What We're Seeing These Days in the Mission

In These Modern Times

Yes, I did listen to the debate and regret seeing all the bits of body language.

And, lo and behold, I had a dream about McCain last night. (At least I didn't dream about dead relatives or drowning for a change.) I was in my kitchen, and McCain and several people had apparently had a sleep over at my house. McCain and I were about to put bagels in the toaster. I stepped back and with affected politeness said, "No, Senator, you go first. As a guest in my house, I insist."

He flashed his fake smile and replied, "No, my friend, you go ahead."

"No, I insist."

"Really, my friend, I am content to wait."

Knowing this cat and mouse game of feigned politeness would only delay the agony, I popped my bagel in for what felt like the longest 90 seconds of silence as we both tried to avoid eye contact. I knew that I didn't want to engage in any chatter with him, and he seemed to know that trying to gain my vote was futile.

Finally, I attempted to at least say something a-political and polite. "You're so lucky to live in a state with the Saguaro National Park. It's such a treasure."

"You know, my friend, I've still never had the chance to get down there...with all my travel and all, but Cindy and the kids say it's gorgeous."

Just then, I heard my bagel pop up, McCain rushed behind me to put in his, and then I could hear Guru yawning and I woke up.

Which D Scare Us the Most?

Despair is one of the most maligned emotions, and it is the one that has been on many of our minds recently. All people, regardless of political stripes, seem to feel it about the economy. A likely -- we hope definite -- majority feel it about a McCain-Palin White House. That woman who told John McCain that Obama is "an Arab" obviously felt it in her murky mental haze that gave even the Arizona Senator a certain pause. Though this supposedly brave warrior lacked the courage and decency to respond, "And wouldn't our country and world be a better place if, in fact, he were?"

Wouldn't we all long to erase despair from the earth? It seems to be part of that horrible, sequential trilogy of Ds -- dread, despair and depression (or as many are filled with dread and despair will translate into Depression not just depression). We have an entire industry that provides us with little pills that we believe will protect us from these three dreaded Ds, yet they never manage to erase their root causes.

Much of my life I have experienced at least one or all three of these Ds, sometimes coming from divergent streams. At the moment I feel only a slight part of the first one, but it's not even that pronounced. I only appreciate that I feel it, acknowledge it and don't yield to it. Am I just singing another word for nothin' left to lose or have I reached a point of contentment without even realizing it?

'Don't Be Diverted By the Ground Noise and Static'

McCain's words as I've seen the third incident of protesters being strong-armed less than five minutes into his speech. And I'm not watching it closely. Is "ground noise and static" the new code word for "truth"?