BIg Bowl of Sauerkraut!
I don't get too many comments on my blog. It's either because people agree with everything I say (doubtful), I say everything that needs to be said (doubtful), no one cares about me and no one reads them (more likely), or no one care about the topic of my blogs (also likely, considering I've been writing exclusively about baseball lately).
So when I get comments I tend to check them quickly, in hopes that someone is responding in a way that will affirm my existence on this planet. I got one today, and I did a double take when I saw that it came from William Li. Not me, William Li, but another William Li.
Mind-blowing stuff, dudes. F'in ponderous.
Now I know there are a lot of William Li's out there. As I mention in my comment below, there's another one here at Dartmouth. I am rather amused, however, by William Li's comments to my blog in his blog (boy if that wasn't one of the most confusing sentences I've ever written).
I quote from his blog (hope this isn't a problem William - do you go by Will, Bill, or William? Personally, I like Will, although William is cool too; it just makes me sound English)
The truth is, I am mostly bothered by this William Li guy from Dartmouth having more colorful rants [than?] William Li from Sugar Land. I won't admit that New Hampshire William Li has better rants, but clearly they are more energetic and (in a 21-year old sort of way) is more brave with what topics he will take on and how certain he is about his positions.
My jealously of this energetic young man's blog brings up an ugly truth about me. I suppose I've always attacked people who were so certain because I myself have rarely been certain of anything. Maybe people like my brother or mom will disagree but I once wrote a paper in college defending philosophical skepticism over whether or not I had hands
I'm rather flattered, although I don't know who "William Li from Sugar Land" is. Is that the writer of above comments? Another blogger?
I am quite random about my topics, but they are exactly that; random topics. And in my opinion, rants are rants when they take one particular view.
But the views I take in my rants do change, quite often in fact. And often, I'm ranting because I'm confused on a certain topic. I'm flattered because if I'm presenting a specific point of view or argument in any one particular rant, it means that I'm avoiding the schizophrenic tendancies that undirected and poor ranting tends to take. It's a rant to me when I pick a topic (like the Pope, or driving ages) and just run with it. It's fun because sometimes, I surprise myself when I end up taking a stance on an issue that is more extreme than what I usually believe, or is contrary to what I believe entirely.
But if someone were to engage me in a debate about some of my rants, I might cave rather quickly or change my view. In other words, what I believe is not set in stone. Not even clay.
And, William Li, if you're jealous of me, then I can most certainly say that I am very jealous of you. As a senior in college, I have no clue where I will be in six months. Corporate recruiting is avoiding me like I'm Jack Kerouac (if only . . . ), and to some extent, I would kill to have the kind of stability that you seem to possess. And don't worry, I'm not going to pull a "Talented Mr. Ripley" and replace you one day.
You've got a wife and daughter, with another kid on the way, a job, enjoying law school, and a good sense of humor? Besides the fact that my parents would love to see me in law school, it sounds to me like you've got it pretty good. But perhaps the grass is greener and whatnot.
I can say this however. If your daughter thinks that elephant rhymes with dinosaur, kudos to her. I see a poet in the makings there. E'le'phant, di'no'saur. While there is no end-rhyme persay, the comparison in actual rhythm is very legitimate. Nothing but potential there, I say.
In any case, feel free to keep commenting, and this is directed to William Li and anyone else that happens to read my blog.
And Will/William/Bill/Billy/Willy, hope your daughter writes some good megafaunal poetry and hope your soon-to-be son is well and happy and healthy.
So when I get comments I tend to check them quickly, in hopes that someone is responding in a way that will affirm my existence on this planet. I got one today, and I did a double take when I saw that it came from William Li. Not me, William Li, but another William Li.
Mind-blowing stuff, dudes. F'in ponderous.
Now I know there are a lot of William Li's out there. As I mention in my comment below, there's another one here at Dartmouth. I am rather amused, however, by William Li's comments to my blog in his blog (boy if that wasn't one of the most confusing sentences I've ever written).
I quote from his blog (hope this isn't a problem William - do you go by Will, Bill, or William? Personally, I like Will, although William is cool too; it just makes me sound English)
The truth is, I am mostly bothered by this William Li guy from Dartmouth having more colorful rants [than?] William Li from Sugar Land. I won't admit that New Hampshire William Li has better rants, but clearly they are more energetic and (in a 21-year old sort of way) is more brave with what topics he will take on and how certain he is about his positions.
My jealously of this energetic young man's blog brings up an ugly truth about me. I suppose I've always attacked people who were so certain because I myself have rarely been certain of anything. Maybe people like my brother or mom will disagree but I once wrote a paper in college defending philosophical skepticism over whether or not I had hands
I'm rather flattered, although I don't know who "William Li from Sugar Land" is. Is that the writer of above comments? Another blogger?
I am quite random about my topics, but they are exactly that; random topics. And in my opinion, rants are rants when they take one particular view.
But the views I take in my rants do change, quite often in fact. And often, I'm ranting because I'm confused on a certain topic. I'm flattered because if I'm presenting a specific point of view or argument in any one particular rant, it means that I'm avoiding the schizophrenic tendancies that undirected and poor ranting tends to take. It's a rant to me when I pick a topic (like the Pope, or driving ages) and just run with it. It's fun because sometimes, I surprise myself when I end up taking a stance on an issue that is more extreme than what I usually believe, or is contrary to what I believe entirely.
But if someone were to engage me in a debate about some of my rants, I might cave rather quickly or change my view. In other words, what I believe is not set in stone. Not even clay.
And, William Li, if you're jealous of me, then I can most certainly say that I am very jealous of you. As a senior in college, I have no clue where I will be in six months. Corporate recruiting is avoiding me like I'm Jack Kerouac (if only . . . ), and to some extent, I would kill to have the kind of stability that you seem to possess. And don't worry, I'm not going to pull a "Talented Mr. Ripley" and replace you one day.
You've got a wife and daughter, with another kid on the way, a job, enjoying law school, and a good sense of humor? Besides the fact that my parents would love to see me in law school, it sounds to me like you've got it pretty good. But perhaps the grass is greener and whatnot.
I can say this however. If your daughter thinks that elephant rhymes with dinosaur, kudos to her. I see a poet in the makings there. E'le'phant, di'no'saur. While there is no end-rhyme persay, the comparison in actual rhythm is very legitimate. Nothing but potential there, I say.
In any case, feel free to keep commenting, and this is directed to William Li and anyone else that happens to read my blog.
And Will/William/Bill/Billy/Willy, hope your daughter writes some good megafaunal poetry and hope your soon-to-be son is well and happy and healthy.
posted by Satchmo | 1:39 PM
1 Comments:
Looking for a job senior year... I remember how unpleasant that was.
At Rice, I used to do an alumni mentoring program where I gave advice to seniors who were worried. I always gave them the same advice when they fretted over a job: I said "Forget that! Get the heck out of town and go live by your wits for a year and see if you don't feel like anything is possible after that. You will surprise yourself at how resourceful you can be."
Three thoughts on that bit of advice. First, I never followed it myself, so take that however you want. But, second, My friend Dave (as in "Dave Miller's Odd-Looking Microsoft Blog of Evil" which I have linked on my blog), however, did precisely this and had a rich colorful adventure. I will encourage him to post about it. Third, and finally, the people to whom I gave this advice were so annoyed by this crummy advice that Rice stopped asking me to be a mentor.
I don't know that you were necessarily asking for advice(in fact I am fairly certain that you weren't), William, but what's the point of being older if I can't give people unsolicited advice?
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