Abby got out of the car and walked to where her father stood. She turned and waved good-bye to Tyler, as if asking him not to hang around. Taking the hint, Tyler got back into his car and drove away. "Well," smiled John, "do you have anything to tell your father?" "How did you know that Tyler proposed?" asked Abby, in astonishment. John hurried his daughter into the house. "Izumi! He did it! Tyler asked Abby to marry him!" cried John, happily. Izumi came into the room with a sober face. "Just wait till I call Terry!" said John, running to the telephone. "You'd better put down the phone, Dear," warned Izumi. "I think you're a little premature." "What do you mean?" asked John, the telephone receiver still in his hand. "Look at her face," advised Izumi. For the first time since she had come home, John took a good look into Abby's face. Her subdued demeanor made his heart fall to his toes. "You didn't accept him, did you?" asked John. "I told Tyler I had to think about it," replied Abby, quietly. John hung up the phone. Izumi walked over to her daughter and lovingly put her arms around her. Seeing his two girls side by side, John had to smile, in spite of his disappointment. They looked so much alike. "Well," he sighed, "at least you didn't turn him down. But, I don't understand, why do you need to think about it?" "Please, Dad," asked Abby, "give me time to think. I need to know my own heart better." Abby turned to go to her room. "Sweetheart," said Izumi, touching Abby's hand, "don't marry him if you don't love him." Prayerfully, Abby went to bed. She remembered the frankness in Tyler's face when he asked her to become his wife. Her heart had skipped a beat, when he had said the words, "I love you." "But," she wondered to herself, "do I love him?" "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts... and lead me." ~ Psalms 139:23, 24 ~ "The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just."

<"Jake reminds me of someone we know," observed Izumi, thoughtfully. "I know, I thought of Terry, also," agreed John. "Though, Terry never had it that bad. Thank God!" "That's because God made the two of you friends," smiled Izumi, lovingly. "It's all right with me, John. I think, though, that we need to keep him away from our Abby, until we're sure of his character. Christian or not, he's been in an adult state penitentiary for nine years." "I agree," affirmed John. After the couple prayed and asked God to bless them and the guest that He had so Providentially placed in their way to help, John went outside and told Henry their decision. Upon hearing the news, the Sheriff clapped John on the back. "Now, what do you want for rent?" asked the Sheriff. "Henry, we're not in this for the money," smiled John. "No more than I," grinned the Sheriff. "But, I don't think it's wise to outright give him the rent for free. The idea is to make him independent-- if not in fact, then in technicality. How about ten dollars a week? Though, I know rent for a nice little house like that would go for considerably more." "That's fine with me," replied John. "We'll get it ready for him. I'll have to turn on the gas and electricity, and make sure the major appliances are working." "I'm sure he'll appreciate it," said the Sheriff. "You said Jake was fifteen when he was incarcerated?" asked John, thoughtfully. "Plus nine years in prison... that makes him about twenty-four, doesn't it?" "I believe it does," replied the Sheriff. "Why do you ask?" "Izumi and I aren't comfortable with the idea of letting Jake be around our Abby-- at least, not immediately." "I'll make sure Jake understands," said the Sheriff. "I almost forgot, there is one thing you should know." "What's that?" asked John. "Jake doesn't like to be touched," related the Sheriff. "Dick says he's just getting used to shaking hands, but it's possible he could act a little violent to any other physical contact." "I see," said John, gravely. "Don't get me wrong," said the Sheriff. "Jake doesn't have a history of violence... except for the one conviction, of course. What I mean is, he isn't a trouble maker. And, he'll be going to therapy two times a week. If he doesn't attend, it'll be in violation of his parole, and he could be sent back to prison. I realize it's asking a lot, but does your offer still stand?" With an uneasy groan, John shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Our Abby's going to be engaged soon," he reasoned. "So, she won't be around the house as much in the future. Terry will be back from the business trip in Hong Kong, early next week. Since he and I work from home, Izumi won't be by herself. After taking everything into consideration, I suppose it's still all right for him to come. But, Henry, I want you to tell him, that if he does anything to threaten or hurt my family, so help me, I'll turn him out of that house, myself!" "I'll make sure Jake understands," repeated the Sheriff, turning to leave. "All he needs is a chance, John." "I'm willing to give him one," said John. "God bless you folks for your willingness," said the Sheriff, shaking John's hand and getting back into his pickup, for he had made this errand while on his own time, and not while he was on duty. Just as the Sheriff's vehicle was pulling away, Tyler's car drove up to the Johannes house. He got out and opened Abby's door for her. "Did you two have a good time, tonight?" greeted John, expectantly. continued on next page...

