I was just going to use one quote for my posting for this, but I've got some stuff to add, so, here's the first bit:

To do certain crazy things, one must behave like a coachman who has let go of the reins and fallen asleep. - Jules Renard -

This week, I feel as though I let go of the reins and fell asleep; it also seems a lot of the world has done the same thing, from the mother who made her 6 year old perform oral sex for drugs; the mother who committed suicide leaving a paralyzed daughter behind; to the town I live in which did not rise up in the absolute rage I felt when Korean doctor and her physician husband and infant son decided to leave because of the hate mail and other harassment they experienced while living here; another gay man assualted and carved up in good ole Wyoming...the Russians in Chechnya(sp); the lack of a nuclear test ban treaty...the list goes on.

Where I really feel I did myself and those around me a disservice, though, is in falling asleep and dropping the reins, in how all of the above effected me. I am always looking for ideas for my columns, so I naturlaly read about this kind of stuff everyday and it doesn't usually get to me too much. For some reason, this week, I let my guard down or something.

Moral of the story....be ardent, be thoughtful, speak up for justice, but protect yourself, don't take it all in and let it drive you crazy, dropping the reins and falling asleep.

Thanks for listening; please forgive me this bummer.

kat