This breaks my heart. In my perfect little happy world it's like hate crimes don't exist. I forget there are people in the world (although deep down I know I actually know some of these people) that are capable of hurting someone for what seems to me to be a non-issue. What motivates a kid who "got straight A's in school and ran track" to participate in beating another person? Their parents didn't see it coming. The kids themselves probably never thought they were capable of killing someone. But how sad is it that someone could tell CNN, "Hate is part of our culture" and "Even otherwise decent, honorable people can be pulled into it"? What do we do about that? Don't we have bigger things to worry about than what a stranger looks like or where that person is from? What triggers a reaction to start a fight that eventually ends in death?

It all just blows my mind, and more than that, it makes me sad.

²⁹But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" ³⁰Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³²So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. ³⁴He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' ³⁶Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" ³⁷He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."

Luke 10:25-37

and by all accounts you really should've died.

This past weekend was awesome with serenades from Andrew Bird and Relient K, but it proved to be a huge strain on my productivity which made the week unpleasant for a couple of days. But something has the world working in my favor, and I was given the unexpected gift of a reprieve Monday and Tuesday. Monday night my class got out super early which gave me time to work on Tuesday's assignments, and the class I was going to skip Tuesday morning was cancelled. I wasn't sure how I would make it to Wednesday, but here I am. Thank you powers that be for easing up on me.

In other news, a spider bit me and I finally had to seek medical attention Monday. I'm almost cured now, but I was really hoping for cool super hero powers to accompany the large red spot on my neck. Also, covering up a spider bite feels like covering up a hickey, and I just don't like feeling slutty when I'm not.

Tomorrow they take my wisdom teeth, so fall break will be spent medicated. We'll see if I feel like I've had a break by next week or if I just won't remember the gap between today and the return to school.

And what has me most excited/scared out of my mind because things are happening so fast? I'm going to be in Spain in less than 3 months. I can't even explain the gravity of that thought.