Getting Back to It

Went for 6 this morning with the primary goal of hearing about David's St. George experience and trying to talk Jesse into running the full at White Rock, which I am likely going to do.  Our pace was too fast for an easy 6, but it wasn't killing me.  I feel like I'm really getting back from the race.  Tonight is my big post-marathon celebration dinner.  I'm looking forward to eating about 2 pounds of cheese while consuming a bottle of wine.  I'm sure there will be some other tasty food added, and maybe a bit of champagne, but I'm mostly focused on the wine and cheese.  I'm celebrating tonight with one of my good friends.  She was working on a huge event for the Italian Club (where we met), and that was this past weekend, so she also has a big weight off her shoulders, so it should be a great night.  We haven't gotten to have dinner, just the two of us, in ages and I miss having the chance to get caught up.  Particularly since I know I love her, but when I mostly keep up with her via facebook and I see a lot of political stuff, I kind of forget how much I like her and we really do have in common. 

I'm becoming more and more anti-politics in general, but especially on facebook.  I actually unfriended someone because he kept posting so much political stuff.  My friend that I'm meeting for dinner is very smart and her beliefs are well-reasoned and I completely respect them.  But when my primary contact with her is via FB, and all I see are political statements with which I don't agree, it's easy to forget there's so much more to her than the politics, and I love all the other stuff. 

I feel like a combination of factors have combined to make me less politically rabid than I was in college.  Going to law school in general has made me question more.  It's easier to see the other side to things, and to recognize how statistics and other facts are often misused -- and it works on both sides of the spectrum.  Even if I read something I'm inclined to agree with, I generally recognize that there's more to it.  I also think for me, there's just been more of a shift in focus as I've gotten older -- it's just not a priority for me, or a strong area of interest.  While my husband is happy to watch news 24/7, I like to get the basic headlines and will watch the Today show in the morning while getting dressed, but I don't have a strong desire to get much more than that.  If I have free time to read on the internet or something printed or even watch TV, there just seem to be so many things that are more interesting to me.  The other big change I think happened when I was in college and studying abroad in Italy.  While the elections were being held here and there, I suddenly realized that there weren't any huge differences between the candidates in the US.  I feel like our system prevents anyone too crazy from getting elected or doing anything too drastic.  In Italy, there is a reformed communist party, among many others.  If RC posted a prime minister candidate who was elected and had sufficient support, there could actually be MAJOR changes.  That just doesn't seem to happen here.  I feel like pretty much anyone could be president and as long as they are somewhat reasonable and well-intentioned, it's not going to have a huge impact on my life.  It's the whole checks-and-balances thing too. 

Anyway, there are still issues about which I care deeply, but it's still not something I generally want to talk about on FB or even spend much time discussing.  Hard to believe that not too many years ago I was campaigning in New Hampshire, feeling like the primaries and elections were so important and made such a huge difference.  I got my requisite Poli Sci minor, so common in law school.  But somewhere along the way, my levels of concern and polarization have really diminished.