Ben & Shae Cecka's family in Gilbert, AZ

I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond!

I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive.

Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, ridin the wave, dodgin the bullet and pushin the envelope. I’m on-point, on-task, on-message and off drugs. I’ve got no need for coke and speed. I’ve got no urge to binge and purge. I’m in-the-moment, on-the-edge, over-the-top and under-the-radar. A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistic missionary. A street-wise smart bomb. A top-gun bottom feeder. I wear power ties, I tell power lies, I take power naps and run victory laps. I’m a totally ongoing big-foot, slam-dunk, rainmaker with a pro-active outreach. A raging workaholic. A working rageaholic. Out of rehab and in denial!

I’ve got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant and a personal agenda. You can’t shut me up. You can’t dumb me down because I’m tireless and I’m wireless, I’m an alpha male on beta-blockers.

I’m a non-believer and an over-achiever, laid-back but fashion-forward. Up-front, down-home, low-rent, high-maintenance. Super-sized, long-lasting, high-definition, fast-acting, oven-ready and built-to-last! I’m a hands-on, foot-loose, knee-jerk head case pretty maturely post-traumatic and I’ve got a love-child that sends me hate mail.

But, I’m feeling, I’m caring, I’m healing, I’m sharing– a supportive, bonding, nurturing primary care-giver. My output is down, but my income is up. I took a short position on the long bond and my revenue stream has its own cash-flow. I read junk mail, I eat junk food, I buy junk bonds and I watch trash sports! I’m gender specific, capital intensive, user-friendly and lactose intolerant.

I like rough sex. I like tough love. I use the “F” word in my emails and the software on my hard-drive is hardcore–no soft porn.

I bought a microwave at a mini-mall; I bought a mini-van at a mega-store. I eat fast-food in the slow lane. I’m toll-free, bite-sized, ready-to-wear and I come in all sizes. A fully-equipped, factory-authorized, hospital-tested, clinically-proven, scientifically- formulated medical miracle. I’ve been pre-wash, pre-cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged, post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped, vacuum-packed and, I have an unlimited broadband capacity.

I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal. Lean and mean! Cocked, locked and ready-to-rock. Rough, tough and hard to bluff. I take it slow, I go with the flow, I ride with the tide. I’ve got glide in my stride. Drivin and movin, sailin and spinin, jiving and groovin, wailin and winnin. I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep the pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party hearty and lunch time is crunch time. I’m hangin in, there ain’t no doubt and I’m hangin tough, over and out!

It’s a very sad week. My debate partner, Nik, and I gave our last fight at a tournament last weekend. We had an awesome year though, making it into elimination rounds nearly every single tournament we competed at. I feel good, even though we didn’t win, because we put up great arguments, had tons of fun, and ended up holding the top 3 strongest records with only a single loss in preliminary rounds. Plus, the team that actually did take the trophy home… yeah… we beat them in prelims. So no hard feelings.

Beyond that I’m also very excited about new beginnings with my debate career as a coach for the team next year. So, although I won’t be taking the class for credit any longer, in the words of Mark Twain:

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

I was looking forward to this history class for some time now; above and beyond just looking forward to learning about cultural origins in general. I had no idea what to prepare for. So far we’re taking a general “survey” approach to 17^th century through early 20^th civilizations around the world. Specifically, European industrialization and expansions throughout America and Africa. For the time being anyway. This class is moving well outside the realms of Europe and into various tribes and factions in Africa itself, the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire, and who knows what else (well the syllabus I suppose). At any rate, this evening in class I was moved to near tears… but not over anything in particular. Just the fact that I felt so enormously privileged to sit amongst my friends and discuss (the style of our professor is to teach through pure discussion) events that shape our lives today. It awes me to have the ability to talk about events and lives that took place centuries ago, and to find true parallels that exist in the way we conduct ourselves today. Learning is the greatest gift that we can receive and give in return.