"Education is the progressive discovery of our own ignorance" - Will Durant

I can't remember a morning when I've been so thoroughly unmotivated to do the work I need to get done. And my brain would not engage no matter how hard I tried. I finally gave up about 10:30 and just came home thinking some physical work would clear the cobwebs.

The problem is that I have SO much work left to do for this Sunday's class and for Brazil.

Working on Sally felt good but didn't increase my motivation or focus. Neither did the afternoon's run in 91 degree weather.

The good news: last month Brazil decided that travelers from the U.S. don't need a visa to enter the country. That save me about $45 and a fair amount of hassle. 

Traffic around us has started to get ridiculous because of the Country Fair. The parking lot for all the vendors and workers - hundreds of them - is in a field accessed from Territorial, the road we take to get into Elmira and Veneta. It's also the most direct route into Eugene, but right now it's much faster to go the long way around the north side of the lake. That route also has fair traffic, just not as much so we'll be going that way until Monday morning at least. Vendors don't all clear out until Wednesday but most are gone by late Monday. 

I got a very nice letter asking if I'd like to be considered for the Sr. Pastor position at a church in the midwest. The upper midwest. As in, summer is the first week in August. 

I'll graciously decline, but it's nice to get asked. 

Because Recife, Brazil is in the southern hemisphere it's the middle of winter there. If they have average weather for August when I'm there next month daytime highs will be mid-80s and overnight lows will me mid-70s. And rain most days. But when I was there a year ago the rain comes for an hour or two and then it clears up. However, that's a downpour! Almost fun to see it rain that hard for a relatively brief time. 

Should I feel guilty if I really like an Ave Maria? I heard one this morning on the radio that was new to me, written for a male choir, and it was beautiful. But as I listen I know that even in Latin the lyrics are really bad - as in thoroughly unblibical - theology. Mariolatry. So I almost feel like I shouldn't like it.

Speaking of music, tomorrow night Pam and I go to the musical "Damn Yankees" downtown. She looks pretty pitiful, but we're in the front row of the balcony and the lights will be down most of the time. I suggested she convert to Islam and wear a burqa for the next three weeks. 

I'm looking forward to it. It's been WAY too long since we had more than our Thursday evening cheap pizza date. (We're going to Carl's Jr. before the musical.)