Aesop to the Right: Why I Believe Bristol Palin | Owldolatrous

Go ahead and read. My husOtter made burgers for dinner and those things smell here in the new house. I gotta go light a candle, that’ll afford you a moment. Unless you scream and start clawing out your eyes some. I guess it fits that I read this about chicken (no, not the boy kind, but the breast kind…wait, that doesn’t really work either…) and I’m about to eat hamburger.

I wanna draw attention to something annoying that the bigot who wrote the note initially mentions. That she feels picked on and discriminated against for being a Christian.

As she sees it, during the recent, “let’s let pop culture define what we’re feeling” flare up with Hate-fil-a, she went and got her fried breasts as a way of expressing how angry and put upon people are misjudging her. How she was being called a bigot for just doing what she believes.

Interesting way of looking at it.

Now? It’s time to get all Tao and Zen on her chicken, if I may.

But, ah, forgive me when I point out the obvious here—but if she feels discriminated against, truly, truly feels put out for mere existence, well…

….wouldn’t that mean she understands how it feels to be gay. To be African-American? To be, well, a woman? If it hit her on an emotional level, an empathic level, that means she would understand. She’d not SuperSize her waffle fries and go about how to make this world a better place, because, dangit, she knows what it feels like to be gleefully crapped upon by people you once thought you trusted.

No. She didn’t feel empathy when she was discriminated against. Instead? Strangely, she felt hungry. And that she needed to yell.

Amazing. Grant you, I like to eat when I’m upset too.

But, well, really?

Peace,

Roo

Aesop to the Right: Why I Believe Bristol Palin | Owldolatrous

Campaign launched to oust high court justice

 

Well, since they’ve been trying a few years now, NOM is working on this again. Lemme draw your attention, however, to something I noticed in this article. 100K is being used to oust a high court justice who basically followed the law.

So if you follow the speed limit, screw it, the churchies are coming for you.

But then I reread the statement. 100K is being used to get a person out of office. Not to give to children starving. Not to enable free counseling for families in crisis; not even for divorce lawyers.

This is the way America is going. Now, on the Right Winger/Red State side of things, they claim that too many people are welfare, so, well, its time to tax them, the middle class but give tax breaks to the wealthy. Okay, so, this money? Who’s giving it to someone in NOM?

Oh. That’s right. People can get a tax break for donating to nonprofits. And since no one seems to have money lying around, it’s a good thing those “job-creators” have some cash lying around.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if the “job-creators” actually created jobs?

So, let’s recap. 100K to take down someone for doing their job.

Numb. I’m numb.

Peace?
Roo

Campaign launched to oust high court justice

Paul Ryan Virtually A Zero at the Human Rights Campaign | gaycitynews.com

Okay, okay, okay. What do I do this to myself?

Paul Ryan Virtually A Zero at the Human Rights Campaign | gaycitynews.com

I mean, really. It’s like looking at those NSFW videos over on reddit.com and then hoping that it really is? No, it’s like seeing if you have the fortitude to walk away unscathed. Unruffled by the horror presented before you. As if to say, “see? I’m manly enough, that was nothing.”

So I clicked on this link and read the article. Yep. All the horrors there that I expected.

I didn’t see any mention that he still thinks the earth is flat, but, judging by his other choices and comments, we can pretty much figure that one out.

Maybe, however, I went to that webpage to just, I don’t know, hope that he was slightly different than R-Money. That Uncle Mittens would try to play his opposite, to attract more voters, and have someone who didn’t waffle on everything; someone who was slightly more moderate, to get those middle ground voters moving his way.

R-Money, instead, went with the conservative base. Makes sense. Churches bus these people to the polling places, folks.

I wish, deep down, that we’d rid ourselves from the party system, really. Just open up the field and let everyone just go to town. Less money, more personality. Maybe it’s just me, but I like to think that many people vote conservative just because there’s a GOP on the label, frankly. They don’t think. If they did, or, at least, know how to read, they’d not vote for them. It’s like, well, they’re not for Obama, so they vote the opposite, never really thinking. It’s okay NOT to like the president. But really, to vote FOR someone you know is bad, just because they aren’t him? Whoa.

But I know many on the right side, many conservatives (have you seen my family? They think it’s 1954 still); but they aren’t the base that the GOP is pandering too. In fact, I don’t see them in any Republican “way.” But that’s the way they’ve voted; that’s the way they’re going to vote.

And people wonder why I stopped going over there for the holidays.

Sigh.

So, yeah, there was this glimmer of hope, quickly dashed, that Mr. Ryan might have something nice to say.

