Research paper

Earlier this week, I finished my fifth class for my master's degree. While I received an A in the class, my final assignment was left out. Apparently, my professor got confused on when final grades were due and didn't have time to grade the final (which was originally worth 20% of the grade), so she dropped it from her scoring rubric.

Cool.

Well, since I took the time to write a 2200+ word research paper and now it has no audience, I've decided to share it here. Don't feel obligated to read it, but if you, I'd love to know what you think.

Hate Speech vs. Censorship: The Power of Language on Social Media and the Dangers of Both Hate Speech and Censorship

Free speech is often held as the most vital liberty protected by the Bill of Rights. Yet, is it possible to maintain the freedom of speech while still limiting it? Specifically, how can free speech be protected while still preventing hate speech, especially on social media? The crux of this dilemma is that taking action to curb hate speech is a form of censorship, which inherently hinders free speech. However, with the rise of social media platforms being used as a new outlet for individuals and groups to use hateful language—and new hate groups forming and made possible via social media platforms—there is growing concern about the dangers of allowing hate speech to exist unrestrained. Ultimately, the question becomes: is controlling hate speech on social media worth the price of censorship? This paper will explore this issue by defining hate speech, providing a brief history of hate speech in the US, establishing the existence of hate speech online and on social media, defining free speech as it exists in the US, supplying evidence of the power of hate speech, and establishing the view of censorship by the US Supreme Court. The goal of this paper is to weigh the dangers of hate speech against the dangers of censorship, offer an opinion about which is more perilous, and provide potential options of how to best address these concerns.

Identifying the Issue

There is no official, legal term for what constitutes hate speech in the US; however, according to the UN, "the term hate speech is understood as any kind of communication in speech, writing or behaviour [sic], that attacks or uses pejorative or discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour [sic], descent, gender or other identity factor." To put it another way, hate speech is biased and insidious language used to attack a person or groups of person based on one or more thing that make up that person’s identity. In this way, hate speech is different from disagreeing with a person's opinion, viewpoint, or ideology. Hate speech is used not to attack philosophies, but people themselves.

History of hate speech in the US

No history of hate speech in the US would be complete nor honest without first discussing the nation’s history of race-based slavery. The American colonies and later the fledgling US were established with race-based slavery. While slavery and indentured servitude had been used around the world for centuries, the version of slavery in America was different in that it was lifelong and based on parentage. Even in the early colonies, children born to slaves were free. With the modification to make only one racial group enslaved, many whites in the South, whether slaveowners or not, viewed black persons merely as property and not as people. Language evolved to convey this derogatory view "and no word conveyed the depth of this internalized oppression more than [the N word]." While hateful, derogatory labels have existed well before the New World was discovered by Europeans and have been used to describe other groups beyond those of African heritage, the fact is that US slavery being race-based made a huge impact on how a specific racial group was seen and treated.

After slavery ended, hate groups, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in particular, were established not only to speak against (and harass and physically attack) the freedoms newly freed blacks enjoyed, but also against black persons themselves. Additionally, the KKK was vocally and physically violent against Catholic and Jewish persons, as well as other groups. The KKK is simply one example of a hate group that arose to attack—verbal, physically, or both—individuals based on one or more "identity factor."

This paper is not suggesting that only black persons have been persecuted based on identity factors in the US. Sadly, there are many groups that have had hate speech hurled and acts of violence committed against them—Jews, Mormons, Latinx, Japanese Americans, Native Americans, Irish, LGBT, and so on—more than can be mentioned here. The example of black persecution laid out above is meant merely to be a single instance of a group well-known to encounter hate speech and other hateful acts.

Hate speech online and on social media

In the second chapter of her book Hate Crimes in Cyberspace, Danielle Keats Citron explores what it is about the Internet that seems to promote hate speech. "Some of the Internet's key features—anonymity, mobilization of groups, and group polarization—make it more likely that people will act destructively." Citron offered two examples of hate speech directed towards Sports Illustrated writer Jeff Pearlman. In both cases, Pearlman tracked down his attackers and confronted them about their vitriolic comments. Each individual was shocked by the confrontation and admitted their embarrassment, suggesting that "the internet got the best of [them]."

