Sometimes it’s a burden to be great

This could have been me.

I had applied for and interviewed at Blockbuster. This was one of my “over-qualified” positions. The store is right around the corner. I can moonwalk there if I wanted to. It would have been a perfect way to score some duckets either as my main job (for now) or my side piece once I got a real job. Well, guys, get ready to spit tears out of your eye holes because it’s looking like being awesome has struck again. I was supposed to hear the gossamer phrase, “You’re hired bitch” today and that didn’t happen. The phone has turned against me and refuses to ring.

It’s tough being this excellent guys, but someone has GOT to do it.

(But seriously, if I was too talented to come inside, couldn’t they have just sent me the money as a cash prize for excellence? Americans.)

P.S. In case you have no sense of humor, I am making FUN of my current position by accepting my own awesomeness. Settle down. See the above photoshop job I did if you need further proof of my incredible mind.

21’st Annual GLAAD Media Awards

A few weeks ago, we volunteered to work as Celebrity Escorts for the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

GLAAD is an organization that monitors the media to make sure that all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning people are fairly represented.  Every year, they have three events called the GLAAD Media Awards in NY, LA and another city (usually in San Fran but they’ve also had it in Miami).

This is the third time we’ve volunteered for the media awards but the first time we’ve done it in LA.  The other two times were in NYC.  So we basically knew what to expect, especially since we have volunteered as Celebrity Escorts one other time.  It was held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.  Here we are walking from the parking lot:

Here is the actual hotel, so pretty:

As soon as we got there, we were told to sit down, eat stuff and cool our jets.

And man do they feed you.  So good.  After eating, they took us around the event to show us how to do our jobs.  We got to see Adam Lambert rehearsing which was fun.

I was happy to have the good fortune to be escort Constance McMillen, the lesbian teen whose town cancelled her prom rather than allow her to bring her girlfriend.  Not only did they do they, they also decided to hold another secret prom that she wasn’t invited to.  Such bully bullshit.  Here is a picture of Constance:

Constance brought her friend, another bullied lesbian named Ceara Sturgis.  An out lesbian, her high school wouldn’t let her pose in a tuxedo jacket for her yearbook photo.  Just recently, she received her yearbook to find that she’d been completely omitted and not even mentioned.  Here is a picture of Ceara:

They were with their ACLU lawyer Christine as well (who was awesome). I am here to say that these young women are very sweet, down to earth people.  They’re not looking for attention.  They’re not looking to be treated “differently”.  They’re just looking to live their lives but they’re being bullied by bigoted ADULTS; adults who should know better than to bully kids.  It’s gross. 

Anyway, the awards were a TON of fun.  They were hosted by Wilson Cruz and Candis Cayne who killed it.

I was able to kind of meet Adam Lambert because Constance and Ceara wanted to meet him!  I was standing on the other side of Ceara next to the photographer!  OMG!

 
Flash Mob America performed and surprised everyone there.  It was so much fun.

We got to see a lot of awesome celebrities, which is always exciting.  Here are some of them:

You can see pictures of the other Celebs that came here.

I was nervous because Constance had to present the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to Wanda Sykes.  I wanted to make sure she got to the Green Room on time because I  knew she was a little nervous.  She got there with a little time to spare and she absolutely nailed it.  Here she is killing it:

 Here is Wanda accepting:

 In the Green Room, we got to chat with Wilson Cruz for a hot minute and he was awesome!

Once Constance was done, she really wanted to see Adam Lambert perform but she and Wanda got sidelined by a reporter.  Also, Elke Kennedy, the Mom who runs Sean’s Last Wish wanted to talk to them.  Elke’s son Sean went to a bar and was bashed for being gay.  The man who bashed him left him for dead and had the nerve to text Sean’s friend a few hours later that Sean owed him money for “breaking his hand”.  Sean died.  Shit like this is not okay which is why GLAAD’s work is so important.  They go after media coverage that depicts LGBTQ people in a negative light and applaud those who depict LGBTQ people in a positive light.  Such a good cause.

