While short-term investors the world over are dreading today, and praying it won't be like the day before, we're really not all that concerned about the massive drop in stock markets around the world that happened 24 hours ago.
For one thing, it's Friday.
For another, the jobs report is in - and it's better than most expected, though it's still not great.
Lastly, some of the most intelligent people we know on these affairs, - like Dr. Paul Krugman - really aren't apoplectic about the economics, while others like Nate Silver and Ezra Klein aren't that concerned about the politics. Yes, they're concerned - but they're not saying we need to stop the world and have a meltdown. In fact, they're saying just the opposite.
It's August, after all. It's time to look forward to the County and State Fair seasons around the country, time to get ready for kids and teachers to go back to school.
And time for members of high school and college marching bands to begin the grueling annual exercise known as band camp.
For those of you who trained for athletic events like football, baseball, or track and field in the blistering sun of summer, we know you empathize with those "band geeks" going through two-a-days on their own practice gridiron. Holding perfect posture, while dancing across a field and playing an instrument, and getting everything perfect is difficult enough.
Add in heat indexes of over 100ºF and those young men and women carrying tubas, drums, and giant saxophones don't seem to be such creampuffs after all. At least football pads don't tend to focus the energy of the sun like a laser beam on your skin. The same thing can't be said of shiny silver and gold instruments that literally and figuratively burn the hands and bodies of those who struggle to make them work in such grueling conditions.
It may sound to some as though being in a marching band is nothing but pain, sweat, and sacrifice, as difficult in its own way as any sport ever was. There is certainly some truth to that.
Just like being part of a football, baseball, or softball team that trains together in extreme conditions, going through an experience like a band camp is a bonding experience that teaches individuals about more than just music or choreography.
It teaches individuals how to be part of something greater than themselves, a group that can accomplish big things, things that no individual can hope to achieve alone.
Hmmmmm...
Maybe we should strap tubas and drums to all 435 members of Congress, and force them to go learn a marching routine on the National Mall. In the deep summer heat.
Of course, they'd need someone to lead the band, a task we're fairly sure President Obama would have little trouble handling. He's still young - only fifty - and seems to have plenty of energy to lead a motley crew like that.
Let's just hope that when Congress gets back from their five-week vacation, they can all learn to play the same tune - or at least, to stop purposely running into each other.