Since the introduction of social media platforms, groups have been able to form based on shared interests or identity factors. While this has been wonderful for niche and marginalized groups, it has also proven to be a fertile breeding ground for hate groups. Prior to his attack of a Pittsburgh synagogue and killing eleven, accused attacker Robert Bowers used the defunct social media platform Gab to share his anti-Semitic views. Prior to Gab’s infrastructure collapsing, the platform had been a favorite meeting place of white supremacists. Had Gab not enabled these hate groups to gather, could the Pittsburgh shooting have been avoided?

Definition of free speech

The first amendment of the US Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…". This amendment serves as the basis for free speech laws throughout the country, though it should be noted that private (or even publicly traded) companies are not prevented from enacting their own limits of speech. Also, the First Amendment does not provide any protection towards citizens who exercise their freedom of speech and suffer consequences from doing so, e.g., getting fired for making insensitive remarks. For the past seven decades, when the US Supreme Court is asked to rule on a case where the freedom of speech is a factor, the judicial body has shown that it is very likely to come down in favor of the First Amendment. This is significant as it illustrates the high level of importance assigned to free speech by the US federal government.

Three components that make this an ethical problem

Polarization

One reason hate speech is so alarming is because it is such a powerful tool. Hate groups are able to provoke violent actions in their members—nearly all recent mass shootings have been motivated by hatred. This type of radicalization makes hate groups dangerous, and not just towards the objects of their hate. "'It wasn't any one group—I hated everyone,' [former white supremacist Frank] Meeink remembers."

Dehumanization of victims

Referring to the men’s rights movement Reddit group r/Redpill, writer J. F. Sargent breaks down how they view the object of their hatred: women. "Women are commodities to be acquired and subjugated. They are conquests—things that determine your worth as a human." Viewing objects of hate as subhuman is common for hate groups.

Censorship

Despite his many, many flaws, President Trump signed an executive order to prevent online censorship, which should be commended. However, less than two months later, Trump issued another executive order effectively banning the social media platform TikTok, a move many see as a form of censorship. As stated previously, the US Supreme Court holds free speech in high regard. The US was founded by a group who felt their voices were not being heard ("no taxation without representation"), so silencing any individual's or group's voice should be taken very seriously.

Management of the Issue

Clearly there is a problem with hate speech on social media, but how can it be addressed? Following are some recommendations.

Let platforms govern themselves

Platforms have already started policing hate speech, though some better than others. Famously, Facebook announced last year that it had created a managing board to judge whether flagged content could remain up or would need to be taken down. The system is not perfect, but the company is taking steps to control hate speech, as well as misinformation. Other platforms have also put in place their own guidelines, with Reddit's as a standout for how much freedom is allowed. However, this approach leaves the decision of what to allow and how to act in the hands of the platforms. What if the restrictions are too tight, not allowing users to share information freely? Conversely, what if the restrictions are too loose, permitting violent breeding grounds as was seen with Gab?

Follow Europe's lead

In 2008, the European Union passed legislation which stated "that hate speech would be sanctioned and punitive measures could be taken against individuals or groups engaged in hate speech." Laws like this create incentive to not engage in hateful speech. However, it also makes speaking one’s mind a potentially criminal offense. Add to that the fact that a similar law in the US would likely require a constitutional amendment, what is the likelihood of a law of this nature being passed in the increasingly polarized and tribalist congress?

Expand Defamation Laws

If we cannot trust social media platforms to police themselves and we cannot expect a criminal law to be created, perhaps the best route is to apply defamation law. Defamation is "a false statement presented as a fact that causes injury or damage to the character of the person it is about." By allowing defamation to encompass hate speech—including hate speech online and on social media—those who are the subject of hate speech would have a legal path through which to seek damages from their attacker, while those who wish to continue to engage in hate speech are free to do so without fear of being prosecuted by the state. The burden of proof would rest on the plaintiff, which would require a standard definition of hate speech. Additionally, social media platforms would no longer be held responsible for what their users say—similar to how email services are not sued for allowing an unsavory letter to be delivered.

Foreseeing Oversights

Even though the proposed expansion of defamation law seems like the best fit considering US laws, such a law’s introduction will likely bring with it new challenges.

Different Laws in Each State

Since defamation laws differ from state to state, each state would need to pass their own version. That does mean that some states will likely have stricter laws than others, which can make it challenging when both parties live in different states.

Legal loopholes

When drafting the new laws, legislators—whether through overzealousness, malicious negligence, or merely unseen omissions—may use wording that is either too ambiguous or too narrow-sighted. If this happens, it may allow for some crafty attorney in the future to have the suit dismissed, despite their client actually being responsible.

