No matter how much people frustrate me...which they do persistently:):):)...I love 'em all:):):)...

You know:)...

People piss me off, alot:):):)...

They get all worked up over stuff that they, often, don't know shit about:):)...

They want to love one another, often:):)...without really acting like it, much of the time:):)...not for real, I mean:):)...

They're often really petty:):)...I mean really petty:):)...so much stupid bullshit tickles their fancies and gets them upset:):)...

And they/we all spend an awful lot of time trying to jockey for who is the best person...so that we can speak with authority on why the person we're pissed at in the moment is really just this unsalvageable asshole:):):)LOL:):):)...

We can all be just kind of insanely passionate about nothing, much of the time:):)...at least in the big picture:):):)...or maybe passionate about important things...but too attached to our own reactions...rather than giving some deep, constructive thought to the matter:):)...

But...you know what?:):)...

I love people:):)...I really do:):):)...

Even with all the bullshit:):)...

It's like a relationship:):)...

Our best relationships are the ones that support and challenge our growth, the most:):):)...

Just lose one, once, that seems to challenge you too much, at times...and you'll know what I mean:):)...how you'll miss all that challenge once it's gone:):):)...

And to one degree or another...

I learn and grow in all my relationships...with everyone:):):)...all my friends:):)...all my family:):)...all the folks I've ever read:):)...and gotten a peek inside their minds:):)...and their understanding and reflections on the world:):)...

Everyone:):)...no matter who they are:):):)...

And I just love 'em:):)...

Maybe that's the feeling I've been having, lately:):):)...

Feeling like I'm in love:):)...

Maybe I just kind love humanity that much:):)...you know?:):):)...it's kind of nice, really:):):)...

I still want the smartest, most open, most freeing, most challenging relatioships...that support my learning and growth, most:):):)...that's for sure:):):)...people like Brandi...and my previous girlfriend, Jenny:):)...and Tom...and Jeannie...and Wayne...and my stepmom, Marilyn...and my dad, Chuck:):)...and all the best professors I've ever had:):)...Dave Ericson, at Wichita State:):)...and Tom, at KU:):)...and Melissa:):)...and Jas:):)...and Dolly:):)...and Blick:):)...and Dave:):)...and Elizabeth:):)...and Leslie:):)...and Willy:):)...and Kimmy:):)...and Debbie:):)...and Jesse:):)...and Bill:):)...and little Kelsie:):)...and Kenny:):)...and Deway:):)...and Fred:):)...and Z:):)...and Zach:):)...and David:):)...and JD:):)...and Sean:):)...and Brian:):)...and Dave:):)...and Shawn:):)...and Josh:):)...and Kevin:):)...and Brent:):)...and Matt:):)...and everyone, really:):)...

And the reason why I haven't fell in love in a quite awhile, up to this point:):):)...

Because my the last time I was really in love...which has now been as long as the entire time I dated that girl:):):)...crazy:):):)...

It was a really high standard...for all that learning and growth, you know?:):):)...

It was a really great relationship, really:):):)...

And now I'm looking for that and better:):):)...

But in addition to those really rewarding, intimate relationships that we can have with those really close, special friends and lovers:):):)...

I learn something from everyone, really:):)...

From people I meet in passing...from people I work with...from people I consider good friends...from teachers...from people I hang out with casually...from people I debate all kinds of issues, politics especially, with:):)...

I learn from everyone, really:):):)...

The reason I want to be a teacher, I think:):):)...

So I can keep learning from all kinds of people:):):)...for the rest of my life:):):)...

And that's just the kind of who guy I am:):)...

I love being curious about a million things, really:):)...chemistry...physics...biology...interesting, different jobs and careers...music...movies...entertainment...the law...theater...technology...

Everything...I'm interested in anything and everything:):):)...

But what I'm most interested in:):):)...what I love studying:):):)...and what I love doing with my life:):):)...

Is being with people:):):)...learning about them:):)...with and about them, generally:):):)...and with and about all the million different individuals I come across in my life:):):)...

I love it:):):)...it's my great passion in life:):):)...and I'm looking forward to being able to do it for as long as I'm able:):):)...

"You say either...and I say either...
You say neither...and I say neither...
Either...either...neither...neither...
Let's call the whole thing off...

