I was in a store yesterday, looking for a reasonably priced pair of the ubiquitously fashionable (though questionably attractive) stretchy, swingy gaucho pants, thinking they might be comfy for kicking around this summer. I was talking on my hands-free cell, splitting my attention between the conversation and the merchandise (yeah, I'm THAT guy.....sorry). I'm walking between racks, sort of smiling and laughing in my normal conversational style....when I suddenly recognize that this dude (apparently sitting in the "purse-holding chair" outside the fitting room waiting for his....girlfriend? Sister would be a long shot, as they weren't of the same race...) is staring at me with an unmistakeable huge smile. I'm far enough away that I don't know if he recognized I was on the phone....I think he thinks I was smiling an laughing for *his* benefit. Which I was most assuredly not.

He opens his mouth, like he's going to say something....I instantly turn around and head for the back of the store.

I have GOT to quit combining talking and shopping. It's clearly dangerous!

The world is insane right now.

My summer plans are all going topsy-turvy. My co-teacher at camp had to cancel for health reasons...which is chaos, but manageable. My plan to back off some of my community commitments is being challenged by an offer to teach that I may not be able to turn down in good conscience. Plus, with this summer cold bullshit going on, I don't even have a strong enough voice to record a damn thing right now, anyway. UGH!!

And then, of course, there's all the war craziness that turns my stomach daily. The tragic shooting of an Iraqi woman in the middle of giving birth.....it breaks my heart - I can just see the misunderstanding playing out, and it makes me furious. How can America be surprised we're hated when we do such things? The Haditha slaughter on top of it....it's just too much. We've been there too long; it is time to end it and come home and let the soldiers and the Iraqis try to heal, if they ever can.

I stumbled onto this tune, "Union," a collaboration between the Black Eyed Peas and Sting (talk about an unusual combo). It sort of sums up where I am right now.

Recent entries...
27 December 2007: 2007: Finis.
17 December 2007: A ruse, a rant, and a poem. It's short.
11 December 2007: Music & falling....story of my life.
08 December 2007: Briefly...ish.
29 November 2007: A poem, a rant, a lesson.