THEIR territory….not OURS….

I have said it for years: we are entering unknown territory. We are entering frontiers that are not ours to enter. And yet, it’s all about the money and being the first to live in a new home, thus the new developments that keep stretching and stretching. I live in a City that is insistent on putting more and more condos in place. And the reasoning? “It will bring back the night life of the City. Our resources will not be drained because we did a study that proved that only adults live in condos, no children.” I just don’t get it.

So when I read this article about the Mountain Lion hanging out in the backyard of someone’s house, I was not surprised. I was surprised that this man shot the Mountain Lion for no apparent reason. Well, dipshit, what did you expect when you moved in there, with woods surrounding you? I live in a wooded area. I have all sorts of animals trampling through my backyard. I KNOW this because I’m not stupid. But, I also keep my animals in at night and watch them when they do go outside for the last piss before bed. And should I see one in the bright of day? I will go inside and wait it out. It could be sick or sunning itself. One will never know. But, I will remember two things: 1) I bought this already existing house that’s more than 20 years old in the middle of the woods, and 2) I’m in the middle of their territory.

Olympics: 24/7; one channel; real time broadcast

I really need to vent on this one.

There has been much hype in the news recently regarding the Olympics. Aside from the lack of extreme controversies (remember the French Judge in ice skating?), the big hype this year is about the TV ratings. Supposedly the TV ratings for these winter Olympics are at an all-time low.

Well, duh.

I remember watching the Olympics on TV when I was little. I remember that there was an entire television channel that was completely devoted to the Olympics; they were on 24/7. I also remember staying up until 1am to watch some Olympic event. Know why? Because back then, the Olympics were filmed and broadcasted LIVE and in real time. There were very few commentator interruptions throughout. Only some updates here and there. And yes, that lasted for the entire duration of the Olympics; it ended when the Closing Ceremonies ended.

Today, I do understand that there are some individuals that lead a rather hectic and involved life. I would consider myself one of them. However, I do know that there are other people in this Nation that do not. Regardless, the broadcasting of the Olympics on real time and live would benefit the hectic and non-hectic alike; some Olympic event would always be on the television. And I do feel that had the Olympics been broadcasted 24/7 on one channel, there would be higher ratings. What’s wrong with that? One word: advertising. The commercials won’t get in, then there’s the shows that won’t get to air. Do I need to give people another wake-up call? The Olympics only happen every FOUR years. In four years, your stupid sitcom probably won’t be on the air. Or if it is…why not extend the season another 2 weeks at the end of the season? What the fuck?

I am quite disappointed with the television cable companies that allow this lack of support to occur. And yet the viewers, the Average Joes, are getting blamed for not watching the Olympics as much. Well no shit because it’s only on for 3 hours every night. Oh and I can read in the paper that day who won the event I am watching right now. So what’s the point, then, in even watching the program that’s all edited and cropped and everything else?!

Crossover Appeal

Well, here are some more props to give to the Gays and Lesbians. It’s about time there was more recognition for them. Now there is a new wave of concern over the media (television, music, movies, etc.) as it relates to Gays and Lesbians.

Check out Media Offer New Outlets For Gay Audiences to read about this.

But is it concern or recognition? I feel that the media has always been there. The acceptance factor (of course I’m talking of gays by straights) has not been there. Now that there is more hype concerning the Crossovers (i.e. Brokeback Mountain being the latest) of course there is more attention placed on this “gay culture.” (Ummm…Hi. There is no ‘gay culture’ unless one wants to seriously start calling every aspect of life a ‘culture’).

So, now we have dubbed this sudden interest of the gay life by straights a Crossover. What the fuck? There is a specific term to describe everything that happens!?! How said is that? And it sounds so trendy…..I think that’s what is really bothering me about it all.

There is no trend or culture. This is Life. And we all live a different Life.

Where is the love?

