yesterday, there was a lot to write about. covering all of the questions and ideas from the past two years. and now, my head is an empty drum, reverberating with those lost thoughts as i cast about aimlessly for a way to amplify them.

an added syllable immerges with a mantra from the past, heedlessly transforming the next few years of my life and beyond: school is not over. the insertion of "not" has repercussions that cannot be overstated, considering that at one point in time, the idea of embracing formalized education seemed completely alien. now it seems to be the only idea that makes any sense.

well, not the only idea.

"it's not what you know, it's who you know."

this once seemed to be true. now, though, the axiom lacks context and is thereby left floating among other idealistic naivisms disguised as unassailable truisms. context, then: who you know depends upon what you know. depending on what you know, the worlds of knowledge that are opened to you are populated by networks of individuals; a few key individuals illuminate the navigable paths within those worlds. a person's trajectory toward success or ruin is determined by a combination of preparation and luck.

it's not what you know, it's how you know who you know.

the connection is what matters. if the signal is strong but the connection is weak, communication becomes difficult or even impossible. on the other hand, if the connection is strong, even the faintest echo can have an immeasurable effect.