Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

Today is the 17th anniversary of the first World Trade Center bombing on February 26th, 1993. That day I was working at my company's Wall Street offices and then went back to my main office in Queens. I took the subway train from the WTC to Queens a half hour before the bombing.

The Difference - The Wallflowers

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A pupil once came to his spiritual teacher and said, "I don't believe in God." The teacher replied, "You will believe in God when you see him. Have you really looked?" The pupil blushed, taking this as criticism. "I have looked very hard, sir. I pray for God to answer me. I look for signs that He loves me. Nothing works. God might as well not exist." The teacher shook his head. "You think God is invisible, so no wonder you don't see Him. The creator is in His creation. Go into nature. Appreciate the trees, the mountains, the green meadows. Look with total love and appreciation, not superficially. At a certain point God will notice that you love His creation. Like an artist who sees someone admiring his painting, God will want to meet you. Then He will come to you, and once you see Him, you will believe."

You can take this story as a parable or as the literal truth. As a parable, the story says that looking with love and appreciaion brings out the subtle levels of nature - including your own nature - and as your perception becomes finer, the sacred level of life reveals itself. At that point you only have to believe in what you've personally experienced. But it's also worthwhile to take the story literally. Gaze at anything you love, whether a beloved person, a rose, or a work of art, and you will see God in it. This is inevitable because there are no things outside yourself, and when you learn to gaze below the surface, you will see your own awareness. And your belief system will shift accordingly, because you have found that believing in yourself is all that you need.

- Deepak Chopra
Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul

Mike Scott of the Waterboys performs this live for some schoolchildren. Awesome video.

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This is a pretty song.

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If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden
That's bursting into life

Youtube - Video

A very good song.

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andrew777 left room.]
QuizBot: Ending the game...
QuizBot: Rankings:
QuizBot: 1. sam!! (69) 2. bobbie (35) 3. andrew777 (22) 4. heartofgold (22)
QuizBot: 5. stunningsteve (19) 6. electric. (18) 7. ooops (10) 8. globetrotter40 (8)
QuizBot: 9. sofia.. (7) 10. pianistdreamer (5) 11. crazy3 (5) 12. bigmom (3)
QuizBot: 13. walker (1)
sam!!: gg all
heartofgold: wd everyone
redmOOn: wd sam!!
crazy3: sam!!: perfect 69
redmOOn: wd bobbie
redmOOn: wd heartofgold w
sam!!: woo
redmOOn: wd StunningSteve
redmOOn: wd electric.
heartofgold: thanks redmOOn u2
bobbie: ty dw
crazy3: wd sam!! bobbie StunningSteve redmOOn
electric.: thx red u 2
heartofgold waves farewell.
sam!!: ty
bobbie: ty dw
[heartofgold left room.]
redmOOn: lol tys
sam!!: byes
[globetrotter40 left room.]
crazy3: wd electric.

or to sing to someone....

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For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

I think I'm in love with Nelly Furtado.

Youtube - Video

It's easy to find reasons to become offended by people or circumstances. If you do, just do your best to let it go. Being offended is a "blessings blocker". By not being offended you'll ultimately end up happier and blessed.

This is one of my favorite Stones songs and this is a great live version with Dave Matthews. The Memory Motel is an actual place that I have seen in Montauk, Long Island.

Memory Motel - Rolling Stones with Dave Matthews

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"Hello Dolly!"

1. Have something to do.

2. Have something to hope for.

3. Have someone or something to love.

I don't think there is a single thing phony about Alanis. And she doesn't look bad nude in this video.

Thank You - Alanis Morissette

Youtube - Video

I went to graduate school at night, at Hofstra University on Long Island. I was taking a marketing class and became friends with the girl sitting next to me. We got along very well, and laughed at the same things. Then one night we were walking out of class and it was pretty late, around 11PM. We were really hitting it off at this point and just as were lingering in the night, it started raining. Neither of us had an umbrella. Rather than running for our cars, we ducked under a doorway but really got little shelter. The rain was drenching us but we just stayed there under that door for the longest time, getting soaked. It was like we were the only 2 people on campus and loving every minute of it. It was a great moment. The next class, she invited me to go to her apartment to "study".

This experience reminds me of this video of the psychedelic furs singing as it rains.

Heaven - Psychedelic Furs

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I am not a big Grateful Dead fan but this is one great song.

Uncle John's Band - The Grateful Dead

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I was happy to get this email from a prince. I guess my picture got him interested, I do have that effect on the rich and famous.

