hey mother

your birthday's coming up. i always think about what i can do to show you how much i love you, and not just get you a shirt or a new kitchen item. i'll probably get a tattoo on my arm for you. something that will be with me at all times to remind me of you. i don't really need it though, i'm reminded every day. when i show love and compassion towards others it reminds me of you. when people tell me that i have a great smile, it reminds me of yours. when i'm dropping gratuitous f-bombs, i can hear you saying my name in that voice that means you're shocked and disappointed that such a thing would come out of my mouth...even though it comes out every 6 words or so.

i'm so proud of you as a woman and as a parent. i see what you do to other people when you're around them. people love you, and why not? you are funny, and more importantly you laugh a lot. you are beautiful, kind hearted, and aware. you continue to grow even in your 50's, and continue to amaze me with your ability to do so. you're not set in your ways, and you still think of other possibilities out there.

you love dad. you guys are still together. there's no doubt in my mind that it took so much patience and strength for you two to get through it all. i'm very grateful that you did. i'm special in that my parents have been together for 35 years and will likely remain together forever. forever isn't a term proved to be anything but a fantasy these days. you prove that it's still alive.

i'm so excited to see you for christmas, and i'm sorry that i only get to see you two or three times a year. i had to move and try something new, but i promise that i'll be back. i don't want to miss many more years with you being a constant presence in my life. maybe i'll let you open up that restaurant for me, and i'll be there to not only be your chef, but to be your active son again.

i love you and miss you so much. i'm lucky that i was picked to be your son.

Dear President Bush

A lot of people hate you, but I don’t think you’re a bad guy at all. I think everyone’s just jumping on the bandwagon of assuming you’re an asshole. I wouldn’t be so quick to do that. After all, we’ve never even met, so I have no idea what kind of a person you really are. But you seem to me to be a guy who sticks to his guns, who cares about his country and the people in it, and who has a good sense of humor, which is important when you’re President. I also happen to agree with a lot of your politics, which certainly doesn’t hurt. But even though I don’t agree with everything you’ve said or done, I think you have done your best for the American people and I think more people need to remember back to those few weeks after 9/11 when you stepped up to the plate for America. I think too many people have forgotten that.