Trigger

This is a picture of Trigger sitting on my husband's lap looking outside. When my husband is away on business I lock down the house and set the alarm, but when my husband arrives back home he opens all the windows. We were enjoying the fall breeze blowing through the house this evening.

The Tyranny of the Majority!

This post has nothing to do with The Simpsons; I like this picture. Maybe Homer could marry the husband and me once Texas legalizes gay?

This post is about gay marriage...

In the comment section of a blog I read "Eric" made a comment in support of someone else that doesn't believe in gay marriage. Eric commented as follows: "Oh, I can't wait to hear the righteously indignant vitriol spew forth. She shares her views with the majority of Californians, Americans, as well as the President. Let's remember that." Grrr. Those comments still get me going. However, the next comment posted anonymously was brilliant...

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Eric,

Your first comment seeks to validate the majorities prejudice. Which has in fact on a number of well worn issues been proven to be insane and or immoral in the rear view mirror of history. Regardless how many view a subject a certain way. It does not justify the tyranny of a majority creating second class citizens. It is one of the reasons we have the judicial system we do, to check and balance such things. As has been proven by our own countries history on civil rights, time and time again. The tyranny of the majority had to be checked.

There is absolutely zero reasoning beyond personal distaste or religion(neither of which have any place in a secular and just country). To deny equal, not special or different, just equal, rights to all.

Marriage provides many protections and benefits due to government laws and recognitions. As the government views marriage. Which has nothing to do with how a church views marriage. Nor would any church be affected in any way in that manner.

Our secular government is denying full rights to people who pay all the same taxes you and every other straight person does. They work and grow their communities the same. They are however not allowed to enjoy the full benefits provided by their secular government. Because they love someone of the same sex. That is wrong.

It is not the right of a majority to oppress a minority, who has no impact on their lives. Beyond they simply disagree with who the minority is and would prefer they be allowed to legally discriminate against that minority and treat them as less of a citizen of this country. Those people who think they do have such a right, are on the wrong side of history. Just as those who thought slavery was fine, as a majority once did. Just as those who thought interracial marriage and the children it bore an abomination (one of those children sits in the white house)were once a majority. They were wrong. The people who impose their views and fears on the lives of others, to limit a minorities rights are wrong. And you for your original comment seeking to justify and your follow up, seeking to side step, are wrong.

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Georgia, Oh Georgia!

We booked our tickets for our next vacation...in May 2011 we're going to spend a week in Georgia (the country not the state). Our cousins live in Georgia, and what better way to see a foreign country than with your local family members? My husband studied aboard in Spain during college, but I've never been to Europe. I am excited. We are also planning on spending two nights in Germany at the end of the week.

Bishop Long makes me roll my eyes.

It's impossible to miss the news about the four young men whom have brought civil suits against Bishop Eddie Long. They claim Long seduced them with gifts and trips. Long is a preacher at a mega church outside Atlanta. He is married (to a woman) and he has four children. Historically, he has also been anti-gay.

I do feel sorry for any individual that is publicly humiliated. Long turned a 300 member church into a 25,000 member church, which means his public humiliation is on a tremendous scale.

This puts us, once again, in a familiar situation: a prominent anti-gay individual appears to have had gay sexual encounters. It's an annoying situation. This hurts the entire gay community when our enemies seem to have homosexual tendencies...our enemy is one of us?!

Think of this, while Bishop Long was preaching to his 25,000 member church that marriage is between one man and one woman he's (allegedly) seducing young men? Ridiculous. Of course he clearly considers his own marriage such a sacred institution that must be protected from gays, but he doesn't seem to have issues with his own marital infidelity? This annoys me. This really annoys me.

Habitat for Humanity

Last week in a downtown Fort Worth parking lot a group of volunteers working with Habitat for Humanity built a house. Today they moved the house to a neighborhood. I was impressed.

Fountain of Youth

I've discovered the fountain of youth for French Bulldogs: the first cool front of the fall season. Even though this photo doesn't prove it, the cool weather has really perked up Martha Fauker.

Today was a beautiful day in Dallas.

Hot Football Weekend

On Saturday the husband and I along with my husband's parents attended the first annual Alumni BBQ at McCombs School of Business, and then we went to the Texas Longhorn Football game. It was a fantastic day even though we had to watch the 'Horns get beat on the football field while we baked in the hot summer sun. (Does the sun know summer is over?) It's such an intense event when you are in a stadium with 100,000 other individuals focused on a game.

