Syllabi are essentially ready. I’ll ask to leave early today, around 4:30, the time I did over the summer, Mondays/Wednesdays. One final proofread and then to Kinkos for printing. I might have enough time in the morning to do it on campus but I don’t want to risk.. and, I might use a certain paper type– no, just the time factor. 7:12AM, wanted to run but I can’t shake the enormity of tomorrow; 4 classes, the semester of the Maddened Read begins. And we start with a force that’s never been viewed in my teaching routine. I’ll run tonight, a few miles.. or a quick five, or 4 like my training regimen demands. If I can make this semester work as I wish, the wine world’s all by dead; certainly no longer needed, and I’ll be on the Road, soon. I texted Dav yesterday, wishing him safe travels, and he responded with something to the tune of, “See you on the Road soon, Michaelberg.” A joking name he’s applied to me for a couple months now. Something about his note gave me confidence, and assurance that I WILL be on the Road, soon, headed to Missouri and beyond.
Notes from yesterday:
-group of 3, from TX, daughter and her parents; she works in distribution; “Oh my good gracious,” she said, as we spoke of the TX heat compared to ours here in CA. I love that southern octave and gorgeous theatric curvature of speech.
-FT professor from JC, sitting in reserve room, said he always catches me writing, and thought I might be writing a novel, or assembling some MS. Told him I am. Was. The expanded ‘PD’ project…
-People at the bar, so many, asking me about neutral oak. Became tired and incensed with explaining. So I’ve magically minced my definition: ‘oak that doesn’t flavor’.

Wrote quite a bit yesterday, I was surprised. I was tired from the event, night prior. We all were, those of us who were on the hill that night. We struggled. The coffee didn’t seem to help me so I stopped drinking it. Had a couple sips of wine when I could and that kept me afloat.