"I Can't Breathe."

I am at a loss for words.

Normally I can't hold back from ranting about things. Especially like this. Especially like now.

I don't know what to say. Every time I try to speak, I just can't.

"I can't breathe."

"Atticus--" said Jemm bleakly. He turned in the doorway.

"What, son?"
"How could they do it? How could they?"
"I don't know but they did it. They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it--seems that only children weep."

- Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird"

(Photo belongs to "Humans of New York")

Not Enough Love for All

Dear Aerie,
Today I was visiting one of your stores and there was a mirror that said "The Girl in this Mirror has NOT been retouched. The real you is sexy. #aerieREAL"

I have two problems with this.
1. By using "girl" you are completely ignoring those of us who are WOMEN, both Cis and Trans. We're not all children that look in that mirror. And, personally, I would hope you aren't marketing such items at little girls.

2. If we are ALL sexy, then why don't  you offer lingerie in bigger sizes for women like me? I'm not saying you should encourage obesity, that isn't it at all. But the best way to build a woman's self-esteem is to NOT exclude her.

Sincerely,
Sarai

20,000!

Hello Everyone!
Today I officially reached 20,000 views on this blog!! How very exciting!

I hope that you will all be following me for the next 20,000 and beyond! I still have lots to say, even if I don't say the things I want as often as I should/would like to.

love,
Sarai

Ebola.

I will never forget when a customer tried to tell me that the person who died from Ebola here in the US was from Africa. That he was an African. And I wanted to tell him that not every Black person he sees is from Africa. Just like how not every Korean, Japanese, Chinese or Thai person is from Asia. Just like not every white person is from England.

Maybe, if we taught critical thinking, proper grammar, how to back up what you say with facts and not just have a baseless opinion, etc... Maybe, the world wouldn't be such a mess.

And, no, I don't care that he was a man from Africa. That is completely beside the point. We always say people come from "Somewhere Else," ESPECIALLY if they aren't WHITE. Its the notion that just because someone has dark skin that automatically makes them from "Somewhere Else." That if someone has different characteristics they must be from "Somewhere Else."

I wore Hijab for several months and I was asked all the time "Where are you from?" and was met with "No, I mean, where were you from originally?"

The notion that differences mean "Somewhere Else."

YOU can't be from here, because YOU are different.

And that bothers me.

Odd Dream #?

I was in an old house, finely decorated so as to belong to someone fabulously wealthy. There was a large (v. LARGE) statue of a man who looked a lot like Alan Cumming. That was one end of the room. then there was a small section of the room that was like an inside garden that could be closed off from the other side of the room by shutters, thus obscuring the view of the statue from the bed.

Something was terribly wrong with this house though because there was some man, my husband I believe (who looked like Brad Pitt), who was trying to do me harm. Or I believed he was trying to do me some harm.

So... what else is a girl to do but try to call on the spirits to save her? And that's what I did... Apparently.

Alan Cumming statue was apparently "Uncle Vance" and he totally came to life to help me. And then he and my Brad Pitt look-a-like convinced me everything was in my head and that I was fine and the relationship was fine. Then Alan abandoned me.

Then I was in another house that was haunted and trying to help this mother, daughter and daughter's boyfriend... Which was weird. Especially because they looked like cartoons except for their eyes. At one point I even mentioned (I think to myself) how "real" their eyes looked.

Then I was in a grocery store, shopping with Pomegranate and somebody else. I discovered that Cap'n Crunch made "spicy" cereal AND bread. So, whilst trying to discover those things I came across these GIGANTIC eggs. Like, huge! And I stopped and wondered if I should buy them for shits and giggles.

Still trying to decide I walked down the frozen food aisle and Pomegranate jumped out of a freezer at me, trying to scare me.

Then I was on some brick street because of a party (or this might've been before the Alan Cumming statue, I'm not sure...) and heard that someone I disliked was going to be there so I was trying to escape and ended up in a dark room with Aunt Peggy's son. He was in a wheel chair and had an oxygen mask (which he does in real life, because he is dying of lung cancer) and he was trying to tell me something and Aunt Peggy's corpse was on a bed in the dark room.

Then I was doing a Historic House tour (like I did while I was visiting Massachusetts this month!) and I tried to squeeze through a section of the door (they made doorways tiny, btw) and barely made it through. Pomegranate was magically there again and says she's going to a different entrance. And this little woman (I'm assuming the tour guide) says that she has trouble fitting and she only ways 120 pounds.

