Happy Student's New Year! And other tidings.

So, for all of you still out there in radioland, God bless you. I know that most of the people that read this piece of crud read it because they, to some degree, care about what I'm doing and what I think. So, at a clear risk of sounding blatantly cheeeeeeeeeezy, sorry I've ignored this outlet, amigos.

That said, at this point in my life, I'm really not experiencing the kind of adversity that brings about good writing. Honestly, I've got it made. This is is pretty much the high point of my life on earth: in peak physical condition, just married and loving it, on the verge of graduating, sitting in my living room in my pajamas at 11:00 on a weekday. I survey the world from my throne; I am king of all I see (until Tara gets home). Surely, it's all downhill from here until I kick the bucket.

This of course, is a top-notch terrarium for growing dissatisfaction (maybe second to this). To medicate said dissatisfaction, I have a fair regimen of self-concocted challenges: training for another Twin Cities Marathon, perfecting my teriyaki pork recipe, advancing Libertarian ideals, pawning clutter on Ebay.

Marriage isn't really hard yet. A lot of people ask about thisand seem surprised by my response, but it should really make total sense. The first 3 blocks of a marathon are pretty easy too, I tell them. You are physically incapable of physical exertion because you are locked in a human tidal wave that appears bent on walking the entire race. You just can't advance fast enough. That's marriage right now. Marriage a few years on might be more like mile 16, where you start walking if you stop thinking about each next step because you're just that hot.

Game day is October 5 for the 2008 TCM. I highly recommend the experience to anyone who (A) likes a physical challenge and (B) enjoys the power of metaphor. Sometimes when I was running last year, the thought crossed my mind, "If I can't suffer and run for another few hours for the sake of something as tangible and publicly appreciated as finishing a marathon, how can I possibly hope to run for my entire life for a kingdom I can't see with my eyes, and how can I hope to run everyday for an unpopular gospel?"