Because I Said So [Ken Jennings]

I'm currently sitting in Powell's, waiting for Ken Jennings to show up. He' s promoting a new reference sort of book that was inspired, in part, by Reddit. Or, to be more clear, it was compiled with some of their suggestions.

Exciting, but honestly my head hurts, my back and shoulders are aching, and I've gotten hungry, these shoes while free are killing my feet, and I kind of want to go home but won't because I really, really want to do something with my stupid fucking self.

I need to get out more. The day has not disappointed me.

I have an hour to wait and not much battery life.

My notebook is totally full. I need a fresh one.
I spent the afternoon in the library up the street. I printed resumes and read a book published by Amnesty International about the current state of human rights throughout the world. For one, it was very well organized which I immensely appreciated. Second, with a way of their own...lingo, phrasing...the information was devastating, to anyone who'd give a minute to care.

All these books can make me question whether I really have anything to say that hasn't already been said. I wonder if the real problem is that nobody is listening. I wonder if I'm more part of the problem than any solution. I carry on though. The prospect of somehow spreading this information and the very real, very current experiences of nearly forgotten people does provide a hope.

I want to make the world a better place...there's nothing else worth doing.

In Argentina they threw nuns to their deaths from airplanes.
In America they executed a potentially innocent man and still keep 150 people locked up in Guantanamo Bay.
In Tunisia, they escaped across the Mediterranean Sea in substandard vessels only to be shipped back to their living nightmare by Italy...runaways handed back to their abusive parents.
Africa is fucked.
Asia is also pretty fucked.
All over, the world is not America.
But even America is pretty fucked, in its own special way.
All over, there are still people fighting wars that - as a progressive, liberal, 20- something of the 21st century - I' d thought were already won. Even in the US too, however, we're still giving a shit about all the wrong things. Sexuality, race, gender, styles, persuasions. At least we don't kill each other over it (much).

I see so many pieces, so many possibilities. For my future, for the future' s future.
All entwined like a knotted necklace, a strand of gold in chaos.

Looking around, it'd be nice to have a copy of this book everybody's here to hear him read. I need a fucking job. I absolutely love Bear, but it's not right for me to keep living as we have since last August. It destroys me and that hurts us. Goddamnit why can't something just be good and work out? I don't want to worry anymore. If wishes were fishes...there wouldn't be any more suffering than the pain of disagreement.

Just as a side note, me and one other couple are the youngest people here by a solid decade...