Angelina Jolie is kinda cool

Say what you will about her, but Angelina is one cool lady. I really like her, and one day we will be friends. And she likes her kids! They eat dinner together as a family-- so take that all of you judging her for having so many of them. That's more than most families can say.

Check out this NY Times article about her. P.S. My roommate Maren just met her-- she went into the store where maren works and was totally great.

in the a.m. with the internet

sometimes, you just realize that you like your life exactly the way it is. nothing less (because obviously that would be worse) and nothing more (because that would be change and that is scary). I have a very, very good life. I am very content, and could this could be very fulfilling for a very long time.

and yet.

one day, you look around and realize the reason you've been building this very happy, content life is to leave it behind.

this is a thought that can lead to many sleepless hours and entirely too much introspective analysis way too late at night.

Michael Pollan wrote an amazing piece on food policy in the NY Times magazine as an open letter to the next president. I would recommend everyone to read it. He brings up so many good reasons why we should change the way that we make food in this counrty, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and turning back to the sun as the main source of energy to producing our food. Love it. it's a little long, but totally worth it. Eat Local!

I was reminded about how pleasant it is to eat close to the source this weekend when i made it to the farmers market on a beautiful indian summer saturday here. Nothing quite like it. and the food tastes so much better when made with my hands from local produce.

Is this Pro-Life?

I read a great Nicholas Kristof op-ed today in the New York Times about the U.S. cutting birth control supplies to Marie Stopes International clinics in Africa. Not only is this a terrible, poorly thought out policy, it is takes the family planning movement back decades and increases illegal abortions. I've been to Africa, I've been to clinics, and I've talked to women about family planning and their access to birth control. And I can tell you, it isn't all that accessible, but it is oh so necessary for women's health.

I don't have time to get into it much more than that, but read the article. And take a look at the policies of the presidential candidates when it comes to women's health and empowerment. I'm not saying advocate abortions for everyone or anything like that, just that we NEED sex education, access to contraceptives, and good policies and leadership if we really want to reduce unwanted pregnancies.