Shootings and Shruti

I actually had a good night with some very interesting dreams that allowed me to awaken refreshed and get back to the treadmill for a mile. Not the greatest distance, but at least I was finally able to sweat for a while again. I'm so much happier. While cooling down I started catching up on my emails while the news was on in the background and they broke into the news with a Breaking News story. A mass shooting and possible explosion took place at the Century 16 movie theatre about a half-hour in to the premier showing of Batman - Dark Knight Rises. The theatres were packed for this premier and the latest update (3 hours after the attack) has fourteen people dead and at least 50 injured. So far they have arrested a single male and are thinking that he was operating alone.

I grew up in eastern Denver and spent a lot of time in Aurora. While experimenting with various standard religions I attended a Baptist church in that suburb, and I shopped one of the malls there on a regular basis. My godmother lived in Aurora and I still have friends in the nearby area. I was busy sending off emails this morning to my friends hoping that they and all of their friends are OK after this attack. I can't imagine what would go through someone's mind to cause them to open fire into a crowd like that. Then again, I'm grateful that I don't understand that. I'd be much more frightened if I understood the rationale.

I had a lovely conversation with my friend Shruti who is traveling through the US for one more week before she returns to India. It's always such a joy to hear her happy voice. She's a talented artist in several different media and is on her way to the International Glass Bead Conference in Seattle now. We first found each other when needing a roommate for Metal Clay World several years ago and had two conferences where we roomed together. Since MCW is no longer being produced, she has decided that she will attend Bead & Button Show next year and we'll have a chance to room together again! It's silly, in so many ways, that I'm anticipating something that won't happen for another eleven months, but I am. I guess I'm just forward looking :-)