When Karal and I arrived back home, and I checked the sky, I thought, "Yep. This is definitely a Fall evening." The colors of the sun setting looked like the West was ablaze in fire (which probably isn't the best, most appropriate metaphor, considering). It was beautiful, and reminded me of some of the ones I used to see in Clarksville when I lived there. I used to walk to Alice and Charlies and loved the way light burst through the branches after the trees fell and the pre-hibernal sun went to the other side of the world for a while.
I have to teach tonight and it's a day of holding my breath to get there. We're on ZOOM because too many travel away for the holiday, but it still requires getting ready. And I also have to do accounting-grant work that is way overdue.
This is why lists and scratching out items are important.
But truth be told, all I really care about is taking time to walk the dog, enjoy the outdoors, and looking at the sky. NCTE 2022 taught me I've aged and a cross-country travel, post-Covid, is a bit much in the grand scheme of things. Yes, every second was enjoyable, but all the time at home getting things done offered a totally new perspective on life. Taking flights is like going to Walmart on a Saturday afternoon....too much for an individual to take. Not always sure it is worth the journey.
Rock it world. I'm going to try to....