John: (extends cape and takes a bow)

In what follows, I do not harbor any intention of making myself clear.

I went to school in the hope of knowing, but I discovered that university is concerned primarily with learning. After flirting with industry, it became apparent that corporate lexicons exclude terms such as knowing and learning to save space for synonyms for earning. So, I settled for academia in the hope that I could stomach the substitution of learning for knowing more readily than earning.

I am wrapped in the flag, but sometimes, it itches.

I have gone in for “isms.” Though, I must say that I am rather suspicious of some of the more popular “isms” in the last 100 to 200 years. Totalitarianism, Facism, Communism and Fundamentalism come to mind.

The word “blog” causes static in the verbal processing centers of my brain. The word conjures images of torture, sinks filled with dirty water, animals rolling in mud and places where one loses a boot or two. It sounds too much like flog, clog, hog, bog and other less than savory “og” words.

This is the beginning; goodbye.