"Is Abby all right?" asked Izumi, suddenly becoming concerned. "As far as I know, Ma'am," smiled the Sheriff. "This is about another matter, altogether." John put on his jacket, kissed Izumi, and stepped outside with the Sheriff. "What is it, Henry?" asked John, puzzled by his friend's strange behavior. "Do you remember hearing me talk of Richard Doyle?" asked the Sheriff. "The warden of the state penitentiary in Watertown?" replied John. "The very one, Sir," affirmed Henry. "Well, Richard, I mean Dick, called me up yesterday and told me about this inmate he's been helping for about two years. His name is Jake Murphy and he's going to be paroled early next week. Jake doesn't have anyone on the outside, so Dick has been trying to find him a job and a place to stay." Here the Sheriff hesitated, as if trying to choose his words carefully. John stiffened, sensing something hard was about to be asked of him. "The thing is," continued Henry, "with a record like Jake's, he doesn't stand a chance on the outside, without someone to kind of help him along. That's where I come in. So far, I've been able to find him a job as a janitor at the Old Mill Camp Ground, but I haven't been able to find him any place to stay. I was wondering if Jake might be able to rent the little yellow house from you-- you know, the one you used to live in before you married." "What was Jake convicted of?" asked John. "Second-degree murder." "It's out of the question!" exclaimed John. "I can't have someone like that living right next to us!" "Well, now," said the Sheriff, "I can understand that-- I really can. But this is what you might call, a special circumstance." Then the Sheriff began to relate the history of Jake, or the amount that Warden Doyle had told him of, and how Jake and the prison warden had become friends. Beginning at the tender age of four, Jake Murphy's father raped and tortured his son. The Sheriff didn't give any more detail on that point, for he didn't know any more. At twelve, Jake ran away from home and lived with his grandmother. When Jake turned fifteen, he returned to his father's house, and waited outside in the bushes for him to come home. Jake was carrying a sharp kitchen knife from his grandmother's house. You see, he intended to kill his father. When the father returned home and found his son there, a fight of words and fists ensued, which at last resulted in the death of Mr. Murphy. According to Jake, he had changed his mind at the last moment, and had only finally struck out at his father to save his own life. The District Attorney, however, didn't see it that way. Because the knife had come from Jake's grandmother's house, and not his father's, the District Attorney argued that this was evidence of premeditated murder. Jake's attorney argued that it had been self-defense. The D.A. said there was a witness-- an old woman across the street who saw the whole thing. When it was proved in the D.A.'s office that her eyesight wasn't everything she had said it was, the D.A. offered Jake a plea-bargain of second-degree murder, instead of the first degree charge that he had originally wanted. Seeing little choice, Jake accepted. He was tried as an adult and sentenced to sixteen years in an adult state penitentiary. "John," continued the Sheriff, "seven years into his sentence, Jake attempted suicide. Soon after, Dick became warden. He took an interest in Jake and witnessed to him. When he accepted Christ, Dick said there was a noticeable change in him. Now I come to the present. Jake's been in the state penitentiary for nine years, and he's up for parole. Since Dick was willing to recommend his release, they're going to let him out on parole next Monday. Like I said before, I was able to find him a job as a janitor at the Old Mill Camp Ground, but for the life of me, I just can't find anyone willing to rent an ex-con a place to stay. Three Mile Bay is determined not to help Jake Murphy, and that's a fact! John, if you could see your way to let him rent the little yellow house, it surely would help." John sighed heavily. After hearing the story, he had to admit that it did sound like a special circumstance. "I have to talk it over with Izumi," said John. "If you'll wait here, Henry, I think we can give you an answer, shortly." John went inside the house and related the sad story to his wife. continued on next page...

