I’d been hoping to be joined by two friends for public typing on the last day of the Spring semester, but one was overwhelmed with work and the other was sick. So I was typing solo—which takes some courage. Fortunately, I had just listened to typewriter poet Kro’s recent podcast on this very topic, so I was good to go.
I found myself sitting alone at the Voss, on a cool and overcast day, with no one in sight. Would I have any takers?
Students from Xavier’s Montessori school were going around campus, planting trees on Arbor Day. They crowded around the typewriter and were full of questions and ideas.
Here are my thoughts for the kids (on topics of their own choosing).
Another crowd came up—this time, a soccer team.
This one I typed back in the office for my fellow associate dean, who knows Hebrew (I looked up the word for “headaches” and typed it on my Remington 92).
Those are pretty durn good thoughts for free. What a bargain! :D
that first poem of trees is great. same with the meaning of life. kids must've love 'em. but did you tell those soccer hooligans that mushrooms are for pizza toppings, not hair? so very unfortunate.
The post itself is screenplayish, with nice dramatic reveals, at the beginning as those lovely kids ascend the steps, and at the end with Maggie Schroeder's commencement address. Your students are lucky to have such a cool philosophy prof!
Richard, you are a treasure to your students, and us! Thank you.
These are always wonderful to read. Keep at it!