Bar exam is over

Our older son called yesterday as he was driving home from his last day of the bar exam. He seemed to be in good spirits and (like his mama) needed to decompress by talking. (He uses a bluetooth headset in the car so he doesn't have to hold the phone, but it still worries me that he's being distracted.) He told us the first day was essays and the second day was multiple choice. The essays count 60 percent, the m/c 40 percent, and it will be about 45 days before he knows his results. So that puts us into mid-September. Meanwhile, he's going to take a day or two to sleep and then he's going to get the job applications rolling out.

I heard from my younger son, who updated me on his music. He and his friend Dan are into acoustic folk music lately and have some gigs lined up. I've always loved folk music, so of course, that pleases me. It may not be as pleasing to my husband, who doesn't care for folk very much. I adore Joan Baez, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and many other sixties-era folk artists and groups. There's no telling what Dan and Dan are calling themselves, but I've been thinking up names for them: Dantoo, Double Dan, Dan to the Second Power, Dan Squared, DanDan....

I had a most unpleasant dream last night. I was a student again, and apparently, I wasn't a very good one. I was being chastised for not having my homework done. Even worse, I couldn't understand how to do it. It was incomprehensible to me, just the way I used to feel in B-D's classes in grad school. That man is such a sweetheart as a human being, but as a teacher.... well, I've had better. His problem was that he was just too damned intelligent and knew too much and couldn't imagine being on a lower level, or meeting his students halfway.

Today is the last day of July. Summer is waning, and I'm feeling sad. I love summer so much. I love hearing the frogs croaking in the pond and the doves cooing. I love having my attic fan running. I love the fireflies and the flowers and the lack of need of sweaters and coats. Summer means freedom. I can drop whatever I'm doing to run an errand or just to take a drive (a short one, given gas prices). I don't have to worry about gloves and hats and scarves and boots with traction. Sigh. Fall begins in August in Michigan. I'll be seeing leaves changing color before August ends, and that just depresses me.

There's only 19 days left until my new-faculty orientation begins. That will be a rather boring week, given that I went through most of it last year. Oh, well. As I often tell my students, repetition is the essence of teaching. (Now that I am older and often repeat myself, it's as good an excuse as any.) S.