Final (Take 2)

I have been working most of the morning on my teaching.  My lecture I am working on is coming along adequately for today.  It is also an exam day for one of my classes, which in this electronic format, makes me a bit tense as I am not sure how the students are doing.  With this format of on-line exams, it is worrisome for me because they cannot ask me questions, and I can imagine it is stressful for them as well.  But, I keep telling myself that even though this is not the way I would like it to be... I would much rather be there with them, guiding them in face-to-face efforts..... that this is best for us all at the moment.

I have been listening to a great deal of jazz this morning as I wanted to be away from the news for a while.  I have been focusing on my favorite era of jazz a great deal, which is primarily jazz from the time period of around 1957 to 1964.  One song that seemed to represent my mood well this morning is  Final (Take 2) by Miles Davis.  It is somber, but quite beautiful. 

I gave myself a "coffee break" from writing my lecture for 15 minutes or so to sit back, and imagine back in that era, my current self, sitting at a side table of a jazz club, watching and listening to Miles and his band play, with a pipe in my hand, and a coffee or a beer, or more likely both sitting on the table before me, enveloped in the artistry of the moment. Even though it was on my imagination, it felt beautiful, and rich, and wonderful.

PipeTobacco