Well, as today warms up to a balmy 56 degrees (literally three times warmer than it was a couple of weeks ago) and God starts using Head & Shoulders so that we don't get 8 inches of dandruff every damned morning, I start to think towards summer.  I remember back in elementary and middle school, whenever we were apparently feeling especially masochistic, we'd play Marco Polo.   For those of you who don't know the game, I'm jealous (and also unsure if you had a childhood or access to a pool).  Basically you pick the kid in your group that you all secretly hate the most would be "it."  You'd all be in the pool, and then that poor, unfortunate soul would close his eyes and call out "Marco" and everyone else would yell out "Polo" and the sucker would try to find and tag another player, who would then be it.  This would last about two rounds until everyone started cheating and stopped playing, someone swims into a wall (eyes closed + swimming = idiot), or the lifeguard whistles that it's adult swim (thank God).

Life can be like that (without the giving up part, of course).  It can be an incredibly frustrating journey in which we try to find out what the hell we're supposed to be doing with ourselves while awkwardly trying to find the best match for us academically, socially, professionally, and romantically.  Life is a game that is frustrating as hell when we're not winning but indescribably rewarding when we finally do.

"Hey Jason, we got everything that you wanted in your new car, but could only find one that had a few extras, so it'll be a little more," the salesman tells me, trying to gloss over a $500 upcharge.

"Not my fault, not my problem," I reply.  The salesman pauses for a second and looks at me like I just explained quantum physics.  Since he didn't seem to get it and didn't have the cajones to ask for an explanation, I told him.  "Listen, I told you what needed to happen for you to get the sale.  You couldn't find my car without extras?  Sucks.  I'm paying for what we agreed upon, not more just because you guys have an inventory issue."  I got the car and didn't pay a dime for the "extras" ($75 for a trunk liner?  Seriously?).   Why?  Because we're not responsible for anyone's actions or problems but our own.  Sometimes we try to take on other people's problems, and sometimes they ask us to take theirs on, but it never ends up way that we want to.  We have to learn to step back and say, "Not my fault, not my problem."