A life in words

  • Now I Have No Excuse

    Here’s a list of the highly varied recommendations I received in response to my last post: Sufjan Stevens—Come on Feel the Illinois Regina Spektor Nickel Creek: This Side Keane Reik Colplay: X&Y and Viva La Vida Explosions in the Sky Travis Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog (sans Mr. Hammer) Avatar soundtrack Chopin “Military Suite in…

  • The Spotlight

    I answered these questions for a “spotlight” section in the ward newsletter. Understandably, my lengthy responses were pared down prior to publication. Here I give you the original, uncut spotlight. I’m quite proud of it. Here goes…. Where are you from? Kennewick, Washington — the bone dry, brown, not-ever-green part of the Evergreen State. If…

  • Official Announcement and Official Request

    Announcement I’m starting the Master’s program in computer science at BYU in the fall! That means I will be taking some spring and summer classes in preparation for the program’s beginning in fall. Request My dad gave me an Amazon.com gift certificate and I want to use it to broaden my musical horizons. I’d like…

The common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves… to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection [and] opens the door to foreign influence and corruption….George Washington, Farewell Address