I finally finished that biography of John Adams that I've been "reading" for over a year now. Sometimes you just have to be in a certain mood to read a biography...maybe I just wasn't in the mood for several months. It at least did not get my stomach all tied up in knots.

John Adams was a very admirable man. He sacrificed a lot to serve his country, and his attitude about it was very human. A part of him was ambitious, wanted to be known and loved by his country, while another just wanted to live out his life on his farm, simple and plain. He lost his second election because of his efforts to make peace with France, which later succeeded and led to the Louisiana Purchase.

It's kinda ironic...that John Adams was vilified for peace and George W. Bush is vilified for war. It's never easy, going against popular opinion, even though you believe it's the best thing to do. It will be interesting, in years or decades or even centuries, to see how today falls in the spectrum of history.

I also have a newfound dislike for Alexander Hamilton. I didn't know a whole lot about him before, but now I know he was an ass. I told that to Todd, who said, "Why do you think Burr shot him?" I think I'm going to boycott ten dollar bills. Only fives for me. Unless there's something about Abraham Lincoln I don't know.