Best Back to School Movie

 Professor J,

What a hectic summer. I moved my mother to assisted living. Cleaned out her apartment. Am in the process of cleaning out the MIL wing after my husband's mother passed away. My daughter and son-in-law sold their house and moved to a loft, Mr. Snarky graduated, we've had two yard sales, and have completed lots of projects around the house. Our son moved back home post graduation to get ready for the next six months.

He's about to move to Flagstaff, Arizona  to volunteer for the American Conservation Experience.  He'll be camping in and around the Grand Canyon and other national parks for 8 days at a time doing things like repairing trails and clearing underbrush. He plans to use days off to travel the southwest. I'm  a little very jealous.

While he's home finishing up at work planning his big adventure we are spending a lot of time together. Over the weekend we caught Dead Poets Society. He'd never seen it (clearly I've been remiss in his cultural education). When it ended he looked at me and said "Wow. That is just applicable on so many levels!" That lead to a discussion of parenting styles, education, free thinking, and a host of other things. When a movie sparks that kind of discussion you know it's a good one. Here are some of the most memorable quotes:

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

"There's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for."

"Now we all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go (imitating a goat) “that’s baaaaad”. Robert Frost said, "Two roads diverged in the wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

"I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself."

"Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out!"