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa Kingdom of Bahrain

I am seeking for a reliable and trust worthy business partner for my
client life time investment abroad in Real Estate Depending on your
business plan, proposals and professionalism,all profitable business
with assurance that the security of the funds will be there with ROI
of at least 10% per annum

TRUST IS MY WATCHWORD.I look forward to your early reply via EMAIL
Note that a fully signed and stamped Memorandum of Understanding with
Probate of Seal will be initiated in this business venture to aid this
transaction between the both Parties

1. Your Complete Full Names.
2. Your Residential Address.
3. Your age and Occupation
4. Your Phone and Fax Numbers for Easy and Faster Communication.

May Allah bless you
Barrister Malek Kteishat
Reply Email  

I'm Gonna Get You - Bizarre Inc. featuring Angie Brown

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This is the video of the song that my friend Claudia did in the 80s. She was the girl I put a picture link to in the entry below about a punk rock girl. This song got a lot of airplay here in New York and also in dance clubs where it was a pretty big hit. I think it was the indie dance hit of the year it came out. This song is also in the movie "Grosse Point Blank".

Claudia was my friend more than anything else. We had a strong kind of relationship where we would exchange what I call "random kisses", like when you are hanging out and just turn to each other and give a kiss on her cheek, her arm, her lips. And then go back to talking about whatever. Kind of like a friend with benefits who you enjoyed spending every minute with. Before I knew she had been in the music business, I used to sing to her and she didn't laugh at that, but did laugh at my dumb jokes. Can't ask for much more than that.

Claudia is not the girl in the video, but the female voice is her.

Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight - Dominatrix

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xs6sb_dominatrix-dominatrix-sleeps-tonigh_music

Lovefool - The Cardigans

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My Back Pages - The Byrds

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This is the song that makes me think of the one girlfriend I had that I believe loved me the most and treated me the best. It was on the radio when our relationship was just beginning. I had met her on November 3, 1998, and four days later she told me she loved me. And she did, and I loved her. She was Dominican, beautiful, sexy, loving, and she was mine. This song is for her:

Every Morning - Sugar Ray

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That is the first line from this song I posted the other day. It has got so many great lyrics and an incredible hook.

"Up jumped the U.S. representative, he's the one with the tired eyes."

Nick Lowe - So It Goes

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This is one of my favorite songs from the 1960s. In the 90s they did a free concert at the World Trade Center plaza. After they performed, I went up to the guys as they were signing autographs. Two of the guys were original members of the band in this video. They were cool and I chatted with them for about 10 minutes. Here is their great song:

Kind of a Drag - The Buckinghams

The Buckinghams - Kind Of A Drag

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Wow I have now been registered here for a full year after being unregged for many years before. I didn't plan to blog nearly this much but it is better than seeing a shrink. And I have to confess that every entry, no matter how unusual it may seem, is true. Not even the names have been changed. I don't have that weird of an imagination to make up stuff like this. :)

I submitted a picture of myself for my profile. I hope I don't regret it. I hope I don't get a lot of laughing behind my back. Oh well, I guess I will have to deal with it. :)

Thinking about Valentine's Day I had to think once more of the punk rock girl who I used to hold in my arms until she fell asleep. I know I talk about her too much on this blog but I can't help it. :)

Here is a picture of her when she was about 19 I guess. (I knew her years later.) I must say I love this picture.

http://www.jamesstark.com/punk/people/pages/claudia301.htm

This is a great song I rediscovered and I can't stop playing it. It's got a great hook and energy.

So It Goes - Nick Lowe

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Elusive Butterfly - Bob Lind

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THE LAW OF RECIPROCITY
Give and it will be given to you. This principle will not fail. We simply must begin to execute it - individuals, families, companies, nations. Imagine what are times would be like if we treated others the way we wanted to be treated.

THE LAW OF USE
Take what you already have and put it to use. Don't wait until you have everything you want. Use what you have. Multiply it exponentially, consistently, persistently. The wonders of the world will explode into fullness.

THE LAW OF PERSEVERENCE
Do not give up. Persevere. Endure. Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. The world will keep on responding.

THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY
Be diligent to fulfill the responsibility required of you. If God and man have entrusted talent, possessions, money, or fame to you, they expect a certain level of performance. Don't let them down. If you do, you may lose everything.

THE LAW OF GREATNESS
Resist society's inducements to success and greatness and dare to become a servant, even childlike. True leadership and greatness will follow. The one who serves will become the leader.

