Only 25 cents, Day 194

I remember gazing into the candy machines at the grocery store as a kid filled with desire for what was just out of reach. I see that same longing in my son's eyes as we pass by the gum ball machine in the entryway of our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. He's lucky if I happen to have a quarter on me, but more often than not, I don't have one or I just don't want him to have the sugar. But when he does get one, he is totally blissed out.

Sugar coated, Day 52

Artificial flavor and color wrapped up in a pretty package. This is how most things seem to be presented whether it's politics, food, television, technology, the environment, religion, the economy, entertainment, and relationships. I don't mean to view the world through a glass half empty perspective, but it's difficult at times not to. I see our society as seriously doomed when the "King of Pop" suddenly dies and this gets more press coverage than political protests in Iran or all the Palestinians being killed in Gaza. I just don't get it, and yet at the same time I have bought into it just as much as anybody else.