This is rather confusing, when you think about it.
Someone says it better than I ever could.
If you watch this, and still don't believe everyone has the same rights you do, then I honestly do not respect your opinion. People who oppose this are wrong. Churches and religions who oppose this are wrong. This is about supporting the good things in the world like love and opposing the things like hate in the world. Funny which side a lot of churches come down on--better to hate and make people miserable than to bring love into the world.
And people wonder why I stopped being religious.
Stop and Smell the Corpses
This is a corpse flower, a titan arum, at the Milwaukee Public Museum. It's claim to fame, aside from being probably one of the very very few in America, is that not only does it take six years from seed to bloom, but when it blooms it smells like... you guessed it, a corpse. A corpse that you can smell from miles away.
The article The webcam
Reflections
Ok, so I am happy 53% of Americans felt the same way I did in the presidential race. It's nice to finally vote for a winning president. But as incredibly happy as I am with our soon-to-be President Obama, I am so incredibly disappointed with the passing of Prop. 8. It saddens me when people think it's okay to pass laws limiting the rights of others.
I think the Wiccan religion is a little silly, but I like their rede: "Do what you will, so long as it harms none." I can get behind that. It's how I feel about most things. I guess the issue lies in what "harm" means. I think some people express harm when their worldview is questioned. I look at harm in a physical/wellbeing sense.
If I wanted to outlaw what I felt was morally wrong, there would be no churches, abstinence classes, SUV's, or glittery backgrounds on MySpace. But I respect the right of people to go to church, teach their children abstience instead of safe sex, to drive their SUV (though I will still frown at them) and have nothing on their MySpace except for glittery sparkles shooting from a unicorn horn. Those things don't harm me at all. Not in a real sense. I might get irritated at the amount of gas that's being used, or saddened when a teenage girl gets pregnant because she was too afraid to ask for/use birth control. When I have kids, it might be a pain for me to explain about church and religion, but it's something they need to know about to function in the real world anyway. And I can just avoid MySpace.
But none of those things actually hurt me. How does gay marriage hurt people? By forcing them to admit that other people hold different morality structures? Well, gee. I have to admit that every day when I see a Jesusfish on a car, or a girl wearing a headscarf in class. But, here's the thing. Religion is a choice that is yours to make. BEING GAY IS NOT A CHOICE. Yet why do people have the right to practice religion but not to marry whomever they love?
One of my friends just had surgery on Tuesday. The surgery. And hearing about what she had to go through to finally get the body that she should have been born with was amazing. NO ONE would go through that if they had a choice. It's painful, and hard, and scary, and dangerous. But it was the only way she could ever feel comfortable in her own skin. My mind boggles when I think about the changes she is going through.
Sexuality is not a choice. Being gay, transgendered, straight--it's just how we are born. And Prop 8 was about taking away the right of marriage from someone because of how they were born. Sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? Remember when blacks and whites couldn't marry because of the color of the skin they were born with?
In closing, an anecdote about my personal hero, Mr. Rogers.
Mister Rogers seems to have been almost exactly the same off-screen as he was onscreen. As an ordained Presbyterian minister, and a man of tremendous faith, Mister Rogers preached tolerance first. Whenever he was asked to castigate non-Christians or gays for their differing beliefs, he would instead face them and say, with sincerity, “God loves you just the way you are.”
Hype and other pet peeves
One of the main problems with video game marketing is the hype surrounding a product. Instead of telling us "it's an innovative game that will be enjoyable to play," companies (and media doing previews) say things like "revolutionary" and "will change the future of all video games." And what do we normally get? Something completely meh.
Spore is on Fortune magazine's list of "9 top tech flops" for this year. Why? Because it's a mediocre game that was hyped to be so incredible and revolutionary. They released part of the game (a creature creator) months in advance. So people spent this time creating and recreating a variety of creatures they to populate Spore when the game came out. Instead, gameplay was stilted and jumpy and you didn't have much control of your little dude.
Other video game pet peeves:
Breast physics. Yes, breasts bounce and move a little. They do not, however, move that much. If they did, we'd be black and blue and complaining all the time.
Non-sporty sport outfits. No, we do not play volleyball in a string bikini. We might lounge around the beach in one, but we'll put on a sports bra to play volleyball in.
Celebrity games. You are a musician. You are not supposed to be the main character of a GTA clone.
WTF!? storylines. Final Fantasy, I'm looking at you. Do you even understand your own plot?
Video game magazines and websites and their patronizing "Get your girlfriend to play video games" articles. No, I don't want to play Hello Kitty FunFun Happy Land unless it's an entertaining game. No, I don't need dress up features in every game I play. Yes, sometimes I do like a challenging game.
Boring romances. If you're spending the time to put romance in your RPG's, do two things. One, make an equal amount of romantic possibilites for both male and female characters. Two, make at least one possibility for each gender interesting.
I have more pet peeves. Which I think explains why I'm so very picky about which games I play.
