so there it is. I sat in the courtroom in Butte, MT with 19 other contestants. I stood up in the jury bx when my name was called and I held my hand up and swore to defend the constitution of the united states. I said a lot of other things during the oath that I would be horrified to fill.

thought I felt things would go on unchanged and I would not geek out about how grand it was to finally become a citizen, I still got to thinking during the ceremony of speeches and song. I realize how much I love about this country, how many things that are uniquely American and cannot be found, repeated or mimicked any where else in this world. I feel just as american as everyone else and have for years, it’s somehow unbelievable to exhale in relief and understand that they cannot get rid of me now. I have every right to be in this country and to be treated the same as any other citizen and celebrate this heritage as it was my own.

so when I gave my oath, I declared my own:

I love this country. I love it’s collection of people and I love it’s tossed salad of a culture. I love it for it’s insanity and madness. I love it’s zest for life. I love white picket fences. I love mining history and it’s aftermath. I love the hillbillies with their big trucks, four wheelers and hunting dogs. I love the Victorian houses. I love the portland hipsters. I love the oregon coast. I love the volcanoes. I love the national parks. I love the hot springs. I love the wide open land. I love the all-american ball game. I love the prom and high school. I love bumper stickers. I love virginia city and butte. I love the college experience in this country. I love the popular culture. I love the movies and the celebrities. I love the colonial architecture in the south. and the way they talk. I love the Nez Perze and Chief Joseph. I love the madness of NYC. I love the great depression. I love the frontiers of montana. I love the national parks. I love the civil war. I love the 50’s house wife. I love the filthy rich. I love coffee culture. I love the beer culture. I love skiing culture. I love transient culture. I love roadside attractions. I love hunter S thompson. not so much for his writings, but what he stood for. I love a 4th of July parade. I love people from Michigan. I love the salt of the earth. I love thanksgiving. I love the columbia gorge. I love Halloween and the national 3-day weekends. ooh, I love pumpkins. I love the highway and an american road trip. I love the rainforests in the PNW. I love the biking culture in portland. I love going out for breakfast. I love christmas lights. I love ribs.

I love the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. none of these things exist anywhere else the way they do here. any of these things would not exist if it wasn’t for this insane nation. it’s hard to explain that to someone in finland, it’s almost equally as hard to explain it to someone in the united states. no, it’s harder. I know the things I choose to love.

this is my land.

nascar.