What Remains?

It is much harder to get rid of the last of what lingers here in the apartment. Happy characters have claimed all the good and cool stuff leaving me with a few unwanted things. I have managed very well though, and what I continue to stub my toe on is minor. In four days the boxes I am shipping will be gone, five days my computer, six days me. I am fortunate that the weather has been miserable, wet, and white encouraging me to keep thinking green. And I have remained motivated, even though a huge wind stomped on North Carolina last week. Trees slapped down all over the place, and the intense green looked so sad. How can it be so green there and so grey/brown here? Reminds me of “Beautiful Day” by Tom Cochrane:

Don't forget to put your screen on
No I don't care if I burn to the ground today
I'm sick and tired of shades of grey and brown
Gonna put this brim hat on
Just to be cool

I would add to that color scheme white as well. Who wants white at the end of April? I would add some purple from lilacs, even the yellow of a surprise dandelion growing on the hot side of some derelict house. And after so many days of clouds, a little blue would be pleasing as well.

The Phil final was brutal. At the end of two hours, 80% of the class was still writing. I don’t think I did all that well. I did get 20/20 on the final assignment so all I need to pass the class is 17% on the final. I think I managed to do that. Friday I took the text in thinking I would partially redeem the course by selling the text, but the sixth edition will be out this fall and the book store said no thanks. So I donated it.

Made my last toddle down to the Safeway (I hope) this morning. Every time I look around I see more things I need to do. Instead, I am studying for a few exams Tuesday and Wednesday. Both are English exams and I am not worried. I have read all the texts and attended 99% of the classes. I missed one class for both courses, and I skipped both classes because I was working on an essay for another class. I consider that a justifiable skip. That reminds me of a time when I was 15 and nearing the end of ninth grade. I walked off the bus at the school and went down town. When the hardware store opened I bought a spool of fishing line and a hook, walked to the edge of town and caught a ride to the river. I sat along the riverbank watching the water heading east and dreaming of other rivers I had read about. That happened in late May or early June. For those who might not know, I always wanted to do the Huck Finn drift down the river on a raft kind of thing. I have always felt that afternoon was better spent along the riverbank than it would have been in school. But then, by this time, school was becoming a despised space, a place where boredom filled the rooms, and on hot June days you could hear it buzzing against the glass, a listless and rather dead sound. Even the teachers made little effort to attract the interest of their students.

One more update to come before I leave. I am currently thinking I will post something in the afternoon of the 25^th after I say goodbye to some boxes.

8 days