascinated by the giant microscope she used above my head as she did the procedure looking into two lens. "You were inflamed," she reported. "You caught this at a very good time." I simply laughed because I can't imagine all the torture that had to occur in the past for them to get this good with technology. I mean, how did they get to the point that they knew to put an ice-chip on a tooth to find the right location. Who discovered novocaine? How is digital technology advancing the way they can provide care? I had so many questions and wanted to learn it all. 

She just wanted to go home because her kid had soccer practice. I think she was annoyed by my questions.

Last night, had the first good sleep in a long time. Previously, when the Advil wore off in the middle of the night, I'd leap from my bed in pain. On nights when I overdosed on Advil, I simply worried it would wear off and cause pain so I couldn't fall asleep. 

As for the cost...this 80s/90s kid never knew life would be so expensive. Insurance covers squat, and I'm thinking of all the other things that could be done with that kind of cash rather than care for a single, tiny tooth. They're devils when they're troubled. I just wanted the agony gone.

I hope the tooth is now happy, and I know my eardrum and neck are. Phew. I shake my head simply thinking about those streaks of pain. It's been a rough few weeks.

But now, hopefully gone. 

And with that...another hump-day.

The Gown Season Is Upon Us. Let the Graduation Season Commence and May a Fruitful Life of Integrity and Joy Meet Every Student Who Tosses a Tassel

I had the wrong date. I walked across campus yesterday for a celebration which wasn't scheduled until this Friday. Whoops, my bad. I am glad this happened because I saw Safa, far right, who was dressed with her friends in end-of-the-senior-year bliss posing in front of the Stag with her friends. Safa participated in Ubuntu Academy when she first arrived to the United States, and with the dedication of her teachers from Bridgeport Public Schools, she gained footing and readiness to tackle a collegiate life.

To be honest, I thought she was still a freshman, but that is what the Covid years do to us. It makes us wary of time lines and trajectories, but it all flies by extremely fast. 

I knew as a Director of a National Writing Project site that Safa was an exceptional mind and worker, so it doesn't surprise me that she tapped her inner magic and perseverance to attain her undergraduate degree. I only wish I had her secret to help so many like her in the future (hmmmm. Sounds like a research project). 

Yesterday, I learned of the late 19th/early 20th century orphan trains and I couldn't help but think of the number of young people who come to our country from refugee camps and journeys to find a footing in the United States. From the presentation, I learned the power of love, family, human togetherness, and the importance of good people looking out for fellow, young people, who simply need others to guide and assist their paths. 

Moving. Perhaps universal. Definitely a story for educators like me.

I'm entering the summer season once again to lay the groundwork that another generation of possibilities exists out there and that K-12 schools and Universities create sidewalks for them to thrive. 

Perhaps after 30+ years of teaching, the stories begin to blur, but the mission will always remain the same. Fighing for equity, justice, and opportunity for all kids is the best life to live.

Thrilled to Celebrate Jillian MacKenzie's Graduation from UCONN Law School with Her Mom, Family, & Siblings. Now Want to Live on the Trumbull Back Porch

I can't keep track of time any more. I met Jillian when she was heading or already attending Cornell. Her mom came to the English Education program at Fairfield University and worked as my Grad Assistant for a year, where I also met Kate, who was in our literacy labs. Two years ago, I attended Joanna's wedding to Justin, and met Tyler, the son who is in Murray, Kentucky. 

Long story short...Joanna read my dissertation, decided to become a teacher, found me at Fairfield, accomplished her goals, is now an urban school teacher, and the fact I taught in Kentucky opened up all these other stories, including meeting her biological mom. Phew. And now she teaches with one of my best buds in CT, Kathy Silver. 

Jillian and Chitunga bonded at the wedding (it was the bourbon and music) and now she is living with Cole Ellington (or he's living with her) and we celebrated her accomplishment from succeeding at UCONN's Law School.

We had great food, and a wonderful evening on their back patio in Trumbull, including and amazing skyline. Last week, they saw Cassius (okay, a Louisville dog name) cross the rainbow bridge, and Maggie, the dog they got when I got Karal, has been super down in the dumps. But a graduation party and company perked her up.

That's a lot of rambling and crazy knowledge to keep up with, but I did get a photo of the skyline and Maggie cuddling with her mom (on Mother's Day). I was actually heading to get garden soil when they texted to stop by and, well, the evening was lost in meeting more of their family and celebrating Jillian's graduation and Joanna's Mother's Day while all three of her kids were home at once. 

