World turned upside down & back

I've changed in the past few weeks. I can't remember a time in my life where in a few short weeks, my core beliefs, my habits, my actions, my circle of comfort has been changed in such a huge way.

First, Don Imus is gone. I can still hear his voice, Charles reading the news, Bernard asking "Lord, hear our prayer." Am I the only woman who could find humor in the off-color, sometimes degrading & self-depreciating commentary provided by Imus in the Morning? I know I'm not alone in saying morning info-entertainment is sorely lacking after his departure.

Then, our national discussion on Oprah's Town Meeting, which was pre-empted here in Virginia by the coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings. I heard it was wonderful, thoughtful & profound. What I was experiencing during those two days, Monday & Tuesday, April 16 & 17, was horrible. I live just over the mountain from the VA Tech campus, less than 30 miles on the road but about 10 miles straight line. I forgot my indignation over the media idiocy & had to face real agony.

Blacksburg as a small town & VA Tech as a state university are close knit communities, interwoven by people & place. When any part feels pain, we all feel pain. The trauma of this horrible event has been unexplainable. We've shared our grief, our loss, our heartfelt efforts to remember, & most important our strength to move forward. We will prevail.

Then I had some personal health challenges, overcame them, & have to get through recovering in the next few weeks. Watching the news on Tuesday, killing time, I see my hometown in NJ, on fire with family members forced to evacuate. In a drought situation, who is giving the OK for Air Force National Guard units to practice with fireballs in the forest? With the rain of last night dampening the blaze, it's all up for investigation now. We're back to the disgustingly ridiculous coverage of the death of Jerry Falwell, which means I've turned the tv off.

Now I know to some this may be whining, but it's just how it is. What I'm struggling with is what is really important, what is going on in our world? Any thoughts!?!