Cloister Commentary, Day 62: Spartan Strong, Class o’ ’20!

Well, we didn’t go on a Vehicular Victory Tour for Battle Valedictorians yesterday–but we did mirror the InnerTubes to our TV and admiringly watch the school’s virtual academic awards assembly. Besides getting to celebrate the recipients of a nursing scholarship we’ve given for seven years in Nicole’s mom Lynda’s memory, we were gobsmacked by the sheer brains, skill, and diligence of the Spartan Strong Class of ’20. Through the storm, they (the kids and the school) DID IT.

Also, watching the show reminded me how much I miss teaching high school and attending such events. Jacob Biener, my former student Adam Taylor dubbed you a rock star for making the assembly a reality, and he is quite correct.

I continued inching through my book stack. Reading 20 pages a piece of Yuri Herrera’s Transmigration of Bodies and João Ubaldo Ribeiro’s Sergeant Getulio felt like a major accomplishment, and those very engaging books are ones I could normally burn through in a day. By the way, the world fictionally presented in the former title resembles, too closely for comfort, our own, with its denizens either masked or striving to find one.

I spent the afternoon setting up my summer class’ Canvas site, shooing cats from between me and my computer monitor and keeping them from burning their fur on my trusty work candle. Anyone else have a work candle? Or work cats?

If you haven’t checked out Mrs. America and you’re able to, I ask you, why not?

Streaming for Shut-Ins:

I’m not sure this is a “full album,” but Brother Cliff, thank you for inspiring its posting here.

Cloister Commentary, Day 60: Magic and Loss

Today I rose with a surer sense of peace and control than I have had in several days. Getting back to simple rituals grounded us right when we needed it.

I have happily watched my former student Jaymee Thomas organize parades for kids during this pandemic and admired it from afar, but now I appreciate her efforts even more after, for the second time, joining Battle’s vehicular celebration of its highest academic achievers and chauffeuring Nicole from house to house. It struck me that, even after we emerge from this mess, it may be a ritual to retain. The third and final Battle High School valedictorian celebration is today, and we’re going.

The intense but intermittent reverberations and impacts of sudden loss have affected my concentration on any but the most urgent tasks. I tried to read (for comfort, edification, and escape), but as Lou Reed once sang, “I couldn’t get to page 17.”

The day ended with us sitting on the couch, looking into each other’s eyes and both reflecting and laying out a near-future path. We’re worried about each other, if only because it’s been powerfully demonstrated to us that tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Streaming for Shut-Ins:

Ken Shimamoto knows, and Reed surely did.

Cloister Commentary, Day 61: Mind-Body Togetherness

I haven’t exercised much during this mess, but a) I did stretches yesterday, and b) without really thinking of it this way until yesterday, my writing is getting such a workout that I think it is getting stronger–not so much here, where I’m just logging, mostly, but in my other project. Funny how that happens.

With some of the bat-shit craziness flying around, I wonder if one day I will take incoming for simply indicating I am cloistering. Some will need to look that word up.

The on-line summer comp class I’m teaching for Stephens is a go. My students will mostly be incoming Stephens freshmen and possibly some dual-credit Missouri high schoolers. I don’t want to Zoom MTWTh for eight weeks, but I’ll get used to it.

I will miss Battle High School’s Vehicular Valedictorian Victory Caravans. As a driver, I participated in three over the past week, and they were joyful. We made all five stops yesterday, which isn’t easy when the caravan numbers 20+ cars.

Is there a difference between denying someone is no more and simply reflexively forgetting that fact? It’s almost a mind-body separation issue, and I don’t really believe in that divide. Maybe I’m bat-shit crazy…

Streaming for Shut-Ins:

Musically, I’m still in Texas, though I’ve gone west over the last few days. There are few if any West Texas albums that top this one, especially for top-to-bottom excellence. Killer band, killer songs, killer atmosphere–and an emotionally rangy front man.