Come to think of it...our friendship/family/bond is rather wild and pastic, but I've always understood Joanna and the vision she carries and she's always understood my own. And I find it crazy that Kathy Silver is in this mix, as well. We get kids. We get schools. We get our missions. And that is why we connect as we do.

But Maggie....there's something simply irresistible about that dog....and that skyline. Phew.

Making Art Out of the Trash Left By Others - McLily of the Valley at the Walnut Beach Gallery (Off the Access Road)

It always amazes me how people can trash the Earth, especially this time of year when we're all doing spring cleaning and prepping for the prettier time of year. It's easy to argue that McDonald's trash is the #1 item found lying around fields, roads, and even beaches. Someone left their McDonald's cup on the access road and I laughed when Pam put a stalk of Lily of the Valley in the straw - so postmodern of her. The dichotomy of nature's stunning stalks to the human stupidity is of essence. If only our screens could be scratch-n-sniff and you could smell the scent, too.

Of course, a homeless man is camped out with his bride in the woods by the beach...maybe they washed down a burger with some 7-Up and tossed it to the side. Probably not them, though, because this is their backyard. More like some human who thinks they are better than the planet.

I did yard work, yesterday, and made a lot of progress on grants  (it is amazing how much one can get done when not in meetings and/or prepping for classes). It's emancipating actually.

Today, it's back to the grant work, but also a maneuver to some writing and hopefully hands in the soil. I need to get all the winter purchases of seeds started. And last night Oona, Pam, and I played several rounds of Uno (Oh, no...Uno with Oona?). Amazing how that game can always stimulate game play, rules and new rules, and laughter. 

I also should pick some of my own lily of the valley stalks for the house (as it is a fragrant hard to find but from the little belled flowers they grow). So amazing. 

Happy Mother's Day All. Here's to Sudy Rip and her Days of Our Lives family.

I'm an Aquarian so the Waterways are Centralizing, Sanitizing, Calming, & Necessary to My Soul. Thankful to Each & Every Time I Can Gaze at the Water

I grew up on lakes. Fishing. Swimming, Watching the way the natural world fuels its soul at the greatness of water. I've always found calm on beaches, watching waves, walking on sand, and starrng into the reality that so much water is what this world is made of...we need it to stay alive. Last night, I had the fortune to walk to Walnut Beach to celebrate Bev's retirement, but also to process a rather ugly day. Such views matter. The peace one finds along the water is what keeps me mentally stable and focused.

Long before I was here and long after I depart, I hope that waterways sooth the serenity of other souls. As I age and lose the energy of a life well lived, I hope to always channel the beauty of where sky, water, and land meet. I love the light, the colors, the importance, and the balance of such a world (one that has been off kilter for the entirety of human life, but definitely off its rocker in the last decade or so). 

I need more time to sit and think...to rest my brain...to calm my nerves...and to settle a restless soul. This morning, I am simply thinking about how important such moments are.

I am looking to the Great Whatever for more answers, better humans, a stronger guidance to cherish life on a planet....one planet of many where art, ideas, dialogue, and democracy are possible.

I am counting my blessings, but also very aware of the ugliness in others. And I'm trying to make sense of it on a Saturday morning, where I'm feeling powerless against the stupidity of it all. A scene like this, though, gives me hope. 

Hope, that pesky lil' evil left in Pandora's box, is all we have left.

So Happy for My Dear Friend, Beverly Robinson, and Her Retirement Today from Campus. She Represents All that Is Good & Right, Just, & Kind. Wishing the Best Her Way.

I stopped by Beverly Robinson's office yesterday to deliver flowers so she can plant them outside her home. I told her, "Yes, you're my friend, but I also appreciate you as a colleague and champion for students. You've been the face and voice for so many of our graduate students and you deserve tremendous recognition and applause simply because you are wonderful."

Tonight, we celebrate her with a friendship toast over tequila.

When I think about the people I work with ... the good ones...the fair ones, and the believers of  kindnesss and doing right by students, staff, and faculty, I think about Beverly Robinson. She has always been dedicated, loyal to the mission, humorous, and willing to step up for the team. 

It saddens me to know she is retiring from our campus and today is her last day, but I also know she deserves to say, "Adios" to the work. I am a better human being knowing she was in the Kelly Center. I'm fortunate that I learned young that most locations are built by such individuals who are often the unsung heroes behind the scene. I'm thankful she and her husband became my friends and I love all the time we spend together off campus.

Bev deserves this retirement, as she's always been a fantastic person for all who know her: a great mother, a witty mind, an irreplaceable friend, and a dedicated employee. 

