Waxing Philosophical

In case you’re reading this and don’t already know: Abortion bothers me.

I’ve never planned to use this blog for politics, but if you have a voice(even if no one can hear you), it seems a waste to not use it for something that matters.

Tonight has been frustrating. So often, in an attempt to not appear judgemental toward those who would disagree me, I speak in an incredibly forgiving manner towards those who support abortion “rights.” In my experience, on average, the more people learn about abortion the more pro-life they become. It’s the people who KNOW that bother me. The people who run the movement. The people who know that abortion doesn’t help women.

I don’t understand.

When my mother was pregnant with me, it was recommended, by her doctor and by family members, that she have an abortion. I was to be my fathers’ only biological child; my sisters were his step-daughters, and when my mom was told that I was a high-risk pregnancy, it “made sense” that she would abort me so as to not run the risk of leaving her husband of one year with one preteen and two teenage daughters.

I am the face of the missing.

I am the face of what could have been. Of who WAS, but is no longer.

I am the face of a “hard-case” abortion.

She was told she could die in childbirth.

She didn’t.

So it’s personal. It’s personal when people talk about the hard cases. It’s personal when they talk about maternal mortality. And it’s personal when they lie about abortion and the consequences. Not just to the dead baby. Not just to the damaged mother. But to society. When they lie about the philosophical damage done to the world at large.

We live in a world where it is okay, where it is acceptable, where it is common, for children to be ripped from their mothers womb and torn into pieces in exchange for money. We live in a world where we are told that an unborn child doesn’t deserve life until they’re born. We live in a world where we are told it’s easy, simple, safe, to kill a child.

I don’t like that world.

I’ve always marvelled at how those behind the pro-abortion movement have gotten away with such incredible dishonesty. At how they’ve not only been allowed to say that being pro-life is a form of misogyny, but they’ve been given credibility when they’ve advanced such ridiculous ideas.

I am woman; hear me roar. I can do what no man will ever be able to do: I can bear children. My body is built to be able to continue the human race. And instead of celebrating the beauty of my existance, my body, my femininity, I’ve been told by a pro-abortion society that I should be ashamed of the body I was born into. That unless I celebrated abortion “rights” and scorned the ability to bear children, I was somehow a slave to men.

But that’s not true.

Is there a better way to enslave women than to make them feel as though they should be ashamed of the incredible uniqueness of their very being? Whether they choose to have children or not is irrelevant: Without women, the human race would be extinct.

It’s a little humbling when I think about it. To realize that my very being, by the very nature of being alive, I have the ability to imapct the future of the world for generations to come.

The idea that our fertility should be shunned, that we must sacrifice our children in order to be “equal;” THAT is misogyny. THAT is fear of the female form. And that is prejudice in it’s most brutal form. It requires that we sacrifice our children in order to be more like men.

I’m not a feminist. I don’t think women are better than men. I don’t think men are better than women. I’ve embraced the idea that it’s possible to be equal and have different things to contribute. Far be it from me to suggest that the only thing that women can offer is their ability to bear children, but it is certainly not a form of sexism to believe that the nature-given, God-given gift of furthering the species is to be celebrated.

So often I hear that WHITE CHRISTIAN MEN are behind the movement to stop legally killing children. And there ARE men (not nearly enough) who believe that unborn children shouldn’t be killed at the whim of others. But I find it interesting that so frequently the point is made that CHRISTIAN men, so focused on their patriarchal religions, enslave women into being baby-making machines.

I wonder if the individuals spouting such things have ever been students of history or religion. For when one looks at matriarchal societies, you learn that women in such societies celebrate fertility for what it is. Beauty. Miraculous. Needed. Special.

They do not shun their fertility; they rejoice in it.

I do not have children. I don’t know if I ever will. I desperately want to be in a place to be able to foster children, and if I ever find a man who doesn’t run screaming at the idea of being with me, perhaps I will have biological children as well.

But I sure as hell won’t ever be ashamed of what makes me a woman. Of what is a defining part of my humanity; of my existance.