You say tomato...I say tomahto...
You say potato...and I say potahto...
Tomato...tomahto...potato...potahto...
Let's call the whole thing off...

If...if we call the whole thing off...
Then we must part...
And oh...if we fall apart...
That would break my heart...

So, I say ursta you say oyster
I'm not gonna stop eatin' urstas just cause you call them oysters

So let's call it off...oh let's call it off
Oh, let's call it off...Let's call the calling off off...

Oh, let's...let's call the whole thing...off"

It doesn't matter how much people piss me off:):):)...I love 'em no matter what:):):)LOL:):):)...really:):):)...

Have a great day, everyone:):):)...

Love,
Ben

What a goddamn arrogant self-righteous bunch, this is...this human race:):):)...

I've been visiting some old haunts, lately:):)...

A liberal forum that I love...though I needed a serious break from...things were getting a little nasty:):)...hard to imagine in a period of liberal resurgence, I know:):)...

And a conservative forum:):)...where I felt I was talking to a brick wall, much of the time:):)...

But both had/have some great thoughts too...and a sense of how conservatives and liberals were reacting to various events and issues:):)...

And...the whole process...I think...has made me much more of a genuine independent, these days, I think, than in the past:):)...

I've been a liberal and a Democrat for most of my life:):)...my vote for George H.W. Bush in 1992 being a serious mistake and an exception, really:):)...

But goddamn if I haven't been uninspired, disappointed, and generally a little annoyed with the low-ball leadership among liberal and Democratic leaders, right now:):)...

Harry Reid vigorously opposes a more intellectual heavyweight like John Roberts...and supports a relative intellectual lightweight like Harriet Miers to fill the seat of a justice as admired (for good reason) as Sandra Day O'Connor?:):):)...because he likes Harriet's poor, sad underdog story, running one of the biggest law firms in Texas?:):):)...give me a fuckin' break:):):)...maybe Harry's a little intimidated by the brains of someone like John Roberts...and feels a little bit more at home with someone like Harriet Miers...for all the wrong reasons...

She definitely hasn't done much to convince me, yet, that she's Supreme Court material...Earl Warren or William Rehnquist -- two other judges with no experience before sitting with the Supreme Court -- she has definitely not proved herself to be, yet...

And Hillary Clinton has proved, thusfar...that when the going gets tough...as it did in Louisiana...Hillary starts a commission...much less admirable than the leadership of her husband...who worked on raising money for the effort...and had constructive criticism for the Administration's effort...

And Nancy Pelosi has just never impressed me, really...

Katrina prompted a serious break, for me, from conventional "Big L" liberal and Democratic responses...

And taught me a lot about how rare geunine leadership instincts really are...

And revisiting my old haunts has really hammered home an old lesson, for me, at this point, at least...

That we are all one big arrogant, self-righteous bunch...

Goddamn...

We are all so goddamn sure that we have the answers to everything...

That seriously studying issues...and listening to others...and trying to really understand them...

Just really isn't that important...

That the only things that matter...

Are our opinions and our assholes...both of which inspire concern, on our part, for our own...and indifference or hostility to one anothers':):):)...

We are just all just one big dumbass group hug...

All embracing ourselves for just how proud we are...

That we found all the right answers...

Without having to seriously think through them...or to consult all different kinds of people who may both agree and disagree with us...

But especially...all those folks who have:):):)...

It's so ironic...the pretense...of so many folks...who have never studied or tried to understand a whole host of issues...

So goddamn sure that they have all the answers...

And that everyone else...just doesn't recognize their brilliance...

And then...all those same people...lobbying their politicians...and their activist groups...and their friends...and their lobbies...

To do all those things they are all so goddamned sure will make everything better...

And then...when it doesn't...

Blaming the dumbasses in office who did all their bidding without thinking about it nearly enough themselves...

It's one big cosmic joke, I'm afraid...

We lobby and argue and persuade our politicians to act in a million different ways...

And then when they do...

We yell to the rafters for the heads of these same goddamn fools...

Lord, help us:):):)...

We are one big arrogant, self-righteous lot...

And...as my friend Lu, says...we get the government we deserve:):):)...

And right now:):):)...

We got it:):):)...

Lord, help us:):):)...

I think I need a drink:):):)...

Love,
Ben