I hate being an “one-issue” voter. But until I feel equal, I float to the side that will respect my marriage with fortitude.

Peace,

Roo

NOM Defends Biblical Marriage, Including Slavery, Concubines, Polygamy, And Rape | ThinkProgress

 

NOM Defends Biblical Marriage, Including Slavery, Concubines, Polygamy, And Rape | ThinkProgress

I have long wondered about the misleading title, “National Organization of Marriage.” It’s mission, according to it’s website, is a bit nebulous. I see Kirk Cameron, many things about keeping marriage going and, well, that’s about it. My guess is that the group likes marriage between man and a woman, but it claims to defend Biblical marriage.

Okay, cool, I understand that. But further investigation of the website shows nothing about the leading causes of marriage breakdown that research supports. Divorce doesn’t seem to be mentioned (it is a text rich site). There are no mention of the three leading causes of divorce in America:  lack of communication (most men and women are brought up with unrealistic expectations of the partnership and few have the coping skills to help it survive); money (the largest, IMHO); and cheating.  So, to combat that National Organization of Marriage goes ahead and…

…fights gay marriage?

Not only that, they swear they are upholding the Biblical version of marriage. The ones listed, if you wish for a quick glance (there is nothing quick about marriage…), there’s a infographic imbedded in the article that spawned my writing.

I’m all for old books giving us insight into the present. In fact, I do believe the Bible has a great many things to say about our life at present. We shouldn’t kill, period. No more wars, people. Heck, I read Taoist poetry. That’s even older than the Bible. But I find the meaning of it. I don’t have someone do it for me.

But really, no more shellfish?  Okay, for my friend who’s allergic, I’ll give you that; my dad, who is Jewish, him, too. 

No more pork? WHAT? What about ribs????

Ahh, those principals illustrate an outdated system. So those they can pick and choose to avoid.

But marriage is a different kettle of fish, right?

The fact is, when the Bible was written, it was meant when there were few Christians in the world. They needed to create the rules to keep everyone having babies. Take a look at it. No touching yourselves; no contraceptives. Makes sense. And since gays can’t make the newer Christians, they should be outlawed, right?

David Cross has a great comment about the Bible:

It just bothers me to no end that people are still having issues with my marriage. I would rather they say, “you’re gross Roo!  I don’t like the idea of two men being together!” Than using the Good Book to make others hate me for no reason at all.

Colorado had protections for gays and lesbians in the workplace and housing until 1992, and no one said a word about it. Then, because someone needed a platform—and didn’t want to deal with economy or job creation-amendment two was written and voted for. No one cared until that point. And it has been happening again and again.

Argh.

So, if you eat at Chick-fil-hate or follow NOM, I guess your version of marriage is going to be very, very different from the rest of the world.

Sigh…

Something to consider..

 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirO7M-JBzu2i-iXpaJXsBsEZILnvqgm1ty-21zzT46m9nyO1cKGhH0fGewzfxSGZAF_yGt6Qw07iM1D6jLUwgWy8eJFImYDQcQ-f3BedPmj8HAKlI3JoW29YvcvRa0zZOGtMQupA/s1600/Cartografia.png

First off, sorry about being away from my computer. Family was visiting (which is prone for the course when you live in Florida!) and then I decided I needed a new house.

These things take time, friends, they really do.

I stumbled across this wee map here and I realized I’d not chimed in on the Chik-fil-a debate like everyone else has these days. I knew about Dan Cathy’s belief that the Earth Was Still Flat, Thinking is the Devil’s Work philosophy for a few eons. I never ate there. I refused his food when it was catered.

But, here’s the thing, I let others go there. If they suggested eating there for a meeting-lunch-thing, I’d go, I’d just being my own food. It was really surprising that NOW this is an issue. But when you look back to those beginning moments, before the press actually listened to Yours Truly, I believed that everyone had to make the choice for themselves.

Remember? Taoist here. I cannot control others.

And, for many of my coworkers (I can’t really call them ‘friends,’ can I?) they’d be sensitive to it and, well, stop eating there when I was around.

And my job was done. People, like my students, were learning.

Then came a few weeks ago, when I was talking to my neighbor. I told her that I was scared, still, about being so “OUT” to the world at large. Her response? “Well you have laws that protect you. You just can point out the discrimination.”

“Ah,” this old bear mentioned. “No. There’s no such laws.”

“Yes there is.”

She seemed to think that gays and lesbians have some kind of protection from harassment.

She was shocked when I pointed out that there was no such thing.

And this map proves my point.

Now, I’m writing this on the fly. Normally I’d have all the links of August first, when all the people in the world who hate me and my family went and ordered unnatural food. Not today.

