It seemed like whenever I used to get together for family reunions, conversations would always seem like dj vu: "Oh, it's so good to see you!" followed by, "How's school? What are you planning on doing with your life?" I was always at a quandary as to what to say. It's such a loaded question. If I told them what I really wanted to do, there would be a series of interventions. Not for drugs and alcohol, but the kind aimed at artistic people not making money. I had a sneaking suspicion they just wanted to know my college plans. So, I told them, "Oh, I'm going to study music education." I always seemed to get the same reaction: "That's nice. Going to be a teacher like your dad, huh? Anyways, I hope you love teaching, because there's certainly no money in it, is there? Well, you should know"

So, after traveling abroad to Japan, graduating from college, traveling to Brazil, volunteering for several organizations, being in an interracial marriage and having a daughter, it's changed my views on things. I've come up with a NEW list of the ten things that I want to do in my life.

#1: Get my master's degree. I have a bachelor's degree in general music, but it's about as useful as a butthole in my elbow. I want to get my master's in English. Ideally, I would love to teach that freshman writing class that every college student has to take when they enter the university. It's the most useful class students take in college, because the skills you learn is used in every other class for the rest of your college career.

#2: Be a polyglot. Polyglot is a weird word that means you're multilingual. I speak a fair amount of Japanese and some basic Portuguese and Spanish. But eventually, I want to be conversationally fluent in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Dutch, German and Italian. That should pretty much cover me for traveling anywhere in the world.

#3: Publish a book. I have written a reference book on the Japanese language, but I'm having trouble finding a literary agent. I also wrote and illustrated a series of bilingual children's book in English-Japanese (and translated into English-Portuguese). And I'm currently working on another book on a historical figure (I'm keeping it a secret for right now!) Maybe, somehow, someone will give me a chance. I've just got to catch the market at the right time.

#4: Write to my congressman. And my senators, and whoever will listen. I feel rather strongly about universal subsidized

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