Just got back from a weekend with the Meredith girls...at Rita's beautiful wedding in Banner Elk, North Carolina. It's just this gorgeous place in the mountains...we were so blessed with wonderful hospitality from her family, and it was so much fun celebrating with them!

Currently, I'm kind of done. I've realized that after I am with a large group of people for an extended period of time, I need to schedule debriefing time. I think this makes me a true introvert, because while I love spending time with friends and family, I have to warm up to people and I have to spend time alone after. And when I don't, I'm just not a nice person. So I'm laying in bed on a Sunday afternoon just so I can relax after two days of lots of laughter and heart-to-hearts and small talk and social events.

I also have been thinking about presidents, and people in the spotlight in general. I used to be very interested in politics, and while I still have my opinions and beliefs, I am finding it more difficult to "pledge my allegiance" to a certain candidate.

And maybe I'm wrong on this, but I just think it's really easy to completely idolize a person (especially a president) because he/she aligns with your beliefs and affiliations, but they are still people. I thought this when Bush was first elected, with the "fan shirts" that Meredith students made and sold of him in a cowboy hat with the words "my hero is a cowboy."

It really disturbed me, because while I think I can throw my support to a certain candidate, I know they are still politicians. They aren't the Messiah. Or a rock star. But I feel like many people look at candidates in that way. And for the record, I feel the same way about Hillary and Obama. It's not a party affiliation thing. It just really bothers me, because when I do discuss politics with people, it feels like sometimes I'm insulting their mother.

I've really had a hard time with this lately, and for this reason have kept out of a lot of political discussion (unless I just lose my cool) and haven't kept up with the news. I think it's just a season. And I do think it's important for citizens to be informed voters. I just am struggling with supporting a candidate but understanding that he is still a person, and is fallible, and how to discuss that with people without getting upset or making others upset. It's really a conundrum.