good ol' steve

i'll preface this post with a statement: i am a christian and i am not gay. i believe in the sepearation of church and state, mostly because i read the Bible and believe that is the way God intended it. now, onto the post...

i've been reading steve blow's articles for a long time in the dallas morning news...he wrote one yesterday regarding proposition 2 that i felt really hit the nail on the head. i posted the prop below and then his article. i felt that he made "my" point better than i could, so i did the old cut-and-paste for your reading pleasure.

Proposition 2

"The constitutional amendment providing that marriage in this state consists only of the union of one man and one woman and prohibiting this state or a political subdivision of this state from creating or recognizing any legal status identical or similar to marriage."


Steve Blow:We can't help who we fall in love with
08:27 AM CST on Sunday, October 30, 2005
I saw Sandra Bullock interviewed on TV recently, and a question came up about her unlikely marriage to Jesse James.
I'm sure you know Ms. Bullock, all perky and cute. You may not know Mr. James, all coarse and tattooed. He builds motorcycles for a living and became a TV star in the process.
So Ms. Bullock explained the unusual way she realized she wanted to marry this outlaw.
She attended a car race he was in. He crashed during the race and was badly injured. She ran to the ambulance and discovered that as his girlfriend or live-in or whatever, she was just a face in the crowd, legally speaking.
Excuse her language, but she said: "I was so pissed off that I had no legal say. None! And I knew from the moment I got into that ambulance ... that I was in for the long haul with him. That was a huge deciding factor for me."
Well, her story probably won't be a huge deciding factor in the upcoming election, but it struck me as going to the very heart of this gay-marriage amendment.
Neither you nor I may understand homosexuality. But I'll bet we both understand Ms. Bullock's moment of realization that she wanted to officially be part of Mr. James' life. Forsaking all others, she wanted to be one with him.
And that's really all this boils down to – whether two adults ought to be able to legally entwine their lives into one.
Love is funny, isn't it? I'm sure Ms. Bullock can't explain why she was drawn to rough-and-tumble Jesse James. She just was.
I can't explain why dark-haired, headstrong women appeal to me so much. But they do. And I'm sure happy with the one who plighted me her troth, whatever that means exactly.
Love plays its funniest joke on gay people. For reasons neither they nor science can explain, the heart draws them to people of the same sex.
It's not a choice. It's not a lifestyle. It's just another wrinkle in funny old love.
As I have observed the long, long debate over homosexuality, it sure seems like society has pulled a double-cross on gay folks.
In the beginning, you often heard opponents portray all gays as outrageous, wanton, sex-obsessed creatures.
That description certainly didn't fit the mass of gay and lesbian couples living quiet, faithful lives.
Yet when that segment of the gay community stepped forward to decry promiscuity and champion committed relationships, the critics suddenly reversed course.
Oh, no! they screamed. You can't have what we have! Marriage is only for men and women.
So gay folks are blasted for being promiscuous on the one hand and blasted for wanting to legally marry on the other.
Talk about a no-win situation.
Many people I respect seem caught in a semantic quandary. They believe that gays deserve fair treatment. But they are deeply troubled by expanding marriage to include same-sex couples.
For me, it boils down to a pretty simple "duck" test. (You know, "if it quacks like a duck ...") Gay couples I know have relationships that sure quack and waddle in a very familiar way, one I call "marriage."
To me, marriage is about commitment, not plumbing.
But I understand that society changes in stages. So if it's just words that hang people up, then fine, let's find some new ones for this new territory. Fairness is the real issue here, not vocabulary.
And that's where Proposition 2 goes wrong. This amendment goes far beyond defining marriage. In a case of overkill, it goes on to deny gay people "any legal status identical to or similar to marriage."
Did you get that swipe?
Forget about marriage, the amendment tells gay couples, and also forget any other legal commitment that even smells like marriage.
Look, I can't explain love. Sandra Bullock and Jesse James? That will always be a mystery to me. Gay couples may baffle you even more.
But should we deny them the right to unite their lives – just because we don't understand?
E-mail sblow@dallasnews.com

good work, steve. once again, i applaud your thoughtful insight.