Frivolous Suits

The US has been accused of being a "sue happy" nation, so what is stopping an annoyed and/or money hungry individual from accusing an innocent person of defamation and bringing suit against them?

Responses and Application

Different Laws in Each State: Use Divorce Law as the Guide

One solution could be for the expanded defamation laws to work similar to divorce laws, i.e., the plaintiff decides in which state they want to file their suit, the state in which they live or the state in which the defendant lives. Another issue is when different states adopt different definitions of hate speech, but that can be addressed by using the definition in the state wherein the plaintiff files suit.

Legal Loopholes: Close Them over Time

Legal loopholes are almost certainly going to arise and the way to address them will be the same way legal loopholes are addressed now: to close the loopholes as they are discovered. Legislators will need to be careful with their wording as they draft the new laws and they, and concerned citizens, will need to watch closely for when unclear wording is abused. When this happens, it is time campaign for changes to the law.

Frivolous Suits: Innocent until Proven Guilty

Since the burden of proof is on the plaintiff, the defendant is innocent until proven otherwise. There are people who use current laws to bring forth frivolous defamation suits, but these are mostly thrown out. The difference with the current law and this proposed law is that, with regard to hate speech, no proof of suffering will be required, simply proof that the defendant engaged in hate speech directed at the plaintiff or a group with which the plaintiff identifies.

As this paper has explicitly detailed, hate speech is a powerful weapon that in some cases has resulted in the loss of human lives. With social media, that hatred is shared much faster and farther than ever before. Clearly something must be done, while still protecting free speech. By expanding defamation law, the ability to combat hate speech is given directly to those who are its target, giving power to those who were before merely victims.

Back to School

Near the end of last year, I was thinking about the future, including my current job, where Leah and I live, and our desire for children. As I was contemplating where I want us to be as a family, I realized that my current job at my current salary would not be enough to meet our goals. Rather than look for a job at a new company, I felt prompted to look into graduate school. After talking with Leah about my plan -- of which she's very supportive -- I started making plans.

First, I spoke with my boss, Magda, about my decision to attend school. She was instantly very supportive and provided some important guidance: I told her that I planned to get an MBA since that's the degree that most managers have, and she recommend that I pursue something more relevant to my career. As she explained, if someone is qualified to be a manager, not having an MBA won't hold them back.

Second, I looked at what nearby universities had to offer in the field of communications. I decided that I wanted to choose a program that was entirely online so that my studies would be more flexible around my schedule, but I still wanted to have the option to walk when I graduated -- I never walked at OSU when I finished my Bachelor’s degree, but with something as significant as a master’s degree, I wanted to still have the option. Plus, I remember when my dad walked when he finished his master’s and I like the idea of doing the same for my future children.

After researching different schools and the degrees they offer, I decided to attend Loyola University Maryland (located in downtown Baltimore) and pursue an MA in Emerging Media. While the program description is somewhat vague, the basic gist is that the degree delves into different forms of so-called "new media" like social media with a strong emphasis in writing. With my career as a technical writer, the writing emphasis is a good fit, and since I'm working in marketing, a better understanding of new forms of media will be very beneficial.

After deciding on the degree program the weekend before Thanksgiving, I had to scramble to complete the necessary requirements for the application by the December 1 deadline. I wrote the essay (with help from academic advisor, my dad, and my coworker Chelsea), collected two letters of recommendation (from the head of PR at Danfoss and a professor I had at OSU who, after my father, is probably the biggest influence on my writing), and filled out multiple forms. A week later, I received an email notifying me that I was accepted into the program.

Class starts a week from today and I'm excited, but also nervous. I haven't attended school while working fulltime before, plus Leah and I are hoping to get pregnant soon, so with my already hectic life, I'm taking on even more. Even so, I'm confident that this is the right choice for me, for Leah, and for the rest of our family when they join us. Wish me luck!

Me, Circa 2009

When I was in my first semester at OSU, I took one of my favorite classes: Advanced Composition.  Among our assorted assignments was one where we had to email everyone in the class regularly with a writing sample that was at least 100 words long.  I never deleted any of the emails I sent or received and I spent some time recently going over what I wrote about four years ago and I wanted to discuss the ways in which I'm now a different person.

I complained.  A lot.  I didn't like Stillwater, I didn't like the younger people I was going to school with, I didn't like the cultural differences of Oklahoma, I didn't like how much I worked (now I can't get enough work), etc.  It's really a shame and I hope that I don't come off as that negative now.