I'm happy that after today she is free from the day-to-day grind. She can now concentrate on harassing Leo's eating habits, enjoy more beach time, love her wonderful sons even more than she already does, and rest her mind with good books, movies, series, and jokes.

She is beyond deserving.

Congratulations, Bev Robinson (here's to you, Mrs. Robinson). All love and appreciation for a great woman! I'm looking forward to celebrating more tonight.

Then There is the Bussing Metaphor of What @WritingProject Directors Do to Make Literacy Opportunities Possible

Being a National Writing Project site director is a business, as well as a job with scholarly intentions. Writing grants make opportunities possible, but getting kids to locations costs money and introduces conundrums the every day scholar tends not to know. What is a district's policy? Who do they contract with? How do they get paid? How do arrangements get made? It's something, and every district has its own policies. We teach, we research, we plan, we offer ourselves to service, we do professional development, and we figure out ways to make things happen.

I spent yesterday arranging buses for eight schools to have students transported to the University for an author day, where they can come to Fairfield University for writing and scholastic opportunity. I was thinking of my older sister who works with busing companies all the time and I had to wonder, does she know how drastically different every school district is? I'm not sure if she has to pay the drivers, but I do, and there's never a single, easy way to accomplish this! The layers of each school meets the layers of my own. Thick...thick payers.

Ah, but if it is good for kids, I'll figure it out. I've already learned it's best to have a go-to person to work with....it will be difficult, but a good contact makes it easier.

This is the unseen work of doing good for young people. I imagine any K-12 teacher trying to arrange this (and I'm thinking about senior trips to St. Augustine and summer visits to Roskilde, Denmark, on this). It would be much, much easier to say, "Forget about it. The kids won't get the opportunity," but that isn't the way good teaching occurs. You strive so they can thrive. 

I am definitely more gray after yesterday, but we have transportation mostly arranged. Now I have to deal with the University systems to make sure all the bus drivers get paid. Who knew grant-writing and having success would be this monstrous? Wait. I do, because I've been doing it for over 13 years. Trust me...it's not easy and it is unpaid work that makes you think you're going mad. 

And it is only one of the i's crossed and one t's dotted. But for 100+ kids, it is worth it. I'm looking forward to every second. 

I Aim to Share the Beautiful @initiative211 Recognition of a Divergent Award with the K-12 Brilliance That Makes @cwpfairfield Work Possible

Last night I had dinner with teacher David Wooley, sharing his excellence and hard work in K-12 teaching. David participated in CWP-Fairfield's teacher leadership institute in 2016 and was quick to bring his hip-hop integrity to the cohort. He's been a stellar, connected mind for national efforts and truly represents the best in writing instruction: diversity, inclusivity, and empowerment to the next generation of thinkers. He brings his teachers-teaching-teachers way to Westhill High School in Stamford, and is always willing to offer professional development, share classroom achievement, and provide summer opportunities for Connecticut youth. Ah, and he is retiring in 2024!!! (sort of). Dave's an emblem of the great work K-12 teachers do and absolutely is deserving of the Implementation Award given to the CWP-Fairfield team. 

 We love National Writing Project teachers who believe that the best way to improve K-12 writing instruction is the result of an investment from University, national, and local collaborations that bring effective literacy practices to the next generation. Dave represents the best of the nation...a product of SUNY Albany English Education.

Here's to him. So wonderful to have dinner in his home last night and to have an opportunity to share the recognition we received for teacher leadership and youth programming. He is a champion who strives for excellence in our nation's schools. He's also a master at the grill (but I'm not sure he's ready to host all of us in the National Writing Project network just yet...although we'd be better people from a conversation he'd bring to the table)

Happy Wednesday and National Teacher Appreciation Week. 

Celebrating the Beauty of Mathematical Literacies and Teaching. The Class of 2025 with Dr. KImberly Barbara and Her Excellence

We had out our annual Celebration of Teaching and Teachers, with 36 student teachers have met the requirements of student teaching, supervision, certification, and EdTPA, including the stellar mathematicians from Fairfield University mentored by Dr. Kimberly Barba. 

We had our cupcakes, vegetables, fruit, hummus, and cheese platters, but more importantly is the joy that comes from supervision, mentorship, guidance, and student relationships of several schools in southern Connecticut. This is true for special educators, English educators, science educators, and teachers in elementary education. The amount of curriculum, guidance, love, passion, and hard work they've had to give to get a license in Connecticut is immeasurable (and impressive). The impact they will have for generations and generations of young people is simply beautiful, too. 

