The sign pictured above is a replica of one that was posted in my classroom. I wish it were as elegantly concise as its counterpart posted in the classroom of my friend and colleague Jane Nott, reading, “An assignment is never finished; it is merely due.”
As I write this, I have yet to debut my website online. I have been scheming this out in my head for a long time, and even as I start to bring it into being, it is already evolving. Such is art. Once my creation slips the surly bonds of my hard drive and soars into cyberspace, I hope eventually to let it orbit on its own. But not right away. To shift metaphors here, this site is my mosaic, and I’m not really certain yet just what the larger image will be. To that end, I’ll be adding little tiles here and there, perhaps altering the color or shape of a few, and stepping back to see what emerges. I’m reminded of that delightful time when a toddler learns to write a few letters of the alphabet, and presents a penciled creation with a hopeful smile and the breathless question, “Does this say anything, Daddy?” Though the addressee will change, that is a question I hope that I will pose every day of my life.
With that in mind, don’t be surprised if some of my pieces change a bit over time. “Finished” is a concept of necessity, not always of desire. In so many ways, in so many things, I’m nowhere near finished yet. Let’s all watch this grow.
Caveat addendum: Some readers might find that a few of my postings will seem somehow familiar. This is a normal reaction, and generally fades after a sensible meal and a good night’s sleep. The reason for this is that I will occasionally resurrect some writings of mine from Facebook, correspondence, or even the lovely 1923 slate chalkboard that graced my old classroom. This website is a fresh venue, and exposes my work to new readers, even at the risk of afflicting some others with déjà vu. I reserve the right to reexamine, revise, or re-edit these works without notice to my re-aders.
