Last of May 2013

Writing this in the last few minutes. This May was writing the last of my master’s essay. Having the ‘conversation’ (often called the ‘defense’). The last of our theory class - the class my advisor and professor let me sit in on. Presenting my final project. Justin’s birthday – May 6 -- the same day as my dad’s birthday and Alto’s birthday. The second one without Alto here. Sue’s and John’s and Becky’s and Darwin’s and Bree’s visit. Picketing for the illegally fired workers at the liquor store. Graduating. Planting tomatoes and other food plants and flowers. Sleeping with the door to the back open. Doors and windows left open as much as possible. More Sunday visits of Josefina, Ben, Kaelon, and Damian. Emailing with Francisco Jimenez, the author of the wonderful trilogy I wrote my master’s essay about. Sending thanks to Dan, the teacher and friend without whom I would not have continued in these educational endeavors. Talking to Johnny on the phone for a long time, laughing with him, hearing him cry, hearing him struggle to breathe because of his Valley Fever. Great times with my kids. Reading Silent Spring by Rachel Carson to Sean and Ryan. Starting My Antonia by Willa Cather. Trying to know what to do next as well as what the choices are. Reading daily from Children of the Days by Eduardo Galeano. 

I have graduated. I realized there is no point in continuing to frame my writing in terms of graduating. In an interview, Francisco Jimenez says that you may lose a house or a car, but your education is yours "to have and to hold," no matter what. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWL2d_NYLKc  This is part 1, but he says it in part 2. Interesting phrasing, the phrasing so often used in wedding ceremonies. What do we become bound to in our education "for better or worse... till death do us part"?  There is no going back, but what frightens me most is to think that maybe that is not true - maybe it is too easy to go back. 

Amir emailed today that he read my master's essay; he liked it! Sean, Ryan, Justin, and I cleared weeds out of the strawberry bed. Justin sat in here with me and we ended up pulling up a bunch of my favorite old funk and old school songs on youtube.