Turn the other cheek?

I am frustrated by the ideological trends that I have been seeing when it comes to Americans... Two people I know, we will call Jared and George for anonymity sake, were discussing the ever so controversial topic of gay marriage in front of me. The discourse upset me quite a bit more than I feel like it should have, hence the need to vent.

To set the stage, George is a liberal who believes the gay population should be able to marry and be equally represented by the law. Jared, however, is very right wing and believes that the institution of marriage should be limited to (only) a man and a woman. He has failed to voice his opinion as to whether or not they should have the same tax benefits and representation as a married couple.

Back to the conversation. Jared and George were delivering their usual banter about who is right and who is moral, etc. and it usually doesn't bother me. I just vaguely listen but one of them said something that caused me to feel the need to chime in with "Well, I just believe in tolerating other people's beliefs and lifestyles, even if I disagree with them."

What really riled me up was Jared's response: "I tolerate them too, but its not like I am going to have them over to watch my kids."

George: "Why?"

Jared: "Because we don't want them teaching our kids things we don't believe in."

Me: "....."

This is what got me started. George's repsonse to my question (I asked later in confidentiality) "Does that mean gay people should be banned from being teachers? Or social workers?"

"Yep.. that's why his kids are in a private charter school... I was talking to his kids and they said that Obama is bad cause he will help the gays... "

That is where I got pissed. First, how can someone truthfully teach a naive child that gay people and their supporters are bad? Second, Obama is not going to help the gays. He is against gay marriage. He believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. (Don't believe me? Read it: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.samesexmarriage.html ) He DOES, however, believe that gay civil unions should be recognized on par with marriages when it comes to legal representation and tax benefits. If Obama believes the same fundamental ideas as Jared, how then is he bad? Unless of course, equal rights for humans is bad.

UGH! As a christian, aren't you supposed to teach tolerance not bigotry? Do they even read the Bible for themselves, or just trust someone else's interpretations? Obviously this guy got his news from an inaccurate source! It just frustrates me how some people can be. Yay, white man's burden?

I am out of steam (for now).

Week of Twilight

I keep trying to put my "Twilight" experience into words, but it keeps failing to come out right. How can I describe my weeklong whirlwind affair with Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the rest of the players in the "Twilight" universe? Somehow I managed to read four Novels, one manuscript, and see one movie within the span of seven days, after which I am left feeling strangely unsatisfied. Let me start by telling how this whole thing began...

Having read every book I own at least twice, some more like six times (thank you Harry Potter), I decided that I needed to find a new book series to occupy my time. I went to Target (they seem to have everything now) and scoped out their book selection. They had a wide selection of books and novels, including one with a black cover contrasted with a set of white hands offering the reader a bright red apple. Intrigued, I read the back cover to analyze whether or not this would be my next literary conquest. The synopsis was full of Vampires and love... I ended up leaving the store with "I am America and So Can You" by Stephen Colbert.

Weeks later, I kept hearing more and more about "Twilight" and how it was a page turner. So one night when Adam and I went to visit some friends of ours and I found a copy of it on the coffee table, my curiosity took over. I had to know what all the hype was about. I figured I would read the first few chapters to see if it would be worthwhile to read while Adam and his friends were watching snowboarding videos and my friend took off to buy cigarettes. The next thing I knew, it was one in the morning and I have finished half of the book. Unfortunately, it was time to go home and the pesky bookmark two chapters ahead of me prohibited me from taking the book with me. Reluctantly, I took my leave without the book. That night I had vivid dreams about how the book might end...

The next day I went to Sea World with Adam and did all of my chores and laundry, all the while thinking about how the book would end. Finally, using my need to buy trash bags as an excuse I made my way over to Target yet again and bee-lined for the book section (conveniently located all the way in the back corner of the store). I bought all four novels, only in stock in hardback - ugh!, and hurried home.

Needless to say I finished the first book that night... and started the second. The next night I started the third... and the fourth the night after. I even read "Midnight Sun" online during my lunch breaks.

Three days later, I saw the movie. As expected, it was nothing like the "Twilight" universe inside my imagination, but passable. There was a lot about the movie I did not like... and for the time being I will pass on sharing them. Next update will be a break down on each of the titles: my rants, my raves, my most and least faves...

