Archive for November, 2004

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, November 30th, 2004

So Jon’s gonna be in Milwaukee for the rest of the week, and I’ll probably spend the majority of the time he’s gone doing a whole lotta nothing. When you only work 3 days a week and you’re done at 10am you have a lot of free time. I’m thinking I might take the opportunity to clean the house, reorganize, etc…Jon’s mom and sister are coming at Christmas and it would be nice if we didn’t have to do a whole lot of frantic cleaning right before they get here. But maybe I’ll just slack off …that’s more likely. I’ve been looking around for another part-time job, but so far no luck. Hopefully I’ll come find something soon, since it would be nice to have some extra money.

Update on books I’ve read:

Sabriel
Lirael
Abhorsen
…..all by Garth Nix

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Sunday, November 28th, 2004

So we had a pretty low-key, but rather pie-intensive Thanksgiving. We went over to our neighbor’s house and then went to hang out with one of my friends from school and her (very nice) family. Yesterday I went to my friend’s daughter’s birthday party (she turned 9) and I must say I’m not as good on rollerskates as I once was. I have bruises in spots I didn’t know I could get bruises. On the positive side, I made her birthday cake and it turned out really cute. It was a chocolate buttermilk cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, but I covered it with fondant so it looked all purty and smooth. Overall, a nice job, if I do say so myself (and of course I do!).

More books

Sunday, November 21st, 2004

So despite only working 15 hours a week for the last couple of weeks, I haven’t really had the ambition to write. I had my birthday (25…wow…getting old…) and it was good. Jon got me an ipod, which comes in really handy at the gym. We had a pretty low key dinner, went shopping, nothing too crazy. I’ve been playing a lot of Scrabble on the ‘puter, despite the fact that there are always bills that need to be paid, things that need to be cleaned, etc…I’ve also been reading and i have some new books to add to the list.

The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker
Songs of Earth and Power by Greg Bear
Incubus Dreams by Laurell Hamilton
Tapping the Dream Tree by Charles deLint

All were pretty good, although the Laurell Hamilton was a little heavy on sex and a little light on plot. Not that I’m against gratuitous sex in my fantasy novels, but it’s nice to have a story too. I’ve read some other Greg Bear, and Songs of Earth and Power was completely different than his other stuff. Equally good, but different.

Not so proud to be an American

Thursday, November 4th, 2004

So I try to avoid political discussion…in general it seems like a good way to fight, especially since I have friends with pretty divergent opinions. But some things really do need to be said. I’m sad to say I lost a lot of faith in the American people on Nov. 2. I won’t say I’m a Democrat, but I do consider myself to be extremely liberal, so I found the election results to be dissappointing. In Oregon, as well as in 10 other states, there was also voting to define marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. And in every state, those measures passed. I guess there are more bigots in this country than I thought. I got a forwarded email, which I usually delete out of hand, but I happened to read it, and I thought I’d post it here:

November 3, 2004

“Today is a rough, uncertain day for many people and for many reasons.
But I write this for one specific purpose.

If you have a homosexual friend or loved one in your life, please take
the time to call or write to them this week. Please take the time to
tell them that they are not less than equal in your eyes - that they
are not less than human - that they are not less than American. If
you have a homosexual friend or loved one in your life, please make
sure you vote to support their human and American status.

But if you are someone who supports bans on gay marriage, civil unions
and the like - if you support political candidates who also feel this
way - then be honest. Turn to your homosexual friend or loved one and
say to them: “You are less than human. You are not as American as I
am.” Because there’s no getting around the facts. There’s no getting
around inequality. There is no avoiding the truth. Come clean and
own your beliefs either way. Better to know where you stand.

In 11 states, voters overwhelmingly approved measures that ban
homosexuals from pursuing part of the American dream. And in voting
President George W. Bush back into office - a president who loudly
supports such measures, Americans have spoken clearly on their ideas
about “moral values”. The Supreme Court is about to change. Numerous
civil liberties are in danger. You see, there is the terrorism of
those who attacked us on September 11, but honestly, nothing is more
terrifying than that which lives right in our own government - a moral
dictatorship on the rise.

I declare today, if you are not in support of full equal rights for
gays, lesbians and all other members of the Queer community, you have
no place in my life. Remove me from your phone lists. Remove me from
your email lists. Remove me from your address books. Pretend I exist
no more. I will not offer you tolerance because some things cannot be
tolerated. Some things are simply that clear. As a gay man, I am
horrified by this day. I feel a sadness like no other. I also still
have great love in my heart. This declaration does not come from a
place of hatred, but from a place of love and truth.

I give you my truth today. I urge you all to look deep within
yourselves and do the same.”

Shame on you, America.