Friday: In which the day starts off with promise. And rain.

I'm trying today to table some of my cynical thoughts. Thus there is no mention of terrorist attacks, memorials, or Iraq in this post, none of my thoughts.

However, I will comment on Ms. Palin's interview with Charlie Gibson. So far, I've only seen what was aired at 6.30 last night. She's a quick study - it's clear she's been tutored heavily over the last several days (why else the hands-off issue to the press?). But it's clear that she still does not have a comprehensive understanding of U.S. foreign policy. Sure, she can throw out the name of a couple of world leaders. But she has a very basic, very simplistic understanding of where we stand and how hypothetical situations - which could easily be reality - should be handled.

She had no idea - none - what the Bush Doctrine is. She is clearly lacking the knowledge - or, dare we say, the experience - for this job.

I probably am, too. The difference, of course, is I'm not running or claiming that I'm ready.

Went to book group last night: We read Lolita. I'd read it a long time ago, but it was worth the discussion. There was some talk of the author vs. the narrator, and I restrained myself from getting into a deep philosophical debate, bringing up Foucault, and opening that entire discourse. I was content to let others hash some of that out, rather half-heartedly, I might add - getting into heavy theory is not that what this group is about. But it would be worth reading more of the criticism of this book - I do wonder what sort of response it was intended to elicit. It's not just about making us uncomfortable - it's clearly about watching this character's descent into madness and his break with reality.

Lest you think the group is all into only really highbrow works, we'll be reading Eat, Pray, Love in December. I heard one review that was awful - we shall see.

Must run to the hardware store to buy a soap dish. Must mop the kitchen floor. Must get ready to paint - ! - the bathroom. (I've taken on that job myself.) School project to oversee this weekend, football game - high school and Purdue - soccer game, lunch plans on Sunday, a little campaign canvassing on Sunday evening.

I'm tired before it begins.