You're on the Air XI

W

ell, today's the day, June 15. It has been exactly one year since I've started Xanga. Man, it's been a great year for me... Um, I mean, it hasn't been a great year in a lot of respects, but with regard to writing on Xanga and meeting a bunch of new people, it's been pretty cool. Over the past few years, I hadn't been writing very much, and Xanga has provided me a space that allows me to hone this particular skill--as meager as it is. I want to thank all of you, my readers for coming by, and especially to all of you who leave comments. And really especially and particularly to those who leave comments that related to what I write... Heheheheh.

Like it's 1989

Hydralisk96: A lot of people sure seem interested in your sex life. Okay, here goes. WHERE WERE YOU ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 21ST OF 1989?!

O-man: On Monday, August 21, 1989, I was at Stanford. I was a TA for Beginning Japanese during summer session and had finished grading finals over the weekend and had turned in grades to S sensei in the early afternoon. I was pretty exhausted after a grueling nine-weeks: two hours a day--1-10 or 10-12--Monday to Friday. So I relaxed, with some wine and watched TV. Man, that was easy. Is that all yo0u wanted to know?

Hydralisk96: Just kidding. If you could start life all over again with the choice of who you will become, who will you be? Famous? Rich? A teacher? A hobo standing on a corner in NYC holding a cardboard sign reading "wil wurk 4 rice balz"?

O-man: Oh, a "real" question. There aren't many things I would have done differently, because I'm pretty much happy with who I am and what I do, as I've mentioned earlier. But let me try to address some of your points. Famous? To degree that would be nice, since I'm a narcissist. Rich? Gawd, if only! But that would mean that I wouldn't be a teacher, not with my salary. To be honest, I can't imagine what my life would be without the students I've met throughout my teaching career. Most fade away after graduation, but that doesn't diminish my time and experience with them. They are the reason why I still feel young and hip and current. I am not the "real" old fogeys most of my friends have become. I have the same responsibilities as them--family, work, mortgage--but my outlook is still, comparatively, very young: hopeful, expectant, optimistic.

Of course, as my ex-wife used to repeatedly say, "the best and worst part of you is your optimistism." She meant, basically, that I was terrible since I would never take things seriously. Don't save enough money? So what, I'll earn it somehow. Don't focus on my dissertation? No sweat, I'll finish it on time. But it was the best part of me as well, because I would never give up. Didn't go straight to college? Well, I'll start now. Bomb a midterm? Heck, I'll ace the final.

Anyway, I don't think I'd do much else. But if worse comes to worst, then I guess I would work for riceballs. Hahahahaha.

I'm giving a presentaiton tomorrow and so I'm gonna have to cut this short. And I will try to visit everyone's site soon. Work, work, work....