I am woman. I have the ability to carry on the human race. Hear me roar.

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helpful quote of the day: “I have an idea that the phrase ‘weaker sex’ was coined by some woman to disarm some man she was preparing to overwhelm.” ~Ogden Nash

Heat Isn’t Cool.

Sure, this blog is supposed to be about the things that I love.

But what can I say? I’m a negative person these days. Today, lets talk about something I hate.

Heat.

I’m from Oregon: I’m NOT a sun person.

So OF COURSE, in what can only be considered a PLD* I decide that the only logical course of action for my life is to move to a swamp.

And, OF COURSE, my air conditioning decides to break during a heat wave.

There are many things in life where I believe that technology, while making life easier and making access to information(though more easily falsified)available to those who wouldn’t otherwise have it, doesn’t actually IMPROVE our life. I’m not necessarily a luddite, but at times I come pretty close.

Be aware, I’m glued to my computer and iPhone during most of the waking hours. If I’m not on one of those (or even if I am) my tv is often on in the background.

So no. I’m not a luddite.

But, much like I realize my life would be better with more exercise(despite my lack of motivation to then exercise) I realize that my life, if not better, certainly wouldn’t be worse, without access to technology. I often just kind of shut down and need to leave my phone and home and go read somewhere away from instant communication with the world at large.

But I digress.

My gripes with technology and how, in many ways, it has destroyed a sense of community(Why get to know your neighbors when you can be inside skyping with someone 3000 miles away?) are for a different blog post.

Today I want to address that while there are many technologies we could live without and, and I could almost argue that for many our lives wouldn’t be worse off if we had to invest more time in the process rather than just pressing a button, I do not feel this way about air conditioning.

No, I believe that air conditioning is God’s way of saying that He loves us. Clearly, He didn’t love earlier generations as much as He loves everyone born after 1902.

I do not complain when it is cold, when it is raining, when it is snowing, anytime that it is NOT HOT. I can always put on more clothes. When it’s hot out, there are only so many you can legally take off. And, when you’re inside and your air conditioning is broken, it really doesn’t matter how many clothes you take off; it’s still as hot as the surface of the sun.

The air conditioning people are coming today after a week without this glorious proof of God’s love. Clearly, I have found favor with Him again.

*poor life decision

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helpful quote of the day: “Technology is so much fun but we can drown in our technology. The fog of information can drive out knowledge.” ~Daniel J. Boorstin

So much for resolutions to write more frequently.

I wrote to an old friend today, and let loose with a lot of information that had been held fairly close to my heart. We’d started corresponding after years without contact a few months ago, and when she opened up and told me, with some fear of recrimination, a lot that had been going on in her life, I felt the need to do the same. And because I felt the need to do the same, I decided that the best course of action would just be to avoid writing to her.

That, however, isn’t a good solution when one is actively trying to rebuild a friendship.

Strange, right?

It’s really so much easier to not open yourself up. To not worry how something will be received. So much easier. And, if we’re honest, so much lonelier. But is it lonelier to feel like you’re alone? Or to open yourself up and be certain?

(and yes, today SHOULD be a musical monday, but I’m not particularly feeling it today, and its my blog, so– nyeah)

AND, since I’ve now wasted too much work-time trying to figure out what else to say. I’m ending now.

Musical Monday: Music Go Music (With a special Give Kids the World plea)

Welcome to the first weekly Musical Monday! Similiar to Art Thursday, it’s my chance to introduce you to a musical act I find particularly enjoyable. My tastes are rather insanely broad, so chances are, at some point I’ll feature something you enjoy as well. And, if you have suggestions, I’d love to hear from you.

To start off with, lets take a look at Music Go Music. Never heard of them? Yeah.. most people, sadly, haven’t. Allow me to remedy that.

Everyone of their songs seems, to me, completely unexpected. The one above ends on a hard almost screamo type note. Below, Light of Love, is just.. beautiful. A great new take on pop.

