Do you think there is any correlation to the Governor of the State of Illinois signing Civil Unions into law today and the fact that Chicago is expecting one of their worst snow storms - EVER?
Can we go ahead and get the news story out of the way that this is God's way of punishing Illinois?
All kidding aside - we do appreciate the gesture Illinois, but it's not exactly what we were hoping for. I'm sure many people in Illinois (but not as many as you think) will take advantage of this new law and will get some specific legal rights and responsibilities that they want and deserve. Citizens of Illinois who are in same-sex relationships and want to obtain those same Illinois rights and responsibilities as their heterosexual neighbors will be able to do so. Or so they think. The one right that isn't allowed is using the word 'marriage". So when people say - "but it's the same thing" - they are wrong. (and of course the Federal rights/responsibilities are not applicable)
It's just silly - and I don't mean to be disrespectful to the religious institutions that fought against using the word 'Marriage" - but it is. (Well maybe I do mean to be disrespectful - since they have no problem being disrespectful to me.)
Remember the post on same-sex parenting that I said you knew was coming? Same thing here. You're probably wondering why it took me so long. If you really take a minute to think about the government getting involved in anyone's "marriage" - it seems to be a direct violation of the right to privacy. Governments should refer to it as a "contract". That's what it is. Take the term "marriage license" out of it. I won't repeat the standard lines about all the people who are currently able to get married - and probably shouldn't. (Britney Spears, Newt Gingrich - for the third time, etc...) You get my drift.
Let religious institutions do what they want and determine who they will let partake in a "marriage" - but it's time to take the business of legal contracts out of their domain.
On a somewhat related note, don't get me started on the whole subject of weddings in general. (This part will probably ruin Caden's chances of ever being a ring bearer again.) Where do I start? Engagement Rings? Huh? The male is expected to give a ring to the female to show that he wants to marry her. Huh? People really do this? The whole ceremony thing? The males generally stand at the front and wait for the females to come to them. Huh? Females - did you read what I just typed? The females Dad "gives her away"? Huh? Females - did you read what I just typed? I could go on - but once again - I think you get my drift. How about after you sign the legal contract - take the money that would have gone to the ring and throw a big party - and of course invite your Dad (but don't let him give you away). I told you to not let me get started.
I promise this is not my Ted Kaczynski manifesto - but like I said at the beginning...I'm just sayin'.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
That's Rude
Actually, the entire phrase these days is "Papa, that's rude!". It's the new mantra in our house. This time next week I might need to change the name of this blog to "Papa, that's rude" instead of it's current name.
Of course he never says, "Daddy, that's rude". It seems I'm the only one who is inflicting the rudeness towards him. My 'rudeness' appears anytime I'm asking him to do something he would prefer not to do. Example, "Caden, it's time to get out of the bathtub"...'Papa, that's rude'. You get the drift.
I can't recall us using the word frequently at home and suspect that it's been explained at school. He's latched on to it and is happy to use it even when it doesn't exactly apply. I don't mind him using it inappropriately as long as both adults in this house are considered equally rude.
on another note...the other adult in this house informed me that last night's post was "boring". Sorry - I can't be Shakespeare every night.
Of course he never says, "Daddy, that's rude". It seems I'm the only one who is inflicting the rudeness towards him. My 'rudeness' appears anytime I'm asking him to do something he would prefer not to do. Example, "Caden, it's time to get out of the bathtub"...'Papa, that's rude'. You get the drift.
I can't recall us using the word frequently at home and suspect that it's been explained at school. He's latched on to it and is happy to use it even when it doesn't exactly apply. I don't mind him using it inappropriately as long as both adults in this house are considered equally rude.
on another note...the other adult in this house informed me that last night's post was "boring". Sorry - I can't be Shakespeare every night.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Mac N Cheese
Dinner for Caden was kind of pathetic tonight. I could have done better. I have done better. It won't win any awards from the nutrition department and my credentials as a full time stay at home parent really took a hit - but darn it - sometimes Trader Joe's Mac N Cheese is like manna from heaven (if you believe in heaven).
Not wanting to turn this blog into a commercial enterprise (unless someone is willing to make it a commercial enterprise for me) - but I can highly recommend their store brand frozen Mac n Cheese (microwavable) for a 5 year old.
After that ringing endorsement you would think they could send a case of the stuff my way. They probably want to wait until I have more than three readers. They might be waiting a long time.
and for those of you who don't have a Trader Joe's nearby...Sorry...you're missing out!
Not wanting to turn this blog into a commercial enterprise (unless someone is willing to make it a commercial enterprise for me) - but I can highly recommend their store brand frozen Mac n Cheese (microwavable) for a 5 year old.
After that ringing endorsement you would think they could send a case of the stuff my way. They probably want to wait until I have more than three readers. They might be waiting a long time.
and for those of you who don't have a Trader Joe's nearby...Sorry...you're missing out!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Dig Boy Dig
Give a boy (or girl) a shovel and put him (or her) in your backyard (unattended) and don't act surprised when you have a 3 foot hole in a place where you really didn't need a 3 foot hole.
He's such an Oregon kid. He informed us that it will be used for compost. Yes - compost. That's a word that had not entered my vocabulary until setting up home in Portland. Yes - I knew the word - just never had reason to use it. It was something that "hippies" had in their vocabulary. I've mastered the use of the word "recycle" - but "compost" is a different level.
I tried explaining that I would prefer that the compost be in some type of container instead of just sitting in a big hole in the ground. Our neighborhood coyotes (yes - we have coyotes) are probably voting with him. He informed me that all of the leftover food would be good for the dirt and worms and we would just be wasting something else if we used a container.
I told you he was an Oregon kid - and I couldn't be prouder!