Now I just need another new book series to pass my time...

Make the noise! I live for the noise!

As Eddie Izzard said in "Dress to Kill" -

"I had to go to a Chiropractor in New York. They're different to osteopaths because of the spelling. And, er... They're both very powerful figureson the Scrabble board. "Chiropractor. Yeah, chiropractor. 93 letters. Chiropractor."

And they...they crack your bones. They take X-rays but it's pointless. Cos whatever's wrong -"I'm gonna crack your bones."

Diphtheria. I'm gonna crack your bones.
Your head's come off. I'm gonna crack your bones.
lt looks like your mother..."

When they crack your bones it goes, "Urgh!" and then, "Arrhhh." but not sort of, "Ahhh..."but sort of, "Arrrgh!" All the way up your spine. "Crack your bones."

Sometimes it doesn't crack,it just goes... [silence]

Then they pull a mallet from their belt and try to make the noise. "Make the noise, I live for the noise."

They do your head as well, get it into a nice position. You're thinking, "No, I don't think it's supposed to go round that far! Thank you very much. Thank you."

You trust them. They could havetheir fingers in your nostrils, one foot on the backof your underpants and they're pushing your spine awaywith a broom.

"What's this one all about?"
"I have no idea."
Wha-boom! (Sings fanfare)
"Wherever he falls,there shall he be buried."


Needless to say, today was my very first visit to the Chiropractor. I hurt my back doing some lifting on Friday and felt the need to go in and have it checked out. Turns out I am just fine, just way out of alignment. My doctor was very nice and gave me a re-alignment, some advice on dealing with the pain I am inevitably going to feel (and do currently!), as well as pointers on how to keep myself from getting misaligned in the future (say goodbye to sleeping on my stomach!).

The scariest part was the neck. He settled my neck into what I assumed was the neck adjustment position and then told me to wiggle my left foot or my right thumb then CRACK! neck's done!

When he first finished, my back and neck felt quite good... all warm and nice. Not now. Now it feels like I need to crack my back and neck. I have to keep myself from trying to pop them though... otherwise I might as well of not gone. I think all the toxins stored in my joints has been loosened too, because I feel a little sick.

And to think, I need to go back on Wednesday to maintain it. =)

Overall, not a bad experience...

Quickie.

As I was driving home yesterday, I pulled up next to a ... let's describe it was "well loved" ... car with a homemade bumper sticker in the window that caught my eye:

Alternate Sources of Energy:
John McCain - Natural Gas
Barack Obama - Hot Air

Nothing like an Equal Opportunity Critic to brighten your day.

"Just me"

I pull my sunglasses off of my eyes as the darkness of the foyer overtakes me. Clutched under my arm is my well worn copy of Harry Potter and the Deathy Hallows; its bright orange cover clashing spectacularly with my tacky lime green faux-snake skin purse that I love so very-very much (a la Target, fine french garments).

The hostess asks me, as she reaches for the menus, "Only you?"

"Just me."

She takes me to a small booth, where I deposit myself (and my eye catching ensemble of accessories) and begin to look over the lunch specials. Nothing really catches my eye, but I am not here for the food anyway. I quickly settle on the Fish tacos and an Iced Tea in order to get to the main reason I am here. I swap my Hollywood-inspired-half-your-face-covering sunglasses for my more Librarianesque Oakleys and pull out my trusty tome, opening it to resume my escape to a much more magical universe.

I smile at myself for being such a nerd, having read this book and each of its sisters in the series for the fourth or fifth time over. Inside, I laugh at my geekdom... afterall here I am, a 24 year old woman, spending my lunch break pouring over what was meant to be a childrens' novel, finding clues to support my claim that J.K Rowling ended the Harry Potter saga in the only way possible.

You would be surprised with just how skillfully and thoroughly Rowling completed the Harry Potter universe...

***

So I have started this blog, mainly because I wanted to comment on my wonderful sister's blog. As I signed up, I figured I might as well utilize the opportunity to start writing again. Who knows where this will take me... but look for more to come. =)