A New Journey Begins

Chapter 1 : Page 2 Today, Abigail, or Abby, as most people called her, found a different solace in her fishing than usual. She needed to relax and do some serious thinking. Her education wasn't the only thing confronting her. Tyler Greene, a boy she had known her entire life, was going to take her out that evening. Abby's womanly intuition had guessed that he was about to ask her to marry him. "Dad would love that," she thought, aloud. "Abby!" called Izumi from the house screen door, "Tyler is going to be here soon! Shouldn't you be getting ready?" "Just five more minutes!" negotiated Abby, flicking her line to a new spot in the water, where she thought she saw some activity. "Tyler is a good man," reasoned Abby. "He's a Christian, comes from a solid family, is reasonably good looking, and has a promising future. Why, then, don't I love him? What's wrong with me?" As these troubling thoughts flooded her mind, a gentle breeze from heaven whispered in her ear, "Wait." The minutes flew by, and now it was John's voice calling to her across the beach, "Abby! Tyler is here!" "I'm coming!" shouted Abby, reeling in her line. She put on her sandals and walked back to the house, her fishing pole casually swung across one shoulder. "Are you ready?" greeted Tyler, coming out to meet her. "Sorry, Tyler," answered Abby, "I know I'm late. Just give me ten minutes." "All right," allowed Tyler, "but don't drag your feet. Dad's expecting us to be there on time!" Tyler's father had generously invited them to an "interesting" lecture about the importance of meaningful fiscal reform in the banking industry. Except for the imminent marriage proposal from Tyler, it looked to be a dull night out. Ten minutes later, Abby was ready. The early evening sky was already changing hues as she and Tyler got into the car and drove away. "I think he's going to ask her, tonight!" John exclaimed to Izumi, as they walked back inside from seeing the couple off. "How do you know that?" asked Izumi, startled by this news. "Didn't you see how Tyler kept nervously checking his pocket, as if he was making sure the ring was still there?" asked John. "No, I didn't," replied Izumi. "You don't sound as though you approve," observed John, recognizing a look of cautious hesitation in his mate. "In the past, I've thought Abby and Tyler would make a perfect match, but, now..." Izumi paused. "What makes you so sure Tyler's the one for our Abby?" asked Izumi. "Well," replied John, "everything points to him. They've known each other all their lives, they're both Christians, and all four of their parents want this to happen!" he added with a triumphant smile. John drew Izumi close to him. "I know they'll be as happy as we are, Little Dove." Izumi returned her husband's loving kiss, but something inside her wanted to run after Tyler's car and stop him from proposing. "Abby's education and future husband are already laid out for her," said John. "All she has to do is go out and meet it." Just then, there was a knock on the front door of the Johannes home. When John answered it, he was greeted by Sheriff Peterson. "Sorry to intrude on your evening, John," said Sheriff Peterson, "but I was wondering if I could have a word with you outside." continued on next page...

A New Journey Begins

Chapter One "All thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children." ~ Isaiah 54:13 ~ Eleven years after John and Izumi Johanneses' journey of the heart, their daughter, Abigail, was now poised to set off on a journey of her own. At eighteen, Abigail was the image of her mother. She had Izumi's deep blue eyes and raven black hair. However, unlike Izumi, Abigail had a loving and secure childhood, so her temperament was considerably more confident than her mother's ever was. It was proof of the loving atmosphere that John and Izumi had cultivated in their nineteen years of marriage. John and Izumi's love for each other, tended by God's loving hand, had only grown stronger and deeper through the years. Their happily-ever-after love, was playing out in simple, everyday life, proving that romance doesn't end after the "I do's"; when two people become one, it's only the beginning of the story-- not the end. "John!" laughed Izumi, running from the living room, "Stop it!" John chased his wife into the kitchen and caught her by the waist. From her bedroom, Abigail could hear the playful laughter coming from the kitchen. The teenager rolled her eyes. When were her parents going to act like adults? Abigail's graduation had just taken place a week earlier. Both parents had proudly attended the ceremony, each taking enough photographs and video footage of her graduation to embarrass even the most devoted child. Now that she had completed high school, her parents expected her to go to a Christian college. Abigail, however, was unsure if college was in her future. She had long planned to continue her education, but when it actually came time, Abigail was unsure. Much to the annoyance of John, she couldn't explain her feelings. Abigail didn't know it, but the Holy Spirit had given her a small still voice that told her to wait. Map of Three Mile BayWith a sigh, Abigail tossed her year book into a box, along with the memorabilia her parents had accumulated of her graduation, and unceremoniously shoved it beneath her bed. She needed to think. Never one to need an excuse to go fishing, Abigail grabbed her fly rod. After donning her fishing waistcoast, sunglasses, and favorite green baseball cap, she stepped outside and walked down to the shoreline, which was less than half a mile from her front door. A cool lake breeze played in her hair as she took off her sandals and waded into the fresh water of Three Mile Bay. Even though the constant breezes frequently played with her fly line, Abigail reminded herself that at least it kept the mosquitos away. The warm June sun had also enticed others outside to do some fishing-- mostly tourists who wanted to spend their vacation at one of the largest freshwater bays in the world. Abigail loved the waterfront house that her great grandparents had left her mother, and she loved Three Mile Bay, in Upstate New York. But, most of all, she loved to fly fish! She could often be found on the beach, standing knee deep in water, her fly rod in one hand, her slack line in the other, all the while her lips moving to the music her iPod afforded. To Abigail, this was the closest thing to heaven on earth. While John's ancestors had been boat builders and fishermen by trade, the fishing gene had bypassed him altogether, and gone straight to his daughter. Izumi could not understand the attraction her only child had to the pastime, but like a good mother, she was happy that Abigail was happy. The fishing gene in Abigail had had some help, however, in the form of Terry Davis, John's long time friend and Abigail's unofficial uncle. Terry had taught her the basics of fly fishing, and had instilled in her a healthy respect for the rugged beauty of her surroundings. "God's creation is a wonderful thing, Abby," Terry would often say. "Just think, He only took six days to create all this!" While Abigail's interest had made her popular with the boys, most girls her own age had a difficult time relating to a girl who could talk for hours on end about fly lures. Because of this, Abigail's closest female friend was her own mother.

