The Optimist Shining Through:

-I joined a local Barack Obama political group and am encouraged by the energy.....mostly black people and a few others (which I guess is not so odd given where I am)..

-I've been taking capoeira for the past month and LOVE IT. Only 1-2 people are in the class so it's essentially a private lesson with a master!! I love all the music, the drums, and the movements.....

-I've met a group of Memphis outsiders---they have a cook-out every Sunday--it's a group of people from Spain, Mexico, Haiti, all over....

-I got a job!

The Inner Cynic:

-I still don't like it here!
-My job is boring!
-The people who I work with were asked, "If you could have lunch with 3 people, who would those 3 people be?"

Responses:

George W. Bush
George Bush
Barbara Bush
Ronald Reagan
Rush Limbaugh
Sean Hannity
jesus
Mary