I will point out, however, that my demeanor has changed. Probably going against my adopted religion here, but I’m tired, very tired of this mess. Upon further review, I found out some things about Chik-Fil-A’s CEO-personal Hitler, Dan Cathy. That money? That wasn’t just going to stop gay marriage.

It was going for other things as well….

To make sure Uganda’s kill-the-gays bills continue.

For damaging reparative therapies.

And to make sure my family doesn’t get equal rights.

In fact, my house purchase was held up because I’m married to a man. They didn’t recognize it. So everything got held up.

Now? I let emotion take control.

Chick-fil-a isn’t alone. I’ve published here before of several companies off my shopping list. Salvation Army. Wal-Mart (for nongay reasons as well). But to ruin my ability to live in a free society?

The deal is sealed.

I guess what bothered me the most was my friends, mostly on facebook. How they could say, “its just a sandwich. What about free speech?”

So that 1.99 they had just spent to make my life more difficult? Nice. So they’d be saying that my life, my husband isn’t worth that 1.99.

Ouch.

And I’m the bad guy?

Dannie can say what he wants (I’m sure he’s probably got a few skeletons in his closet, so that could explain volumes to why he’s such a wingnut), but when he starts using his money, then it becomes an issue.

How many teenagers have to die because of this kind of rhetoric? Apparently quite a few.

And I do apologize. I’m sorry my struggle to have equal standing with who are not like me is taking away from your ability to order food. 

Whoa. I guess I had some things I wanted to get out there.

Back to your regular scheduled programming.

Peace? I hope so….one day.

Roo

Christopher Nolan Statement -- Speaks About Tragic Shooting

This is the gift of a great writer. His words hit the note about this tragedy.

Christopher Nolan Statement -- Speaks About Tragic Shooting

I wish I could say more. I will say this, people, and that is…don’t watch the news right now. Really. Don’t. I accidentally left the news on after Judge Judy. I was vacuuming, getting ready for some visitors and, well, there you have it. I had the captions on. So I couldn’t escape the headlines of this awful event. Then I thought, what the heck?

This is the lead on the five pm news? That makes no sense. So I watched a bit more and realized they had no new information. So, basically, they were riding on the fact that no one knew that this had happened? That’s malarkey. 

Unless they were weird.

Now I took my older brother to the premiere of Batman in 1989, yes, at midnight. The first man I ever kissed was after Batman Returns in 1992! I could have been at that midnight showing. 

So its hitting me harder than some. Now it is easy for me to walk away from the news. It’s an Election Year. And if the news doesn’t irk me, then the mudslinging commercials do.   And let’s not forget, media news is a business. A corporation. And, despite what Mitt Romney wants you to think-it isn’t a person. It’s a machine that is created around playing commercials so you’ll buy stuff. I watch the news, when I do, to see the weather. That’s about it. Oh, and what BradJelina are doing. But beyond that? Squat.

Here’s a clip, I think, that really does understand this sad assault on the public:

I don’t dare post this on FB. Too many of my family and friends, greatly affected by the proximity of this tragedy, would flip out on me. And they should. It is a tragedy and they should be mad. But, I think with my moving to Florida, I have a bit more physical and emotional “space” to see the spin this event is going to create. It’s vulgar. My family and friends don’t need to have this horrid things relive, like some kind of Frankenstein’s Monster, so that a new pair of crocs can be run on the screen again.

As to what will happen to this man? I cannot imagine. If we let him live, we cannot satisfy our anger. If we kill him, then to what will we have learned? He killed, we kill—so that makes us the same as him, not above him.

I will admit, along with a gay version of Lolita I shelved due to the subject matter just being too risque that I was not comfortable with it—I also had a text and outline about a mass murderer not unlike Nathan Dunlap and Columbine Killers. Again, I was, heck, I still am, too entrenched to write those works or pick them up again. Maybe I should? I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to understand how someone could do such things and then put their gun down afterwards and just simply be arrested, yet never truly explain why he does what he does.

Maybe. One day. Please, let’s be safe out there.

Peace,

Roo

The Walking Dead Season 3 Comic-Con Trailer - YouTube

Now, this is what I’m talking about…

Just remember, these things can get a bit violent.

I wrote a zombie novel myself, so this show holds a special place in my heart.

The fact is, horror is a terrific way to explore allegory. With or without the emphasis on the “gory.” It’s an opportunity to see the world and to try to symbolize it into more direct terms. Science fiction and fantasy also have that option.