U2

well, the show was even better than i could have ever imagined. lights, sounds, images...bono and the boys know how to put on a show!!! they even started pulling the audience members onstage, allowing you to imagine that you could possibly be up there...people, it's too much for my little heart. they even went into their original stuff and played "electric co" off their original album, boy. if you have never seen U2 play live, you are really, really missing out. sharing it last night with mols, kevin, and jay just made it more special.

to top it all off, they ended the show with their old-style ending, playing "40," their own rendition of psalm 40. i was moved to tears. to hear your favorite band of all time singing praises to our Maker...it just doesn't get any better than that.

i love you, bono.

relief

the move is now complete, just some organizational things to take care of this evening. i sat this morning in the little sunroom spot i've created for myself, a small loveseat tucked in the corner, surrounded by windows and looking out over the backyard. had some cereal, hot tea, and a good little quiet time in prayer. and then i just sat and watched mckenzie run around the backyard and gave a little sigh of relief. it's nice to feel settled again...

and one honorable mention as i hear, "pride" (U2) playing in the background right now...it's officially now THE weekend of U2. saturday night cannot come soon enough!!!!

the move

well, it's 10pm and i am sitting in an apartment with white, bare walls and boxes. it's very odd to see your "life" packed up and just sitting around you. it's odd how un-home-like it feels, even when you've lived here as long as i have. i am a sentimental sap, so this is hard for me. i know i expressed it a couple of weeks ago, and yes, i know i am only moving 3 miles from here, but it is fun and sad at the same time to sit and think about all the memories i have in this place and realize tomorrow i will leave and not come back to it.

it does make you realize that it really and truly is NOT the walls, floors, and ceilings that make up a home, it is the people that you have shared it with, the memories that you have there, and the experiences that have molded you as you lived within it.

i have shared these feelings with several friends today who giggled at me, how silly and sentimental i'm being...so i was very thankful for the equally sentimental email that mollie was so quick to send back a few moments ago. it's so amazing how just when you need a little pick-me-up...the phone will ring, an email will pop up, or a knock will come at the door. i'm really thankful that God puts people in our lives that just kind of "get" us...

nano

yaaaaaaaaay! i'm officially off the old mp3 player and into the world of iTunes!! verrrry exciting, people. jay's brother, judd got him a shuffle for his b-day, and upon seeing my excitement about the whole deal, jay decided it was necessary for me to receive an early birthday present...a nano! so we are now both card-carrying members of this newly formed cult, and very excited about it! btw, hanging out in the apple store is just plain fun and a very simple ploy on their part to get me interested in spending thousands of dollars on some seemingly necessary computers, ipods and their accessories. i mean, even the kids in the apple store seem hip, playing games on a cute little setup and sitting on yoga-style balls as chairs. before leaving the store i had already sold out for an overpriced arm-band to work out with my new nano...we are so inseperable already. hahaha ; )

i like you, judd.

unnecessary roughness

we all know that there are two types of people out on the field/court when you are playing sports. those that are out there to have a good time and those that like to compete. i would definitely say that i am one that is always out to compete and sometimes even tries to play it off like it's only "for fun." i always get fired up about it, but i will say that i always have a good time and want everyone to have fun.

but then, every once in a while, there's "that guy" or "that girl" that just plain ruins it for everyone. no, not with a snide remark or a little elbow, not because they are a little too fired up...those people just entertain us. no, this is the one that punches you in the stomach as you go up for a layup in a church basketball game or the guy that plows over girls in order to make a few more yards on a play.

tonight our little co-ed, recreational "dallas sport and social" league had a flag football game and "that guy" was on the other team. he was a spectacle, that is for certain. from the get-go you could see that he was "that guy." he was the one spouting off to his team as if we were playing in the super bowl, with his name in marker on the back of his t-shirt, wrists adorned with sweatbands...the one ran to the endzone on every offensive play as if he was jerry rice and this guy playing QB was joe montana. he never caught a touchdown pass, by the way, oh but he was there, yelling for the ball, every time!

as i went after his flag on a short run, he spun around at full throttle, pushing his shoulder into my midsection and fist into my neck, springing me from a standing position, into the air, then flat to my back. the thud could be heard from the other side of the field. i sprung to my feet in horror and just wanted to hit him. of course i did not, just visualized doing it over and over again in my head, and soon the next play was happening...and to make a long story short, he ended up in four different "squabbles" on the field, and two plays after taking me out, was thrown out of the game. sad part is, as angry as he was, this was all his doing, his stirring.

where do these people come from, and who raised them? i think this jerk i'm speaking of was probably raised by one of "those parents." i always felt so sorry for those kids, the ones whose parents humiliated them from the stands, yelling and telling them they suck, yelling at their coaches...i mean, it was just sad. i'm sure again, you all know who i'm talking about, and for your sake, i hope it wasn't your parents. but most of all, i hope you have broken that legacy and can enjoy sports.

so on my way home, my elbow bleeding, head pounding, neck and head killing me, and knee just totally shot, i thought about "that guy" from tonight. and suddenly the feelings of anger left and i just felt sorry for him. what a bummer to be at this stage in life and still not be able to pull yourself together to play a fun little co-ed football game without stirring up trouble and making people not only angry but injured! what a shame...oh, and thanks, mom and dad, for never being "those parents" so i don't have to worry about ending up being "that girl." ; )

okay, okay, so my secret is out...