THE LAW OF UNITY
Reject the dissension and negativism of the world. Choose harmony and unity at every level of life - unity centered on the will of God. Mankind flowing in unity will accomplish marvelous results in all endeavors.

THE LAW OF MIRACLES
Be humble enough, yet bold enough, to expect and to do miracles fulfilling the purpose of the Lord. Once and for all, become aware of the power of your speech as you walk humbly and obediently. Most importantly, grasp and exercise the significance of the principle of forgiveness.

THE LAW OF DOMINION
As a follower of the Son of God, assume the authority, power, and dominion that God intends for men to exercise over the rest of creation. Recapture that which prevailed in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. Move with power and authority.

Obviously, there are additional laws of the kingdom that the Lord wants us to learn, and He will reveal them if we seek Him. But we can, and should - indeed, we must - begin to adhere to those that are now plain before us.

- Pat Robertson
The Secret Kingdom

Advice For The Young At Heart - Tears for Fears

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Advice for the young at heart
Soon we will be older
When we gonna make it work ?

Too many people living in a secret world
While they play mothers and fathers
We play little boys and girls
When we gonna make it work ?

I could be happy
I could be quite naive
It's only me and my shadows
Happy in our make believe

Soon...
And with the hounds at bay
I'll call your bluff
Cos it would be okay
To walk on tiptoes everyday

And when I think of you and all the love that's due
I'll make a promise, I'll make a stand
Cos to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise
We've got the whole wide world in our hands

Advice for the young at heart
Soon we will be older
When we gonna make it work ?

Love is promise
Love is a souvenir
Once given
Never forgotten, never let it disappear
This could be our last chance
When we gonna make it work ?

Working hour is over
And how it makes me weep
Cos someone sent my soul to sleep
And when I think of you and all the love that's due
I'll make a promise, I'll make a stand

Cos to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise
We've got the whole wide world in our hands
Advice for the young at heart
Soon we will be older
When we gonna make it work ?

Working hour is over
We can do anyhting that we want
Anything that we feel like doing
Advice...

I Saw The Light - Todd Rundgren

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Here is a great song from 1997:

Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

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He sings the songs that remind him of the good times
he sings the songs that remind him of the better times

Regardless of whether you are in love with anyone this upcoming Valentine's Day, try this for one day. Everyone you meet that day try to find one thing you could love about them, or at least like about them. Male or female, it doesn't matter. Try to find one good thing, for one day. You can go back to your normal thoughts about everyone the next day, if you choose. But give it a try for one day. :)

Her name was Nora, and I knew her for a year or two in the 90s. She was probaby around 23 I think, and well I was old enough to be, uh her older brother. She wasn't a love interest of mine. more like a buddy. That is a buddy who you have kissed. Nora was a little like a tomboy, but she had one of the prettiest faces I have ever seen. We became friends, as sometimes unlikely relationships do happen.

I used to talk to her a lot and she liked listening to my advice. She was one of those persons who showed genuine excitement every time she saw me. You don't get that from everyone. One time I had a dream which Nora was part of and I told her. She acted a bit weird after hearing this. Then as sometimes happens with people you have a connection to, the very next time I saw her she was excited and said "Sam, I had a dream about you!"

Nor was a single mother and the father was still in her life. One day she was a bit upset about something and finally told me that she was pregnant by the guy. She spent an hour or so telling me about her situation, and she cried as she told me. I am not sure why. I didn't have any love interest in her so the news didn't bother me but maybe she just needed an understanding ear to listen to her story. I told her that when she had the baby I would give her a gift. Then when I saw her after the baby was born I gave her a brand new $100 bill. She was thrilled and I don't think it was just because of the amount.

Well people come and go in your life, and I lost contact with her. But I will always treasure the times we talked openly and honestly like you only do with a few people. One final thing, I used to buy her Reese's Pieces. She loved them.

If you look for beauty, you will find it.

Thing of Beauty - Hothouse Flowers

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I am certain of this as of anything in my life: If you are in financial trouble, the smartest thing you can do is to start giving money away. Give tithes and offerings to the Lord. Give time. Give love. That sounds crazy. But we have seen how the plan of God is filled with paradox. If you need money, then begin to give away some of whatever you have. Your return, poured into your lap, will be great, pressed down and running over.