One thing I have noticed (gee, I’m learning a lot lately. What’s the cliché? Something about an old dog turning new tricks???), between the husOtter and myself, my fiction preferences tends towards the realistic. I love to read highly dramatic literature, weather its true crime, thrillers, horror or nonfiction.  My Better Half? He goes for the World Building stuff, Orson Scott Card; Mission to Mars, Lord of the Rings. In the end, it is the story that counts and we switch sometimes, but says something about our character, I believe.

Lastly, it should be duly noted, I hate television. I watch movies on television; I will watch The Price Is Right or Judge Judy when time allows. I will watch the Daily News and the Colbert Report if I need news, but I will not play into the corporate machine that is reporting. I’ll listen to NPR for that. And, as such, I don’t DVR anything. I don’t like a computer deciding what I find entertaining, I should come to the table hungry and know what I need, and if I don’t, there’s no reason an unloving computer should decide that.

I will sometimes watch the morning news for weather and emergencies. For every rule, there is an exception.

But this show? I’ll watch. I’ll sit down, bowl of popcorn, corgi in my lap and really pay attention. Like they did in the forties with radio shows. I won’t even answer the phone. Not even if its Ma. And her house is on fire.

Peace,
Roo

Living the Writer’s Life

     Since coming to Florida, I’ve found a new flowering of life I never knew I could experience. For the first time ever, I found that the escape to the virtual worlds of Disney, once a fleeting, every other year thing, and it has put much in my life in perspective. Basically, that if my problems are so big that I can ride though (fake) space in a mountain, how, truly, big are my problems? If I can pretend, for just a moment that I really am in a Krustyland Carnival, then, why, oh why, am I dwelling on the aggravations of the week?
     My problems still exist, but I can put them into a much smaller box than ever before. I can’t talk for my husOtter, but for myself, this has been a boon. A true boon. Because, for the first time, ever, I feel like I’m living the kinda of life I’m meant to lead. My problems are greatly reduced for the first time ever. 
     Oh. Wait. Lemme rephrase that.
     I still suffer the usual pain and aggravations of my job. I still have the same stresses. I still feel the same burdens that make me want to eat forty pounds of ice cream when I get home from work.
     But I can clear my mind, even briefly, for the first time; I’d like to think, in twenty years.
     And it means I can start living. That means doing the things I need to be to become a better individual.
Now, I’ve always known I was a writer. Fuck the publishing bit, but really, I like to write. And I don’t mean just the occasional journal. I mean, like, make up stories and try them out. Because of that, many a summer, I’d try to pen shit.
     With really bad results. During the school year? Forget it. I would put aside two hours on Sunday to writing and I would end up doing planning. Now? I put aside two hours on Sunday to do planning and, at the end of it, I’m done. No more staying till 8pm on a school night at the school. Now, I come home and go to the gym. 
     And, well, write.
     This article is really born out of two events and I’ve been making notes over two years about some of the things I’m about to say. One thing is for sure, I’ve been able to participate in National Novel Writing Month for the first time in many years this November past. It was truly a joy to finally get a novel squeezed out. The novel, well, we’ll talk here in a moment, was actually a very educational experience, regardless of the results.
      Then there is this summer. For the first time ever, I treated myself to the fact that this is a job, this writing stuff. That’s why you see so many posts on my blog. I’m trying to communicate more. But, also, everyday I’m trying to pen a tale or two, for two pages. And, finally, I’m trying to do something creative that wasn’t the same as the day before. That means writing on one big story arc for a novel.
      The experience has been very, very telling. I am, truly, living the Writer’s Life. And because of that, I’ve discovered a few things in my ramblings. Here are some observations that I think are vital to notice:

1. WRITING CLEARS MY HEAD AND MY SOUL…When you are creative daily, and I thinks this goes for anyone who has an outlet, be it painting, gardening or writing; you free-up space in your brain. When I’m not writing daily, my head fills up with nonsense. Schedules elbow their way in; stuff I want to write about hits me while heading to work. If I am not writing, I am not totally in the moment. Put it another way, when I am writing, it becomes quite meditative. I’m able to control my brain just a bit more. Getting the stuff out on paper means that I can’t dwell on it at work or when I’m with friends. That means, well, I’m more in the moment than ever before.
2. THERE’S SOMETHING EERIE ABOUT INVENTING ‘PEOPLE’….Story creating is very, very weird. It is like reliving memories for other people. I know these characters I’m creating are not real. But the more I review them and discuss them to myself and on paper, they start to become an experience with a person I have never ever met. It’s a bit disconcerting. I caught myself saying to my husband, “well, so-and-so would never do that.” We had been discussing a plot point in my more recent novel and, when I heard myself say that, I was like…whoa…how would I know that? These people, these characters aren’t real. But, yet, I see their entire arc of life, like a child I never had. It’s a very alarming.
3. YOU CANNOT STEP AWAY FROM THE TRAIN WRECK, NOT EVEN FOR A DAY…These characters have a reason to live and I can’t let them go. Now that I’m focusing on characters, I need to write about them every day or gaps develop. See, I read some texts from authors about their writing lives. Several of them communicate something I’ve never done before when story-creating. They talk about writing strong background analyses of every major character. I tend to agree, character is story. By creating strong and full characters, the novel basically is writing itself. I’m already seeing a pattern in three characters that link them together and are shifting the tale I was hoping to create. When I take a day off, I lose that thread.
4. I HAVE TO KEEP READING, LIKE SOME KIND OF DRUG ADDICT…Reading feeds writing; but it is not an expression of art. Many people love to read; I know for myself that I always try to balance the two. Reading gives me examples of what I enjoy and don’t like about a given text. I have to keep reading, but reading fills my head back up with ideas that need to get back out on paper. I have to keep this in mind.
5. ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE, I’M REALIZING I MIGHT BE BETTER SUITED FOR SCREENPLAYS…I’ve written about ten children’s plays, all without thank you, at my previous job and, well, no one noticed. Now, jump to me reviewing my most latest novel, and I notice a trend. I am really good at driving a plot. Think of it like an action movie, scene to scene, there’s an economy of the story arc that keeps things moving to a conclusion. However, I’ve noticed the characters are flat and really, they’re there to keep things moving from exciting set piece to the next. Perhaps it is born out of those plays I wrote where story is key to dramatics. Movies tend to be like this. Novels? The best ones, I’ve discovered, are about character. Will I change formats? Not really, no. I’m learning on improving my novel writing.
6. I NEED ASS-GLUE…There’s something to be said about just sitting and writing. I procrastinate like crazy. Like crazy. But, all I need to do is sit and, well, write. So when I sit, I will author. Now there is an axiom to this. I have to write that first paragraph. Once that first paragraph has been started, I’m on a roll. But it is,truly, a matter of just sitting down and getting the writing started.
7. THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR WARMING-UP…I’m sure, if you’re reading this, you know of the advice given to many writers is to write, and then, delete that first paragraph. You have to warm up before your focus hits. I’ve noticed another way to focus my writing. My writing greatly improves when I write one-two pages prior to doing what I want to work on. For example, I start with some kind of writing exercise-something mundane, like, “Think of Worst Monday,” try it into something fictional for two pages. Throw care to the wind. And there you go, I’m ready to write.

But the fact is, most of all, is that I’m writing. I had wanted to write the Great American Novel for some time now. I’m hoping we’re getting closer. On another note, people in Florida are very, very different about writing. When I lived in Colorado, I would tell my contemporaries (teachers, folks) and was looked at like I was a fool. There was never any interest. I had two friends, outside of work, would occasionally look at my work. But in work? Nothing.

I came down here, and even my boss asks, “how is the writing going?”

This is encouraging.

Peace,

Roo

More Retailers Are Courting Gay Customers - WSJ.com

Here ya go…its even mentioned in the WSJ…

More Retailers Are Courting Gay Customers - WSJ.com

Peace,

Roo

Here’s some companies…

You should use your money at!

http://i.imgur.com/1E7bB.jpg

You Would Never Believe Which Anti Gay Corporations You've Been Supporting With Your Money

I was torn where to post this….but then I realized, well, it should go where I have the most traffic…

You Would Never Believe Which Anti Gay Corporations You've Been Supporting With Your Money

What’s humorous is that I have refused to go to many of these companies, regardless.

1.  Chikfila? I’ve hated their food and now, moreso.

2.  Exxon? Easy to avoid.

3.  Avoid those bell ringers at Salvation Army. I knew, back in the early nineties when they would refuse to help people suffering from AIDS, regardless of orientation. Boom. Off my list.

4.  Urban Outfitters only has clothes for thin people anyways.

5.  I’ve hated WalMart for other reasons. They’re the reason so many are on welfare and the need for insurance reform. They refuse to pay decent wages. They refuse unions, to the point where they’ll close a store where there is one and open another up the street and not hire those people. We went there once in 2011, due to the fact it was 2am and the dog was sick and I had no other place to go.  It was awful, just awful. I wanted to stab myself in the eyes with rusty kitchenware.

6.  A-1 storage? Never heard of them. Now I won’t go to them.

 

Peace,

Roo