I've decided...
that I'm kinda in love with Russ Feingold. I was reading up about who represents me in various political offices, and decided to finally read his wikipedia page. I'd heard lots of good things about him, but finally read about them myself. This dude is badass. He is totally not afraid of being the lone senator voting for or against something.
From the wiki:
I could go on and on, especially in regards to his budget. The dude is amazing.Feingold was the only Democratic senator to vote against a motion to dismiss Congress's 1998–1999 impeachment case of President Bill Clinton.[31] In a statement, Feingold said House prosecutors must have "every reasonable opportunity" to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clinton should be removed from office on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Feingold ultimately voted against conviction on all charges.
In 2001, Feingold voted for the confirmation of Attorney General John Ashcroft. This decision was not popular with his party, but Feingold explained that he voted based on respect for the right for a President to choose his Cabinet, not because of his own personal opinions on Ashcroft.[32]
Feingold was the only senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act when first voted on in 2001.[43] At the time, Feingold stated that provisions in the act infringed upon citizens' civil liberties.[44]
*eye roll*
Today I read not one, but two different news stories about how the media negatively affects children.
They said that teen girls who watch a lot of sex on TV are more likely to get pregnant and that children who play violent video games are more likely to be violent.
Umm... call me crazy, but don't the parents also have something to do with that? I grew up playing video games, both violent and not, and watching soap operas and movies with sex in them. I am neither pregnant nor violent. I mean, the type of parent who lets their 10 year old kid play Grand Theft Auto IV without talking to them about what they're doing is probably also less likely to care if their kid is violent.
But, some parents just don't want to take any blame. Blame movies, blame the media, blame music, blame video games just don't blame them? Now, I'm not saying that I don't think these things have any influence at all, but I also think that parents can diminish or even negate this influence. Seemed to work for me.
Add one more to the "what's making me happy" list
Alan Rickman is going to play the Caterpillar in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
I love love love love Alan Rickman. I have ever since that Robin Hood movie with Kevin Costner. (BTW, the entire movie and cast was fantastic EXCEPT for Costner.)
Lists lists lists
What's making me happy:
- Being married does great things to car insurance rates.
- Holiday coffee creamers are out. I love the Peppermint Mocha one.
- I'm having a blast playing WoW again.
- I'm making tacos tonight.
- My early class was canceled today. While it's a great class that I like going to, I'm glad I get to bum around two extra hours at home.
- Being almost done with my awesome blanket I'm knitting. I need to just sit down this week and finish it.
- My Korean history class. Bleh.
- Hearing Lauren's alarm go off every 10 minutes for a frickin' hour. Get up already or set your alarm later.
- I can't skate by on prior knowledge in my Japanese class anymore. I have to actually *gasp* apply myself. I'd almost forgotten how to do that.
- I'm still a little sick.
Dear Red States....
Taken from this post on Craigslist, of all places.
Dear Red States...
We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and
we're taking the other Blue States with us.
In case you aren't aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon,Washington,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We
believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially
to the people of the new country of New California.
To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.
We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get Elliot
Spitzer. You get Ken Lay.
We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.
We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.
We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.
We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. You
get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states
pay their fair share.
Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the
Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a
bunch of single moms.
Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and
anti-war, and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at
once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have
kids they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no
purpose, and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their
children's caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and
hope that the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our
resources in Bush's Quagmire.
With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent
of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple
and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of
America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners)
90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most
of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and
condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale,
Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.
With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88
percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care
costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the
tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern
Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh,
Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.
We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.
Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was
actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred
unless we're discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say
that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved
in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy b*****ds believe you are people
with higher morals then we lefties.
By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt
weed they grow in Mexico.
Peace out,
Blue States
VOTE VOTE VOTE
I signed up to volunteer on Election Day. I'll basically be a voter cheerleader. College campuses have notoriously long lines (several hours or more) so I'll be encouraging people to stay in line, and passing out cookies and granola bars and stuff so people don't get hungry and leave. Yay civic service!
I hope they look stupid 50 years from now...
well, more stupid than they look now anyway. The support f0r Proposition 8 is California is ridiculous. Gay marriage will hurt children? How? By teaching them to be tolerant? By showing them not not everyone believes the same thing they do? Wait... wasn't their something else that the government allowed people to do that was going to "hurt the children?" What was that? Oh yeah. INTEGRATED SCHOOLS. How horrible for kids to have the learn that their beliefs aren't the center of the universe.
Actually, judging by some other things adults do, people probably do think it's horrible for kids to have to learn that they aren't the center. The whole teaching the creation myth in science classes? God forbid students should learn actual science and not comparative religion in science class. And why the Christian creation myth? I mean, if you start there, why not teach the Hindu creation myth too? Or maybe the Norse one. Why do Christians assume they are the center of the universe? Yes, it is the biggest religion in the world. But that doesn't give them the right to steam-roll over people who don't believe in the same things.
I hope the people who are anti-gay look as ridiculous and outdated in 50 years as segregationists do now.
OMG KITTIES!!11!!