After they talked, it was time for the After Party.  They took a break in their room and we took some pictures in front of the Red Carpet which was about to be broken down: 

At the After Party, we left them alone to relax.  They were awesome but I know I’d be tired of being “handled” all day long haha.  It was great meeting you guys!!!

Thriller came on and the Flash Mob people went bananas (as did we):

Here are some pictures of the After Party, where everyone could relax after a job well done:

We each had a glass of champagne.  Well deserved I tell you, our dogs were barking:

These are just some pictures of the party itself.  It was really well-done and pretty in there:

We didn’t get home until probably almost 2 or 3am.  We were EXHAUSTED.  We walked into the courtyard and it was pitch black.  In the blackness, I somehow noticed a patch of white fur.  I thought it was a skunk because there are a LOT of skunks on our block.  When my eyes adjusted, I realized it was ELVIRA!!!  I scooped her up and we realized that our front window was knocked out!  We ran inside PRAYING that we weren’t burglarized.  We weren’t but Monster was nowhere to be found.  Panicked, we locked the other animals up and ran outside to look for him.  Terrified, the first thing I did was look for his body.  I was like, there is just no way he wasn’t hit by a car.  Our street isn’t exactly busy but it’s near a LOT of busy streets.  Also, since there are a lot of bars near us, there is a lot of people that park on our block (bastards).  Kristyn heard growling in the bushes, followed it and realized that it was a different cat.  A few minutes later, she heard rustling and a weird growly meow.  She checked and it was Monster.  She coaxed him near her and after a few tense moments, he relented and she was able to grab him.  Basically what happened was that one of them must have pushed on the screen and knocked it out.  There are bars on the window so a person actually couldn’t have gotten in but the screen was able to fall out, leaving a big enough hole for those bastards to jump down.  But once out, there really isn’t a way for them to get back in logistically.  Elvira was smart enough to stay in the courtyard.  Monster must have gone under the gate or slipped out when someone opened it and then hid in the bushes, too scared to run around.  We actually held them and cried for a long time after we got in.  We were SO convinced we’d never see him again.  It was a weird, stressful way to end such a beautiful day haha.

Whew!

Thankfully, our landlord had someone come over to nail the screen in so these bad cats can’t do this again, haha.

P.S. I just want to say that the pictures and video taken of the celebrities were taken from GLAAD’s website.  Thank you!

P.S. #2 I want to thank GLAAD for giving us this opportunity.  It was a total blast and we are definitely doing this again next year! (If they’ll have us haha)

P.S. #3 You should do it too!  All you have to do is sign up.  You can’t be a Celebrity Escort your first year but there are a ton of other jobs you can do.  For ALL of the jobs, you get so see the show and see a ton of celebs.  You’re also volunteering your time to a great human rights cause that allows people like me to live their lives to the fullest.  Also, the show is a lot of fun to watch.

P.S. #4 Sorry I didn’t blog this sooner, I just knew it would take a while if I wanted to blog it right.  :P

P.S. #5 Here is Kristyn’s take on the GLAAD Awards. Here is her great blog on Sean’s Last Wish.

OG Musical Slap Fight

Long before Biggie and Tupac made an East Coast/West Coast hairpulling contest happen, Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd hit the proverbial mat with a classic North/South Yanks/Confederates titty attack . According to my favorite unreliable source, Wikipedia, Neil Young wrote Southern Man about racism in the South. He felt like the South needed to make up for their bullcocky. Also, he’d gotten his arse kicked in Alabama for having long hair and had a bone to pick.

Here’s his love letter to the South:

“Southern Man”

Southern man
better keep your head
Don’t forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man

I saw cotton
and I saw black
Tall white mansions
and little shacks.
Southern man
when will you
pay them back?
I heard screamin’
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?

Southern man
better keep your head
Don’t forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man

Lily Belle,
your hair is golden brown
I’ve seen your black man
comin’ round
Swear by God
I’m gonna cut him down!
I heard screamin’
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?

