Sunday, December 28, 2008

I think I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow!


Iz in yer beds
Originally uploaded by with an eye
It's been a great holiday week full of family and friends, however I can't help but miss my little pain in the butt. A friend of mine, LD, is watching Mia this week, and I've heard mixed reviews - confirming the diagnosis of probable bi-polarity, definite prissiness. The first day Mia was apparently the model of an affectionate kitty. She was cuddly and sweet, purring and begging to be pet. The very next day she hissed and swatted at poor LD as she tried to play with her. Apparently on yet a third day Mia was just kind of neutral - her usual lazy self, unwilling to get up to chase the laser but ok to move a paw if it came close to her. I wonder what LD is in for today?! Next week a SchoolFriend of mine will be checking in on her brattiness, and hopefully Mia has relaxed a bit and will show a more consistent front this time.

Just before I left she began sleeping on my bed again. She used to, every night. When we lived in Boston, the nights I wasn't home she'd sometimes go find Stacey's room and sleep there. Since we've moved down south Mia has yet to spend the night on my bed. She'll come up and say goodnight at some point, but she won't curl up like before. Until 3 weeks ago. And she was there, at the foot of my bed. And the next night, at the foot of my bed! Hopefully my little holiday vacation hasn't set us back too far. I mean, look at that cuddly face - I don't want another year and a half without her at the foot of my bed!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

1,949 miles from land* (4eva)

I read about this new book today, based on the blog of two friends who live three thousand one hundred and nintey-one miles apart. They each posted a picture every morning before 10am, for one whole year. And now it's become a book. (btw, don't we wish some other photo blogs could be books??)

I was reminded of that book tonight when I was talking to Allison, and while not a picture blog per say - we had an interesting little chat using ScribLink.  No one else may even care about our whiteboard adventure, but it made me smile.  Somehow it reminded me all at once of crazy conversations with the Stevens-Player clan about "your area of the dance floor" at Rivergods, and maple syrup races at free pancake day, and even a conversation about stenography (which I never did figure out by the way) over poker dice.  I miss those crazy kids!

Our whiteboard of fun:

and a hello from Mr. Player:


*ok, so it should be miles apart, but come ON - I was writing miles apart, and miles from land(4eva) just slipped on out!!  What was my reunion band name, Inches From Ocean?

Thursday, December 11, 2008

sure, we mostly might be able to

I had the tv on last night and it was either Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert who was on, with a guest on the show.  Whoever was on the tv made the point that our society is built on the "foundation of the marriage of a man to a woman".  And I'd like to simply start with, really?  Is it?  And if so - if there are people who think that this is what our society is built upon - is it not time to change that, is it really working out all that well for us?

A little over a month ago Barack Obama was named the next president in what will forever be known as "an historical event", however in my circle at least, it was an event that did not overshadow the devastating outcome of various states issues, such as Prop 8*.  I think one of the reasons I am so outraged by all of this controversy is because it seems like such a non-issue to me.  And the fact that it is such a major emotionally loaded issue for so many is frightening.  I can't envision what Earth-shatteringly horrific things might happen if all people were allowed to freely marry whomever they wanted.  I'm not even sure I understand how it would change any one's day-to-day life (I mean, except for the gays, I can see how it changes for them!)

My main problem is I don't see the government needing to be involved in this issue at all.  I don't see them as "protecting" anyone with laws banning gay marriage.  Isn't that what laws are for, in their simplest form, to protect someone - be it me, or you, or some big corporation, or what have you.  So exactly who is getting protected by making it illegal for all people to marry whomever they choose?  And if it's not about protecting someone - then what is it?  Is it a religious fight?  One about 'the children'?  Or is it just simple-minded fear?  If it's any one of these things - why does the government need to have a say in it.  How has it had a say in anything else related to these issues in the past?

Without going too far off the deep-end, which maybe I have already, I'd like to kick off the holiday season by asking good old Saint Nick to bring a little more open-mindedness tolerance to our society.  It's so clear to me that we are fighting a fight that has been fought so many times in the past.  Women fought for their rights, freedom, a voice, equality.  And the blacks had to go through their own fight, for rights, freedom, a voice, equality.  And now, there's a new group, with the same battle for rights, freedom, a voice, equality.  How many times will we, as a society, go through this battle before we realize that different is not bad.  Different is not undeserving.  Different is not scary.  Different does not need to be penalized.

*I'm hoping you've all already seen the Prop 8 musical, but if not - it's hilarious.