#16 April 29, 2021

Dear Mike,

It's hard to deserve having your influence in my life Mike.

I keep failing to choose kindness.

It's a hard choice to make when others make themselves glaringly deserving of my unkindness.

Hey.  I was watching Jordan Petterson and I figured out why you were so important to me.

My father died in Vietnam before I was born.  It left this enormous hole in my life for a male role model.  I think you fit the shoe.  You're like a father figure of sort.  I think that's how I feel about you as you continue to remain important to me.

https://youtu.be/8AA1lR3CC4s

Yesterday I conversated with Carl for two periods.  We discussed the importance of having a black principal in inner city schools and ways that it helped America.  Carl said he could never, being caucasian, understand the weight of racism that a person of color must bear in this country and how it taints their world view.  He said that inner city schools are distinct from regular schools just in that these children have not been afforded the luxury of self knowledge that a middle class family can give to their offspring with endless sports and other endeavors.  Even in something like swimming, many black inner city parents have not had the luxury to acquaint their child  to the water.  Many black children could easily drown because it takes time to develop a comfort with water and learn how to swim.  

I know that as a parent I did not want my child to drown so it was critical that I brought my children to various swimming programs. The worry I would have had to endure had I not gone that extra mile would not have been worth it.

The weather is rainy and miserable.  So I'm looking for someone to blame it on.  I hope I can count on you to bare this burden; though Mr. Johnson, social studies teacher, said his shoulders were broad enough, that he could take the extra load.

I had a lovely conversation with the chemistry teacher about determinism and free will of course citing Harris and Lipton.  

Mr. Platt, English teacher, loved  my article on Vietnam.  I wanted to discuss what it would take to buy into the new principal, Mr. Knight, but it turned out to be a private matter.  Mr. Platt and I joked over my assigning him a 3000 word a day writing assignment.  He was previously dismissive and told me that he was an English teacher, not a writer.   Now he said it would be something he would try to keep up with.  I told Mr. Platt that I would give him credit for student evaluations.  He was ever so releaved!  See Mike I'm making headway in the world.

I had a good day.  

Shawn, the bus driver, said that I should have used my high IQ to purchase an umbrella to keep the rain off me and stay dry.  

He is the eldest of three children.  I said that explained why he was so opinionated. 

So.  New item on the menu, Bryan from California.  I don't know if there's anything between us.   Umm.  I just killed off Bryan.  Moving on.