To make up for all the political blah lately, I present our kitties:
Otto vonBismark Kitty:
He's really Lauren's cat, but he's almost half ours. He is smelly, but the most affectionate cat I've ever met. He'll actually gesture for you to pick him up, and then he'll give kitty hugs. I usually call him Ottobot Kitty.
Fievel:
Fievel is a surly cat who always always always meows for food. Probably the prettiest of the kitties, she also sheds the most and hates being brushed. She is the most playful, though, and loves catnip and chasing laser pointers.
Bellatrix LeMewMew Kitty:
I only gave her the first part of her name. Brent did the rest. Bella is the one kitty that's actually ours, and she's the best one. She's very pretty and elegant looking. She's the least playful of the kitties (catnip does nothing for her) but she's also the one with the fewest drawbacks. Her favorite things are a nap on a book Brent is trying to read, and anything that makes a crinkly noise, like the pompom in the picture above, or plastic bags.
There! A politics free post! YAY!
Reasons to Vote for McCain
Ok, I admit this is a little cynical and bitter, but meh, I feel like being snarky.
You think health care is a privilege that only a few should have.
You think gay people have cooties.
You are pro-life...
But are also pro-war.
Obama isn't really your "kind."
You don't want your taxes to pay for social programs, only guns.
Sarah Palin is a woman, you're a woman. She has five kids, you have five kids.
In all seriousness, I have been trying to figure out *why* people would vote for him. The only thing I can think of is that it comes down to one or two key issues for people. Just like I would have a hard time voting for someone who doesn't support gay rights, or wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, I guess some people would have a hard time voting for someone who did support those things. I don't agree with them, but I acknowledge that they're out there.
Ever notice that? Republicans want to "keep the government out of your business," but want to tell you who you can have sex with, or what you can do with your body. Democrats want greater social freedom, but want to limit your ability to have a gun. Funny how the issues fall.
(Also, the last reason about Sarah Palin I actually heard someone seriously give as a response to an interview question about why she really liked Palin. Really. SHE HAS FIVE KIDS? THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR HER?)
This is an interesting quiz but it also highlights the flaws with America's two party system. There were quotes where I couldn't really see any difference at all.
God, I can't wait until after November when I can stop thinking about politics all the time.
Craaaaazy People
Some people should just not speak when it comes to politics. I mean, seriously. "He has the bloodline for it." WTF?
WiiFit
Our good friends Sarah and Brad got us a WiiFit for our wedding. I tried it out today, and it was fantastic. I think I'm going to get a lot of use out of it.
Highlights:
Follows the same sort of system as BrainAge, and since I play BrainAge every day, I don't think it will be that hard for me to play WiiFit every day. I enjoy having a daily routine for stuff like that.
The randomness of Mii's. I did step aerobics inbetween Voldemorte and Teddy Roosevelt, and had Ron Jeremy, Hitler, Mr. T, and Obi Wan Kenobi cheering me on as I did the running.
We'll see how I do on my goal-- to lose 15 pounds in 3 months, to get down to a 22 BMI. Somehow, I don't think I'll make it, but even trying for the goal will be an improvement from my computer chair lifestyle now.
For Heather
Heather sent me this, but I'm only going to do numbers 1 and 2, since the rest isn't my style, but I do enjoy sharing random facts about myself.
1. Halloween is tied for my favorite holiday season (yes, it is so a season!) and I love coming up with a costume. This year I'm tied between Sarah Palin and a corpse bride. The corpse bride was in the works for awhile, but I was recently inspired to be Sarah Palin this year, since I have a cute suit that I never get to wear, and can do her voice fairly well. I walk around saying "I'm a hockey mom from Alaska" all the time anyway.
2. My constantly saying "I'm a hockey mom from Alaska" comes because I've recently started to listen to the Rick Emerson Show again. I used to listen when I lived in the Portland area, and just started downloading the show to my iPod and listening on the bus. I love it.
3. My current favorite thing to drink (if you can call it that) is a Pumpkin Spice Shake from Culvers.
4. I have always loved the Christmas season, but not for any religious reasons. I just love the trees and the lights and the music (both secular and religious.) But the whole "War on Christmas" thing just makes me want to scream. War on Christmas my ass. Christmas was placed at the end of December to replace a pagan celebration, just like Easter was. Stop acting like the only purpose of December is to celebrate the Christian religion. If that's what it means to you, great. Celebrate and worship away. But stop yelling at other people (I'm talking to you, Bill O'Reilly) for having the sheer audacity to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."
5. Having realized that fully half of my answers so far I turned into mini-rants, I thought I would list a fact I don't really like to share. I envy people like Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly who get paid a ridiculous amount of money to just yell at the top of their lungs about stupid things that I sometimes think they don't actually think/believe.
6. I'm kind of in love with John Stewart.
7. I'm not usually this political, but with this whole year being dedicated to the election, it's been on my mind lately.
My Little Cthulu and other awesome things.
This deviant artist does amazing thing with My Little Ponies. I wish I was this talented.
Two of my favorites:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)