There are some things in Life that will always make me shake my head in disbelief. This is one of them: Drives to Ban Gay Adoption Heat Up in 16 States

How can we define a family when there are so many “dysfunctional” (I use that term VERY loosely) ones out there? There is no cookie-cutter image any more. No Nuclear Family. The American Dream is beginning to be altered and yet no one is accepting it. Rather than embrace a change, there are people scrambling all over the place trying to get this or that put in place to stop a growth. Or a trend, how my favorite people, The Experts, claim this is.

I give incredible credit, support, and hugs to gays and lesbians that are making the argument of a family public. Good! It’s about damned time that someone had a set on them! And who are we to fault them if they are different from us?

I find it amazing how people only accept the change they want. That is, consider all the hi-tech equipment that exists in the world today. Awesome, yes it is. And the same people that are attempting to define a family (and a marriage) are the same ones that are using these newfound, amazing gadgets to make their life easier, etc. So where do they get off accepting that change in technology, but not within Mankind, A.K.A., ourselves?

Who the fuck are we to define a family (what sex the parent’s should be, that is), let alone love (marriage)?

Sounds pretty fucked up if you ask me….

Shit does happen….and it could be a good thing….

I absolutely LOVE reading random articles. I like to read things and then pass them onto others. My poor friends…….

No less, when I read this article, I thought it was phenomenal. And well, you learn something new every day.

I have to give some serious props to the folks out West. (And ponder why I do not live out there where I think I would have no problem fitting in).

In the article San Francisco Exams the Power of Dog Droppings the city of San Francisco makes it a point to recycle in general, roughly 60% of their garbage. Meanwhile the adoring state of Connecticut is only 25%, and that is still a goal. So, really, who is so much cooler right now? Why can I not live in San Francisco?

Now there is a goal to recycle feces…not just any kind, but dog feces. Does this world get any better?

Now here’s where I start thinking. A person could almost theoretically have a self-sufficient home. All based around dog feces. Oh and the occasional general garbage recycling. But I am curious to find out how many dogs it would take to provide one household with electricity/heat/whatever.

How cool??

Little Alito……

Now I have to write on Judge Alito.

Oh shit. We are going to hell in a hand basket. And might quick.

I subscribe to a bunch of little e-zines. And I have to share this one with you.

I have bitched about Alito in the past regarding his goal to change the ruling on Roe v. Wade (okay….you get the point).

Earthjustice is about preserving the earth. Simple enough. What I was made aware of by this little zine that I received was all about Alito. Turns out our Nominee-turned-Judge has a thing for destroying land.

Let me interject with some personal feelings for a moment…..

Does NumbNuts have any fucking clue how to do his job? Yeah, I am going to Monday-morning quarterback and Barbershop this one to death that I can do his job. In reality, I cannot. However, I am a person that does tend to observe the whole enchilada before making a decision. Apparently our good buddy here is not a fan of Mexican food.

Does he not know that there are certain precedents set for a reason? That his job involves preserving the human rights that have already been established? This does not necessarily mean to go backwards with his decisions to get us back to the old school. Back to the Good Ole Boys Club. What the fuck?

Then again, we can point fingers at Bush for just being an incompetent prick for picking this guy. Funny thing…when there was a woman up for nomination, the world made her life a living hell. But now that there’s a man that insists on bringing us backwards, that’s okay. But hell…..who am I but a single, female taxpayer.

Okay, enough of the soapbox. I wanted to post this letter so you all know what the fuck is going on in the real world. I received this on January 31. Also, feel free to check out their site: Earthjustice

_____________________________
Okay, here’s the letter:

Today, after heated debate, Judge Samuel Alito Jr. was confirmed by the Senate to a seat on the Supreme Court. Forty Democrats, one Republican, and one Independent voted against Judge Alito’s nomination. We are deeply disappointed in the outcome of this vote.

Earthjustice and more than 60 other conservation groups urged the Senate to oppose the confirmation of Judge Alito, due to concerns that he would roll back protections for public health and the environment. This was the first Supreme Court nomination opposed by Earthjustice and other environmental groups since Robert Bork nomination in 1987.

