Last year about this time, a little later actually, I wrote about doing battle with algebra.  This summer I had a great time with my counseling class and am finishing an interesting time with philosophy.  Note: ” interesting” is LeeAnn-speak for I’m not going to tell you what I really think. Here’s a hint:  in one of the papers I wrote in PHIL so far, I compared it to having conversations with a precocious two year-old.  “Mom, why is …?”  “Well, Daughter, because …,”  “Why, mom?”  “It’s about …”  “Are you sure, Mom?”  “I believe so,” ” But do you know, Mom?”  “I’m thinking so,”  “But mom, how can you be sure?”  And on and on to infinity it seems.  So goes philosophy.

Don’t get me wrong – I love all the words – isms and ologies and arguments and proofs, however, there comes a point of absurdity, at least to me, no offense to my professor.  He didn’t begin the whole philosophy thing, we can thank Aristotle, Plato and Socrates for that.  And it’s been interesting, a lot of it, in the true sense of the word.  I believe I’ve learned a fair amount, discovered a new (to me) author engaged in Christian apologetics and resurrected an old friend, yes, books to me are friends and this goes back 35 years.  Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – used as a textbook for my first philosophy class many years ago.  It became a favorite, perfect for summer reading and reflection.  And for many years, I read two books every summer – Zen… and Gone With the Wind.  I pulled Zen off the shelf this year – turns out it was the book that influenced my professor toward philosophy.  And the book is by my bedside, to be finished with pleasure after I finish this class.

And what has me furiously treading – reminiscent of the days of trying to pass a lifesaving course, treading water as best as I could to keep my chin above so I’d pass? Completing this class well in the next four days.  That entails finishing a paper worth 20% of the grade and passing a final exam.  I’m aiming for more than just passing; I’m pretty used to As with an occasional B, but this has been a challenge.

So now is the time for me to get back to work – write, write, write, and study, study, study.  You’ll hear from me again, but not till next week when this class is history!!  By then I’ll have started two new ones, the fall semester with two more counseling classes in the first term and two in the second.  Back in familiar and very enjoyable territory.   And back to being a philosopher for me right now 🙂