happy fourth.

happy fourth of july to all my U.S. friends. it's a good thing, this country of ours. here's to hoping more people around the world get the respect of their personhood, rule of law, and rights that this country is supposed to be well-known for.

and if rule of law, and respect of certain persons and their rights, have been shoved aside in our own country a bit lately, may they be quickly restored.

i'm actually working today. catching up on things that are easier to do when nobody is in the office and no clients are calling. i'm scrimping (or making up) every bit of vacation time i can, so that a week or two will be paid while i'm in vanuatu. but tonight, at last, i depart for a messianic jewish conference that i've attended in whole or in part for almost every year of my life.

this conference, in combination with my tendency for yearly reflection around the time of my birthday, means that july has always packed an intense punch for me. it's historically been my favorite -- and most challenging -- month of the year. so let's see what fun adventures this july holds in store!