pleasantry

I got home from Belize last night at midnight. As you can tell, I did not update at all from Belize. But I diligently journaled, which perhaps is better. My thoughts can be mine alone.

Right now I'm sitting with my mother by our little pool area, on a black whicker 'settee' (as Mammy calls it). She's wearing my straw hat and drinking sweet tea. We're surrounded by pillows she made and potted plants. The setting sun is casting shadows and sparkles over the leaves and flowers and our bare feet resting on the coffee table. Our hammock chairs sways ever so slightly in the breeze. My cat voices his unhappiness at nothing in particular. My dog roams free through the clover patch.

There's no where else I would rather be.

history

Just a little while ago, I watched as President Obama signed the health care bill with 22 different pens (which sounded even funnier coming from Diane Sawyer). I clapped, my mom clapped, and Sunday climbed on my lap and tried to lick my face. It was a memorable moment.

Now I'm studying for my mormon health final exam. It's discussing health care coverage, and attempts in the past to provide universal coverage (ie. Hillary). It also mentions how Hawaii already provides universal coverage to everyone in their state, which I didn't know.

But now that's going to have to be rewritten. I'm reading text that is 20 minutes outdated. It's a cool feeling.

I have renewed faith in this administration, and this country. It is easy to give in to cynicism, like the President said today. But that's not solutionary. We have to work together. Lords knows this bill went through a hell of a lot of compromise and negotiation already, and it certainly has steady opposition brewing as I write. But I can't help but rejoice in this moment! This is a landmark of our generation.

As of yet, I really don't know the ins and outs of this bill. But I plan to find out. I'm just excited that finally, finally, America has joined every other industrialized nation. I just hope it wasn't too rushed. I hope to God it is functional.

When I was sitting on my couch, watching the coverage of the signing ceremony, I was struck by the weight of the moment. Truly, it didn't hit me until then that all of this fighting and compromising and talk talk talk actually means something. Of course I understand that action is what it's all about. But until I stopped to think about how it's going to affect my family, whether or not we're going to choose the government option, how wonderful it is for a newly-turned 18 year old like me that now, under this bill, I can be covered under my parents' care until I'm Eddie's age, it felt separate. Something that pundits and people on facebook and kids from Idaho [we're facebook friends now and I creep on his republican statuses] argue about.
But now it's real! It's here!

Caloo, callay!

Also, VOLUME TWO IS OUT SLK:JEK:W:KL:WKL:WKL!!!! I can't wait I can't wait. Oh my gosh. And it's free pastry day at Starbucks. I'm pretty sure I haven't set foot inside a Starbucks since sophomore year. In fact, I think it was the day we saw Sicko, oddly enough.

I wonder how Michael Moore is celebrating.