Here’s the piece of the student debt forgiveness discourse that I want to say something about. The assertion that we can’t do it because not all Americans have student debt and the ones who don’t will get big mad about others getting such relief. But not all Americans are farmers, and we extend farm relief. Not all Americans are elderly, and we extend elderly relief. Not all Americans are defense contractors, and we extend a *staggering* amount of defense contractor relief.

Sixteen years ago today I ran in the Olympic trials finals. I didn’t think it would be the only time, but it was. If you’ll indulge me a thread, I want to tell a story about being shaped by failing at the first thing I thought my life would be about. 1/ I came in fifth at the Trials in 2004 and missed the team, but I had just finished college and was mostly excited to have gotten that close. I went to Europe that summer and got my ass kicked in London, but ran a 1:46.16 PR in Sweden and figured the sky was the limit. 2/