"Wipe your tears away..."

Feb 11, 2011. What a day this has been!

The Military Council in Egypt dissolved the Parliament and the government today. A dictatorship has fallen and Tahrir Square becomes a place of hope again. I found out via Twitter. Actually, over the last 2 years of being on Twitter, I get the majority of my news from the micro blogging site. I think what I like the most about it is hearing from people who are not paid to be there, unlike the media who seem to always get it wrong, or make the story about the media. Instead on twitter you get to wade through a mix of personal reports, emotional outbursts with twitpics and educated blogger's tweets.

This morning on Twitter I followed some fellow U2 fans around a special tour of the FNB stadium in Johannesburg prior to the big gig there coming up on Sunday. I saw pictures from the other side of the world instantaneously. It gave me a thrill. It's the 21st anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela today...I imagine the concert on Sunday will be very emotional and uplifting, as always, and I bet Willie Williams will have prepared something special (and spectacular) for the fans at FNB Sunday night. What will their performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday bring us? I can't wait to see videos from my fellow fans via YouTube.

Being so connected on the Internet is a double edged sword for me; it allows me to connect to places around the globe in a way I never thought possible but it also shows you exactly what you are missing. I would never give it up but, you have to get really good at stopping the thoughts of wishing to be everywhere your heart desires, it could drive you mad.

Then there are the places where life is becoming more difficult for people. Places like southern Sudan.....These events seem so much closer to us if you care to read about them I guess. Hundreds of people are dead because all they want is freedom. It weighs heavy on my mind and my heart breaks for the children and parents who have lost their loved ones, who will wipe their tears today? Can they find the strength to continue their fight? Today the news is filled with splendid hope and horrific despair, as usual, but the juxtaposition of these events remind me to be grateful to live in Canada (...although secretly I wish I was in South Africa, shhhh...).

Song Du Jour: The End By Kings of Leon

"It's never gonna be enough, I just wanna be there when your all alone, thinking about a better day...."

"I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside..."

I went into a meeting to talk about my pending vacation requests and while we were talking the radio was playing lightly in the background in my bosses office. All of a sudden I hear the opening bars of Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 start. I can't believe my ears. The fact that I am taking time off to go see U2 and their (arguably) best live song comes on the radio at that moment is like the universe saying, there you go...all that worry for nothing!

I knew at that moment my request would be approved and by the time Bono sang "when I go there I go there with you it's allllll I can do..." my vacation request have been approved!

I love my life.

*108 more sleeps*