i spent some time last night walking the monuments in DC. i was really trying to re-connect with everything that 9/11 represented, but really couldn't. there were some folks at the reflecting pool with some candles praying, and some folks just standing in silence looking at the washington monument all lit up in the dark and then there was a 30lb raccoon trying to free himself from his garbage can prison that he no doubt visited frequently for his evening meals. the monuments themselves are powerful, the security folks on detail are powerful to see, being in front of the white house just knowing that dubya might look out and say "hey, thems are folks from texas, let them in" was really kind of neat, but i still don't identify with the enormity of the loss of 9/11. i know there is a lesson in here somewhere, but i'll save that for a later time.

all in all, i love dc. i almost wish that life could be like a video game with multiple lives. if that were possible i'd certainly live one in the dc area and just take it all in. i would love to have continued the conversation i had with my muslim taxi driver this morning where we both said prayers for the other and discussed about how much he loved this country. i would love to learn about the people who believed in something so much that they gave their life in pursuit of it. i'd love to see how you heat a 200 year old house when it's 5 degrees outside. (not that i would live there, i'd have to have central a/c of course).

oh well i'm darn tired so i'm to sleep. before i forget - go get len sweet's new book jesus drives me crazy. it's a quick read and it has some good stuff.

also if you are in the dc area stop off at cosi - it'll make you happy.