When I bicycle through a road cut and look at the strata, I am always forcibly reminded that all of human history has taken place in the last few inches at the top. By earth standards, nothing we are or do matters that much. A few more inches or feet and we probably won’t even exist — not because we did anything wrong or self-destructive, but because species just don’t last that long. Some give rise to other species, most just peter out and become extinct. We will too. Like depressions, it ain’t fun, it is just what happens. Nothing to get your knickers in a knot about.

Speaking of knickers, if you get better and get to California before I leave for Canada for the summer, I will be glad to steal your bra and carry it into the yard if Buppy is not yet up to it.

Different subject: Everybody who is going on about the Reverend Wright and Senator Obama is missing the fact that the problem is inherent in Mr. Obama’s candidacy. He is running on a coalition of prosperous middle class whites, and blacks. There are inherent contradictions in such a coalition. The Reverend Wright has just graphically illustrated what some of them are.

If you read the responses, black people did not object to anything Reverend Wright had to say. Prosperous white people for the most part did not feel challenged by his remarks. They are in a position to patronize to blacks and they do. Working class whites are not in a position to condescend to blacks and they resented Wright’s remarks.

I think we are seeing replay of the gulf of perceptions during the OJ trial. Every white person I talked to thought it was obvious that he was guilty. Every black person found it obvious that he was not. Even though everyone heard the same evidence in nauseating detail.

My impression is that Wright’s remarks also showed the same gulf of perception. He seems not to have heard that slavery has been gone for 145 years and Jim Crow for 40 years. That slavery was drowned in a sea of white blood during the Civil War seems unknown to him. But then again I am white and I thought OJ was guilty.

My theory is that Wright unconsciously DOES want to throw Obama under the bus. This man has spent his entire adult life condemning American society for its racism and unfairness. If Obama is elected president, what happens to Wright’s cherished sense of grievance? His whole reality and self-justification would crumble.

So here’s my deal of depressing things i think about:
- Gas prices–and I don’t drive a hybrid. My small jeep liberty is decent comparatively speaking on gas. But there aren’t any great small SUV hybrid options out there that can fit both our dogs and luggage for a trip to rocky point. that’s depressing. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. NOW LETS GET DETROIT TO GIVE US SOME WAY BETTER OPTIONS.

- Environmental waste–the fact that I literally cringe and have a massive guilt attack when I buy a coffee or soda or lettuce or anything from the supermarket whatever that happens to come in a plastic or coated packaged. Ever since going to the Phoenix dump to drop off our Christmas tree, I have been upset. Thank god for http://www.chicobags.com. I don’t use plastic bags anymore.

- The dolphins mercilessly being killed on the Solomon Islands for their teeth that are worth a measly 26 cents each(US).
And don’t even get me started on the seal clubbing going on in Canada.

- The lack of leadership in the world–can Bush just leave already and go back to Texas?? Will Obama be the one to lead us into better decisions for the greater good. I dunno? I think so, but I am so not sure. totally stressed and depressed about that lack of clarity.

- It’s starting to get hot in Phoenix–yesterday had to be almost 100.
Summer is depressing here, and we don’t have a vacay planned yet to get out of dodge.

- My 36-year old husband was just diagnosed with gout recently. It’s supposedly one of the most painful things you can imagine, and it sucks that he new has to suffer with it.

I could go on, but I won’t. It’s depressing. On the flip side, i am alive, have amazing friends and family around me, great clients. It could be worse.

I live in the greatest country on the planet, one that gives me the opportunity to start a new business with absolutely nothing but my hands and brain and turn it into a successful thriving living thing. I have friends and business colleagues who are more supportive and encouraging than I deserve – and I am so grateful to them.

Life is pretty darn good.