regarding the previous post, some of you smarty pants blog readers found out the secret. but i did find that online and still thought it was clever. i even took the time to white-out the website on the sign...

all that to say, it is a really funny prank to play on people. try it yourself!

http://www.churchsigngenerator.com/

obviously this pic is a few days old...

and i love my sweet BU, but it's still funny...

the party

as you can see (pic with guest of honor at her party, and her two favorite attendees), mckenzie had a great time last night. she loved hard night's day, even got a front row seat and they played the beatles "happy birthday" for her! she received some great gifts from friends, had a bite of my burger, and ran around the yard at lee's with her pals.

she is definitely ready for the fall and sunday's dog day afternoons.

H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y

it's the big #5 for tuna. that's right, it's october 14th, 2005, mckenzie's 5th birthday! it is now after midnight, so she had a treat, heard the happy birthday song, and is now about to take a snooze in order to prepare for her birthday party friday evening at none other than lee harvey's...she is pumped to hear hard night's day and enjoy a bite of a charcoal burger.

pics to come after mckenzie's big night out...happy birthday, my sweet little pooch!

oh, and team aristocrats celebrated another big win tonight, 25-12. niiiiiiiiice.

change

after 4 glorious years in uptown, i'm taking the plunge and moving to the m-streets. i love, love, love uptown...but i also want a house and a backyard. this will be a 3.75 mile move so i think i can handle it.

uptown as a neighborhood has far surpassed its predicessors in all ways but one. i can't get a backyard...or at least i can't afford one (yet!). so i'm making an excited leap to a house, complete with big, expansive trees and a yard. mckenzie dog is the most excited of all!!! she and i have many friends within walking distance of my new place, so bbq's (burgers and beer to my fellow baylor grads) and dogs running around in the backyard are in the very near future...i'm so looking forward to it!!! friends outside of dallas...news...i will finally have extra room and beds to sleep in, so come visit soon!!!

edward murrow

i realized a few months ago that i was on some sort of pre-screening list for movies at the magnolia (movie theatre in dallas). i get emails for two tickets to see the premiere of new flicks at the magnolia...and best of all it is free! for a movie-going fanatic, this is good stuff.

tonight jay and i were both particularly excited about the feature, called "good night and good luck". it was the story of edward murrow, a legend of media and journalism, the man who chose to stand up to senator mccarthy...

""Murrow legend and tradition" of courage, integrity, social responsibility, and journalistic excellence, emblematic of the highest ideals of both broadcast news and the television industry in general. "
-Museum of Broadcast Communications

it was a great movie, a little slow in the beginning, but well worth seeing and interesting to see the story portrayed by so many cool actors (clooney, robert downey jr., david strathairn, frank langella). definitely a great tribute to a man i spent a lot of time studying and admiring.

U2 on Conan

one more thought for the morning...did anyone else see the greatest band ever perform on conan last night?!?!? wow, wow, wow...they sounded INCREDIBLE. that little acoustic bit with bono and the edge will remain saved on my tivo forever. it is now only 21 days until i will be seeing them live here in dallas...i can't wait!!!

team aristocrats

i can't believe how much i've discussed the weather on this blog lately, but trust me, if you live in dallas, you are discussing it too.

our first official co-ed, flag football game actually was last night b/c of some rain outs. the game started at 9:30, and because we are all used to temperatures above 95 degrees at that time of day, the chilling "real feel" of 50 degrees with a cool wind blowing felt like we were playing football at lambeau field, not in dallas. i of course, had taken zero precautions against this new change in weather and had to stand around for an hour in shorts and a t-shirt before the game. i say that as if i was irritated, but i actually loved it...i am a person that finds tremendous happiness on the field--watching, playing, i just love sports. and this was definitely football weather!!

all that said, we had a good turnout and once we started playing, it was PERFECT weather for football. oh, and we trashed the other team 26-8. go team aristocrats!

this weekend

the high on thursday is predicted to be 69 degrees in dallas. a chill is in the air (to a dallas-ite, anything below 70 degrees qualifies as a chill), and the oklahoma vs. texas game is upon us. what an exciting weekend to be in dallas! in my opinion, probably the most fun weekend of the year in big D...the excitement level reaches an all time high, and the friends you have on the opposite side of the stadium just fade away for the weekend.

it's a good time, and i don't and won't make any predicitions, just wanted to show my love for the red river rivalry and welcome stoops troops to big D.

BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!!