Jack’s Winning Words 11/7/22

“Practice any art, music, singing, dancing acting, drawing painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reporting, no matter how well or how badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.”  (Kurt Vonnegut)  In 2006 members of a high school English class  were assigned to write to a famous to see who might respond.  Vonnegut, at age 84, was the only one to do so.He encouraged the students to “grow their soul.”  Contrast that with another high school clas that organized a public burning of all Vonnegut books.  I know what teacher I’d like to have.  How about you?  Was there a teacher  who made your soul grow?  ;-)  Jack

FROM CR:  Love this. Thank you. ===JACK:  Is their any art that you enjoy more than others?  For me, I enjoy seeking after the meaning (source) of words.

FROM GUSTIE:  I had so many teachers—High School especially—that made my soul grow.  They pushed me in ways I did not know I could go.  And I thank God for them.===JACK:  How about college?  How about your singers?  I found that I learned from a few special people, profs and some non-academics. ===G:   Not so much.  I was a little fish in a big ocean.===JACK:  Big pond?  Think of being at the U.  I still think that there's a place for a small church college.  It sounds as though yours wasn't the greatest of experiences.  Did you meet Clem at GA?

FROM SR RD:  Several, dear Jack: S. Margretta, Liliosa, Linnea and Mary Minette; Fr Francisco; Mr Vincent Smiles. . .among others===JACK:  You're one of mine.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  My supervising teacher when I, married and a mother of four, did my practice teaching! Lucille is her first name, or Lucy as she was usually called, and she was kind, but diligent. I still see her on the golf course: She's probably as old even older(?) Than me! She was a Jewel!! :-)===JACK:  Isn't it great to remember....and to give thanks?

FROM THE FISH IN NOVA SCOTIA:  Did you happen to see the Rodney Dangerfield movie Back to School? In it he becomes a very senior student at a college and tries to cheat his way through, eventually being redeemed through his love for a professor there. There are a number of scenes I enjoyed, including one where he didn't want to wait through the long lines at the first signup session for classes, and had his uniformed chauffeur/bodyguard walk through the hall playing pied piper, holding up a sign that said "Bruce Springsteen". The lines evaporated as all the students left to follow him. Later, he took a literature course and hired Kurt V himself to ghost-write his paper. He got it back with something like "The writer obviously has no clue about the writings of Kurt Vonnegut." .  Rodney turned to his chauffeur and said, "stop that check!"===JACK:  Thanks for reminding me of a funny, funny movie and favorite comdeian of mine.  How about those eyes?