I left the basement. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I'm working on getting my driver's license. My Driver's Ed instructor presents dull information in rich, engaging religious rhetoric. He is a charismatic pastor who argues that both the laws of the road and God's law must be obeyed with absolute deference. I disagree, but I enjoy listening to a preacher of absolutes, even if they are as artificial as traffic signals and pavement. I find little pleasure in melancholy. I navigate systems, real and virtual, searching for information and individuals.