Since the 'Horns next game is in Dallas, I will take it as a good omen that a cool front welcomed us back home today. We have the windows up and the cool breeze is blowing through the house.

A Very Happy Hour

On Friday I was lucky enough to attend a happy hour at Gabriel's in the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center in Austin, Texas. The food was amazing: fruit, hummus, fried chicken, fried potatoes, tater tots, and stuffed tomatoes.

Happy Birthday Dooley

On Friday the whole world celebrated the birth of Dooley. We beat Dooley's birthday party crew to Freddie's Place on Friday night, and so we back tracked the birthday agenda and found the birthday crew still waiting to be seated at Polvos. It was just enough time to give her a birthday hug and a gift. For her birthday gift the husband and I wrapped up her flip flops that she left at the lake in June and gave it to her along with a birthday card. I think Dooley appreciated the humor of being gifted something that technically already belonged to her.

Happy Birthday Dooley!

Dolly!

This weekend the talented Krystal Summers performed as Dolly Parton in the Rose Room! She was preceded by drag queens performing as Katy Perry and Ke$sha and Little Kim. When I heard the opening to 9 to 5 I started jumping up and down just like the rest of the audience! I love me some Dolly.

Tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawnin, stretchin, try to come to life

Wall Mounted TV

This weekend my husband mounted our television...on the wall. He ran all the cords behind the wall; it's so clean. I'm so lucky to have married an engineer that can do these types of activities with interest and ease. It was very manly of him. He is my manly television mounting husband.

Jon & Stephen

Have you seen Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity and Stephen Colbert's March to Keep Fear Alive? Both are scheduled on October 30th in Washington D.C. If we had unlimited time and money, then we'd be there for this event...it's going to be hilarious and inspiring.

Also, I agree with Jon Stewart that 80% of the population is reasonable and sane, but we're controlled by the insane 20% of the population. We have a silent majority in our culture.

Richard MacDonald

Richard MacDonald is in Las Vegas right now. His art inspires me and it would be an honor to meet the man behind the creations...

Justice Scalia

The U.S. Constitution does not outlaw sex discrimination or discrimination based on sexual orientation, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told a law school audience in San Francisco on Friday.

Didn't our Founding Fathers first draft a Declaration of Independence which clearly stated "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"? What about the ninth amendment in the U.S. Constitution that declares that the listing of individual rights in the Constitution and Bill of Rights is not meant to be comprehensive; and that the other rights not specifically mentioned are retained by the people?

I am not a fan of Justice Scalia especially since he compared gay sex to incest, prostitution, and bestiality. (Seriously, go read his dissenting opinion of Lawrence vs. Texas.) The good news is that I'm 30-years-old and he's 74-years-old, which means he'll dead and gone way before I'll be dead and gone...and hopefully the next justice will be less arrogant and self-righteous....

Cultural Cliche

I experienced a culture cliche this past weekend, and I've been thinking about it all week.

Previously I reported that we had the best weekend with Cousin Kate, her husband and her two children. I did not disclose previously that on Saturday night from 5:00 PM until about 1:00 AM the care and protection of Cousin Kate's two children (a six-year-old and a one-year-old) was our responsibility. We were the childless couple caring for a couple of kids, and at the end of the night I felt overwhelmed and amazed. I was overwhelmed at how much work it takes to care for two children, and I was amazed at how Kate and her husband care for two children every day. (We only had to do it for a few hours.)

It is insanely easy to take care of her well behaved intelligent children, in theory.

Kate and her husband left our house at 5:00 PM to attend the Yankees game. The one-year-old was in bed asleep by 7:00 PM, and the six-year-old was in bed asleep by 9:00 PM (Cousin Kate read: 8:30 PM). Plus, we had reinforcements with the help from my husband's mother until 9:00 PM. This should have been easy breezy. However, I was worried the entire time: Are they getting enough to eat at meal time? Does the one-year-old ever slow down? Are they getting clean enough at bath time? Is the one-year-old's diaper on tight enough? What if it leaks at night? Are they having fun? Are we giving them both sufficient amounts of attention? What Would Cousin Kate Do? What if we can't hear them wake up in the middle of the night? What if the one-year-old crawls out of his crib and escapes from our house? What if, what if, what if....

