I will admit it, I miss going back to school. When I was growing up, August and September were harvest season on the farm, weather permitting we worked 10 hours a day, 7 days a week from when we started processing honey, until the last barel was shipped to the bottlers. Going back to school, lessoned the workload Monday through Friday. And living in the middle of nowhere, school was social contact with someone outside of the family. The house I grew up in is still 1.5 miles from the nearest paved road.
I finished high school, moved to Florida and couldn't really figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. So I put off college for a few years. Then I realized that if I ever wanted to move up in the workplace, I needed more education, and I was driving by a college campus on my way to and from the office. I pulled in one morning, signed up for classes a couple of evening a week, and returned to school one fall. It was life-changing. By pure chance, I had the class with the right professor, who recognized a few things, and gave me sage advice far beyond his years. I found my strengths, addressed my weaknesses, and really started to enjoy school. A year or so later, I took a semester off to get married and move into the first house I built for myself. It took me a couple of years, to get my act together and start back again, I missed it every fall. It felt so good to be back in the classroom. One of the professors there inspired me to go to law school. After a couple of semesters I transfered to Rollins, and really started to bloom. I learned how to learn at Rollins, how to change my views of the world. And I met my sweet bear, who had his first faculty appointment there.
I had a couple of years off between finishing at Rollins and starting law school. The first year I felt a little extra free time, the second year I missed returning to classes. I have vivid memories of law school. I was in my 30's and knew how lucky I was to be able to go to graduate school, as a full time student - with no work responsibilities. Up until that time I had almost always worked and gone to school at the same time. I had three wonderful years, expanding my world, preparing me for the work I have done for the last 25 years.
And every fall, I still kind of miss going back to school. Maybe next year I will scratch that itch. I think it is time for some art classes.
My mother went back to school at the age of 59, after my father died. She continued until she was 85 and ran out of of courses to take. It kept her young and definitely made her more enlightened.
ReplyDeleteNever stop learning
DeleteGreat teachers make a world of difference in what and how you learn and what you do with it.
ReplyDeleteThere were a few turning points for me, the right person at the right time.
DeleteArt classes sounds like a wonderful idea.
ReplyDeletePottery?
DeleteIn the spirit of "free advice is worth its price" : start with a course in basic design (or a refresher if you did it years ago), then drawing - and draw every day as they tell you to - and start the habit of keeping a sketchbook for notes and details that you observe. In my experience, unlike our phone cameras, sketching and notekeeping makes you slow down and be in the moment and I think one observes more particularly the details. Then, as you launch into ceramics, you'll have sketches and thoughts to inform your pursuit.
ReplyDeleteBTW ceramics may be just right for you. There are periods of intense activity followed by waiting and hoping that everything worked out OK.
All of this is from a failure, because I never developed the discipline of keeping a sketchbook.
Will Jay
I try to sketch more than I did, more of doodling than sketching,
DeleteIt's nice to look back on, a review of what got you to where you are today.
ReplyDeleteI thought of taking some classes. There having drama classes in my community.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on, and stay safe.
Yes do take some art classes. Pottery - that's what I see you doing.
ReplyDelete