Finally saw something inspiring. Attended the U2 360 tour in Philly last evening.

The concert marked my seventh time seeing the men from Ireland live in concert. I started in 1992 with Zoo TV in the Spectrum in Philly with my dear friend Cathy, then Zoo TV at RFK in DC in the rain with Cathy again and Andrea, followed by Zoo TV at Vet Stadium in Philly with my brother Shawn who eventually eclipsed me in his adoration for the band and my friend Amy, among Cathy and others, who afterward said that she understood why girls held their faces and screamed for the likes of Elvis and the Beatles. (Side note: We slept on the street outside the Vet for fifteen plus hours to get those tickets just days after the riots in LA following the acquittal over the Rodney King beatings.)  Then the Pop tour at Franklin Field in Philly where thirteen of us almost got trampled, and my now sister-in-law Miranda and I witnessed a young woman “worshipping at her boyfriend’s altar” in a very public fashion. Miranda was 16 at most; I was mortified.

In this weekend’s New York Times Magazine, Mark Oppenheimer writes about marriage and infidelity in one of the most compelling and thoughtful ways that I’ve seen.  His article is called “Marriage, with Infidelities,” and it’s started quite a conversation in the “comments” area online, with 431 as of this blog post.  Oppenheimer writes the Beliefs column for The Times, and in my mind that makes his work this weekend all the more powerful and important to consider.  You can read more by and about Mark Oppenheimer here. The title of my blog post refers to a phrase that Dan Savage uses, and you’ll have to read the article to find out what it means.  If you don’t know Dan Savage’s work already, you really should, and you will know more after reading Oppenheimer’s article.

I feel surprisingly happy about the passage of the same-sex marriage bill in New York state.  While I still have questions about why we want this institution to define and validate our homosexual relationships, I’m fascinated at the possibilities that seem to unfold as a result of this new law.

I’m blogging tonight from Washington, DC, as I’m in town for a roundtable discussion with some exceptional arts educators whose students have been named Presidential Scholars in the Arts for 2011. These students are nominated after receiving recognition through YoungArts, the signature program of National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. I have consulted for this organization for a few years now, and I’m excited by the work that happens and the young people that gain recognition through the YoungArts program.

I woke up this morning to a CNN.com posting with the title, “Super Bowl hero warns of ‘anarchy’ if NY approves gay marriage.”

Huh?