So we were the culture cliche: a childless married couple cares for two young children and at least one member of the childless couple feels overwhelmed. How do they do this every day? How does my brother and his wife do this with Presley and Paxten? How did my parents do this? I have my masters degree and this is not easy for me. I'm scared.

Of course, this is why life is better in twos. My husband was relaxed and engaged the whole time. He's going to make a great father, and I well...I'll have to calm down and figure it out.

You Lost Me

My husband discovered Christina Aguilera's You Lost Me this week while watching the show that is every straight guys fantasy: HBO's Entourage. I discovered Christina Aguilera's You Lost Me through my husband. This is a great song, and I don't know why it wasn't a huge hit? This has been a great week for music in our household. I love good music.

Dog Days Are Over

I discovered Florence + The Machine on Sunday night while watching MTV's VMAs. This week I have listened to Dog Days Are Over at least 25 times. It's great music with lyrics like poetry...

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Dog Days Are Over
(Written By Isa Summers and Florence Welch)

Happiness, hit her like a train on a track
Coming towards her, stuck still no turning back
She hid around corners and she hid under beds
She killed it with kisses and from it she fled
With every bubble she sank with a drink
and washed it away down the kitchen sink

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming so you better run

Run fast for your mother run fast for your father
Run for your children and your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your loving behind you
Can’t carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over
the dog days are done
Can’t you hear the horses
Cuz here they come

And I never wanted anything from you
Except everything you had
and what was left after that too. oh.

Happiness it hurt like a bullet in the mind
Struck from a great height
by someone who should know better than that

The dog days are over
The dog days are gone
can you hear the horses
Cuz here they come

Run fast for your mother and fast for your father
Run for your children for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your loving behind you
Can’t carry it with you if you want to survive

The dog days are over
The dog days are gone
Can you hear the horses because here they come

The dog days are over
The dog days are gone
Can you hear the horses because here they come

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Viva Martha Fauker!

Although it horrified me initially, we can now joke about the time a French Bulldog breeder's eyes widened when I told her I was the father of a 12-year-old French Bulldog and she then suggested I get a new puppy to help with the grieving process. I was horrified because Martha Fauker is still alive and well, but the breeder continued to explain that she's only had a few French Bulldogs live past 12-years-old and she's never had one live past 13-years-old.

Since that conversation I've stopped calculating Martha Fauker's age.

My husband is starting to coach me through the reality that Martha Fauker will not live forever. I think it's sweet that he's trying to prepare me. He turned to me over the weekend and said in the gentlest voice possible: "You know Martha isn't looking so good..."

I can tell he's trying to check-in with me to see how delusional my thinking: Martha is a pretty-pretty princess and she's going to live forever! it what I like to say when she shows signs of her age. She can't hear very well. She can't always hold her bladder all night, and she no longer wakes me up to take her outside. She likes to sleep in her bed all day long. I understand that she is an elderly dog, but she's not on her death bed. She is my pretty-pretty princess and she's going to live forever! Viva Martha Fauker.

My Lakewood Dream House

Oh No! My favorite house in Lakewood is for sale. It has soft modern lines, it sits on a 1.16 creek-side acres in the middle of Dallas. It's like being in the country, but it's in the middle of the city. It's spectacular. It reflects my style, and I think we need to buy it. It's for sale for $1.3M, but the problem is that we're short $1.3M, which means we won't get to buy my favorite house in our 'hood. Oh No!

Lady Gaga at the VMA's!!!!

Did you watch MTV's VMA? Lady Gaga walked the "white" carpet with brave military members that were discharged under Don't Ask Don't Tell. Thank you Lady Gaga for using your spotlight to shine a light on the injustices in the world. It is my wish that one day (in my lifetime) gays will have equal rights in the U.S.A. We're getting closer and closer to that reality each day!



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From Advocate.com

Nominated for 13 Music Video Awards, Lady Gaga has decided to make a statement in support of gay rights at MTV's Sunday evening show.

Her chaperones? A group of service members affected by "don't ask, don't tell," sources have confirmed to The Advocate.

