" ... waste of taxes ..."

There's a reason for all of this. I'm sitting in a little box looking at another little box and poking it in particular ways so that it'll move some electrons around (while inflicting this inscrutable lifestyle on others) in a strange city away from my family for a real, valid purpose.

This is real life. This is not a holding cell.

I'm actually training myself to become an actual engineer and/or researcher, a member of society who actually produces something useful or at least interesting.

I have value outside of the fact that there are other people who care about me. I am not, in fact, just a drain on other people's capital.

This has some relevance, this life as a CS student.

*tries to keep a straight face, then bursts out laughing, then screams...*

*screaming dies down to a quiet sob*

(that's a pretty well obscure reference in the subject line -- Lloyd knows...)