He's such an Oregon kid. He informed us that it will be used for compost. Yes - compost. That's a word that had not entered my vocabulary until setting up home in Portland. Yes - I knew the word - just never had reason to use it. It was something that "hippies" had in their vocabulary. I've mastered the use of the word "recycle" - but "compost" is a different level.
I tried explaining that I would prefer that the compost be in some type of container instead of just sitting in a big hole in the ground. Our neighborhood coyotes (yes - we have coyotes) are probably voting with him. He informed me that all of the leftover food would be good for the dirt and worms and we would just be wasting something else if we used a container.
I told you he was an Oregon kid - and I couldn't be prouder!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Same-Sex Parenting - (from the expert)
You knew it was coming. That obligatory blog post on why same-sex parents are better than any other brand of parent. It was going to be good - but then I started writing it.
Typing the words 'same-sex parent' even seems odd to me. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that we fit into that category. We live in Portland. It's not unusual- even though we are the only same-sex parents in Caden's current classroom. Did you see the 'Modern Family' episode where Cam and Mitchell were applying to a preschool for their daughter and thought they were shoo-ins because the school would definitely want their 'diversity'? That could have been us. We are same-sex parents of a multi-racial child. We thought we would play that card while we have it. (we did - but don't think the school cared - as they shouldn't have.)
As far as I can tell, parenting is parenting. Caden has only known his parents as two men. When I've heard other kids ask him where his 'mom' is - he responds simply, 'I have two dads'. No hesitation for him - it's just what it is. The other kids seem to accept his response also with the same lack of expression. I find that the people making the biggest fuss over same-sex parenting are not exposed on a regular basis to same-sex parent families. I can give you all the cliche' answers about how we have the same joys, heartache, trials and tribulations as all other families - but you probably know that. In case you don't - read the above sentence again.
Right now Caden seems to be a healthy and happy 5 year old who loves skiing and soccer and loves to say that his new puppy is his little sister. His future will definitely be affected to a large degree by a combination of our strengths and weaknesses as parents. (we hope we will have a majority of strengths.) We'll have to ask him in later years if he thought it was a pro or con to be raised by two dads. I can only assume that he will look at us and say, 'that's a stupid question'. Asking myself if I thought being raised by a father and mother was a pro or con brings the same response. It's all I knew. How could I have known anything else?
The fact is I don't know if we are better or worse parents because of our sexuality. I do know that we are better parents than those people who made their son hide in the house while they made the country think he was in that balloon in the sky (or whatever it was) last year. Thank goodness they weren't gay.
Typing the words 'same-sex parent' even seems odd to me. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that we fit into that category. We live in Portland. It's not unusual- even though we are the only same-sex parents in Caden's current classroom. Did you see the 'Modern Family' episode where Cam and Mitchell were applying to a preschool for their daughter and thought they were shoo-ins because the school would definitely want their 'diversity'? That could have been us. We are same-sex parents of a multi-racial child. We thought we would play that card while we have it. (we did - but don't think the school cared - as they shouldn't have.)
As far as I can tell, parenting is parenting. Caden has only known his parents as two men. When I've heard other kids ask him where his 'mom' is - he responds simply, 'I have two dads'. No hesitation for him - it's just what it is. The other kids seem to accept his response also with the same lack of expression. I find that the people making the biggest fuss over same-sex parenting are not exposed on a regular basis to same-sex parent families. I can give you all the cliche' answers about how we have the same joys, heartache, trials and tribulations as all other families - but you probably know that. In case you don't - read the above sentence again.
Right now Caden seems to be a healthy and happy 5 year old who loves skiing and soccer and loves to say that his new puppy is his little sister. His future will definitely be affected to a large degree by a combination of our strengths and weaknesses as parents. (we hope we will have a majority of strengths.) We'll have to ask him in later years if he thought it was a pro or con to be raised by two dads. I can only assume that he will look at us and say, 'that's a stupid question'. Asking myself if I thought being raised by a father and mother was a pro or con brings the same response. It's all I knew. How could I have known anything else?
The fact is I don't know if we are better or worse parents because of our sexuality. I do know that we are better parents than those people who made their son hide in the house while they made the country think he was in that balloon in the sky (or whatever it was) last year. Thank goodness they weren't gay.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A day late...
Old news by now - but still on my mind. The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to "repeal" the recently passed health care law. Yes - they voted to repeal the entire thing. No - they didn't provide their own solution to a problem. Why would we expect that? Wouldn't it at least been understandable if they looked at specific provisions in the bill and addressed those? Give specifics (based on facts) and open the floor up for discussion.
It's comical - but serious at the same time. I'm willing to guess that 93% of the people who are against the "Affordable Care Act" don't understand what is in it and the other 7% are mad that a black man became president. (It's my blog - I get to come up with the percentages!)
They now say they will create committees to come up with a better plan. Huh? Didn't these guys have control of the White House and Congress for 6 years - and yet still provided nothing in the way of a credible solution to our growing health care problems?
If anyone should be mad - it should be those of us who wanted a single payer system. We were the ones who lost this battle. Opponents of the current plan love to call it 'government run health care'. Ha! I wish!
It's comical - but serious at the same time. I'm willing to guess that 93% of the people who are against the "Affordable Care Act" don't understand what is in it and the other 7% are mad that a black man became president. (It's my blog - I get to come up with the percentages!)
They now say they will create committees to come up with a better plan. Huh? Didn't these guys have control of the White House and Congress for 6 years - and yet still provided nothing in the way of a credible solution to our growing health care problems?
If anyone should be mad - it should be those of us who wanted a single payer system. We were the ones who lost this battle. Opponents of the current plan love to call it 'government run health care'. Ha! I wish!
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