a warm place

A Last Minute College Education

Today was the first day of a C++ class that I'm taking at Johnson County Community College. At the beginning of the week I had no idea that by the weekend I'd once again be a college student.

Monday night my two roommates asked if I'd want to join them in taking a C++ class. I asked when it'd start, they replied 'this Friday' and I responded with 'yikes'. All three of us had to hastily apply and enroll. The class meets on Fridays from 6pm till 9pm and runs through May.

Here are a couple of early impressions:

• JCCC is a good community college. Their campus and student web site impressed me.
• The bookstore has less-than-ideal hours for night school students.
• Our instructor speaks Engrish. I'll be studying out of the book.
• There are only two females in the class. One is about my age and kinda cute.

New Year Resolutions '04

In 2002 I became a vegetarian.
In 2003 I became a vegan.
In 2004 I going straight-edge.

Straight-edge means being veg*n and keeping one's body free from drugs and alcohol. A clear mind is a wonderful thing.

Additionally, I aim to volunteer weekly and fast monthly.

Volunteering is probably the one addition to my life that will have the largest immediate impact. It's exhilarating and I'm so thankful I have started doing it. There's something about giving one's self to something greater without expecting (or wanting) anything in return.

And lastly, fasting is wonderful for the mind, body, and soul. It is an exercise in discipline and self-control, it purges toxins from the body, and it is a spiritual experience.