A Wonderful Stroll in New Haven, A Couple of Books, and Friends' Sons Art Work

I spent the majority of Saturday wandering around New Haven, looking at Yale architecture, and seeing the art work of Nick Robinson on display at Atticus's Book Store while I picked up a couple new YA novels for my collection. It was so tempting to depart with a few extra bucks to support a local artist, but I'm still not in a place where I can afford such consumption - I was tempted, however. What I love about Nic Robinson's artwork is that he paints post-apocalyptic scenes that are easy to imagine: images of earth, telephone poles, greenery, stop signs, etc. in a divisive, exploded memory of what once was. The skill is top notch and I like the game-like, futuristic representation of what may one day be.

Saturday: a run, a walk, some strolling and then a lot of music while hanging out with friends. Sometimes you simply need a stretch of time away from grading, planning, preparing, and writing. It's hard for me, but I'm glad I took an afternoon off.

Now it's Sunday, and I have to think ahead to the week that will be, including all the papers in my my cue and the instruction that must be given to bring my students to the end of the semester objectives I set forth. I should clean. I should put away laundry, but more importantly, I need to set everything in place so that I can ride out the week with the minimal amount of stress.

New Haven, with its Yale influence, is a very interesting community, indeed. The people watching is fascinating and the game becomes, "Which ones are students and who are vagabonds pretending to be Ivy-league -type brainiacs?" The stores match the street atmosphere.

I've said before, if you ever want to know the cultural divides in America, take a stroll down the streets of New Haven, CT. There is Yale, its ivy, and then the extreme poverty that is omnipresent. The meshing of style, people, and representations there is quiet astounding. I don't know it would be the college of my choice, but the irony of the elite next to the downtrodden, gets me thinking every time. So American. So academic. So 2019.

Last day of March. Started as a lion and today, it is the lamb. But how is it April already?