i've always been infatuated with all things canadian. after all, what's not to love about democratic socialism, bilingual culture, and hockey? i have to admit that i went to toronto with a small part of me thinking it would be really cool if i figured out a way to stay and live happily ever after. and, i have to admit that TO is a very cool city. i met some pretty amazing people who have reinspired my call to activism and reminded me of the joy of really listening and being listened to. but then we went to see bruce cockburn. ironically, sharing an evening with a canadian activist/folk singer/sexy aging man was what really connected me to why i love cincinnati. see, julie wolf happens to be playing keyboards, organ, etc. with bruce right now. i first saw her play with ani difranco a couple of years ago, and was duly impressed. the cool part is that she's from cincinnati. that fact alone somehow reached deep inside me and sparking something bigger, to all of the things that this city has to offer the world, and all of the work that remains to be done here. on a larger scale, i was reminded of some of the beauty of the united states. grit, gluttony, arrogance and all, this is my home. i can't change that, despite how often i've wanted to be from somewhere else. and i'm realizing that it's ok to love my country, even when i am ashamed of it. i love the urban ghetto culture that isn't really found anywhere else. i love that we americans tend to say what we think. i love that the greyness of cities like detroit and chicago resonate with familiarity deep within me. that said, i really wouldn't mind spending my life somewhere else. but this is where i am right now, and that's ok.