She has such an ethereal sounding voice. Their last.fm page said it beautifully when describing Gala Bell as having a voice that is “equal parts Debby Harry, Karen Carpenter, and Kate Bush”

Music Go Music feels like a very modern take on ABBA (which is fabulous for a fan like me), and from everything I have been able to find, there is nothing to suggest that they take themselves too seriously, which is a little refreshing.

Granted, information about this group is hard to come by. It appears that they do a lot of local concerts, but the Music Go Music website provides very little in regards to information on the band members themselves.

I’ll leave you with one last song of theirs, courtesy youtube.

Now, as mentioned in the title, a plea for Give Kids the World.

Cakewrecks is one of my favorite blogs, and if you’re not reading it, you should really change that. Today’s post is launching a great project. For 12 days, they will be featuring a different charity that could really use monetary support. Jen, the briliant mind behind cakewrecks, is encouraging each of her readers to give $1 today to Give Kids the World.

The “About Us” page on Give Kids the World starts with this story:

“The story of Give Kids The World begins with a little girl with a wish and the desire of one man to make that wish come true.

The little girl’s name was Amy. Amy had leukemia and one wish – to visit the theme parks in Orlando. To facilitate Amy’s wish, the request of a complimentary stay was made to a respected hotelier. As he had done many times before, the hotelier gladly obliged and Amy’s wish was that much closer to being realized. Sadly, the remainder of Amy’s travel plans took too long to arrange and her wish was never granted; Amy had passed away. Time simply ran out.

This unfulfilled wish inspired a man, the hotelier, to make a vow that no child in need would ever be failed again. That man was Henri Landwirth and his desire to ensure that Amy’s story would never repeat itself is where the story of Give Kids The World begins. “

I’m encouraging you today to follow in the footsteps of the cakewrecks readers and give one dollar to help other kids like Amy. We all lose a dollar in the couch- take a moment today to help someone else and remember the joy in giving this Christmas.

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helpful quote of the day: “Life’s disappointments are harder to take when you don’t know any swear words.” – Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

Is it actually Friday this time?

Just checking.

I spent the last few days thinking that when I went to bed that night, I wouldn’t have to get back up for work in the morning. After checking, double-checking, and, yes, triple-checking the calendar, I’m confident in saying Thank GOD IT’S FRIDAY!

Since I work on Friday nights, my day does not end at five, but that’s okay. I can sleep in tomorrow. My friends, that is glorious. It’s been what you might call a rough week, and the idea of not having to drag my sorry self out of bed tomorrow is a happy one.

BUT, you’re not coming here to listen to me blather about that. Technically, since this blog just started a couple days ago, you probably don’t know why you’re coming here anyway, but you should keep doing it!

It’s Friday, and my computer is currently busted, so whatever I post now will have to last you the weekend.

((no pressure or anything…))

Okay, so this isn’t going to be the best post you’ll ever see from me. I find myself with a pesky case of uninspiration. That said, I’m hitting keys on this here keyboard hoping that the practice will make me better and more entertaining in the future.

I am officially in facebook withdrawal. It’s possible that I’ve been smoking since I quit facebook, but that’s an entirely unsubstantiated rumor. But seriously, people. Two and a half DAYS. Days!

It’s a lot.

It has been distressing to me to realize that I have no knowledge of how to contact some friends outside of the facebook la-la-land, so when I inevitably return, I will make it a goal to put together an actual address book so that a third-party social networking site is not my only way of communicating with people.

Also, I *will* actively trim my list down. Facebook is NOT real life. Facebook doesn’t even imitate real life.

*sigh* I really miss it.

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helpful quote of the day: “It’s best to love your family as you would a siberian tiger. At a distance, and preferably behind bars.” – Rat, Pearls Before Swine

Art Thursday: Seb Mesnard

I don’t like art.

Okay, that’s a lie. I *like* art.

I just don’t *get* art.

I enjoy looking at things that make me go, “aaaawwwww, pretttttttty!!”, but whenever I go to actual art museum, I freeze up. The last time I had to go through a museum with someone who actually appreciates such things, I was so tense that my fingernails made rather painful indents into my palms, as I walked with my fists clenched, telling myself to just keep a smile on my face.