I had more frequent spelling errors in my writing.  I'm not perfect and I still make mistakes, but I feel like I catch more of them these days.

I was funnier.  Maybe I was more relaxed, but made a lot more jokes.  Not all of them were funny, but I tried more often than I do now.  That makes me a bit sad.

I must not have been afraid of offending anyone, because I was crass.  I pointed out the racism I had observed since moving to Oklahoma (and most of the kids in the class were native Oklahomans) and I teased people that liked the Twilight books (at least four girls in my class admitted that they enjoyed them).  While those aren't terrible, I was shocked at how brazen I was.

I liked to give unsolicited advice.  Do I still do that?  I hope not, or at least that I don't do it often.  I think I assumed that since I was older that I could help the "poor kids" I was in class with (I was really full of myself).

I wrote a lot about how much I loved Allison.  I know we were newlyweds, but it was still sweet to see the strong affection that I shared multiple times (I even said that one of my favorite moments was our first dance at our wedding, something that hasn't changed).  I still love Allison, but I've rarely written about it since our separation; maybe I should change that.

In one of the emails, I found an early draft of my shoe story and it really did get better by having one of my classmates review it.  It's a reminder that I should write more stories and that I should make revisions to them, too.

All in all, I really don't think I'd like me from four years ago if I met him today.  I've had a lot of "real world experience," as Dad calls it, during that time and it's really had a powerful impact on me in how I see the world and interact with people.  But I've also had some professional writing experience and that seems to have made my creative writing style drier and less witty, which I don't like.  Still, I'll take being a better, more positive person over being funny.

Success for Everyone

Apparently, success is something that needs to be shared.  As you know, I very recently landed a technical writing job, having been looking since graduating back in July.  While that's great, I'm not the only one who is seeing their hard work pay off.

Bryan, my oldest brother-in-law (I mean that he's been my brother-in-law longer than any of the others, though he has been alive the longest, too), has just graduated with an MBA in marketing from BYU Provo.  Not only has he completed a degree that only around 7% of US population has attained, but he's already landed a job.  In a recent text he told me "I'm going to Mars."  While he'll be working for the food company and not the red planet, that's still an awesome quote.  I offer my congratulations as well as wish him and his family the best of luck with their future.

That's not all.  Felicia, my youngest sister-in-law (meant the same way as with Bryan, but also works both ways) just finished her certification to be a CNA.  As I have worked with people who were studying towards the same goal, I know what kind of accomplishment that is (plus, after her training, there is pretty much nothing left that can gross her out).  I don't know if she has a job already lined up, but I know that nurses are always in demand so I'm sure if she hasn't found something yet, she will soon.

Finally, Ian has had some small success recently as a voice-over artist.  He did some freelance work that he found online and he's now the voice for an upcoming sale for a local-area Sears in Arizona.  It's rather strange hearing him do it with all of the super cheesy music and sound effects.  This is a smaller achievement compared to the others, but it's still nice that he enjoyed doing it and he'll be on the radio.

I know that my faithful readers come here to get updated on me, but this is a good outlet to be able to praise the successes of others and I would be selfish to not do just that.

Column III

This one ruffled some feathers to the point that the director of Housing on campus responded with a letter to the editor.

Not bad.

Column

My opinion matters.

EDIT: That's a hyperlink.

10 things about me that may be surprising . . .

1. I'm taking 15 units next semester (really 20, since my internship only counts for 3), yet I've started seriously thinking about applying to be a columnist at the school paper. That probably means I'm partially insane. Allison's been supportive, which may mean that she is, too.
2. I've been to therapy twice in my life. The first time to deal with a powerfully controlling addiction. The second time to deal with nearly debilitating anxiety. Both times helped quite a bit (the second time happened this semester).
3. On the weekends, I sometimes play a video game called Fate.
4. I've been lectured multiple times at work that I need to be nicer to my co-workers. Allison thinks that's stupid. Even so, I'm up for a promotion (finally!).
5. I haven't read a single novel for fun this whole semester. That's been tough.
6. I'm a jerk pretty much every time I have to deal with customer service in any way. It gets in the way most time, but sometimes Allison sics me on particularly difficult workers. I really don't know why I do it.
7. I own a belt that I bought on my mission that was made by an Amish tanner. It's really good quality and I like it, but it doesn't work anymore. Since dropping six inches from my waist, I should just add holes, but I never have.
8. I've only recently gotten over being embarrassed by my undersized calves. I still think they're small, but I've made good progress on them.
9. When I was in California, I felt that I was conservative. Here in Oklahoma, I feel that I'm much more liberal. My political views haven't shifted much.
10. I own more shoes now than I ever have. Seven pairs.