UPDATE: The four service members on the white carpet with Lady Gaga were identified as Katie Miller, described on Servicemembers Legal Defense Network's website as "a top West Point cadet who resigned in August to protest the discriminatory law"; Maj. Mike Almy, an Air Force officer who was discharged in 2006 and who testified in the federal challenge to "don't ask, don't tell"; David Hall, a former U.S. Air Force Staff Sargeant; and Stacy Vasquez, Army Sergeant, First Class, who was also discharged as a result of DADT.

Lady Gaga’s decision to attend the VMAs at Nokia Theater in Los Angeles with gay service members in tow isn’t the first time she’s taken a stand in support of repealing DADT. Prior to her concert in Washington, D.C. last week, the subversive siren met with clients of SLDN, an advocacy group that works with soldiers facing discharge from the military as a result of the 1993 law. Gaga was also a high-profile speaker at last year’s National Equality March in Washington.

Though a federal judge in California last week ruled that DADT violates the First Amendment and due process rights of gay soldiers, pressure for the U.S. Senate to repeal the law remains immense as lawmakers return from recess on Monday.

Failure to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (of which of DADT repeal is a part) before Congress recesses again on October 8 for the upcoming midterm elections could put repeal in jeopardy

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

As you know my parents enjoyed this book and got the buzz going in our family this spring. Over the last few months many people in our circle have also spoken highly about this book and the other two in the trilogy; my brother and his wife, my husband's mother, Cousin Kate, my dearest Dooley, and all the women at my office have read this book. On our Labor Day road trip to Arkansas we finally bought the audio version of this book (via iTunes) and joined the club.

This book did not disappoint. It's a thriller, it's a page turner, its characters are as real as the people in my life, and I couldn't help but wonder what-will-happen-next! Stieg Larsson was an excellent writer.

However, I will not continue reading this series. The story was too dark and too disturbing for me to handle with ease. I stayed up until three o'clock in the morning Wednesday night to finish this book, and I was so distraught that I called in sick to work the next day. You should read it to see what you think...

Balanced Budget and Budget Surplus

Unlike the Reagan and Bush administrations when it comes to government spending I am fairly conservative. The equation is simple: government spending cannot exceed government revenue. Why is that so hard to implement? Perhaps it is because I live in the very red state of Texas, but I think President Clinton does not get enough credit for his administration's balanced budgets, which lead to budget surpluses at the end of his term in office.

Currently we're digging ourselves out of the great recession, which makes balancing the budget tricky, but I hope Obama is a two term President and I also hope he'll pass off a budget surpluses (like Clinton) to his successor...

Dallas World Aquarium

Cousin Kate, her husband, her daughter, and her baby son stayed with us this weekend. Her husband is a huge New York Yankees fan, and the two of them went to the Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees games while we got to hang out with her daughter and son. On Saturday, we all went to the Dallas World Aquarium for the first time. I was impressed with the DWA. If you're in Dallas you have to take time to go see this facility because it's more than just a building full of fish tanks. I enjoyed seeing the manatees, otters, and the saw fish most.

New TV!

This is a a profile picture of our new television and our old television. We've finally joined the modern world with our newly purchased 55-inch Samsung LED 3D T.V. We bought it from Costco on Thursday night, and the beautiful Latin lady (with big boobies) that was checking us out exclaimed that we were buying the television just in time for the game. My husband turns to me and whispers: "What game?" So no, we did not watch the NFL game on Thursday night with our amazing television.

It's like we're seeing for the first time the picture is such a significant improvement from our 1995 tube television. Why didn't we do this sooner?

Little Rock Weekend

We spent the weekend in Little Rock, Arkansas at the impressive new home of our friends James and Elisa. Little Rock is a beautiful city, and the weather was perfect this weekend. On Saturday, we toured the Clinton Library, ate four meals at four different restaurants (it just kinda happened), had a day-long happy hour, and then went to a new club Sway at night. On Sunday after touring the new home of our buddy Tim, we spent the day pool-side. My husband was the first person EVER to jump from Elisa and James second story balcony into the deep end of their pool. (We were assured that my husband would go down in their family history.) Sunday night we grilled out and then they taught us how to play Cribbage, which we played for the rest of the night.

It was a nice way to end summer 2010. Happy Labor Day!

Rainbow In the Sky

Last Thursday the husband and I were walking into a store when we noticed a rainbow in the sky overhead. We stopped and enjoyed the rainbow. It was a nice moment. And then we went on about our evening...

Zac wants...

...you to have a happy Labor Day!!