introspection

I guess I need to network more so I can get more blog/Twitter followers. So much for (foolishly, of course) hoping to get a book deal out of my amusing ramblings. Well, I never really thought that would happen, but it would be nice to get noticed for my writing.

I went to King's Island on Sunday on a work-sponsored trip. I had a pleasant time. Got to spend some time talking to @verticalQ and invited Leticia, who I hadn't seen since October. It's funny, you always see movies where people hang out with their old college buddies even when they're all married. It's like that's the group of friends that stick with you, because you're not necessarily just friends because circumstance brought you together. But in my personal experience, the truest friends I have are the ones I still have from high school. Granted, I don't spend very much time with them, but I live in a different city than one and a different state than another, so that makes it harder. When push comes to shove, though, these are the friends I still trust the most. It's cool to think back on younger days with friends you actually knew then, because you can all reflect on how you've changed. Even friends I've had since college have noticed a difference in my attitudes, behaviors, and maturity over that span of time.

When I was in high school, I used to look at the sex-obsessed, immature, nonambitious kids that I knew and think, "I am so lucky that I know who I am." I wouldn't say I felt I was better than these people (although now I certainly do), but I just felt sorry for them, like they were lacking something that I had probably not already achieved but had been born with: a strong sense of self. And I really did know who I was, but what I didn't know was that I was still going to change. Back then, I thought that knowing who I was meant that I was set, but now I realize that changing is part of life. It's almost always circumstance that changes you. You definitely can't do it of your own volition, not without years and years of hard work. Even then, you're most likely changing a behavior. You can't change your opinions or beliefs or expectations willingly; it just happens over time. Maybe I didn't know who I was in high school. Maybe I found myself later. But now, even though I know more about myself than I ever have, I still don't know what it is I want out of my life. I know I want to be deeply loved, and I want to be remembered, but the ways I will achieve these things is still unclear to me.

I know I'm not old, but I am approaching 25, and it has made me very introspective. It's funny though: ten years ago I thought I would be married with at least one child by now. But here I am, with no kids and marriage likely still pretty far off. I'm enjoying my twenties though, and I am so glad I have all of this time to just be me before having to worry about caring for anyone else. My cat is enough of a commitment for me for now.

Newsweek gay controversy

I'm sure by now everyone knows about the Ramin Setoodeh article from Newsweek as well as Kristin Chenoweth and Ryan Murphy's rebuttal letters. Well, here is a letter I can get behind. Aaron Sorkin, you have brought so much more to my life besides The West Wing now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-sorkin/now-that-you-mention-it-r_b_574210.html

Sexuality should have no bearing on an actor's ability to portray a character, and that's the discussion that should have been occurring all along.

The Pill

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Pill, here are some great little opinion pieces, if you find that sort of thing interesting.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/06/pogrebin.pill.roundup/index.html?hpt=C2

Soapbox, Soapdish. What the difference?

People are far too worried about pissing others off. I am guilty of this myself. Well, not so much being worried about pissing people off, but I do worry too much what others think. A school in CA crossed the line yesterday, as far as I'm concerned. You can read the article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36981179?GT1=43001

Here's the gist of it, if you're not interested in the article. Four kids got sent home from their high school yesterday for wearing tee shirts that had the American flag on them. The reasoning was because it was Cinco de Mayo and they were being offensive towards the Mexican-American students.

I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous. If I were an atheist, I would not get pissed off if someone wore a shirt with a nativity scene on it to a Christmas party. I may decide not to socialize with that person because we clearly have a different belief system, but I'm not going to shake my finger at them or ask them to get out of my sight. I am a firm believer in "to each his own" and just because I don't do something doesn't mean I don't respect another's right to do it. This goes for celebrating a particular holiday or dressing in a particular style. (I think mohawks are stupid and a cry for attention but I'm not going to be offended by someone else having one.)

The argument for the school officials could be that the students chose to wear the flag on Cinco de Mayo as a way to incite something, but I just don't see that it's a big deal. They were celebrating their heritage just as the Mexican-American students were. Would there have been a big stink if those same students wore shirts with the flag of Mexico on them? That could be construed as them mocking the Mexican-Americans, but couldn't it also just be that they are celebrating the day as well? I work across the street from a Mexican restaurant, and I know that everybody and their mother was celebrating Cinco de Mayo yesterday. How many of those people in that restaurant were actually of Mexican descent? Well, not including any employees, I'd say maybe 1/4. Does that mean Mexican-Americans should all be offended by other people celebrating their holiday just because they don't understand its true meaning? No.

Did I celebrate Cinco de Mayo yesterday? I'm glad you asked. I celebrated by having two Sangrias (malt beverage manufactured by Bacardi, not ones I made) while playing Lego Star Wars. And I spilled one of them and stained my carpet.