I've often thought of becoming a foreign correspondent/journalist, for my love of the world, my sense of adventure. My trouble perhaps, or my strength, depending on who would or would not hire me, would be that I would become involved with my subject. I would be in the trenches. I would "Deal with dying" which is exactly what Dylan advises us not to do in his song "To Ramona", although he "cannot explain that in rhyme." I know that, regardless of what he says, I would make some attempt to make sense of it. That no, I would not try to make "rhyme" of it: not that.

Just a few weeks ago I had another amazing experience on this journey of ours together through life. This time, it was in front of a high school classroom. And once again, Bob Dylan found his way into the picture. Many of you who know me may recall that about a year ago I left a lucrative life of spinning out new high tech products and building and fixing emerging companies for a role as a public school teacher, learning first hand as an educator in our stressed urban schools the virtues and shortcomings of our educational system.