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The class made me leave the room forty-five minutes ago, and I just found out I still have to wait another fifteen minutes, so I might as well write a post.  I can only wonder what they've been cooking up.

What comes to mind right now is actually the band The Avett Bros.  During my first year in New York I had had a very difficult moment, probably one of the lowest points of my life at the time.  In hindsight it wasn't that bad, but at the time I didn't have hindsight and it felt terrible.  The next day my friend Russ visited from Ithaca to see the Avett Bros. play, and told me everything would be fine.  He was 100% correct.  They were the least "New York City" band I'd ever seen, and it was exactly what I needed.  And somehow, it made me feel better about living there, and things picked up immediately afterward.  I think one of my best writing friends moved to the city the next day, and I met another great new friend who happened to live down the street.  Life steadily improved from then on.  Of course, a year later I was at another low moment, but once again, the Avett Bros. were playing a festival, and they were just what I needed.

One of my students just called me and told me I can come back to class, so here's one of my favorites.