How to become a GOOD Theoretical Physicist

This is a web site (under construction) for young students - and anyone else - who are (like me) thrilled by the challenges posed by real science, and who are - like me - determined to use their brains to discover new things about the physical world that we are living in. In short, it is for all those who decided to study theoretical physics, in their own time. It so often happens that I receive mail - well-intended but totally useless - by amateur physicists who believe to have solved the world. They believe this, only because they understand totally nothing about the real way problems are solved in Modern Physics. If you really want to contribute to our theoretical understanding of physical laws - and it is an exciting experience if you succeed! - there are many things you need to know. First of all, be serious about it. All necessary science courses are taught at Universities, so, naturally, the first thing you should do is have yourself admitted at a University and absorb everything you can. But what if you are still young, at School, and before being admitted at a University, you have to endure the childish anecdotes that they call science there? What if you are older, and you are not at all looking forward to join those noisy crowds of young students? It should be possible, these days, to collect all knowledge you need from the internet. Problem then is, there is so much junk on the internet. Is it possible to weed out those very rare pages that may really be of use? I know exactly what should be taught to the beginning student. The names and topics of the absolutely necessary lecture courses are easy to list, and this is what I have done below. It is my intention to search on the web where the really useful papers and books are, preferably downloadable as well. This way, the costs of becoming a theoretical physicist should not exceed much the price of a computer with internet connection, a printer, and lots of paper and pens. Unfortunately, I still have to recommend to buy text books as well, but it is harder to advise you here; perhaps in a future site. Let’s first limit ourselves to the absolute minimum. The subjects listed below must be studied. Any omission will be punished: failure. Do get me right: you don’t have to believe anything you read on faith - check it. Try alternative approaches, as many as you can. You will discover, time and again, that really what those guys did indeed was the smartest thing possible. Amazing. the best of the texts come with exercises. Do them. find out that you can understand everything. Try to reach the stage that you discover the numerous misprints, tiny mistakes as well as more important errors, and imagine how you would write those texts in a smarter way. I can tell you of my own experiences. I had the extreme luck of having excellent teachers around me. That helps one from running astray. It helped me all the way to earn a Nobel Prize. But I didn’t have internet. I am going to try to be your teacher. It is a formidable task. I am asking students, colleagues, teachers to help me improve this site. It is presently set up only for those who wish to become theoretical physicists, not just ordinary ones, but the very best, those who are fully determined to earn their own Nobel Prize. If you are more modest than that, well, finish those lousy schools first and follow the regular routes provided by educators and specialized -gogues who are so damn carefully chewing all those tiny portions before feeding them to you. This is a site for ambitious people. I am sure that anyone can do this, if one is gifted with a certain amount of intelligence, interest and determination. Now, here begins the serious stuff. Don’t complain that it looks like being a lot. You won’t get your Nobel Prize for free, and remember, all of this together takes our students at least 5 years of intense study (at least one reader was surprised at this statement, saying that (s)he would never master this in 5 years; indeed, I am addressing people who plan to spend most of their time to this study). More than rudimentary intelligence is assumed to be present, because ordinary students can master this material only when assisted by patient teachers. It is necessary to do exercises. Some of the texts come with exercises. Do them, or better, invent your own exercises. Try to outsmart the authors, but please refrain from mailing to me your alternative theories until you have studied the entire lot; if you do this well you will discover that many of these authors were not so stupid after all. Theoretical Physics is like a sky scraper. It has solid foundations in elementary mathematics and notions of classical (pre-20th century) physics. Don’t think that pre-20th century physics is “irrelevant” since now we have so much more. In those days, the solid foundations were laid of the knowledge that we enjoy now. Don’t try to construct your sky scraper without first reconstructing these foundations yourself. The first few floors of our skyscraper consist of advanced mathematical formalisms that turn the Classical Physics theories into beauties of their own. They are needed if you want to go higher than that. So, next come many of the other subjects listed below. Finally, if you are mad enough that you want to solve those tremendously perplexing problems of reconciling gravitational physics with the quantum world, you end up studying general relativity, superstring theory, M-theory, Calabi-Yau compactification and so on. That’s presently the top of the sky scraper. There are other peaks such as Bose-Einstein condensation, fractional Hall effect, and more. Also good for Nobel Prizes, as the past years have shown. A warning is called for: even if you are extremely smart, you are still likely to get stuck somewhere. Surf the net yourself. Find more. Tell me about what you found. If this site has been of any help to someone while preparing for a University study, if this has motivated someone, helped someone along the way, and smoothened his or her path towards science, then I call this site successful. Please let me know. Here is the list.