Next Actions: Getting Through the Webs

Gak! I have another project. How do people become bored and disengaged? I suppose they don’t live in such metropolitan, progressive, high-cultural places as Floyd. The pity.

So I’m already somehow affiliated to a greater extent that I had initially imagined or intended with the new Blue Mountain High School. I’m not unhappy about that.

I’m realizing how much wind teaching puts into the sails that make us move in directions and at rates we would not move without the propelling and urgent force that moves us so as to avoid making the fool of ourselves in front of an audience–even if the youngest in this case is in the 8th grade.

Short of this (longer version to come) is that among my tasks with this small and varied group of kids, in my adjunct role of writing, photography and nature education, will be to bring them up to speed on the person and character and work of Mr. Wendell Berry. [If you are unfamiliar, check the “related articles” below.] I only learned of this opportunity-slash-responsibility yesterday.

And I am not sorry to have this chance to do my homework towards this purpose. Quite the contrary. The ultimate goal is to have these young minds prepared to receive what Mr. Berry says to the audience that will be assembled on the main floor of the very building where they have class in the basement. That’s coming up in November.

Man, do I have work to do. To get there is to pick my way through the mesh of other threads of obligation, pleasure, and responsibility already on the calendar.

Bored. I’m not sure what you mean.