I can remember it like it was yesterday. While I was packing up my personal affects, reflecting on my first year of teaching two students stopped by. Cy, whom happens to be a hockey fan, stopped by every Tuesday to watch Hockey with me in my classroom (watching prime time hockey at 1 p.m in Maui feels criminal), and Jun stopped by my classroom to see if they could offer me any help packing up. It was a nice gesture on their behalf considering they didn't have to be there but I think they were disappointed to find that my personal belongings amounted to only a rolled up Steve Yzerman "Commitment" poster (
I have a thing about travelling light) and for whatever reason, a basketball. Folks who know me will find this particularly amusing because I once challenged Stephen Hawkings to one-on-one ... and lost 11-4.
The Hawaiian kids thought I looked like Steve Yzerman. "Ho Mr. is dat you, brah?" is what they would say in their pigeon tongue. I thought this was endearing and the took this in the highest order of compliment because you, me and the worlds population can all agree that "The Captain," is a very handsome man. Anyways, June 9th, 2007 was the last day of my teaching contract. A half-day at that, and in true Hohn fashion, swiftly became a quarter-day. That was the last day I paid into a ridiculous war, the last day I paid for a politicians lavish Hampton's vacation, the last time anyone owned me and I've never felt better ....
The Hawaiian kids thought I looked like Steve Yzerman. "Ho Mr. is dat you, brah?" is what they would say in their pigeon tongue. I thought this was endearing and the took this in the highest order of compliment because you, me and the worlds population can all agree that "The Captain," is a very handsome man. 
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2 comments:
G!
One year of freedom... AWESOME! My freedom lasted... well, 5 and a half months by one count. And those were a GREAT 5.5 months!
As you've mentioned several times before... yes, I do bow to my corporate owners (and yes, I'm the servant). But, the servitude is temporary. I'll be returning to the world of self-employment... perhaps as soon as a year from now. I've been able to save up, and am just now ready to invest back into my freedom. But isn't that how indentured-servitude usually works?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indentured_servant
Most people get stuck in the new life, and are unable to buy their way out. Slavery, in effect, has never really ended. It has been cleaned, washed, and the slaves have protection from several forms of abuse – but the end result is the same, pay the servants as little as possible, work them like dogs, rewards them like dogs, and eventually that wild-eyed, freedom loving dog will no-longer yearn for freedom and play… rather it will become an obedient beast, living off the table scraps, and eventually will be unable to defend itself if put back into the wild.
Ahh, but to survive the servitude, survive the trial of boredom…
I could go on… I’ve developed a list of THE PROVEN MODES OF INCOME that a professor buddy of mine has been proving via his Master’s students. (you know, market forces, etc.).
THE PROVEN MODES OF INCOME
1) Earned* (time for money)
2) Interest* (deposits earn interest)
3) Equity* (do something once, and it continues to pay… such as inventing something, or recording a song)
4) Inherited* (wealth passed from one generation to another)
5) Subsidized* (have someone pay for you… children are subsidized for the first 20-30 years, farmers and oil companies are subsidized, etc.)
6) Theft* (illegal, but a legitimate form of income)
* (or #7) is more of a footnote as it is not a dependable MODE of INCOME…
* LUCK. A meteorite encrusted with diamonds might land in your back yard. A hundred dollar bill might blow in your path. Games of Chance (gambling) – unless professionally played (whence it becomes earned). The reason why you and your buddy both work at the same company at 16 years old, with no experience, pushing carts for the grocery store, and why s/he gets paid $0.25 more per hour.
Here’s a little story on the creation of man:
On the first day, God created the dog and said: 'Sit all day by the door of
your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will
give you a life span of twenty years.'
The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years
and I'll give you back the other ten?'
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said: 'Entertain people, do
tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life
span.'
The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time
to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said: 'You must go into the field
with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give
milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span
of sixty years.'
The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty
years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created man and said: 'Eat, sleep, play, marry and
enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.'
But man said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the
forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog
gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'
'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'
So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy
ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our
family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the
grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark
at everyone.
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G-Man --- KEEP ON ENJOYING RECESS. PLAY TIME is the BEST TIME!
Always remember, "Go to work to make a living." and the little know second side to the saying: (But don't make work your reason for living!)
Glad to see you living it up, buddy!
And all these years I thought my words of wisdom were going in one ear and out the other...
Makes a dad proud.
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