Recommendation: Read Al Franken's new book THE TRUTH (WITH JOKES)

Disclaimer: Do not read if you are easily offended, love the current President and or any of his administration, or do not care about politics in general

Franken has once again managed to bring startling fact with a lit'l bit of humor on the side. Reading last night, at a gymnastics meet no less, I found myself outraged at the information I was being presented with interrupted only with snorts of amusement and clapping for the gymnasts I was supposed to be admiring.

Before reading his book I knew nothing of the U.S. island of Siapan, I knew Tom Delay was no good and now I know why. And why this man is always smile is a complete mystery to me. Really nothing to smile about there buddy! I also have new reason to...I'll use the word dislike but really it is far more than that, the Iraq war. The corruption, negligence and general stupidity that revolves around this issue is unbelievable. Arrogance and ignorance seem to be breeding at uncontrollable rates within the current administration. I don't have the energy, time nor gift of eloquent wording to clearly list and state all my grievances for this issues but I will leave you with a few highlights: Halliburton, Coalition Provisional Authority, Heritage Foundation, Rumsfeld and Custer Battles. Look it up people, atrocities await you.

A few more diisconcerning statements I have come across...

In the last year, acts of torture by authorities were reported in 132 countries- nearly 70% of the world's countries.

77,041 Illinois households are on waiting lists to get into public housing.

In the U.S. one in three adults under the age of 65 does not have health insurance.

An estimated 35,000 survivors of torture reside in the Chicago area.

One child dies of malaria in Africa every 29 seconds.

One person is infected with HIV every 6.4 seconds.

Someone in the world dies of TB every 18 seconds.

One pregnant woman dies of complications every 60 seconds.

I complain a lot. Those of you who know me well can attest to that. It can vary with subject and or people at times but generally it’s the same issues and people. Well for once I don’t have a complaint, well not that I am going to voice now. My mother called me this morning because she had not talked to me in a while and wanted a ‘chat’. I love that! She missed conversing with me! Then just now I received an email from my father. It was great. He is interested and supportive of my future plans. He wants to talk to me about them and I found out my graduation gift! It’s a good one too! I love my parents. They have taught me so much both intentionally and inadvertently. I have been taught by my mother to not stand behind a man but next to him. My father has shown me to pursue what you are interested in and hope you get good at it along the way. Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you.

Question: Why do terror suspects need to be flow abroad for interrogation? I’m not saying there isn’t a valid reason I just don’t know at this time what it is. Really if you know tell me because I do not get it.

I had a wonderful Chicago weekend. A wonderful and dear friend of mine drive down from Grand Rapids to the Southside then took the train downtown. We later met up with a friend I met through her. A bunch of us ended up at the Cheesecake Factory. By the time we got back to my apartment it was after 1am. We then stayed up till after 2:30 in my bathroom as my roommates slept; talking about the one of the guys we had just spent the last three hours with. Dreamboat doesn’t begin to describe him. On Saturday we slept in then enjoyed the day walking around the very cold city, shopping, talking and laughing. We talked of ideal relationships, our hopes, dreams and concerns and world politics. Writing that makes me think I talk a lot of relationships. Am I obsessed or worse, lonely? A topic for anther analytic bantering entry perhaps.

Facebook is something I was apposed to when my roommate signed me up for. It was something I disliked once I spent hours on it. Now it has brought long lost friends back to me…so to speak. I have now messaged two of my closest friends from TASIS. I haven’t talked with these girls in about six years. The funny thing is two of them are going to grad school in England and the other cant wait to move back as well. Then there is me who is also going to apply for grad school on the island. Never would have thought that I would be so eager to move back.

Today I had a suprise visist by a client and he brought his son, my favorite kid in the agency. He is almost three, speaks a mumbled mixture French and English. He is wonderful. If I was garunteed to have a child like that, I would be much more receptive to reproducing. Until such a date though.....its a no thanks.