Just because something isn't possible doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.
-William Powers, Blue Clay People

I just finished reading this incredible book. It is about Liberia and the daunting challenge to "fight poverty and save the rainforest."

I loved this book for many reasons. It helped me understand that my frustrations in the Peace Corps (and any non-profit work I've ever done) are not uncommon, and they're not actually all that life changing either. The above quote pretty much sums up how I live my life, and I am ecstatic to have finally found a motto of which I can throw myself behind wholeheartedly.

It also makes me think of Elliot, who, while not in Liberia, IS in Nigeria helping the type of people that are the enemies in this book. I am going to recommend that he read it-- and now that he will soon be "blissfully unemployed" he might actually have the time to read it.

I had an incredibly clarifying conversation with my friend Mike yesterday night (whom I visited in Buenos Aires recently). It was good in that it has helped me to see myself more objectively (seeing it all splayed out on the white "chat box" in gmail brings a whole lot of reality to thoughts you didn't know you had until you typed them in seconds before), but I am not quite sure where to head from here. It's all just a giant adventure, day by day, I suppose, but I want to move forward a changed person, at least a little. Ah, asi espero.

I am not so very sick to be home now-- I bawled, actually cried real tears when I had to get on the plane in Puerto Iguazu just a few days ago. The trip renewed my love of Latin Culture, of Spanish, and in all honesty, men in general. I so needed it.

Violet has been a big reason for me getting over my home-illness(the opposite of home-sickness really). She's so damn adorable and everything she does- every face she makes, every goofy little stumble, shines a little beam of pure joy down into the darkest of places within me. She is very literally my sunshine. She's just beautifully amazing. I continually strive to find such pure joy in the world as a one-year-old who is learning and experiencing everything for the first (or nearly first) time. Such joy, such enthusiasm. I love to think of the whole world living a life with even just a fraction of the joy in that little girl. She is my littlest best friend, and possibly one of the most inspiring-- and hells, she's still in diapers.