excuse my french, but this, this, makes my insides swell and smile and sing 'my country 'tis of thee'

holy. fucking. cow.

it's been a long, long time since i felt this energized, this excited, this enthusiastic about something: a plan to provide financial incentive for children who are now being born in america to devote a year of their lives to volunteer work when they turn 18... a whole national policy that would encourage and create a common experience of volunteering and service for a whole generation (and then plus) of people. (even though part of me feels like i have no right since i haven't done a year of service myself, but, still, this, this makes me feel good, hopeful, happy, proud to be an american in ways i don't know that i've ever felt before. there is a need a for this. there is a hunger for this - an alternative to a life spend chasing after high-def tvs and pumpkin flavored lattes and that empty, hollow, guilty feeling that chasing creates because one knows that that lifestyle is empty and hollow and there's so many people who are hurting, and they're hurting in part as a direct result of the prosperity you enjoy. i guess i'm using the universal 'one' pretty liberally here when i really mean 'me,' but i want to be a part of this in any way i possibly can.)

oh, america! heart-singing until my brains fall out good.

(also, i'm now back in the land of corn and cows and lakes after walking the streets of japan until i got lost. went to morocco to see donna. unemployed but looking.)