I don't just read in order to absorb new ideas that I didn't know before. As a matter of fact, a lot of things I spend my time reading don't tell me anything I don't already know. Part of this lies in the value of the obvious; if my parents taught it to me, it's probably important, so reinforcing it can't hurt.

But it's also about learning to phrase what I know. I've learned a lot in the last year just from my day-to-day experiences. I'm looking for someone to help me articulate that knowledge not only so I can befriend it, but so I can defend my point of view to others. It's one thing to know something, but it's entirely enough to convince someone else to consider your point of view.