Friends Will Arrive, Friends Will Disappear

It was a bittersweet weekend spent working & spending time with friends. Friday night I went to a Muskegon Fury hockey game. It was interesting, to say the least, not something I'd do every week, but still fun.

Saturday was quite possibly the longest 9 hours anyone could possibly spend at work-a slow day after a very long week. Saturday night Christie & I met Dan at the Cottage Bar in Grand Rapids for food & to watch the Tigers game (the end anyway). When a friend tells you he's got news for you, you make sure you drive to find out what it is, no matter how far. It turns out that soon after getting a new job & moving to Indiana, Dan got called up to go to Iraq for over a year. He'll be leaving for Texas for training, & soon after that will be sent to Iraq. My stomach dropped to the floor. The fact that one man's life can be turned upside down & put in danger in order to appease another man's whim continues to amaze & disappoint me. What's it all for? Can anybody truthfully answer that, & if so, can it be justified?

The Tigers game was a pleasant distraction, but it was just that, a distraction. I hope Dan finds all kinds of distractions like these. I hope Bob Dylan plays the best show he's ever done when we go November 3 (with lots of songs from Nashville Skyline, Dan's favorite Dylan record). I hope the Tigers win the world series. Keep him in your prayers, & pray that something good comes out of all this. It's all in God's hands, I guess.

Today, my pal Katie came over from the Detroit area. We had a great time, doing nothing in particular but playing cards & shooting the breeze. Christie made a great dinner of chicken, cheesy potatoes & salad. It was good to see Katie. It was good to play euchre again. It's been awhile.

Five Favorite Songs of the Day

I Died a Little Today-Alejandro Escovedo, The Boxing Mirror

Love Would Come-Kevin Davis & Valerie Marincic, Eulogies for November

Harsher Winters-Kevin Davis & Valerie Marincic, Eulogies for November

Not Dark Yet-Bob Dylan, Time Out of Mind

Thin Blue Flame-Josh Ritter, the Animal Years

Happy Sunday, friends.

andrew