Here’s the song:

Lynyrd Skynyrd was all, “Oh YEAH?!” and penned their own counter-attack song, Sweet Home Alabama. It’s not the same gravity of diss that today’s geniuses pen (“I gots more cars than you bitch!”) but Neil Young definitely felt the slap AND Alabama’s tourist council now has a theme song to this DAY. (And honestly where would karaoke night be without “Sweet Home Alabama”?! Ridiculousness.)

Here’s the lyrics:

Big wheels keep on turning,
carry me home to see my kin
singing songs about the southland.
I miss ole bamy once again and I think it’s a sin.

Well, I heard Mister Young sing about her.
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down.
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
a southern man don’t need him around anyhow.

Sweet home Alabama where the skies are so blue.
Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.

In Birmingham they love the Gov’nor.
Now we all did what we could do.
Now Watergate does not bother me.
Does your conscience bother you, tell the truth.

Sweet home Alabama where the skies are so blue.
Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.

Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
and they ve been known to pick a song or two.
Lord, they get me off so much,
they pick me up when I’m feeling blue, now how about you.

Sweet home Alabama where the skies are so blue.
Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.
Sweet home Alabama where the skies are so blue.
Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.

And here’s the song:

Personally I can’t take a side. I’m a Yankee by birthright and by nature and totes I agree with Neil. The South, you done fucked up. That being said, who does not like the infection jingle of the world’s most white trashiest song?

Musically, I prefer “Southern Man”. But “Sweet Home Alabama” kinda gets points for responding with aplomb, a good sense of humor and a positive outlook.

So who’s side are you on?

* My neighbors are going to slit my throat if I listen to “Southern Man” one more time. Either that or they’ll blast me out with their Polka. Either way I betta cut the shit and fall in line.

Carrie Prejean is the worst and here’s why.

news frc value voters summit 190909

The Deeevil.


I don’t watch Beauty Pageants, I’m just not interested. It’s not a “stand”, it’s just not interesting to me. When Perez Hilton asked Carrie Prejean her views on gay marriage, she responded that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Obviously I do not agree. I did not like, though, how the next day and weeks following, he created a hate parade about it. I mean I think she has a pretty outdated, prejudiced attitude but I mean there was only one way she could have answered his question without being ripped a new one and that’s not fair. Here’s how it all began:

So, yeah she’s an idiot but she can be enlightened and maybe learn something from it at this point. She wasn’t rude or derogatory at all. He, however, went bananas on her:

He just always manages to take it to a level…

Then all that blahblahblah cross-talk happened.
* Pageant says she’s not meeting her commitments
* She says her religious beliefs are being persecuted
* Nude pictures of her are released (which she says were “artistic” and done “when she was 17” and also “the wind managed to blow her top open”…come on…)
* We find out she got breast implants via the Pageant committee.
* Trump saved her post, then got rid of her…

All kinds of shit went down. And the longer it went on, the nastier she became. I mean it’s one thing to have an opinion, it is another thing entirely to join up with hate groups which she did (National Organization for Marriage).

And then…she sues the Pageant for all kinds of damages, including religious persecution and slander and SETTLES FOR NOTHING when a masturbation tape is brought up!!! And she went on Sean Hannity and called it the “worst mistake of her life”. Then like 7 more videos and 30 more nude pictures are released!!!!!

And then there’s this:

She seems like she was coached and just sticking to the “line” she was given. “It’s inappropriate, Larry”.

Now there is nothing inherently “wrong” with taking nude photos or whatever you want to do…I mean you are taking a risk but it’s your body, your risk and your life.

She is “the worst” because she has been on an almost year-long tirade about how certain “perverts” rights should be curtailed. She wants the right to get married, have kids, have sex with who she wants to, etc. She goes from “I’m sorry this is just my opinion” to commercials, speaking engagements, a BOOK?! I mean:

a) This is all very, very self-serving in THE MOST ugly way because in the beginning it just seemed like a personal opinion but then to make MONEY off trashing people’s right to life, liberty and happiness? How is that Christian?

b) So what she’s saying ultimately is that perverts don’t have the right to love but non-perverts have the right to make porn?

c) She just seems to be very self-righteous, ignorant and hypocritical.

d) She had the chutzpah it took to make almost 40 pornographic pictures of herself but then asked her boyfriend to tell the media that she was 17 when she made them so they can’t be posted. Since when is lying ethical?