- Pat Robertson
The Secret Kingdom

I have been online before the internet. I signed up for the online service Prodigy in 1990. In August 1994, someone emailed me on Prodigy in response to something I posted on one of their message boards. Her name is Denise, and we have never me although we have spoken on the phone a few times. But almost 16 years later we still email each other. There have been times where we didn't write for months, or even maybe a year or so. But when we do it's like we have never stopped. It's very special to know someone over all those years and all the changes you have been through. And to know someone in a way where you can open up about things you don't tell other people. Like I tell things in the blog that I haven't told anyone else, ever. It's interesting that I have such a longterm email pal since I just about never try to make email friends.

And it is appropriately named -

Tuesday Morning - The Pogues

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Too many sad days
Too many Tuesday mornings
I thought of you today
I wished it was yesterday morning
I thought of you today
And I dreamt you were dressed in mourning

But I knew that you
With your heart beating
And your eyes shining
Would be dreaming of me
Lying with you
On a Tuesday morning

I fell through the window
And I found that I was still breathing
I thought of tomorrow
And the fear that you might leave me
I thought of tomorrow
And I wished it was Monday evening

But I knew that you
With your heart beating
And your eyes shining
Would be dreaming of me
Lying with you
On a Tuesday morning

Turn your face from me
I will cover myself with sorrow
Bring Hell down upon me
I will surrender my heart to sorrow
Bring Hell down upon me
And I will say goodbye tomorrow

'Cause I know that you
With your heart beating
And your eyes shining
Would be dreaming of me
Lying with you
On a Tuesday morning

Yeah, I know that you
With your heart beating
And your eyes shining
Would be dreaming of me
Lying with you
On a Tuesday morning

I have to say that the Super Bowl was a really great one. I had no particular rooting interest for the Saints but it was getting a little much with all the talk about Peyton Manning being the greatest quarterback of all time. Peyton gets this hang-dog face when things aren't going well, like when the Saints were driving but still down 17-13 I think. Peyton now has a 9-9 record in the post season. Maybe we can calm down a bit about him being the greatest quarterback of all time. Drew Brees was the star of this game.

This is one of my ALL-TIME favorite songs. And the lead singer of the group just thanked me for my comments on youtube. How great is that??????????????

Life is good.

The Monroes - What Do All The People Know

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If you believe there can be magic in music, this is a song that I found magic in. It's a tune written and performed by Roger McGuinn of the Byrds called Chestnut Mare. It's poetry and I can't explain it in words. But it is magical for me. Some years ago I had the good fortune of meeting Roger McGuinn at a signing/performance at a record store. I told Roger how much I love this song and how magical it is. He was very humble and gracious. It was a great moment.

This week's Time magazine has an interview with the singer Rickie Lee Jones, who I also like. This is what she says in the interview: "Lately, I've been listening to 'Chestnut Mare', a beautiful Byrds tune from 1970. It's a tall tale about a horse that got away, and its innocence and joy makes me feel as if things are O.K. I used to dream of catching a wild stallion to myself, so I can relate."

The Byrds - Chestnut Mare

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I'm going to catch that horse if I can.

Two prime ministers are sitting in a room discussing affairs of state. Suddenly a man bursts in, apoplectic with fury, shouting and stamping his fist on the desk. The resident prime minister admonishes him: "Peter", he says, "kindly remember Rule Number 6", whereupon Peter is instantly restored to complete calm, apologizes, and withdraws.

The politicians return to their conversation only to be interrupted yet again twenty minutes later by a hysterical woman gesticulating wildly, her hair flying. Again the intruder is greeted with the words: "Marie, please remember Rule Number 6". Complete calm descends once more, and she too withdraws with a bow and an apology. When the scene is repeated for a third time, the visiting prime minister addresses his colleague: "My dear friend, I've seen many things in my life, but never anything as remarkable as this. Would you be willing to share with me the secret of Rule Number 6?" "Very simple", replies the resident prime minister. "Rule Number 6 is 'Don't take yourself so damn seriously.'" "Ah", says his visitor, "that is a fine rule". After a moment of pondering, he inquires, "And what, may I ask, are the other rules?"

"There aren't any", he replies.

This was one of the most memorable songs of the 90s and maybe all time. The lead singer of OMC, Pauly Fuemana passed away on January 31. RIP

OMC - How Bizarre

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I have.

I Am A Rock - Simon and Garfunkel

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A winter's day-
in a deep and dark December
I am alone-
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
I am a rock, I am an island.

I've built walls,
A fortress deep and mity
That none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship
friendship causes pain
It's laughter and loving I disdain
I am a rock, I am an island

Don't talk of love
but I've heard the word before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber of the feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried
I am a rock, I am an island

I have my books
and my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armour
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,
I touch no one and no one touches me.

