George Herbert Walker Bush

Former President Bush (the older one) came to lecture at the University of Arkansas campus last Monday evening. At first, I wasn't going to go. I was never a fan of Bush Sr. policies. So much so, I used to drive around with shoe polish on my back window that said in big bold letters, "NO WAR!". That seems so long ago, but interestingly, we are still at war... but that is for a different post.

At the last minute I decided to go hear Bush speak simply because it is not often that one has an opportunity to see a former president speak, regardless of his policies and political affiliations. I had high hopes for a message of motivation, you know, how most distinguished guest speakers lecture. Instead, I watched a very old man ask people to do their part with community service (in a not so motivating way) mixed in with painfully boring quirky anecdotes about him and Barbara. Overall, it was narcissistic and boring. The whole lecture felt like he didn't even want to be there. There was no motivational epiphany. Almost half way through (in about 5-7 min. - he only spoke for 20 min.) I was thinking, damn, why did I sit in the middle of this row? I knew I should have sat on the end of the row. Now, I'm trapped here.