We knew going in that this was an uphill battle. But the stakes are too high for us to stay out of the fight. The American public needs to know about Judge Alito’s record of siding with polluters over communities. We made a difference. In the end, Judge Alito received more “no” votes than any other confirmed Supreme Court nominee in the last 100 years except Justice Clarence Thomas.

Our heartfelt thanks to the almost 15,000 friends and supporters who took action to write, email, and call their senators, asking them to carefully consider Judge Alito’s alarming record. From the committee hearings to the Senate’s floor debate, to editorials and media coverage across the country, Judge Alito’s extreme record on Congress’ authority to pass laws protecting the environment and on citizens’ access to courts were major points of contention. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) stressed environmental issues in her statements about Alito, citing the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Endangered Species Act, and concluded, “Our ability to legislate in these areas is very much at stake with this judge.”

Many senators, including more than a dozen who had voted to confirm Chief Justice John Roberts, cited issues that had been raised by Earthjustice and other environmental groups in explaining their decision to oppose Judge Alito. Without the attention of the environmental community and the actions of concerned citizens like you, Judge Alito’s extreme legal opinions limiting the ability of government to protect communities from pollution could have avoided scrutiny.

We remain extremely concerned that Justice Alito may reverse decades of progress in protecting public health and the environment as part of our nation’s highest court. Alito replaces Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who was a swing vote on the Supreme Court, casting decisive votes in favor of protecting environmental safeguards enjoyed by all Americans. But with your help and support, we remain more committed than ever to fighting for judges at every level of our federal court system who will uphold and enforce the environmental safeguards on which we all depend.

As always, thank you for standing with us.
Sincerely,

Vawter “Buck” Parker
Executive Director
Earthjustice

_______________________________

That said….I leave you with this:

“Judge Alito was confirmed today as the nation’s 110th Supreme Court
justice. President Bush congratulated Alito and said he hopes he gets along
with the other 109 judges.” –Conan O’Brien

Be patient!

I know…I know! I have not writtent in quite some time! It’s horrible! And more so since SO much is going on in the world.

But, be patient. I am still writing. I am just in the middle of midterms.

C’est la vie!

Slide, Crash, Cry

Not the greatest morning….I crashed my car. And in a bizarre way.

I was about to pull onto my road; I had slowed down at the same time signaling to take the left. More than enough time was given to the guy behind me in the Suburban (mind you I drive a Tahoe). Well, he was not paying attention and drove up on the right side of me, on the grass/woods. I was wondering what the hell he was doing and then it dawned on me that he was not paying attention and damn near rammed into me.

I would have preferred that as to what was going to take place in a matter of minutes.

I pulled into the driveway and did notice the extreme amount of water runoff from the yards of the neighbors. That had all frozen.

Not a big deal…. but it was…

I pulled into the driveway and I was not happy where I thought I should park – it looked like too much ice. So, I went to park next to my Man’s truck and skidded on the ice and slammed right into it. Unreal.

So right now, the Tahoe is attached to the Truck. I will wait for the ice to melt and then move it. But, the Tahoe is smashed.

Now, for just once, I would love not to have any Drama in my life. For one year. Is that hard to ask for? I don’t bring it on myself; this shit just always seems to happen to me on a regular basis, that doesn’t normally happen to others. My friends tell me that I live a Soap Opera Life. While I would like to think that we all live a life that may easily be reproduced by Hollywood, I am told numerous times that my life is just so obvious.

Not to get off the topic, but you’re getting the point.

So, when I request no drama….I mean NO DRAMA. I would not consider my life boring; I would see it as a year-long vacation. A nice break. I would love to just kick back and watch the world go by. Don’t get me wrong; I will be an active participant, but just without the drama.