I don’t know, my family are Christian and I was raised Catholic. Even if they don’t agree with same-sex marriage, they’d never want me or anyone else in a same-sex relationship to be unhappy or oppressed. And she is going out there on a “Christian” platform, representing a “Christian” idea. In other words, she’s making everyone look bad because she wants to make money. And she’s hurting a lot of people’s feelings to do it.

Sweetheart, you’re pretty. Stick with that. There’s a reason no one asks Kate Moss her political opinions. We don’t want to know and that’s good enough for her.

Another thing is that I feel kind of bad for her. If she’s 22 like she says she is, she has made a royal “Oops” of her life. You don’t know who you are or how you really feel at 22. What could have just been verbal diarhea has now turned into something she HAS NO CHOICE but to keep as a lifetime “moral” all because if she admits she’s wrong now, the wolves will tear her apart. Like these are the kinds of opinions a person has and then learns better when they make a friend who is gay/black/fat/disabled/whatever. They just don’t do it on national television and get blasted by like the nastiest man in entertainment (perez). So, yeah that sucks and I feel for her. BUT the commercial? The book? She’s taken it too far and become an accidental emblem of hate for someone like me which seems like the exact opposite of what she was trying to do, right? So who the hell does she have around her that is taking her down this path? She is STILL entitled to her opinion but WHOEVER is telling her to sue the California Pageant and book only anti-gay speaking engagements and write books and condescend to Larry King ONLY has $$$$ in their eyes. If she truly is a 22 year old girl, she is being taken for a frigging ride so that someone else can make money. Just as soon as whoever is pulling the strings cashes in, she’ll be dropped and we’ll still all loathe her. It truly is a damn shame. UNLESS she flips the script and becomes a fervent gay marriage activist…and then she’ll be the second coming of Mary. *Here’s hoping*

Roseanne Barr is a goddamned genius.

Our friends Kathleen, Cristina, Aleix, Tiffany and Sandra came to visit us this weekend! We had such a great time, thank you guys for coming!! We weren’t able to do everything with them like we wanted but that’s why they’ll just all have to come back…

Anyway, me and Kristyn have been watching Roseanne marathons on Oxygen like whoa. We thought we had every season but the last one on DVD. Turns out there are two whole seasons between the last season and what we have. Aleix and Kathleen are also going through their “Roseanne-times” and so we talked about it at length. Aleix told me about the episode in the clip below and I have never seen this episode!!! Roseanne and Jackie pick up a hitch-hiking riot grrrl, hilarity ensues. God. I. Love. Roseanne. Seriously. Not only is the show beyond hysterical, it’s created, written by and starring a powerhouse fat woman. A powerhouse fat woman who put the first lesbian kiss on air, had frequent gay and lesbian characters, put Patsy and Edina on the show, AND played Bikini Kill. Ugh. Not enough credit. The woman’s a genius.

My Mom always says I’m Becky bc of my ‘tude and my need for perfection. Honestly I can see that but I see a lot of Darlene, Roseanne and Jackie up in this piece as well if you ask me.

Watch this entire clip if you can and don’t be put off by Jenna Elfman’s over the top gum chewing. She gets out of the car pretty soon and the rest of the clip is awesome.

Noonprop8.com’s Facts vs. Fiction

Here’s what noonprop8. com has to say about it.

http://www. noonprop8. com/about/fact-vs-fiction

Facts v.Fiction
Proposition 8 would eliminate fundamental rights for a group of Californians. It’s unfair and it’s wrong.

Fiction: Prop 8 doesn’t discriminate against gay people.

Fact: Prop 8 is simple: it eliminates the rights for same-sex couples to marry. Prop 8 would deny equal protections and write discrimination against one group of people—lesbian and gay people—into our state constitution.

Fiction: Teaching children about same-sex marriage will happen here unless we pass Prop 8.

