Don't worry I'm not going to inflict any heavy philosophical oratory or stultifying legal analysis on you, gentle readers. My life is not all lofty dry analysis from some remote ivory tower. Actually it's been quite full lately, so much that for the last ten days it's crowded out any blogging. I've been having a great time. Work continues to be lots of fun since we all just sit around playing with iPads of course, and I've kept in touch with lots of friends individually and made new ones with whom I've wryly hammed it up in rollicking chat sessions about everything from Bach to pajamas. I found a new hotel that will give me mileage points with every stay; this place has big queen size beds on really high box springs with thick European mattresses and comforters and sheets with that only-in-hotels cool texture that almost audibly rustles when you slide in. For somebody like me who usually resents the time wasted in sleeping, it's nice to look forward to going to bed.Last weekend I took the kids to the beach; we decided the water was still a bit cold for riding the waves, so we all built a huge sand castle instead. On the way home I bet my son $1 (his idea!)
that the big box of Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks he'd noticed in the kitchen cupboard WAS brand-new from a Costco run and not some forgotten box from a year ago; when we got home he checked the date and was dumbstruck to find that dad was right. Don't you hate it when your dad's right. Fortunately it's rare. I insisted that an honest man pays up when he loses a bet, so he reluctantly handed over the dollar in his pocket. I asked if he had any money to buy a snack at school the next day, and when he said no, of course I gave the dollar back. If the weather cooperates this weekend we may go for some swimming and tennis and lying by the pool, maybe even some basketball; son and heir didn't do too badly last time and is improving.
The travel schedule continues, and with my airline of choice offering double mileage points for all flights through the end of next month, plus packing it in with hotel & rental car stays, by mid-May I will have my 8th round trip ticket from mileage points since I started all this traveling. Most are already allocated for future travel plans though. Including the big trip this summer back east, woot woot! First Boston for the four weddings (and no funerals, please God), then New York which the twins are dying to see, then on to DC for the 4th of July! It's gonna be amazing. I can't believe it's less than two months away!In case anyone's wondering what's going on with the extended family. My dad did reply to the note I blogged about earlier, the one in which I told him I loved him too, I just needed some time away because I'd felt so beaten up. He said "OK, let me know if I can help, and we'll talk again when you're ready." Like I said before, he is a good and kind and decent man who wants the best for his family as he sees it, and does try very hard to respect his grown childrens' prerogatives. I respect him for that. I also don't think he realizes how long a break I might end up needing. I'm not sure yet myself. But like my little blogging break, I'm sure I'll know when it's over.
I haven't been completely silent though. While off line here I couldn't help jumping into discussions elsewhere in cyberspace, including this excellent one over at Mormon Matters which I highly recommend to everyone in the Church, gay or straight. I was also dismayed to see the incredible bigotry that persists in pockets of orthodox Mormonism like St. George UT, where the school district's decision to authorize gay clubs at area high schools has prompted a bunch of the local knuckle-dragging Neanderthals to pull out their crayons and write angry protests to the newspaper in Salt Lake that merely reported it. I'm sorry if that sounds uncharitable but if you read some of the comments to the story, you'll understand. The ignorance and irrationality is astonishing, really. We may have made lots of progress in some areas but clearly lots of work remains. But I count my blessings too; at least I'm not in Iran where they execute their non-existent gay citizens.
And finally, with uber-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia today eviscerating in oral argument those who want to keep secret the names of Washington state voters who signed petitions to put Referendum 71 on the ballot to kill off domestic partnerships there, and final argument now set for 16th June in the Prop 8 trial, I'm feeling pretty darn good. The plane is half-empty, I get a whole exit row to myself so I can stretch out across three seats to write this post, soon I'll be back home and able to work at my own desk and compliant with my own dress code, the kids will be back home again, and life will be very sweet indeed.
5 comments:
Thank you very much for the Mormon Matter link. I enjoyed reading that very much. I have found that the online forums associated with newspaper articles tend to bring out the purveyors of hate no matter what the subject so I skipped that link. I envy your opportunity to travel, but my day is coming when my kidlings are out the house. I also miss the SoCal beaches of my youth and the sandcastle building brought back some fond memories. And, I was happy to here of your father's kindhearted response.
I am not responding particularly to this post but I just wanted to thank you for your blog. You have a way with words! I love reading your blog. It makes me feel less alone.
I, too, enjoyed the Mormon Matters link. Thanks.
"Don't worry I'm not going to inflict any heavy philosophical oratory or stultifying legal analysis on you, gentle readers."
Hey, some of us really enjoy your insights. :) Hopefully in a few more years you won't to have to travel all the way back east for a legal marriage.
It's interesting to see the difference in the LDS sites-- the big group blogs like Mormon Matters, By Common Consent and Feminist Mormon Housewives tend to attract a fairly well educated crowd. Others, particularly LDS.net, are more often rank-and-file Mormons.
There's a *huge* difference between these two camps when it comes to gay issues. If you troll through LDS.net you'll be shocked at what you read, yet it is probably much more representative of LDS thought generally than Mormon Matters and BCC.
I like reading these, even if they make me wince. It's a great antidote to complacency. You can go through life as an LDS person with an incredibly misinformed and bigoted view about gay people and never be corrected by what you hear in church.
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