Dear William,

I am blessed to have friends that inform me in a profound way and hope to do the same in return. Trying to discover the truths, the good in society, in individuals that are inspiring and informed. A good story from David Foster Wallace. Kenyon Commencement Speech (If anybody feels like perspiring [cough], I’d advise you to go ahead, because I’m sure going to. In fact I’m gonna [mumbles while pulling up his gown and taking out a handkerchief from his pocket].) Greetings ["parents"?] and congratulations to Kenyon’s graduating class of 2005. There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?” This is a standard requirement of US commencement speeches, the deployment of didactic little parable-ish stories. The story ["thing...

As we enter into the back stretch of this year, 2009, this hollowed time for gifts and lists, parties and pause. A few remarks for posterity sake! What to make of this year 2009? The best and worst--at least a summary. First, a word-- from our sponsor. If a word could sum up a year this year’s word would be: apprehensive. The fallout from the great financial sector collapse brought in the New Year along with other candidates such as foreclosure and derivative , prophet and pariah--more on the latter two later. Not that prior years provided for any more relative stability just without such concern, trepidation for future prospects. A new President promised a break from the past, the status quo , hope and change-- all three also candidates, and apprehension. Trying as he might to persuade us otherwise there was no sugar coating our predicament, no easy sound bite to paper over real fear itself. But time heals all wounds, we are resilient—human beings, grown accustomed or adjusted ...