The Journey's the Thing…

So the weekend went very well. The drive was long (8 hours) but my me and my father had a great time. I must admit, though, that at times it felt like something out of the ‘The Family Afterward’ chapter in the Big Book. I have changed. I’m no longer as talkative with him as I used to be, and I was very content just sitting, reading my homework. He kept asking how I was…That was strange. I finally told him that he didn’t have to work that hard to please or entertain.

I went to a meeting on Friday night and was picked to speak, so that makes three weekends in a row that I have qualified. That’s how it goes for me. I don’t qualify for almost a year and then whammo!…three in a row. I guess it’s time.

I thought I had more to say, but that’s it.

Johnnyboy

I haven’t posted in a while, so, in the absence of Aravis, who is on vacay for a week, here goes…

I began my second year in school last night with two conferences with teachers nd then my first American Sign Language class. This looks to be a real hoot, primarily because the teacher makes it fun and I have an open and curious mind. I can already sign the alphabet and communicate a few simple phrases. I am particularly intrigued at the use of the whole body as a communication device. Deaf people tend to use their body language in not-so-subtle ways to communicate. There are no deaf people in the class, but that doesn’t seem to matter.

My other ‘class’ is an independent study on Social Psychology which is going to be a rewarding challenge for me. The professor reminded me to not psychoanalyse, which is an inward process. This study concerns society, not so much the individual, except as a point of focus or attention, if that makes sense.

My third study group won’t meet until this upcoming Monday night, and it is a comparative religions course called ‘Centers and Boundaries’. I’m looking forward to that class as well. I already have sheaves of reading for all three classes.

So I will be taking that stack of homework with me when I leave very early tomorrow morning and drive to Pittsburgh to visit my father and his wife. I haven’t been to their home in quite a few years, although we saw each other last Christmas for a few days in The Big City. It will be a nice break for me, although the homework will take up some time. I’ll check out a couple of meetings and try to avoid the overly serious dad/son talk that he tries to begin. He isn’t very good at that element, so my response will be to nip it in the bud. I’m not in the mood, and I’m also too old, for that kind of behavior from him.

So, that’s it for today. It’s raining and cool, and fall is coming…For that I have mixed feelings. What summer?

Johnnyboy