Downers from the week past

1. The new American Express ad running on TV features Jim Henson and his muppets and it makes me want to cry everytime I see it.
2. The number of new people sleeping on the street in my neighbourhood. On one morning walk with Snoop, I counted three new people I haven't seen before. Since then I've seen a few more new faces.
3. The death of Paul Newman. I grew up with his movies, and lately I've been watching Cars with Nate over and over again. It sounds silly, but sometimes I just take for granted that some people will be around forever. I think it's so I don't have to deal with the passing of time, and my own mortality.
4. A person suffering from mental illness came into my workplace one evening and spent a few minutes walking around the store yelling to no one in particular, then walked out and continued down the street yelling. It made me sad then and it makes me sad just thinking about it now.
5. The ghosts of Afghanistan. Someone had planted a small tree in the dog park we go to. From afar, it looks like a small Christmas tree decorated with white streamers. On closer inspection, the white streamers turned out to be paper tags bearing the inscription ghosts of Afghanistan. I took some time to explain to Nate what was happening in Afghanistan. I'm not sure he understood, and to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I did myself. Sobering stuff. My brother will be leaving for Afghanistan next month. I haven't seen him in four and a half years, and part of me worries I might never see him again.