For some reason, I woke up feeling refreshed and alive this morning. I liked it, and wonder how it happened.

I'm still not sure if I'll make it home for Easter this weekend, but it's starting to look like I won't. My dad also might have to go on strike, so my parents' visit the first weekend in May is also in limbo, and may be until the eve of the event.

According to Juan Cole, a faculty member at the University of Michigan, Muqtada Sadr heads a weird cult-like organization called the Sadrayun which essentially promote the teachings of his martyred father, a belief in the supremacy of a late religious scholar which runs contrary to traditional Shi'ism. They are also ardently pro-Iranian. In any event, they have abandoned their siege of Ayatollah Sistani. What happens next is uncertain, but I can't see these guys getting much mass support.