This morning I thought I'd write what I thought about the apparent impending war, but then I decided not to. It seems that's all I've been thinking about as I read Time and the newspaper, watch the news, and listen to UN Security Council coverage on NPR. I've been worried about this for weeks, and I don't especially want to write about it now. I'm concerned. I have opinions. I think I need a break from it all, and then I start thinking about it all over again, like there's really anything I can do about it anyway.

I like to be informed though. I have spent far too much time in my own little world the past five years or so, without paying much attention to other worldly events. I have been your typical American, except that I can usually point out where to find most countries on a globe, and I can certainly name all fifty states on a map. With all that's going on across the oceans over these recent years, I did find myself rather ignorant, and I didn't want to be one of those people.

It started by picking up the newspaper more often. We have a daily subscription, and I was rarely touching it but for the Sunday ads. It didn't help that John takes it to work with him every weekday, but he also brings it home every evening. And a couple weeks ago, we started getting the Tribune-Review, the other local paper, delivered to the house for no apparent reason. It just started appearing on the driveway and hasn't quit coming. I'm not all that fond of that newspaper, and I'm really rather annoyed at having to pick it up and stick it in the recycling bin without reading it every day, but it does provide yet another reason why I should be more informed. It also gives me a few extra steps in the day, which is also annoying but good for me. The Post-Gazette gets delivered to our front porch, yet another reason not to like the TR, even if it is helping me with my step count.

About the same time that stupid blue bag showed up in the driveway every day, I started getting my Time subscription. I thought that would be an easy way to get some information, and it's served me well. The only thing I don't like about it is it interrupts my regular reading of books. But I figure being more aware of world affairs is more important than reading children's fiction, which is what has occupied my reading list lately.

I feel more confident in my opinions again, and I've even found myself in political conversations, something I haven't done in many years. John and I argue a lot more, because he's a warmonger, and I'm not. It's kind of refreshing to have less emotional, tender arguments. And even though I don't like his opinions on a lot of things, former military man that he is, we can agree to disagree, unlike in our personal arguing. He's one of the few people I've encountered that is so far from how I feel about the whole thing, but I manage to love him anyway.

Speaking of the man I love, I have to come up with some kind of birthday gift. He turns 36 a week from today. I don't have a clue what to get for him, as usual. I know he'd be perfectly happy with the usual music items or Magic cards, but it's not much fun to buy those things. That would mean that, yes, I have a bad tendency to buy things I hope he'll like. Most of the time, he does end up liking the gifts I buy, but there have been a few clunkers too. One of these years, I'll knock his socks off, except that even when John's socks are knocked off, he rare reacts with more than a, "That's nice," in the most unappreciative way you can imagine. I would love to buy him some enthusiasm, but I have yet to see that in stores.

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