In Quincy...

I'm in Quincy, Florida, visiting my in-laws. Next Tuesday I fly from Tallahasse to North Carolina to give a keynote speech. Then back to Florida, we drive to Orlando for a day, then down to Miami for the Miami Book Fair. We'll be promoting CASANEGRA, and T will perform with the Rock Bottom Remainders. Fun. But it's a non-stop sprint to the end of the year. I probably won't have time to rest until February. Ouch...
##
Orlando will be interesting. Four years ago, T and I spent ten days there, waiting to see if a certain pregnant mother would deliver and bring us the child as promised. It was absolute torture being around all those happy families. I think that T was being stretched tothe absolute breaking point, emotionally. I had to finally insist that she come home. Going back there with our healthy, bouncy little boy is like re-claiming a piece of your life. I like that idea.
##
The recent Discover magazine article on racism just verifies my core belief: tht human beings don't much like the different, that they lie to themselves about their feelings, that whne it comes to racism and sexism and Xenophobia, the only thing we have to fear is the people who think they don't have it. The natural human tendency will be to say: "we don't have to worry about that any more"...or "wow! Wasn't it bad back then..." or "When will people stop complaining about what happened in the past..." or whatever. The point? To keep the power for their group, while consciously conforming to the socially agreed-upon "politically correct" behaviors. And of course, to constantly chip away from any of the protections that keep that natural tribalism in check. It's going to be a constant struggle, I think.