The Other Side

Day one of my blog. I often look at people's first posting just to see what was going through their mind as they lay their first words down for the entire world to view at its leisure. What does one say to the whole world? It should certainly be catchy enough that somebody would want to read it. I feel I should say something important, so as not to waste the whole world's time. So where do I begin?

Well world, this is my blog, so if you don't like what you are reading, piss off! I am writing whatever I want. Now I feel a little less pressure.

Have you ever been on a really long journey, and even though you know it will come to an end, it doesn't really feel like you will ever finish? This happens to me all the time. I have now driven across the country 2 times, round trip. My girlfriend and I would drive straight through, one way. About 4 hours into a 36 hour drive, you certainly encounter the phenomenon I am talking about.

I'll give you another good example: school. This is what brought this topic to mind. Actually, it is the fact that I just got pooped out the backside of America's big, fat, ugly, and crippled education system. I jumped through every one of those hoops, every one! And my diploma from a four year university showed up in the mail just yesterday. It's official ladies and gentlemen, the guy is done with the bullshit. I am in no way against education. Education is the most valuable thing we have at our disposal, so far as I am concerned. What's the use of these big complex human brains we all have if we don't ever use them? I like to continue to try and expand mine, but that's another issue all together.

In looking back on my school experience, I can only shake my head in wonder. What was that? What happened? Certainly, I learned a lot along the way. I leanred information from textbooks, I learned about people, friends and enemies, love and hate. I learned that some have authority, it is usually not me, and I usually don't like just anybody being able to tell me what to do. Most importantly, however, I learned that if you put your mind to it you can get through even the most difficult task, and come out safe, though sometimes bewildered, on the other side.

So here I am, on the other side. about three days out of graduation, a job opportunity appeared out of the blue, and just fell right down into the lap of this directionless wanderer. Suddenly, I find myself a manager. The four year degree has kicked in, done its job, right? I don't really know what to think of the whole situation. I like the job well enough, it's just that I feel like I have been swept up into the system. This is a place that was always very foreign to me, from the outside looking in I never saw just how a person got this kind of job. What exactly does a manager do, I always wondered. Now I know these things. I am about 5 weeks new to the job, and still feel like they must have made a mistake. I am just a 23 year old kid. Who would hire me to manage anything? I guess it was that philosophy degree...

That's right. I studied philosophy. And to answer that question that any philosophy major dreads, the often repeated yet never answered to anyone's satisfaction "What do you do with a philosophy degree?" I'll tell you what I will do with it. I will be a manager. Then I will manage things by day, and I'll fish and drink beer at night. I'll smoke marijuana, one of the safest yet most illegal substances known to man. I will play an instrument and relish the feeling that music brings to the soul. I will finally be able to afford to take my girlfriend out to dinner every once in a while. I will keep on trucking along and not look back, for we get to live life just once and I jumped onto this train to get the best possible ride. I don't want a window seat. I want to steer this badboy. So look out world, I am on the loose. What am I going to do with a philosophy degree? Complete world domination? Maybe, but for now I am just setting up a blog. Wow, this is kind of fun!