Daily Blues & Views

 The unexplainable has always fascinated me.  Mostly because I tend to be a skeptical person.  I want my history based on evidence and facts, just like it's a necessity in my writing.  When I was grading entrance exams for the University of California, I recall one of the rubric points... Abundant use of specific examples.  That's a no-brainer for effective prose,   But every now and then, something comes along that defies explanation.  One of life's mysteries that is essentially un effable.  My favorite kind is the mystical variety.  Like a good Zen koan, it must be pondered for a lifetime, with no guarantee of understanding.   We've all had these experiences.  Unexplainable coincidences? Are there coincidences?  Synchronicity?  Perhaps.  Sometimes the only alternative is to just enjoy such experiences and sit back and let life happen. I recall one such powerful experience right before I graduated college....

 It has a name. It’s called anticipation and it’s the first phase of the teaching cycle. This special time of the year for teachers of all levels is one of the most enjoyable.  That manic time before the school year actually starts when teachers have the luxury of thinking ahead and getting excited about the coming year.  All those things you are planning to do differently. The new ideas that you’ll try for the first time. A roll book and a grade book that’s empty and pristine. And those classes you are anxious to meet. The first few weeks in a school year are all about anticipation.  Even though the last couple of years, with virtual teaching and the COVID restrictions calling the shots have taken their toll, this is the time of year that teachers feel the pull of starting over. It’s a good pull. It’s fun to set up a classroom, prepare for those first few days, and meet new people. That includes new colleagues and students. Right now a first year teacher will soon e...