In the words of young Bradly, “We aren’t going to get too many days like this.” It is gorgeous out, low eighties and breezy. I am going to a classmate’s BBQ later to get to know some of my summer session friends a little more socially. It’s a south side bash which means tossing washers and drinking forties. Do they make NA forties? I don’t think so. Maybe they’ll have Jarts!

I had an unexpected adventure last night. Jes asked me if I wanted to go check out Art Dimensions gallery opening. St. Louis has this huge mall downtown that has been failing since the day they opened it back in the mid eighties. Actually I think it started to fail when The Galleria in Brentwood expanded into the mega mall that it is now. Anyway there are still only about ten store fronts in this huge complex, so Art Dimensions has taken over the third floor. It really is a ghost mall; a strange phenomena.

The art show had the feeling of an almost happening of an almost scene that is almost off the ground. I was surprised at how many people I knew there. There were a bunch of people from my former job. Apparently, and I’ve know about this but opted not to really write about it, a few months after I left the same forces that pried me loose fell upon one of the instructors. When she was given her list of ultimatums she, like me, told them to kiss off.

While I was more slip out the door after two weeks you freaks she was more send a letter to all current students and graduates announcing that she was leaving under duress to start a thing all her own, thus entering into direct competition. She took five staff with her and I have no idea how many students. It sort of reminds me of the theological rift between the Pentecostals in Kirksville. Now there are a handful of old Pentecostals in the nice new building while the vast majority worships across the street in the metal airplane hanger (HWY 11 out past the Hy-Vee if you want to drop by). The Pentecostal splitters have a better band, which is also true of the massage splitters; they have a better drum circle.

The new thing that the former instructor is opening will be less than a block from my house; small world. I suppose I have a great deal of knowledge that could help them in this venture and I was thinking it might be theirs for the asking, but perhaps I am well out of that gravity well. It would be nice to see them, but that line of work is over for me. Besides, I really did leave on ok terms and they are giving me good references, so I wouldn’t want to jeopardize that.

I was debating a ville trip myself this weekend, but I have a great deal of reading to do and I had a work thing Friday night until eight. I’m glad I went to it, rather than blowing it off to travel, as the big regional boss dropped by specifically to see me. Things are looking good for fall work and we did the ten minute schmooze essential to all new employee & boss relations. Ah well, off to grill in the afternoon sun.