What were you surprised by?

Profile: Dad

So, I interviewed Dad for an assignment for one of my classes. I was supposed to interview someone in the profession that I plan on entering, so interviewing the man that inspired me to be a writer was the best fit. It was interesting and fun, but there were things I didn't know. I thought I'd share them.

• Dad got his first job as a tech writer before he had even completed his Bachelor's degree. It was only by about two months, but the man at Burrows was so impressed that not having a degree wasn't enough of a setback.
• Part of the reason Dad was so impressive was that he had worked with computers, which made him like a sort of wizard. Seriously, this is the era of punch card programming, so the fact that he was excited to work with computers made him a desirable employee.
• In college, he produced a pamphlet on improving one's interviewing skills and tried to market it to nearby employment agencies (sadly, no one was interested).
• While the writing was fun, the deadlines weren't. He didn't say this, but I got the impression that since he was recognized as a skilled writer (even won awards for the work that he produced), he was given more work.
• His past work as a tech writer has uniquely prepared him for language pathology (he understands language, he knows how to draw information out of someone, he knows how to use words or illustrations to his best advantage, he understands the importance of the order in which to present information, etc.).
• As a technical writer, he never got credit for what he wrote (I've got to admit, I took that one hard. I should have realized that that was the case, but it was humbling. You have to work hard and make something as clear as possible and in the end, the only thing it says is the company's name).
• He compared technical writers to artisans and creative writers to artists. In that sense, it can be art, but it has to be useful first.

So, those are some things that I didn't know about (but probably should have) about the single person who has had the biggest impact on my own writing and communication style (Allison said that Dad and I speak in the same rhythm). Did anybody else learns something here?

Testing, 123.

I have three tests this week, so no real post today (this one is totally fake and I will deny its existence).

Spanish, too.

Allison and I only have one class together this Fall and it's Spanish II. We've both taken Spanish I twice (once solo, once together), so it is nice to at least appear to be nearing our conclusion with the language. However, our teacher likes to focus on topics outside learning the language of Spanish.

For example, we spent the entire class period yesterday talking about the United States' relationship with Cuba. This involved a brief discussion on immigration and wow are people ignorant about immigration. I thought it was bad in So Cal, but these kids were feeling bad for the Cubans, who get automatic amnesty. What about the Guatemalans who work their entire lives to save enough to pay a coyote to take just their kids up to the US to be dropped off in the middle of the Texan desert? Anyway, Allison and I were annoyed that the other students where looking at the subject of immigration as if it were so simple.

What's my point? We were having the discussion in English. How does it help me better understand and speak Spanish if we have a discussion on Cuba/US relations in English? And today, the last ten minutes were spent, I kid you not, naming famous Hispanic athletes. In English.

I want my money back.

OSU must answer for its sins.

There was a Football game last night (in Stillwater, the game of American Football is capitalized). This meant that students (who pay for parking passes), faculty, and staff were not allowed to park on campus after 1pm. My last class on Thursday doesn't even start until 2pm, so class was canceled.

Why would OSU make such a stupid stipulation? Because even though it has Boone-Pickins stadium, which is a very impressive and professionally sized stadium, it has no parking for it. At IHOP, which is about a half-mile from the stadium, the manager had to wait outside to shoo away people trying to park directly in front of the restaurant. OSU demands parking and Stillwater kowtows.

Look, I get that Football will always be apart of college life. And it brings in money that is used in other areas of the University, which is good. For the most part, I've just conceded that Football will be a burden from time to time, but it's just there. However, without the University, there wouldn't be any sports. So, how does it make any sense to have Football at a time that it requires the cancellation of classes (one of Allison's classes was canceled even though it was much earlier in the day to simply avoid the problem altogether)?

On an unrelated note, prescription drug abuse in Oklahoma has more than double in the last 5 years.

Video Update (Feb. 22 - 28)

The fanciness continues . . .

I swear I'm still here.

Isn't it interesting how both this semester and last semester, as soon as I put in my proposed schedule for updating the blog, I become too busy to update at all? I suppose that's irony for you.

Any-whey, I do want to thank those of you that went to the trouble of reading and then commenting on the post with my story. It's always nice to know that as a writer you get your point across.

