Another Sunday morning at Monkey Grind.

Four years ago today was the day that changed the world forever. Only it's odd how little has changed in terms of my daily life or the lives of people. It was the kind of tragedy that made me expect we'd be different toward each other, more united, more unified. I blame the president for making us more divided in the face of the common enemy of terrorism, but I guess I also blame human nature. I remember in the days just after 9/11, I'd drive more politely, and it seemed everyone else was too. There was a sense that even the strangers in other cars were my friends, that we were brought together in our shared grief. That feeling is completely gone.

The tragedy two weeks ago in the Gulf coast and, especially, New Orleans brings this particularly to the fore. In spite of the common outpouring of grief and the desire to help, there's such a feeling of anger at whoever didn't do enough. There's a desire to politicize the event. It comes both from victims, those who survived but lost so much, and those on the sidelines who watch the news and whose sadness is mixed with frustration and fury.

But still, I go on. Another Sunday at Monkey Grind. I'll try but probably fail to motivate myself to go to the gym, do some writing, clean the house, be productive. I'll watch some TV, a movie perhaps, surf the internet, and relax as another weekend nears its end and another work week approaches.

Maybe today I'll break the pattern.