I dreamt last night that I was a father. My 22-year-old son (I knew I had at least one child) wanted something that I could not give him. The argument screamed over the protests of my wife, Clare. She stood nearby, her face indignant and injured. My son continued to assert that my backward principles stood in the way of my understanding him. I was old in the dream.

But in my mind within the scenario (not the third-person one that passively watched), I would not lose this fight. I decided that my son was misguided and this was my opportunity to teach him something. Ironic, actually, how stubbornly I was going to defend my side, not even considering what my grown son was saying; exactly what he was saying. And I knew that my son would respect what I would say in the same subconsciously conscious of our relationship way that I would disregard his opinion on the subject.

And later at home, even knowing that he disagreed, he would wrestle himself over whether he should trust in his father’s experience and wisdom or believe what seemed more right in his own mind.

And I was proud. My son respected me, he loved me, and he valued me as his father. I was proud that he listened, and decided ultimately that he disagreed. I was proud of him and I was proud of me.

This dream was way better than the one where I kept dying over and over again in World of Warcraft.

Frodo: I can’t do this Sam.

Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, the shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to Sam?

Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.

Thanks, Sam.

James Lipton’s famous questions as answered by an overstressed wannabe Buddhist.

1. What is your favorite word?
Sandwich.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Management.

3. What turns you on?
Smooth skin. Shiny hair. Lips that move like they’re in some kind of 300 frame-per-second animation. Winks. Tattoos. Sly or coy conversation. That heart-stopping moment when you’re still teasing each other that you might not kiss.

4. What turns you off?
Surrendering to minutiae and not the moment.

5. What sound do you love?
Water: waves, drips, sloshing, rain. Even sometimes having water in my ears.

6. What sound do you hate?
Teeth on forks.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
Fucktard.

8. What profession, other than yours, would you like to attempt?
Professor, martial arts stuntman, actor.

9. What profession would you not like to participate in?
Clerk. Librarian. Accountant.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like God to say, when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Yup, I do exist, and you were right, I found that funny. Wanna split this ice cream sandwich with me?

I think a better slogan for memorializing the 9/11 disaster would be “Always Remember” rather than “Never Forget.” I think this is proof that priorities in this country are in the wrong place.

Remember: the lives lost, the pain and the emptiness of hope at watching American symbols destroyed and the shining example of America’s greatest principles in the men and women who united in New York and D.C. to get America back on her feet.

Remember: the world coming together to show support for the United States, even after mocking our election.

Remember: an America before 9/11, unafraid and willing to stand for freedom instead of vengeance.

Remember: how terrorism can tear apart a country long after the attack, and how it makes fear into a political weapon.

Always Remember.

Ze Frank lets us all in on stress management techniques for a modern world. The dripping disdain he evidences while reading the first email left a puddle on my desk. And I lapped at it joyfully, knowing there are kindred spirits out there.

Thanks CG and wherever you may have found it.

a warm toilet seat… for about three seconds*.

* – the approximate length of time before your brain starts wondernig “Why is this toilet seat warm?”

Steelbuddha: Huzzah!
SB: Gary Coleman with a voice bubble saying “Huzzah!” makes me laugh.
Bjorn Nelson: has that happened?
SB: It has. Right here on my IM.
BN: but is it tangible?
SB: It’s amenable.
BN: man, photoshop that shiite

SB:Direct Instant Message session started

BN: hahaha
SB: Good times.
BN: great times
BN: what does my icon look like?
SB: It’s a polar bear.
BN: I’m a polar bear. look at me! Wheeeeeeeeeeee
BN: sucka
BN: I eat fish and people
SB: Hehehe.
SB: Oh, I see you Polar Bear. You thank you’re so much better than everyone else because you’re on the Coca-Cola commercial.
BN: those guys were sell-outs
BN: real polar bears drink Pepsi (TM)
BN: (out of character) dude, Polar Bear the RPG is awesome
SB: What’s that?
BN: what I’m playing right now
SB: AWESOME. literally LOL.
BN: I swing at Gary Coleman with my +12 Eternal Axe
SB: Dodged!
BN: *drinks a coke*
SB: GaryColeman wields a vicious “Cardigan Sweater” at you !
BN: COKE RAGE +100
BN: arrrgh
BN: *suffocated by sweater*
SB: Resurrect now?
BN: yes plz
SB: You awake in the “Tavern.” There is a barmaid here.
SB: Barmaid says “holy shit! A polar Bear!”
SB: Barmaid runs.
BN: TIGER HAND +150, directed at Barmaid!
SB: Barmaid dies.
BN: *gloat*
SB: You gain 11 exp.
BN: da da da dun dun da da daaaa (FF victory music)

BB‘s full of good links, you know. This is proof.

I’m not so certain that the cross should be the symbol for good any more. It certainly wouldn’t be Christ’s choice. In that way, I sort of hope that Christian mythos is true. Christ would come back and see all these people trying their best to love and serve one aonther, be humble, and unite the world in peace, but they’d be home playing video games on Sunday morning. Then, he would see churches dedicated to him with rich, ornamental crosses and say “WTF?* Do you guys realize how much that hurt? You assholes. I’m moving to Canada.”

Rate some sites here. Note that “The Holy Bible” is still 1% evil. Probably mostly in Leviticus, but my doesn’t that stuff get brought up a lot.

Thanks to BB for the link.

* – He’s ominpotent, dude. The Son of God. That’s the 1337est of 1337. He’d be up on the lingo.