Been away and not able to update the blog, but a lot has gone on in the past week. i won't have the time to do a full posting for a few days, so i thought i'd throw out a bunch of quick hits, in chronological order since I began my trip.

• Obama's acceptance speech: I liked it much more the second time I heard it. The speech won't go down as one of his best, as it was much less about inspiring the nation and more about drawing a stark contrast with the opponent, but it was written and delivered flawlessly, with at least a few stirring moments. And cheesy backdrop or no, the atmosphere was indeed electric. He's a rock star, and that's a good thing, in my opinion.
• McCain picks Palin as VP: I was in mid-flight watching CNN when this news came down and my first thought was 'Who?' My next thought was 'Whoa - MILF!'. In general, I think the pick has the chance to totally backfire on McCain, as it's become quite clear the vetting process was done half-assed at best. But it also was about the only thing McCain could have done to instill even a trace of the excitement the Democrats have generated in the past week.
• My lesbian (rabbi!) cousin gets married: OK, I think I'm as open-minded as a Midwestern-born boy can be, but even I have to admit it was a bit jarring to see two women in bride dresses walk down the aisle hand in hand. But I will tell you one thing: There was as much or more love and joy during this ceremony than in any other 'straight' ceremony I've attended. This was indeed something to be celebrated, and it was sooo cool to see the parents of both women embrace and accept what is still seen by many Americans as an abomination.
• Close call averted: Wow, pretty amazing to think that only a couple of years after Katrina, New Orleans almost got hit again. Great news that the storm ended up sparing the city, but I wanted to strangle Michael Moore, listening to him on MSNBC almost gloat over the fact Gustav was threatening the Republican National Convention. Kind of like Sharon Stone implying that China deserved its  earthquake because of the way the government treats Tibetans. Apparently, it's not only right-wing nuts like Pat Robertson who believe that God delivers ironic political statements in the form of deadly storms and viruses.
• If you go to LA, you gotta visit the Getty Center. The art and exhibits are top-notch but the stunning architecture, idyllic setting, and especially the amazing garden make the site an absolute must-see. Even better: Admission to the museum is FREE, aside from the $8 it costs to park.
• The Republican convention so far: It's quite fascinating to hear how rarely they mention the economy and how even more rarely they mention George W. Bush -- you know, he's just the Republican who's been running the country (into the ground) for the past eight years. Pretty illuminating that as soon as Bush's lackluster, seemingly taped speech ended, the convention moved quickly to a Ronald Reagan video. Ahhh, nostalgia.
• Palin gave a nasty, snarky, but effective little speech last night. She delivered the talk very well, though I don't know what that says other than the woman can be effective reading words written by someone else off a teleprompter. But she seemed competent and confident and the clever lines did the trick of bringing Obama down a notch or two. However, the speech didn't do much to tout a specific Republican vision, and I don't think the negative, biting tactics will fly this time, not with the country flailing and its citizens searching for serious leadership and big ideas.

Ok, that is all for now. I am sooo looking forward to tomorrow night when McCain gives his speech AND the new NFL season kicks off. great stuff!