So yeah. Art. Not really my thing.

I really do appreciate beautiful artwork! Even abstract artwork. But I feel so out of my league when it comes to discussing it, that I tend to avoid it all together. Give me history, give me politics, give me hockey… But art makes me feel incredibly stupid. When I hear people discussing great art, I feel like I’m listening to the parents in Charlie Brown. They’re speaking, but nothing coherent is coming out. When it’s my turn, I nod my head and smile, and count the minutes until I can leave the conversation.

That said, I have my own little circle of artists whose work I positively adore, and on Thursdays, I’m going to introduce them to you.

For our first Art Thursday, I want to tell you about Seb Mesnard. Seb can be found over at his blog Little White Bat and I have kept his site up all day just so I can listen to the music. Go. Listen. It’s awesome.

His work is very edward-scissorhands (unsurprisingly, his work can also be found over at his other blog celebrating the 20th anniversary of Edward Scissorhands ) and I think utterly beautiful.

I first found his blog through his participation in another group posting celebrating art inspired by Where the Wild Things Are. To give you even MORE links that you really should check out, I was initially pointed to TYE through a comment on one of my favorite blogs, Epbot.

So. Seb.

Take a look at some of his work:

Let's paint in some happy trees!

quite possibly my favorite piece from him. Why must I beeeeeeEEeeee aaaaaa zoooombie in looOOOvvvee?

His work is a little gritty, a little morbid, and somehow still full of the “awwwww.”

Basically, I’m a fan.

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helpful quote of the day: “if there is no snake at your feet, do not lift rocks at the side of the road.” – Andre Dubus III, House of Sand and Fog

I quit facebook today

Okay. That’s not *entirely* true.

I deactivated my account, which is actually a super smart option for facebook to have available. It keeps your profile, your pictures, your everything exactly where you left it, and when you’re ready to return, all you have to do is ……. log in.

No teary goodbyes needed; undoubtedly, I will cave in at some point in the very near future and return to the beast that is called facebook.

Were it not for the fact that I have years of pictures on there that I’d be loathe to get rid of, and I don’t have the patience to put them all on a flash drive (or, for that matter, HAVE  a flashdrive. Yup- that’s me: The epitome of being “with-it” on technology.), I would be tempted to delete the entire thing and call it a day.

Why my rage against THE social networking tool of our time?

….Beyond the fact that I hate being social?

It’s destroying my friendships.

Seriously.

It used to be that I thought about a friend, wondered how they were, and called them. Now, I go to their facebook page, find out what’s new with them, and move on. If they don’t have anything NEW on their facebook page, well, clearly they don’t have anything to talk about.

This could just be my inner-introvert speaking, but it’s made it easy to feel as though I’m keeping up with people without ever having to speak. Without having to write. Without having to deliberately tell people how things are with my day.

And it’s made it easy to stalk people and find out more than I want to know. Too many hours have been wasted pouring over the facebook page of that particular boy(and all of his female friends), checking out potential co-workers or interns, and pondering cryptic comments. Not to mention the awkwardness of playing dumb when you become friends with someone and they tell you information you learned months prior when you googled their email address.

Oh… that’s just me, huh?

*ahem*

Facebook has made it easy for introverts like me to recede further into our shells. It’s made it easy to “know” someone, without ever having to actually invest something in them. Certainly for most it is a helpful tool– an extension of their friendships as opposed to a replacement for them, but for me, it has made it easier to sit in my office with my door closed. I comment on a coworkers status update rather than asking about their weekend and fill my interaction quota for the day without actually INTERACTING. Funny, that.

So, with all the free time I will now find myself with (at least for the next week), I’ve decided to start the blog I’ve been intending for months. It was going to be called “Super Red”, but some blasted individual who blogged like three times a few years ago had already taken it. Sucks to be me.

Of course…. now that I’ve sworn off facebook, I’m not entirely sure how to promote this blog. RT, anyone?

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helpful quote of the day: “And sometimes there’s a third, even deeper level, and that one is the same as the top surface one. Like with pie.” – Billy, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog