And Then There Is a Day with Kids and Purpose, Joy, Hope, Creativity, and Possibility Gets Restored.

I left my house at 6:45 a.m., stopped home at 3 p.m. for Karal, then settled home again at 8 p.m. It began working with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders at a school where pajama day was in session. My 20 undergrads wondered why I didn't tell them so they could have worn jammies, too.

One of the classrooms read a book about an evil carrot and decorated a door with their own creations. A young man said, "Try to find mine. I gave him a unibrow." Another invited me to participate in phonics lessons which turned into songs  and storytelling. It was a blast. A young woman raised her hand and asked, "Ms, Can I cash in my 12 coupons so I can have lunch with Dr. Crandall." The teacher had to explain they one coupons for achievements and they use them for what they want. I guess I was honored. 

Another was making pumpkin puppets and I was quickly gifted with one that was puking. Beautiful. 

I had to return to campus quickly after because I was doing a gig in a Shakespeare course on scriptwriting. The class fused 8th graders from Claytor with 20 undergraduates from campus. They've been reading Shakespeare together all semester. Of course, Dean Johnson was in attendance so he quickly became the improvisational gag of the ongoing afternoon (To wear tights or not to wear tights, that is the question Halle Berry).

Then, for dinner, I met up with colleagues, humor, more storytelling, and good company. The weather was miserable with winds and rains, but somehow one moment after another put light upon light. 

And I'm finding this funny because I also had dental work done on 3 teeth: two for mercury replacements and 1 crown. That's a rough go, but I didn't even think about it until I recalled that a day with smart people, young people, and happy people overpowered my @#$#@ teeth stories.