It would be best to open this weblog with a quote of the likes from Whitman or Thoreau; to begin with something transcendental, I believe would be quite appropriate for the beginnings of my writing. My name is Philip, I live in New England, and am currently in varied stages of reconstruction. Recently, I have had life-changes, and tectonic shifts often do not allow for absolute continuity (few things indeed do...); I think that this chronicle of my thoughts and the like will allow for further growth. As well, as of course, allowing the world (or the scattered folk who shall read this) an insight to my ideas and thoughts.
What am I today? This is a question I wake up with-- consciously or not-- most mornings. I think that as re-invention sets in, I find myself moving toward a long-ignored passion, returning to philosophy. Of course, like many, many others, I thought myself to once be an intrepid observer of the world around me. If not for the science, than society, or theology, or politics, but at my core as a high schooler, I thought myself a philosopher before all else. Is this move sophomoric? Regression? Returning to an idealized part of my life when responsibilities were few and futures "certain"? I cannot answer these, but I would hope this newer me is a growth rather than a regression.
There was once a formal study of philosophy which I was once a part: As a freshman in college, I was a cocky, self-important ass fresh out of senior year who probably did not take philosophy as seriously as it deserved. An interesting class, of course, but I found to much "fuzziness", which further drove my direction toward hard sciences. Yet, now that the base of hard sciences is gone, what is fuzzy? what is concrete? I have since returned to those which I last read at the turn of the century-- Thoreau and others, as well as the "canonicals", Plato, Aristotle, with plans on revisiting Kafka, Schopenhauer [sic], and others as I have a frimer footing.
No one is to say where this is going, to where I shall lead myself, my thoughts, and most importantly, the life which I share with my wonderful wife.

"I celebrate myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease...observing a spear of summer's grass"