the middle

Hey,
Don't write yourself off yet.
It's only in your head you feel left out,
Or looked down on.
Just try your best,
Try everything you can.
And don't you worry what they tell themselves
When you're away.

it is a day worth mentioning. the president of the u.s. is planning on addressing the youth of america. it has created quite a bit of a stir. some parents don't want their children listening to what he has to say without their own filters available. sounds like fear to me.

no matter what the day has come and will go. his speech will come and it will go. from what i've heard he is attempting to engage americans at a young age with a sense of commitment and responsibility for each other. just what he is trying to do with health care and insurance reform at the adult level.

there is a pervading sense of "us" and "them" from two very distinct camps in our nation. maybe this is our generations' task. to address the very dark and distinct line of demarkation that separates our ideas and forge a much grander and more welcoming "center". one that will attract the folks on either side who don't ascribe to radical thinking, but are more interested in pragmatics and sensible common ground.

this is another step in the path that our leader is taking to take us to this common ground he spoke of during his campaign. not everyone will agree... ever. there will be dissenters. change doesn't come easily. but it does happen and it is my job- my duty actually, and my privelige- to support his efforts and do what it takes to give his vision for america the opportunity to have the chance to come to life.

i look forward to your speech today, mr. president.


today's sound choice is jimmy eats world with "the middle"

masters at work

Martin Luther King, jr.:
If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.

quite a powerful set of speeches were unleashed last night in the pepsi center in denver. words and thoughts and praise and prose ribboned their way into america's ears and minds with the swiftness and specificity of a flood plain being refilled.

perhaps i'm a liberal. perhaps i'm jaded. but good ole bill can toss a speech in the ways that few in his political ballpark can muster. as he stated- america must remain "a place called hope". it may be far from perfect, but this place is still home for me.

no doubt, the speech we are all really waiting for will happen tonight. it's a huge deal for so many among us. but i also know that the real work is only beginning. we have lots of work to do in this country. so many things are in the toilet. there is a lot of clean-up ahead of us. there is a whole lotta work to do.

i got a call yesterday that informed me that i did get a part time counseling position doing dui groups. the extra income will be fantastic and the opportunity to keep my counseling skills fresh too. it was really good news.

rage against the machine

"So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private citizens will occasionally kill theirs." Elbert Hubbard

i was googling the DNC because, as you all know, this year's convention is in Denver. Unfortunately, I will be in DC that week and miss all the action. There will no doubt be a myriad of protests. One big issue already emerging is that the protesters of any and all candidates have been given space to stand with their signs and their shouts, but it's location is too far away to be seen by camera or to be heard by any candidates. Hardly seems fair does it?

So I came across this in my googles. This is from 2000 at the LA DNC. I wonder where all these young people are today, and if they are politically motivated, or just into the music and into protest of any kind at that time.

time will tell if a new administration continues to be "killing in the name of..."

i ran.... iran so far away

image credit: jose manchado

i was blogstopping as is a custom on sunday and i came across an incredibly provocative short film posted by my cyberbud ron hudson. he manages the international carnival of positivities, but also keeps a blog of his own. i find that blog much quieter and thoughtful than i find mine, which is why i'm sure i like to visit. the film runs about 8 mins or a little less, and is worth the entire time it takes. it superbly demonstrates the difficulties around all the issues bubbling in the middle east as well as back here at home. at the same time it delivers this message with a quietly-holding-your-breath style that echoes the frustration around the myriad of issues around religious freedom and freedom of expression.


make sure to visit ron at 2sides2ron

everybody's talkin

sometimes the posts and comments at blogs are fascinating.
they really seem to reflect life itself.

i would love hear your reactions to the following example...

please read here and do read all the comments, too++++ click here!!!