My grandparents and I finally agree on something political: the campaign season is too long!
Being the well-informed retirees that they are, my grandpa and grandma recently attended a conference in Ottawa about Canadian politics (isn't that one of the most random things?). Anyway, they learned that the campaigns there are only permitted (by law) to be about thirty days long! Wouldn't that be so nice? I am so sick of the rhetoric...that could be because I'm watching too much CNN, though. My dad sent me an email last night and said that I obviously need to stop;) Dad, a girl's gotta stay informed.

Anyway, I had heard about the Canadian system from Jean Chretien, the former Prime Minister of Canada, when he came to speak at the U of M. Another interesting tid-bit about politics up north: their bureaucracy is so much smaller than ours! When he was minister of the park system, he told his wife that he would create a state park for her (he told us this story with a really thick French accent, which made it a lot funnier). So he flew to the capital, and discussed with the Minister of the Northern Territories. Which was him. And he agreed. Then he talked to the Minister of Native Indian Affairs. Which was him. And he agreed too. Finally, he asked the Minister of the Cabinet, which was also him, and he agreed. So he created the park...and he never had to talk to anyone else!

I'm really excited to see my parents this weekend! It's funny: they called me this week just to chat...I don't remember them ever doing that before! ;) I think they're getting bored of being empty-nesters. But their new interest is hilarious: my parents have taken up frisbee golf! Haha. Honestly. They bought all of the equiptment last week and they told me that the salesman seemed stoned. My dad said they're going to try to raise the demographic of the frisbee gold course in Ann Arbor. They also enjoy hanging out at Starbucks in the evening. My parents are like teenagers again! It makes me so hopeful- it proves you don't have to become "middle-aged" if you don't want to. And they deserve it, since they only spent 9 months married before they had kids and they've worked so hard for the past 22 years; it's about time they got to do all of the fun stuff they missed out on in their 20's!

Typical disc golf players. My mom and dad might stand out a bit.