It was 1996 when I chose not to attend my own commencement, but finished a teaching certification, is coupled with my choice to stay behind for two more years and to completed a second Masters degree. I was fortunate to start at the top of a Kentucky pay scale. I said to the student teachers last night, that they, too, will balance next steps, new directions, and greater opportunities in the choices they make. 

We do this for kids. We want the best. We hope for a better world. Teaching is a life choice and a super power. 

We empty the ocean with a fork as fast as we can, with or without the institutional bureaucracies that aid us or hinder what we're able to do. 

At the heart of what we do it absolute heart. 

If I could stand on a platform that anyone would pay attention to, it would be to advocate for better schools and the best teachers that choose this profession. We don't have or live a glamorous life, but we all deserve better respect, support, and resources to help us achieve.

It's National Teachers Week and my new motto is, "I deserve better. We deserve better." 

It might be my 2024-2025 t-shirt. But for now, onward.

Year 13 of Hosting a Celebration of Teachers and Teaching at Fairfield University. Tonight, We Applaud Our Student Teachers

As a newbie...a fledgling...the University asked me to help assist the Celebration of Teachers and Teaching with a few senior colleagues. One by one, they've each retired without being replaced, and I've kept the tradition alive. Our students spend a semester in the field, contend with supervision, graduate classes, and more recently EdTPA, and return at the end for next steps in certification and a Capstone project. It is our opportunity to applaud their hard work, the labor of the supervisors, and the graciousness of the hosting schools. 

We are going forward with this tonight and I'm super happy to have Dr. Michelle Farrell to open the ceremony with a teaching talk. I also am thrilled to debut cupcakes from Sonia's. a local bakery that I love to support whenever I can...who doesn't love gourmet cupcakes?

The students will then have two more weeks to recover before the last class which is to get everything ready for the job market. 

Ah, but tonight we have cake (and if you want a story behind this blog post that is a story of everything I know to be true about this tradition and its support for our students feel free to give me a call. The behind the scenes stories are always more fun.

Cold and rainy in Connecticut. Many errands to run today and then there's the grading...always always looming in the background. It's Monday y'all. That's the way it always goes.

Another Successful Pam-Derby, 60th Birthday & Horse Race by a Nose. Always a Wonderful Kentucky Tradition to Carry with Me Wherever I Go

Pam won the race with Mystik Dan, but of course this was the first year we didn't wage bets. We just grabbed horses and said, "no pot, bet for fun." And her horse won. We should have done cash bets.

It was a great celebration on Walnut Beach, although when the sun went under the clouds it was freezing. These old bones needed to sit in a running car to warm up. But it does kick off the good food season, wherever people have picnics and the summer comfort food comes in stereo. Hear! Hear! the fig jam and brie cheese on crackers. I'm in love.

I didn't get any grading done, because I needed to pick up gourmet cupcakes for Monday, run horse prints for the race, and get a good cream for the coleslaw. It was wonderful to see all the relatives, grandkids, friends, and laughter over pulled pork, hamburgers, hotdogs, and salads. Katelyn and Patrick did a great job pulling together a celebration.

Leo painted the sign. 

I returned home, too, to new releases by Penguin Random House which was an absolute joy. And everyone was out getting garden goods at Home Depot. I don't know why people do this on nice days. They should go when it is dreary and keep it at their home for when it is nice instead of facing the crowds on beautiful days. 

But today it rains, so I grade. It's a good thing. I need a slow day to catch up on a semester that has wiped me out. I ate enough yesterday for the week. 

Here's to slowing down a little for a while (he types, knowing it is rarely a style he knows). Day of rest. We'll try.

Taking This Morning to Reflect on the Joy of Teaching (as It is the HEART of What We Do). Focusing on the Great Moments, as Always

Dr. Beth Boquet remains one of the best mentors I've ever had (keeping me focused on what matters most and collaborating with me to support the excellence in all students. We share Nohea, a young woman from Hawaii who declared herself an English major and was taken under the intellectual guidance of Dr. Beth Boquet, too. Nohea has been doing cool work with Hawaiian languages and last semester wrote about YA novels by Hawaiian writers. With Beth's course, she did work on languaging in a grammar course. We put in a proposal for NCTE (Boston) and the two of us will bring 4 of our undergraduate students to present with us and continue the mentoring in the field of English education. 

