NYC.

I've been quite the slacker for the last few weeks. Whoopsies. I've been busy, you know, finishing my undergraduate career. No biggie.

I'm in NYC with a good friend right now, staying with my aunt and uncle and my little (adorable) cousins. I also went home last weekend for my younger sister's high school graduation. After the last-- somewhat rocky-- few years, it's kind of amazing that she not only graduated but that she graduated with high honors. I'm proud.

I was back at school for one night, between home and NYC, and it was very strange and empty. All the underclass(wo)men have moved out, so there are really only 600 people on a campus made for 2000. I wonder how strange it will be when I get back for senior week events. No classes, no underclass friends, no meetings... very odd. I guess I'll have plenty of time to take pictures, hang out, relax, and reminisce.

My school gives us a really odd week and a half between the end of finals and graduation. It's, I guess, a time for the seniors to really reconnect and fall back in love with the campus and the school. To forget the stress and pressures of the last four years. You know, so when they call us in 3 months asking for money, we'll remember W as it was for the last 2 weeks rather than the last 4 years. Right.

In other ruminations:
California has disappointed me. In upholding Prop 8, the State of California has upheld and supported prejudice and closedmindedness. I was just talking with a friend who made the excellent point that if the courts had overturned a voted decision, it would be pretty upsetting. It would be, I suppose, undemocratic. But. Prejudice, misunderstanding, and hatred (albeit underlying and not necessarily blatant) are unacceptable, and I find it reprehensible that Prop 8 ever even passed. Let alone was upheld as constitutional in California. Come on, CA. Really, now?

I guess I should just graduate now and go out into the world to, you know, change it. Or something.

Weddings.

So as you may know (or have gathered), I attend a women's college in Massachusetts. There seems to be a massive hormone rage sweeping the area lately, because everywhere I turn, there's someone talking about weddings, children, or babies. I've started feeling somewhat freakish, if only because I have never once in my life thought about those things.

So I decided to go ahead and google "wedding" and see what came up. See if any of it struck a chord with me. What I have gathered is that there are pretty dresses.


There are ugly dresses.

I can't see myself in any of them. I have never once thought about engagement rings, wedding rings, wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, colors, flowers, or centerpieces in my life. I can't picture myself at an altar, or outside, or even in a courthouse, committing myself to someone.

It's just so counterintuitive. I love planning things, I love parties and events, I love getting dressed up. So why would I not have thought about my future wedding?

And you might think that because it's been brought to my attention, I will go ahead and start planning or thinking about it. I have realized, however, that it won't hold my attention. I don't get excited about it. I am unenthused.

Maybe it's because I haven't met the right person (and even if I do meet the right person, it might not be legal for me to marry him/her), or maybe... maybe it's because I'm just not interested.

And that would be ok, right?

Again with the opposite marriage.

There's that video I was talking about the other night. "I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman... no offense to anyone out there."

I can't understand how there are still people out in the world who don't understand that marriage, a legal institution, should not and cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation-- based on the sex of the person you are in love with. It's absurd, ridiculous, and hateful. I was raised in an Evangelical Christian church, and while I don't currently attend, nor do I preach or evangelize, I had never been taught that God hated anyone. I mean, I never heard anything in church growing up about queer people. All I ever heard in church was that God loves everyone, and those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior will go to heaven. But nothing about "the gays."

Outside of church, sure. My mom, to this day, calls things "gay," and while I know she doesn't hate or wish harm to anyone in the queer community, things like that indicate a bigger problem. The fact that people actually clapped and cheered when Miss California stated her views... it is entirely unacceptable. Yes, let's cheer and clap for discrimination! Whee!

It's ok. The same people will feel like idiots in a decade or so, when we look back at the rights that the queer community were denied. Not that intolerance or hatred will die out, but that things will change. Like how now it seems so absurd that in the 60's, people had to sit, drink, or eat somewhere else based on the color of their skin. I really hope that I live to see a day where discrimination against queer people is no longer legal or acceptable. Where equal rights actually happen across the country. That'd be great. Plus... what if I fall in love and want to get married? I should be able to do it, regardless of the sex of the person I love.

opposite marriage?

"we live in a country where you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage."

um.

what? opposite marriage?

courtesy of one of the miss USA's q&a portion. she then went on to say that she does not believe in gay marriage. what a dipshit.