Other people can have drama in their lives and that will more than suffice for me. But, I just don’t need these little hang-ups all the time. What are they telling me? To calm down? To do mental check? To do a status check of my life, love, etc.? To sell the Tahoe because I’ve had nothing but bad luck with it? But wait, I was IN MY DRIVEWAY. This shit should just not happen at home. But about 80% of motor vehicle accidents occur within two miles of the home. Yeah, no shit. I am so living up to that standard.

To fully understand, one must know the History of the Tahoe. I have owned this vehicle for just over one year. I have had nothing but engine trouble (check engine light was on for the entire year; they finally fixed it, maybe). I have had a quarter panel redone due to someone scratching the hell out of it, down to the metal, about the size of a half-dollar size. That was after owning it for about six months.

So now, every six months, something will happen with the Tahoe that affects its body, thus creating a need for money to cover the cost of it. Why go through insurance and give them a chance to make an excuse to raise my rates?

I think I am going to have to sell the Tahoe. Honest. I am starting to think it’s bad luck.

Which brings me to another thing….is there such a thing as bad luck?

Oh for the Love of Happiness!

So, I’m watching ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ at 2am the other morning. And as I’m watching it and the events are unfolding in the movie (towards the end, obviously). I find myself crying. And I then I realized why I was crying.

For as long as I have been watching movies, I have found myself quite emotional (either crying or very much near it) during movies that do not require any type of emotional response, simple movies, really. And for the longest time (up until the other day) I always found myself crying for True Love.

I have questioned the concept of True Love for almost as long as I’ve been watching these movies. That is, since I’ve been exposed to watching movies, I discovered the concept of True Love. There was a belief that there was a person out there that would love me and we would grow old and have fun together. As I grew older, I discovered sex would be an issue…in the positive, of course.

So, when I met my man, it dawned on me that things were different this time around. That there was something significant going on with this new man. Now that we’ve been together for a long time, I realize that this is True Love. Now, there were no angels singing in the backround, nor was there any new-age music nor any up-and-coming singer/songwriter performing next to me.

Now, fast-forward to now, 2am in the morning, watching ‘Mona Lisa Smile.’ As I started crying, for what I thought was finding True Love. I realized that wasn’t it. I was not crying for True Love. I was crying for Happiness. It was a matter of finding Happiness and being Happy with it. There are moments when the Happiness lasts for a little while…but not forever. And that’s what we are all looking for – forever happiness. And I realized this and of course started to cry some more. It was amazing how after all these years (since I started getting serious about watching movies, about the age of 12), that I always cried because I didn’t have a True Love. And now, YEARS later, I discover this entire time I’ve been crying because of Happiness. And how disillusioning it can be.

And the reason I’m crying about this? Because I have never known Happiness until I was older, in my early twenties. And even then, it was a struggle. My upbringing was not the greatest, though it was better than most. I had a fucked-up biological father that caused a lot of havoc in my life until I was in my early twenties when I came to terms with it (rather than just ignoring it). So for me to have Happiness, it is a big thing.

And of course I began to evaluate my current situation. But I realize that I am VERY happy. I LOVE the man I’m with, the house I’m in, the stuff I’m doing (aside from going to school, which I have had enough, but have to endure 3 more months to complete).

I have issues with my job. I love my job, just not the people I work with. Is this an issue or is this normal? I have yet to decide. I KNOW that I am going through unnecessary bullshit and that it is not the same every where else. So, the contemplation concerns on what to do, however, I am not seriously thinking about that until I have finished school.

(At this point, I am not going to get into the unhappiness that exists within the world, perhaps another day).

Then Diana emails me the other day with this book she wants to get “The Art of Happiness at Work” by The Dalai Lama. Who better to write on this subject than him? Then I get to thinking that I should read this book, as well. Nevermind that I should also read “The Art of Happiness.” No less, both are now on my Wish List.

In the end, it IS about being happy and having Happiness in your life. Perhaps not in all aspects, but in as many as can be possible. So, I toast you all to Happiness in 2006.