Moving toward retirement... the word and place nobody believes they will ever reach. Time is rocket ship as one of my friends said recently. I have just two weeks left in my employment as an academic advisor. I saw a lot of students in 15 years, more than a couple of thousand. Students are a lot like other people, only younger. They have not been jaded by life's cruelties, still open, friendly, happy, healthy and that was always the best part of the job.
I'm starting a grad program in Radio-TV-Film, media studies to be exact. Went to the Orientation meeting today and arrived slightly late and sat towards the back. Meeting was held in a TV studio with racks in the very high ceiling to hold the lighting instruments. I liked that setting-- like being in a gymnasium for basketball practice rather than the actual game. The grad students, maybe 75-100 people seemed happy, relaxed and expectant. Some of want to be media critics and historians, others want to write or produce TV and film.
This is a big transition for me-- after 15 years as an academic advisor. I feel some sense of solemnity, though really there seems no need for this sober mood. I guess the pivotal experiences can be the most interesting-- as Jerry Seinfeld said "the best time in life is between getting hired for a new job and actually starting."
