This is a very bare-bones page whose purpose it is to provide links, and perhaps a bit of context, to some personal essays that I've written at various times.

An enumeration of my motivations for working to get a PhD. Your answers may vary.

A discussion of the underlying hysterical raisins for my decision to transfer from the University of Oregon to the University of California at Irvine, for purposes of working on my PhD in computer science.

A rather long-winded speech that I had intended to give at my joint "Prime Pair" birthday party with Alex West, which served double duty as a farewell bash on the occasion of my departure from Oregon. It failed to jell in time, so here it is instead.

A rant that I wrote in response to the shootings at Thurston High School in Springfield, OR, in May of 1998.