Forgetting It Was a Holiday Weekend, the Drive to Get Writing Projects Continues. If Anyone Ever Told Me....

I am 48, two years shy of my 50th. When I sent out as a high school student, I envisioned myself as a variation of Oprah Winfrey, or a Doctor, or a Psychiatrist. Little did I know that I would spend my weekends, nights, and even days revisiting William Shakespeare (a playwright I love), but not something I ever saw myself dealing with as an adult.

Strange what possesses us, and how. Somehow it is all making sense, and if I can find ways to help English educators to bring the Bard's magic to their students, I will. I learned from my own teaching, it's not enough to be understand Shakespeare, to read his plays fluently, and to have historical interest...a teacher needs a hell of a lot more than that to catch the interests of adolescent readers. There's much to be said about motivation, purpose, intrinsic interest, and willingness to try something new.

That's why I'm writing as I am. The more I delve back into Shakespeare (and love him), the more I see why young people resist his writing so much. It's a foreign language, like it was for me when I first began. I believe everyone in this nation has at least one Shakespeare story from their high school days, even if they ridiculed every second of it. I know I have my own share, but lucky for me I had stellar instructors at Binghamton, Louisville, and Cambridge, too.

And so it is, another Tuesday, but I was just celebrating Tunga's graduation on Friday, then the rest of my personal life slipped away from me back to the academic dorkiness of University life, I get somewhat obsesses and use that as an excuse. Always with an eye on the prize (my own intellectual gain), I take on these chores with optimism, humor, and hope.

It also keeps me away from the masses and whatever history will play out in the upcoming weeks. I'm still sketchy about social gatherings, although the invites are slim and rare. I understand that there are two nations right now, and I know too many who have been personally saddened over the last months from personal loss. It's too close to home, but I understand why others can ignore the numbers and science, especially if it's not as every day in their own neck of the woods. Still hoping it stays that way, especially for those of my friends nation-wide with elders, breathing issues, and other immune deficiencies. Our choices are more for the protection of others than ourselves.

That's rarely been a priority, however, and I kid myself.

Okay, laptop, window, and split screen. It's another day for us. We got this.