Last week, Nohea and Beth presented their mentored research at the Fairfield University Research Symposium, where Max and I presented his work (it's all Max...I just drive him nuts with my zany ideas). He's an English and Spanish double major with interest in elementary education and remarkable, too. It's been fantastic having resources and opportunities for mentoring undergraduate students and I'm super impressed by the Corrigan and Humanities opportunities our students are able to apply for and, if funded, achieve. 

Nohea's the type of student who has no problem bringing humor, culture, and smiles to every room she enters. She and Dr. Boquet match perfectly and the growth each and every day is immeasurable (well, we'll measure it in BAWSTON next year. 

Get ready, Massachusetts. We're coming for you.

We're all learning so much!

Back to Karal Who is Focused on Two Things: (1) a Good Walk and (2) Human Visitations so She Can Smother People with Canine Excitement & Insanity

My day began at 7 a.m. yesterday. 60 minutes of work-related chaos before visiting schools and then returning home to a neighbor walking by with his dog and Karal barking spastically that she, too, wanted to be outside. I was then called by the FBI, not because I'm in trouble (wipes sweat from his brow) but because a student of yesteryear was applying for an FBI secretarial job. I was a reference and I answer a good 30-minutes of questions in which I simply had to ask the interviewer, "Um, how are you screening at this level of scrutiny, when one of our presidential applicants would not be able to pass such a screening?" I was told, "Welcome to 2024." It's madness. "Has the applicant ever led anti-United States insurrections or led parades against diversity, immigration, and inclusivity." Well, nope. Not this student. Just presidential candidates.

The panacea in the conversation was when he said, "Yes, we realize that the questions we ask are legitimate for anyone we hire to protect the interests of the United States. We are also aware that some elected officials would never be hired by the FBI because of their anti-U.S. interests." 

Huh? Meanwhile, my dentist is counter to a root canal because she believes it is a poorly constructed, temporary crown which will be replaced next week. Um, okay. So the pain it imaginary and will be fixed with a very expensive replacement. 

I will suffer. There are Advil and codeine. 

Karal just wants to go for a walk and to jump on people with an enthusiasm for life. Meanwhile emergency work-related meetings are popping up. I just want to walk with my dog, too.

Perhaps today there will be space. Lord, the to-do list is enormous.

And Just Like That I'm Returning to My Frog-Self and Trying to Find May Way Towards the Pond Life I Cherish and Need. It's May. Bring on the Peepers

I always say it's best not to make any big decisions in the final-stretch of a semester, especially after carrying so much heaviness for so long. I'm very much looking forward to summer and the rejuvenating part of my year working with teachers and young people from around the southern part of Connecticut. I'm also ready to have another root canal. Advil works miracles, but when it wears off my ear, jaw, and neck are infuriated. Amazing what a tooth-nerve can do. I now understand why cowboys used to have horses yank out a tooth.

The frogs are from the Walsh Gallery and I don't know the artist (or the exhibit) but loved seeing them when I went to see The Percy Jackson Lightening Thief on campus in April. So great to hear Rob Rokicki's lyrics added to Rick Riordan's middle grade story. It made me long for the days of Brown: the creativity, the diversity, the connections with kids, and the funk of a school year. 

Today it is school visits, the dentist, more grading, and hopefully a semblance of sanity after a crazy year. Much has happened and I'm proud of it, but self-care, joy, and purposeful work is what I need to stand for from now one. 

Life's but a walking shadow. This is true for my frog friends, too. 

I sort of like having prompts to kick off my day...to write...to play with words. I also like sleep and good heath, both physically and mentally. I think we all deserve better. That's what I'm concentrating on as we transition out of the 2023-2024 school year. 

Resume normal posts...the fury, the frantic, the contemplative, the disturbed, the curious, and the wonder.

Last Poem, I Promise. 30 Days of #VerseLove '24 and Another Great Year of Dedicating April to the Rain and the Poetics. Calling it Another Cycle

The last prompt...go through 30 days of writing and pull from a line or poem or any other tool to offer a poetic reflection. I started by typing out the prompt titles and then alphabetizing them. This led to almost all the letters, and I thought, "why not try for an abecedarian poem...let the alphabet be a friend?"

It's a hump-day and the return of cold yesterday has put me in a mood of blankets, sleep, and end-of-the-semester exhaustion. A month of poetry has kept me engaged and motivated, but now I have to think ahead to summer work and responsibilities. I also need to grade these projects (which I also don't want to do...and then there are the teeth-issues. Damn crowns). 

But for now, a final poem, which probably will make no sense except to the 100s of writers who participated for a month. I'll be back to clucking normally tomorrow.