Fact: Not one word in Prop 8 mentions education. And no child can be forced, against the will of their parents, to be taught anything about health and family issues at school. California law prohibits it.

California’s top educators including Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell and California Teachers all agree: Prop 8 has nothing to do with education.

Fiction: Churches could lose their tax-exemption status.

Fact: The court decision regarding marriage specifically says “no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs.

Fiction: A Massachusetts case about a parent’s objection to the school curriculum will happen here.

Fact: California gives parents an absolute right to remove their kids and opt-out of teaching on health and family instruction they don’t agree with. The opponents know that California law already covers this and Prop 8 won’t affect it, so they bring up an irrelevant case in Massachusetts.

Fiction: Four Activist Judges in San Francisco…

Fact: Prop 8 is about eliminating a fundamental right. Judges didn’t grant the right, the constitution guarantees the right. Proponents of Prop 8 use an outdated and stale argument that judges aren’t supposed to protect rights and freedoms. Prop 8 is about whether Californians are willing to amend the constitution for the sole purpose of eliminating a fundamental right for one group of citizens.

Fiction: If Prop 8 isn’t passed, people can be sued over personal beliefs.

Fact: California’s laws already prohibit discrimination against anyone based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. This has nothing to do with marriage.

Fiction: Pepperdine University supports the Yes on 8 campaign.

Fact: The University has publicly disassociated itself from Professor Richard Peterson of Pepperdine University, who is featured in the ad, and has asked to not be identified in the Yes on 8 advertisements.

Fiction: Unless Prop 8 passes, California parents won’t have the right to object to what their children are taught in school.

Fact: California law clearly gives parents and guardians broad authority to remove their children from any health instruction if it conflicts with their religious beliefs or moral convictions.

Yesonproposition8.com’s FAQs, this is priceless

DSC_0142, originally uploaded by buberella.

If you’re looking for a laugh, go to the actual site:

http://www.yesonproposition8.com/faq.html

OR to this site:

http://www.protectmarriage.com

They actually say the following:

It protects our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage, and prevents other consequences to Californians who will be forced to not just be tolerant of gay lifestyles, but face mandatory compliance regardless of their personal beliefs.

Anyway, here’s what yesonproposition8.com has to say in their FAQs:

Proposition 8 FAQ’s

Why is Proposition 8 needed?

Recognizing the growing threat of the homosexual marriage agenda, pro-family activists across the nation have moved to amend their state constitutions. This need to clearly define marriage seems redundant, but with judicial activism and legislative political correctness running rampant in our government, the true definition of marriage must be restored.

In March 2000, over 61% of California voters approved Proposition 22, which placed in state law the traditional definition of marriage: Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

Four years later, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom decided to defy Proposition 22 by marrying homosexual couples. This evoked legal challenges from pro-family organizations seeking to protect marriage and the people’s right to pass Proposition 22. The case wound its way through the legal system until May 2008, with the shocking, arrogant judicial activism of the California Supreme Court.

In a 4-3 decision, the majority of the court overturned Proposition 22, claiming it violated the California Constitution’s basic civil rights for all citizens. The court interpreted the constitution to guarantee the “fundamental right” to marry—including homosexuals to marry each other.

Anticipating this judicial activism, pro-family advocates had already been circulating an initiative to amend California’s Constitution and define marriage as between one man and one woman. On June 2, 2008, Proposition 8 qualified for the 2008 November ballot.

Proposition 8 will place the same language as Proposition 22 into the California Constitution. This will insure that no judicial activism can overturn the law by deeming it unconstitutional—it will be in the constitution.

Proposition 8 is California’s opportunity to restore the traditional definition of marriage, reaffirm our commitment to marriage, and reject judicial activism.

Isn’t marriage always changing?

The short answer to this question is, no, marriage is not always changing. Traditional marriage between one man and one woman has been the bedrock institution of all societies since the dawn of civilization.

Radical homosexual activists have hijacked the term “marriage” in an attempt to legitimize their sexual lifestyle. Liberal judges and politicians have aided and abetted homosexuals in their crusade to redefine marriage.

