"A self-ordained professor's tongue,

Too serious to fool,

Spouted out that liberty

Is just equality in school.

'Equality,' I spoke the word

As if a wedding vow

...

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand

At the mongrel dogs who teach

Fearing not that I'd become my enemy

In the instant that I preach

My pathway led by confusion boats

Mutiny from stern to bow

...

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats

Too noble to neglect

Deceived me into thinking

I had something to protect

Good and bad, I defined these terms

Quite clear, no doubt, some how,

Ah but I was so much older then

I'm younger than that now."

Cheers today to Bob Dylan, who knew that grey areas seem to widen as you get older, but that failure to know what you believe indicates little wisdom and little backbone.

Sena is here! I'm so glad I got to see her and Sam.

I miss Chowon :/

Well, I have a lot of homework to do.

...

Erg... I'm gonna be up much later than I intended.

Sometimes I am suddenly struck with this feeling, like I have a vision of a good future, but that I might never achieve it... like everything I love is on a track next to me, and if I stop running or slow down for a minute I'll lose it all.

This is the future I want:
- A job that pays the bills for my family to live somewhere safe.
-- I want to be a valuable asset to my company, but I never want to reach the top. I want to sit in one area of the company until I know it well and have seen a few projects succeed, then I want to move somewhere where I can learn another aspect of the company or product development. I'd like to have bosses that are happy with my performance, or better yet, gaining great success off my performance while I sit happily under them; and happily there have freedom to roam departments and learn a company inside and out.
- A wife who supports me and says she loves me when I leave
-- I want to be the husband who helps wash dishes and take out the trash, and then when I am done I want to put the kids to bed, knock out whatever tax crap has to be done, and then snuggle.
- Kids who give me hugs when I return home and kisses before bed
-- I want to raise my kids approximately the way I was raised. I want to make sure they feel secure and loved, and I want to help them to understand the value of wisdom.
- A church family who prays with me
-- I intend to give my tithe and help out where I can. I know I can't be a part of every mission the church attacks, but I intend to back them however I can. I think my gift is prayer, and I hope to pray for lots of people.

"Like a 'Happy Birthday' on a Thursday."