And that's my point. I'm taking my first of three classes with Technical Writing in the name. Since that's what I want to do, I should be enjoying it. And I am. But I also really liked writing my little shoe story. It was short, fun, and I got to make a point. I chose the topic and length (it had to be 500 words for the assignment, but it's well over that).

I guess what I'm saying is that I liked the challenge of writing something fictional. I'm not sure when I'll be able to write fiction, if I write professionally (as Dad warned me about). And, as it is, I wouldn't have written that short story if wasn't for class. I'm going to try to write another short story during the course of this semester. Just for fun. I want to see if I can do it, when it isn't an assignment. I may never get to it and that's okay too (there are a lot of assignments this semester). Anyone want to see a particular topic or genre?

Video Update

Shoes

I don't feel like writing right now, but I do want to have a second post this week so I'm posting a short story I wrote for my Advanced Comp class last semester. I like it and thought it was cute so I'm posting it here. It may seem long, but that's just because the column is so narrow. Enjoy.

Shoes: a Secret Life

“Right,” the Left Shoe whispered through her laces. “You awake?”

“Hmm?” replied the Right Shoe. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m up. What’s going on?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess I’m just thinking about how things have changed.”

“What do you mean?” Right yawned.

“I mean, I started out in China with all of my sisters. I can still remember coming off the press, not knowing what the world would hold. Then, you and I were married and wrapped up tight and put in the box for the honeymoon. Now, we’re here in Oklahoma and it seems like all we do is either sit in the closet or get shoved on the Owner’s feet. It’s like we’re slaves.”

The Right Shoe shrugged (not easy for an immobile object). “Well, yes, we’re a couple, but it’s not like we had a ceremony.”

“The inspector paired us together and signed the marriage certificate.”

“That was a certificate of inspection. Anyway, our ‘honeymoon’ was just the trip over to the United States. And we’re here because we are incapable of independent movement.”

The Left Shoe looked dejected (which is much easier than shrugging). “Well, I liked our honeymoon.”

“I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy that time we had alone before being taken to the store, but that was a long time ago. Besides, we’re a pair of shoes for the Owner and we serve him. And what did you mean ‘we’re like slaves’?”

“Well, I don’t feel very well cared for by the owner,” said the Right Shoe.

“But,” said Mr. Shoe, “you said you were thinking about what’s changed. We’re treated just as well as when we were brand new.”

“I know, but some of the other shoes are treated better.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the Dress Shoes get shined and I heard that the casual shoes got mud wiped off of them. We’ve had mud on us without the Owner cleaning us off,” she said with some indignation. “And He didn’t even put us in the closet today.”

“Well, no He hasn’t. Not yet, anyway. Wait a minute, where’s all of this coming from anyway. We’re treated well enough and now you want to be cleaned and polished? Is something the matter?”

“You know Sgt. Combat-Boot that shares the closet with us?”

“Yes, of course,” said the Right Shoe. “He and his wife were in the armed forces together but they’re retired now.”

“Well, I’ve been talking to him lately.”

“When? I’m always with you.”

“It was last week, when the Owner just threw us in the closet and you were over by the Thongs.”

“They go by the name ‘Flip-Flops’ now. ‘Thong’ is … well, it’s inappropriate.”

“Really? Well, when you were catching up with the … ‘Flip-Flops’” she said deliberately, “I got to know Sgt. Combat-Boot and his wife better. He says that they used to be owned by someone else and that the Owner bought him used.”

“Used, huh? I had a feeling they were a bit weird.”

“No, not weird,” Left said firmly, “just different. They said that they used to get polished all the time and their old Owner would wear them all the time. But one day, He just gave them up and took them to a second-hand store.”

“Well …” Mr. Shoe began, but sounded less confident this time. “We’ve heard about other Owners. The Flip-Flops have been worn by the Owner’s Wife.”

“Yes, but that’s different. Being lent out is one thing, but the Combat-Boots were abandoned. They had done their best to serve their Owner and he just gives them up. How do we know that our Owner won’t do that?”

“I guess we don’t. That’s the whole point though. We were created to serve Him with all our soles, but we don’t know if it’s enough. We just do our best and hope.”

“I still don’t know. The world made sense before, but now I’m confused.”

“It’s tough sometimes,” Right said, “but we just have to work hard and believe.”