I am a rock, I am an island
And a rock feels no pain, and an island never cries.

"Just Kids" is a new book by the punk rock artist Patti Smith. It deals with her early friendship with the controversial photographer Robert Maaplethorpe. It turns out that I knew Maaplethorpe's father Harry, who was the head usher in my church. I didn't know Harry that well, but he used to ask me to help out in the mass like bringing the gifts to the altar. I didn't know Harry was Maaplethorpe's father until after Harry passed away in 2002 and the priest mentioned it. It's kind of interesting that Robert Maaplethorpe's work could sometimes be considered sacriligeous, while his father was about the most devout Catholic you could ever meet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/books/18book.html

I Love - Tom T. Hall

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You've got to get in agreement with God. God has supernatural favor in store for you. He has supernatural ooportunities, supernatural healing, supernatural restoration. God wants to do unusual things in your life. You need to have expectations deep down inside, an excitement in your spirit.

This will not be an average year. It will not be a mediocre year. It will be a supernatural year - a year when you see your dreams come to pass, a year when you discover hidden talents, a year when you get stronger and healthier. It will be a year when we look back and say, "Wow! God outdid himeslf this year."

When you here this truth, when God tries to plant a new seed of promise in your heart, there are three words you need to respond with. Don't complicate it. Don't try to figure out all the reasons why it will not happen for you. No, just three simple words: "Lord, I believe."

You may be sick, but God says you will be well. "Lord, I believe."

You may be in debt, but God says, "You're coming out. You're coming into overflow. You will lend and not borrow." "Lord, I believe."

The economy may be down, but God says, "You will see supernatural increase, supernatural promotion, explosive blessings."

You may say, Well I think you've got the wrong message. I don't see how I could be blessed this year."

Zip that up. Get into agreement with God. Let the seed take root. God is saying, "This is your year for far-and-beyond favor. This is your year to see the fulfillment of your dreams. It's your year for supernatural opportunities."

You may not see how it could happen, but that's okay. God has a thousand different ways to bring your dreams to pass. We think natural. God thinks supernatural. The medical report may not look good, but understand, God is not limited by the laws of medicine. His power supercedes natural laws.

God can make you seem bigger than you really are. He can make you look more powerful. He knows how to multiply your influence, multiply your strength, multiply your talent, multiply your income.

You don't have to figure all this out. All you have to do is believe. If you will release your faith for a supernatural year - get up each day expecting God's far-and-beyond favor - then you will see God show up and do amazing things in your life.

And it's my prayer that you will get a revelation of how much your Heavenly Father is longing to be good to you. He even wants to give you the secret dreams of your heart. If you'll go out each day expecting to have a supernatural year believing for supernatural favor, then you will see God show up in amazing ways.

- Joel Osteen
It's Your Time

This is one of the strangest things I have experienced. Back in graduate school I was taking a finance or economics class I am not sure anymore but I remember my last time in that class. We were given a weekly quiz and the professor said something like only the last 10 chapters in the textbook would be on the test, and nothing from the chapters before that. Well we get the test and there is stuff on it that I didn't know at all even though I had studied pretty hard.

So the next class we get the quiz back and I got a few things wrong. I looked up one of them in the text and the topic was definitely from the chapters the professor had said would NOT be on the quiz. I assumed the professor had made an innocent mistake, so when he asked if anyone had any questions on the quiz, I raised my hand. I said I think there was a mistake because there were questions from the chapters that were not supposed to be on the quiz. Looking back I guess I should have asked him privately but I actually thought it was just an oversight on his part. Well the professor freaked out, and I mean FREAKED OUT. He utterly blasted me for what seemed like 5 minutes telling me how immature I was. I don't know how he could find ways to blast me for several minutes, but he did so. He lectured me on how I would never get far in the business world unless I matured, stuff like that. (At the time I was doing very well in my career and was probably making more money than this professor.) But if you want to imagine what this experience was like, think of what it would be like to be in a room filled with people and the person speaking has decided to publically humiliate you. Well that is what this professor was doing. I wasn't sure how to react. I thought about just walking out of the class. But then I just decided to act like the mature one. He literally was not taking a breath in his diatribe against me. So I said very calmly back to him "thank you for that, I have my answer now". That finally made him come to his senses and he went back to the class material.

I still felt like walking out of the class right then and make a show out of it but I decided not to. Right after the class ended I walked over to the registrar's office and dropped the class. It cost me close to $1,000 in tuition that I couldn't get back but I could have no self-respect in going back to that class after that event.