I spend a lot of time grouching...Here's stuff I'm not grouching about one little bit from the last three weeks or so. :-)

1. The Compassionate Heart of America
Soldiers who have given their all are mistreated...and the outrage that is actually motivating action is almost universal...the right, the left, the peaceniks, the hawks...
The calls for decency, fairness and respect are ringing from every corner of the nation. Those who would be our leaders in every party are hereby invited to listen, and focus our collective passions on those related areas of deep injustice that lie at the fringe of this current issue---namely poverty and the broader topic of health care in America.

2. Humor at the Oscars
Al Gore's Oscar acceptance speech...
EveryGal Ellen DeGeneres asking the Steven S. to retake her picture with Eastwood...
Those funky folks behind the scrim...
Scorsese asking them to double check the envelope...
FINALLY, Oscar doesn't take itself so bloody seriously...
(a few acceptance speeches notwithstanding)

3. The Melt
We've be encased in ice and snow since sometime in January. It's almost all gone. It's raining right now. By morning--I hope--the 2 foot thick gray as cigarette ash snow pancake in the corner of the church parking lot will be gone, or almost gone...It's 48 degrees after all. This week, we will have at least three days when I can turn off the furnace and open the windows! The cycle of the seasons turns just in time.

4. My Canadian Vacation is less than two weeks away
I'm going away in the middle of Lent for the first time in four Lents here...I really, really need this. Where am I going? Does it answer your question if I say, "Pardon. Je suis un Americain stupide et je parle seulement un petit peu de Francais. Parlez-vous anglais?"

5. I'm hiring a cleaner/organizer
Those who know me know that, outside of the kitchen, I am NOT domestic...at all. (not that I'm half the kitchen man as Mr. RM) I've found someone who will be taking me on as a project. He's starting when I get back from Canada. It means borrowing a little out of savings, but it MUST be done. Part of my new proactive Spring.