Ab ovo usque ad mala

Here I am.

I've lost the music. There was a time in my life when I made music. I didn't make it up but I was involved in a creative process, interpretation. I was not that bad at it. I really enjoyed it. But now it seems I've lost the music. There are certainly other things in my life to which I apply myself creatively...but I'm not as good at any of them as I was at the music. I think some of this feeling of loss comes partially from the winter season, which right now feels like a time for me to look back and remember stuff. It's...an empty feeling. While other aspects of my life feel full, that particular part feels empty. I know exactly what happened. I was there for every part of it. I made all the decisions that led to where I am now. I know that some important things in my life would have suffered had I not...given up the music. But still I mourn for it.

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (attributed to Jesus in Matthew 5:38-41, Revised Standard Version) "Many who have committed their lives to working for change and justice in the world simply dismiss Jesus' teachings about nonviolence as impractical idealism. And with good reason. 'Turn the other cheek' suggests the passive, Christian doormat quality that has made so many Christians cowardly and complicit in the face of injustice. 'Resist not evil' seems to break the back of all opposition to evil and counsel submission. 'Going the second mile' has become a platitude meaning nothing more than 'extend yourself.' Rather than f...

Yesterday was Veterans Day, and today I guess is a bank holiday. Here's the story: I, a veteran, try to deposit my paycheck at the bank. So, on this day honoring me and all those other veterans, I receive a closed door and a wasted trip. Thanks, guys.

Some people call me a space cowboy... Not really. Just popped into my head. I've been listening to Daft Punk, who makes electronic-type music with a lot of space and technology themes. For now, I've decided not to give in to the Rolling Stone convention of using a plural noun with any band name, even if it isn't a plural noun. For example: you can safely say "The Beatles play here often." But it's more sketchy to say "Daft Punk play here often." Sure, there are two people in the band. But would you say something like "The president's cabinet answer his questions" or "My family live here"? I do believe I learned about collective nouns in, oh, it must've been like THE FOURTH GRADE. It's ok, RS magazine, I still like you. Rolling Stone still have a lot of good articles.

I'm scheduled to take the LSAT on Groundhog Day next year, so I've started to study for it. Thanks to dad, I have a pretty good idea of which schools to apply to...even though the data may be old when I get back from deployment. But I can always update. Math is a powerful thing. The prep is fun. It's basically sample tests that test your logical reasoning. Like, there are four people, and they all have four different names, and are eating four different things, and mr smith is to the right of the guy eating pancakes, and the guy in the blue chair is not eating french toast, and the guy in the red chair is sitting across from the guy in the green chair, so who is eating an omelette? Stuff like that. I think it's fun. Um...work was a little better yesterday. I wanted to talk to a manager about the situation...but I didn't. I guess I'll try again today. I...have...little...motivation...to do...things. But the ladies in dept 34 are nice. They are very positive. Ther...

I ran across this photo as I was reading the news. "An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she says hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City." I'm not quite sure how the bullets--still in their casings, unshot--could have hit her house, unless somebody threw them...maybe it's symbolic. The picture seems very staged to me. "Here, hold these and look victimized." It really doesn't lend credibility to anybody.