One tactic homosexuals have used in their campaign to sway public opinion is linking homosexual marriage to interracial marriage. Homosexual activists claim that they are the victims of the same prejudice that banned interracial marriages in America and they will soon win the same “right” to marry each other. But there is a significant difference between interracial marriage and homosexual marriage: the definition of the marriage was not redefined. Focus on the Family’s Glenn Stanton best explains the difference:

“Knocking down bans on interracial marriage did not redefine marriage, it affirmed marriage by saying that any man has a right to marry any woman under the law. But what same-sex ‘marriage’ proponents seek to do is to radically redefine the very definition of marriage to say it’s not about gender. Marriage is about bringing the genders together, not keeping the races apart.”î

How many votes will Proposition 8 need to pass?

Proposition 8 can pass with a simple majority of the vote: 50% plus 1.

There is some public confusion about whether a constitutional amendment needs more votes to pass than a regular law. The higher percentage requirement applies only to gathering the signatures to place the constitutional amendment on the ballot—not how many votes are required to pass it.

Only a simple majority vote of 50% plus 1 is required for passing Proposition 8.

How does homosexual marriage affect your marriage and family?

Once the timeless institution of marriage is redefined, it will have a ripple affect throughout every aspect of our lives—even in some unexpected ways.

Government will be placing its stamp of approval on a lifestyle that is not beneficial to society—especially the raising of children. Children need the nurture, care, and influence of both a mother and a father as they grow into adulthood. By supporting single-sex parenting, government sends the message that children don’t need mothers and fathers. This is the wrong model to hold up for society.

Homosexual marriage devalues true heterosexual marriages. Allowing homosexual marriage is analogous to infusing the economy with more money. As government pumps more money into the system, the existing currency is devalued. Allowing faux marriages makes a mockery of traditional marriages.

Society’s language will change. Marriage licenses in California now ask for “Party A and Party B” as opposed to “Husband and Wife.” In the marriage ceremony, pastors will no longer ask, “Do you take John to be your husband?” but will be forced to ask, “Do you take John to be your spouse?” Everyday terminology will be radically altered.

School curriculum will be forced to include the redefinition of marriage. Instead of showing images of a husband and wife in textbooks, or story books for kindergarten students, “equality” will demand images of homosexual couples as well.

Homosexual marriage opens the door for societal acceptance of disturbing sexual relationships. If “love” is the standard by which we allow marriages, then polygamists will soon demand their “right” to marry two or more people. Soon individuals will demand the right to marry their pets or inanimate objects because “love” is the basis for their marriage.

Marriage is limited to one man and one woman for a good reason—it is the healthy, natural relationship essential to maintaining society. Without this important boundary of one man/one woman, any and all relationships will be permitted. It may seem absurd to imagine a future where adult men will marry preadolescent girls, but once the door opens to aberrant sexual relationships, standards are destroyed and chaos reigns.

Voting and naysayers.

DSC_0830, originally uploaded by buberella.

Guys, a lot has gone down this week in regards to voting, obvi. To vote, not to vote, a lot of people have a lot of different opinions on it and that’s fine. To me, I feel like it is my duty to vote. It wasn’t so long ago that women and people of color were not allowed to vote in this country and a lot of people had to suffer so that I could so easily march up to a booth and cast a ballot. I’m not going to get into a whole diatribe about it but I just have something small to say. To people who don’t believe in voting, I support you…I don’t get you but I support you. We all have the right in this country to make up our own minds. The voting system isn’t perfect. The two party system sucks. Politicians have always f’d up, made mistakes and/or been crooked and it’s probably never going to be different in some respects. We SHOULD have a better system, but this is the sytem we have right now and me personally, I want to have a say in what goes on in my country. I live here, I work here, I pay taxes here, I want to have a right to say what goes on here. I don’t agree with the Electoral College. I think that the Popular Vote should be the deciding factor…BUT how are we going to get that changed if we don’t at least show up to the polls. The more people that show up the polls, the more power we have in grassroots uprisings against shit like that. If we show the government that we’re getting up and voting and then we’re using our voices by writing to our Congressmen, Senators and Governors, etc they’re more apt to stand up, take notice and listen to the people. I am all for grassroots organizing. I am all for volunteering for civil rights, animal rights, environmental rights, etc, etc, etc. I do it myself. I try to lead a life that I can be proud of by doing my part. I reduce, reuse, recycle. I unplug appliances. I turn off lights. I take public trans to and from work and school. I adopt animals rather than buy them. I try to only buy what I need. I am cutting down on the amounts of plastic and paper I use all of the time. I am a vegetarian, which contributes to animal rights and environmental protection. I donate money to worthy causes. I volunteer my time for causes I believe in. I write to my government to try to get laws passed and yes…I vote. I vote in local elections, I vote in state elections, I vote in national elections. I go to rallies to support things I believe in…Let’s just say I do my part. I am saying all of this for a reason (and it’s not to toot my own horn, although *pat on back, Coleen*).

So, I’m just saying this because I was disappointed by one person this week who, in the midst of this historic victory has decided to spout off a bunch of negativity that is, to me, what is wrong with this nation. I won’t repost it here but it was enough to make me at the very least roll my eyes.  A lot of people in this country have a lot of ideas that are positive but then on election day, opt to sit home and spread negativity rather than going out and doing something about it. I don’t care who you vote for. I just feel like if you’re going to have an opinion and voice it, then say it out loud and then do it at the polls. I agree that it sucks that we sometimes have to vote for someone we’re not in love with. But you now what? That’s life. I think in some ways, it’s really rather nice that some people are so crazed by the fact that they don’t love a candidate that they won’t and can’t vote. It shows that they are truly disturbed by the state of our country and truly bothered by bureaucracy and “politicking”. I feel like it’s EXACTLY those kinds of people who should be at the polls casting a vote. It’s EXACTLY those kinds of people who are passionate that we need to be showing up at the polls…NOT the kind of people who decide a candidate because someone else tells them to. It’s just kind of a sad day when someone who obviously has a lot to say, chooses to do it on a myspace bulletin board rather than at the polls because for some reason it seems to him that his voice will be heard louder there than in our government. I don’t know whether that says more about the person or the way things are run but it’s definitely food for thought I guess.

Anyway, one of this guy’s platforms against voting (and anyone who happened to disagree with him) was that he raises about $5,000 annually for various charities and “probably does more” than anybody else (who vote). According to what he had to say, there are two types of people:  those who vote (and therefore consider themselves enlightened/deified but don’t do anything else for this country) and those who don’t (and actually do things that make a difference like raising $5,000 for various charities).  I really truly applaud him for his efforts but his mistake is to assume that he is the only one out there doing such things. We can all make a difference AND still go cast a vote on election day and it makes no one more of a patriot than the other. It just means that in this country, we’re free to decide our own fates and THAT is the exact reason that I vote.   It’s my right and so I choose to, just like it’s his right to post a bulletin that I don’t agree with.  But then, it’s also my right to disagree is it not?  And there you have it.

Election Day, Tons of Pictures and Miscellaneous Blather

Guys!  I’m so excited today!  I went and voted first thing this morning for Barack Obama!  Say what you will but I am so excited to have been able to cast my ballot to elect the first black man in US history to be President!!!  I took pictures to commemorate it but Kristyn basically dragged me out of the voting booth by my ear telling me I was going to get arrested or invalidate my ballot.  So that just means I’ll post the pictures of my little chubby finger pressing the “Barack Obama” button tomorrow when he’s Prezzy.

So anyway, I uploaded a thousand pictures onto my flickr last night and here’s a link to them (I don’t know how to publish multiple pictures on here yet):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61271875@N00/

Anyway, so I am soooo excited! I can’t wait to go home and watch the election coverage in my Obama t-shirt! Hahaha…Also, I got some of my fisheye pictures developed and am waiting on a Holga roll. I really need to learn how to use this blog better bc I had wanted to post a bunch of pictures fo ryou in this bloggy, ugh. Anyway…

Oh, also, guys feel free to comment here. You can comment on my myspace too but eventually I’m just going to have the entire blog here…