What a day. First of all, I am so sunburned! Fried. My arms are like these big, red, throbbing extensions. I feel like if I take my shirt off and look at my sunburnt arms, it will look like crispy chicken skin. Because that is sure what it feels like. I rode today (I think it ended up being 65 miles) and then ran for 17 minutes. We did the Cinderella Classic. We were bandits (though I tried to register earlier this week and they said it was sold out...so we didn't use any of the rest stops, just their pink arrows on the ground telling us where to go). It was a great ride, GORGEOUS day. We kept a pretty good pace, though I didn't eat enough and towards the end felt hungry, which is never good! About halfway through the ride I asked A___, "Do you think we are getting tan?" "We must be," she replied. It was so sunny and gorgeous. But it seems it was a bit too sunny...I put sunscreen on my face before I left the house this morning but didn't bother with my arms or legs. Now I am paying the price. I am afraid my shirt is going to catch fire because my arms are so friggin hot!

After the ride I came home, read a bit of Truman (yup, still reading it!) and ended up snoozing for about 45 minutes. I hopped in the shower and went and picked up J_____ for the cool KPIX/World Affiars Council Town Hall meeting we were participating in. I was excited but had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be really interesting. First of all, it was very cool to be in a TV studio that wasn't a sitcom set, which is the only other TV studio I had ever been in! It was cool to see the local newscasters live and up close. And the idea of sitting through live television was kind of cool - anything could happen!

The audience was very diverse...much more diverse, in my opinion, than the actual demographics of San Francisco. But that's okay, because San Francisco could use a little more color. Anyway, they took an audience poll at the beginning to see where people stand on the war. The majority of the audience was opposed to the war. Surprise surprise...it is San Francisco after all.

Anyway, I thought it was going to be more audience engagement than it was...but you know, it was their first time doing this fomat so I cut them a bit of slack. I wanted to speak...there was so much I wanted to say: I wanted to talk about how this war is like the ultimate reality tv show...as if this is what we have been preparing for since the reality genre first opened up a dozen years ago. I wanted to talk about how I think the protesters are wasting their energy right now - we are at war, and as much as we are opposed to it, our opposition is no longer the real point...I wanted to talk about how I think the protesters should re-group, refocus and figure out how we are going to make sure that the warmongers in power stick around Iraq, rebuild what they have destroyed, create an infrastructure for democracy and help set the tone for the region. I wanted to say that if we were really paying attention, we would have done that with Afghanistan. And really, I wanted to say a lot more. But I didn't say anything. Because I didn't have a question and if I got up just to comment, I am sure I would have gone on and on and time would have run out on the show!

It's interesting, ever since Bush was appointed by the Supreme Court in 2000, I feel less politically empowered. I want so badly for him to lose in 2004 and I want to work on every campaign that might possible have a role in beating him. But then I fear in my heart that he won't lose, because he will rig it again somehow. And I get all upset about it before it is even happening. And I feel like I can't decide if I should bother or not. And I am not sure I am alone feeling this way...so disenfranchised.

I have this distinct feeling that once the Supreme Court made its fateful decision, Americans somehow checked out. I mean, it doesn't matter. This majority of Americans DID NOT VOTE for this guy, yet he is running the country, forcing his religious views and his absolutist morality on us, pissing off the rest of the world in our name, pushing our economy deeper and deeper into distress. So, I can see why people would throw up their arms in disgust and then turn their backs in disinterest.

The problem with me is, I never run out of things to say but I need to get to sleep and I can't type as fast as I think and I get frustrated that I can't always be brilliant and articulate.

I will say this...my arms are smoking right now...they are so hot and red. I need to go roll around in some lotion!