Race Weekend, in More Ways Than One

I spent yesterday at the Bristol campus doing registration and class prepping and chatting with colleagues & my husband {who has the dual role of colleague AND husband, the lucky so-n-so}.  It is race weekend.  Our satellite campus is on the main street.  It was madness.

We got there a bit early, before the crowds, while the tents were going up & the cars were pulling up & the sun was coming up & the temperature was rising.  And we were able to sneak out at 5, just as the main street was getting in its groove {& all I wanted to do was get home & pour a nice glass of wine.  Have you tried Dreaming Tree, Crush?  It is lovely.  And so is its founder.}.

I don't really understand the appeal of NASCAR.  I do like the history-- it started with moonshiners, who raced the law for their day job, then got together to flex some muscles & gain outlaw cred by racing each other at night.  Cool.  But I don't get modern NASCAR.  Not that I fault it (though the environmentalist in me cringes a bit at the thought of the pollution caused}.  Who I am to judge what others clearly enjoy?

Others clearly enjoying--they seemed very excited and made jokes about not touching the car-- I hope they don't mind their picture going up here, I just wanted to share their enthusiasm with all due respect.  And as you might note, the stereotype NASCAR viewer is just like every other stereotype-- completely untrue & media driven.

One of the side effects of living in a free country is that not everyone is going to think like I do or like what I like and more to the point, I have to accept that others won't think like I do or like what I like.  And that makes life interesting when you come to think about it.

Maybe that is why I love teaching & learning.  There's always something new on the horizon-- minds to open and  ideas to open mine, you know?  I may  not agree with or enjoy every new experience or concept that comes my way, but my life is enriched by the exposure.

I took an extra class this semester, so I'll have 6 instead of the usual 5.  Without going into details, or politics, my college found itself on the short end of the adjunct stick this semester, and I happily volunteered to help. I love teaching.  It is what I do.

So this weekend I will be doing laundry, helping with homework, cleaning house, coloring my hair {I wouldn't mind so much if it was just gray or white, but salt-n-pepper I can't abide} & prepping a last minute class.  I don't mind, really. But it does means, with my committee work & the extra class & the book & all the chickens settling in to roost there may be more posts like this around The Closet.  I hope you don't mind, but I think the blog will take on a distinctly rambling style~*

Have a great weekend, rest up & get ready for the adventures that next week has in store.  I know I will.

See you Monday with Five Among Friends!