The door to the bedroom opened and the Owner emerged. He walked over and picked up the Shoes and went back into the bedroom. There, he opened the closet door and gently placed the Shoes in their spot between the Casual Shoes and the Flip-Flops. He closed his door.

“See?” Right said brightly. “He did remember us.”

“Maybe,” Left said cautiously optimistic. “Maybe He does care.”

“Of course he does. Besides, he’s been wearing us the most lately.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. I’m probably just being silly. Still, I’m glad we talked about this.”

“Me, too. Sometimes, you need to question what you believe to realize you know it’s true. Good night,” said Mr. Shoe.

“Good night,” said Mrs. Shoe.

New Semester, New Goals

Well, here we are on the first day of a brand new semester. I feel I may be over doing with taking 14 hours of classes and working 45+ hours a week. I'm already exhausted and it's only the first day; last semester I didn't get exhausted until at least the third week.

Good news, though. Because I'm working so much, money's not so tight. I'm busy, but soon the wife and I will be eating caviar and lobster for every meal.

Speaking of the wife, Allison is taking 14 hours as well. She's in her last class of the day as I type this post.

Anyway, you may be wondering why I put "New Goals" as part of the title. I want to post more often. I'm not sure how often yet, but more than simply the Sunday update video. I'll have to gauge the work load before I make a decision, but I do think it's important to do a text based update. I have a knack for writing and I should use it for more than just my assignments.

Here's to the future, where I'll update at least a couple times a week.

Video Update (Nov. 16-22)

Professor Baby.

So, I know that at 26 I'm pretty old to still be working on my bachelor's degree. I'm okay with this fact for a few reasons. It's never too late to finish your education, but really: I took off a year to work, two years for my mission, then I had trouble with school (y'know, failing it) and didn't get properly on with my schooling for an additional two years. That's five years accounted for and while I would do things differently given the chance, I'm okay with where I am and happy to be moving forward.

Why am I going on about age? I just found out that my Government teacher is younger than me. And Allison. And Paige, even. He's 22. He was talking about 9/11 on the eight year anniversary we just had and mentioned that he could still remember when it happen when he was a freshman in high school. I chatted with him for a minute today and mentioned that this was the first time that I've ever had a professor younger than me. He asked how old I was and when I told him, he responded with, "Wow" (like I'm so old!). Anyway, he said when his birthday was, in what I think was an attempt to reassure me that it was okay because his birthday's later in the year. Well, I'm not reassured.

Allison thinks that he must know someone at the school to be able to be a teacher so soon. I'm inclined to agree. I mean, I guess good for him for making it to this point in his life so quickly, but it's just really weird. Normally, freshman or sophomores take American Government, so there's a good bet that he's a least somewhat older than most students; I'm a fluke because I'm a transferred junior, who normally wouldn't take the class.

To help you visualize, here's a pretty good likeness of Mr. Cunningham.

I hate football.

Let me clarify: I hate what football does to people. I am not kidding when I say that Stillwater basically shuts down on game day. Allison couldn't even park at the library last week because the parking lot was set aside for game parking. This morning, the local grocery store was allowing customers to park for only one hour ... unless they had a ticket to the game. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! On a game day, everyone walks where ever they want, crossing in front of cars even when they are moving. I usually simply say that I don't care for football, but for now, I hate it.

School Daze.

Hey, so, I'm still here. School's been somewhat tough, but not so bad that I can't take a few minutes to post something. You may not have noticed, but I've decided to have a 3-times-a-week schedule. It's something that may completely fall apart next week, but it's something that I'm trying to stick to for now.

School is going well for me (at least the first week). I have American Government first on the MWF circuit. My teacher is young (he looks about my age) and I think this is only his second semester teaching, based on a few things that he's said. He also likes to show off his vocabulary when defining words for the class, which I feel defeats the whole point of defining the word.

Next is Spanish. I'm doing great so far. This is the only class that I have that meets every weekday, so I'm exposed to it a lot more often. Of course I've had plenty of exposure to it growing up, so I've only learned a few new things compared to other students who this is completely new to.

Then I have English Grammar. Nothing too bad, yet but I've only had one assignment (and thanks to everyone who helped with that!) We'll see how things go as the semester continues. Did you know that for a long time, double negatives were totally acceptable? And English was spelled Englych? I didn't.

Finally, I have my only class on the TR circuit: Advanced Composition. All I know is that I have a lot of writing to do. A lot. It's going to be time consuming, but hopefully fun.

Anyway, hay catorce horas en escuela. I think.