Somewhere in this house I went into a bathroom and when I touched the handle everything went weird. Like, I legit felt everything go very weird both in the dream and in real life. I suddenly felt very sick, and then when I looked in the mirror my hair was done like this:


And I'm wearing something like this (except in Pink)


I am a serving girl in some rich person's house (the same house I was touring) and I am very close friends with a black servant (not slave, SERVANT). I look all around me and I see things I "like" (like on Facebook) and I think "How odd? I thought I was in pre-Facebook days?" And then I like something that pisses off my friend so I give her flowers... Like its a video game or something.

Anyway, we are the best of friends and we walk around and then somehow we end up making out and I woke up just as we had fallen to the floor from some crazy girl-on-girl sex.

I swear, I didn't eat anything before bed!

Counting days...

In 10 days I'm turning 26. This seems, both, improbable and absolutely real. I've never been bothered by getting older. In fact, I rather relish the idea of being 30. Though, that will be a few more years.

I suppose that it feels improbable only because I feel like I've been older than I am for the majority of my existence. It seems odd to me to be growing older.

Children that I used to baby-sit, that I used to change their diapers, are getting their driver's licenses and learner's permits. They're graduating high school and getting ready for college. And I'm sitting here marveling at the passing of time.

As a child, I never thought time could go fast. Its adorable how very wrong I was.

In many ways I feel like an old woman of 73 or 75, blowing out the candles of my life in slow breathy gulps. I am absolutely exhausted with this life. A few more candles and it will all be done. Right?

I am absolutely humbled by the passing of time. The parts of me that are not the old woman, are young children chasing the butterflies of dream and fantasy. And yet, there is a part that is the age I am now, anxious for a life filled with... Something.

Its very confusing, existing in this body sometimes.

I am 6 parts old woman, 3 parts young girl and 1 part myself. Naivete and wisdom, trembling on the prospect of all the candles flickering out.

I feel like a loose end. Not sure how I am to tie myself up.

So, I guess I'll raise a glass of champagne, toast myself to another 26 years on this crumbling carcass of an earth and drink 'til the bubbles erase all the random puzzle pieces tumbling about in my Dali landscape of a brain.

10 reasons I asked if there was another way out of Barnes & Noble

Today, while I was at Barnes and Noble with my friend Kid, I met an author. His name is "Cousin Vinny." At least, that's what he chooses to go by. He was trying very hard to get me to buy his $27 book (paperback, mind you).

He apparently used to be a Soap Opera star, now turned Christian ("I have some spirituality in me") author. He spent 20 minutes raving about how wonderful his book ("The Devil's Glove") was (read: He was raving about how wonderful HE was). He told me that this book would "change your life" and is the best book for "preventing suicide."

He bragged about how he had "NEVER had a bad review" and then proceeded to hand me all of his reviews (in small time Christian newspapers and local papers), they were laminated mind you. Not only were they laminated, but he had apparently memorized each one. He handed me a review and proceeded to recite the whole article, verbatim.

He told me that there was literally no other book with that plot anywhere (spoiler: Its about baseball and Satan). When I mentioned that it was somewhat similar to "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis, he swiftly denied it. "Those are two demons fighting over a human. This is ANGELS and demons fighting over a human. God and Satan battling for his soul." (I'm paraphrasing only a little there, this is how the guy talked)

He told me that the writing was the best I'd ever seen and that this would be my favorite book, ever. I sampled the writing while I was standing there... Let's just say it was nothing to write home about. He wrote like he spoke. Not very well.

I am saddened to say that a Pastor reviewed it as being a blend of "Paradise Lost, the Bible and Field of Dreams." Which is very disheartening for Milton and the Bible. To be compared to this is, well, its not a nice compliment in my opinion.

He emphasized that he was a "messenger" (the God part was implied) and when I asked why he didn't go by his real name (Louis Anthony Agnello Jr) he said it was his publisher's idea. It would be easier to "remember."

I told him that "Cousin Vinny" reminded me of Joe Pesci.
He said "Exactly!"
I said "I don't like Joe Pesci."
Taken aback, he said "You don't?"
I said "No. Joe Pesci does not endear me to your book."
To which he laughed, half-quoting me in disbelief.

Also, this guy has no concept of the term "personal space." (His breath isn't so great either) He kept touching me, as if I were an old friend, not a complete STRANGER. I'm not public property, get your paws off.

After I escaped him (it took about 20 minutes, mind you) I literally asked an employee if there was another way out of the store besides the front door because I didn't want to walk past him again. The employee was seriously taken aback and informed me that there was not. But also said that if I warn the front desk that I'm going make a run for it they won't think I'm stealing.

So now, I have a mission. Somewhat. I'm going to read this book, if only to write a terrible review of it. It seems only fitting that I do so, seeing as how I've reviewed the author. You're welcome, "Cousin Vinny," for the "first" bad review you've received.

The following is an open letter to "Cousin Vinny" recounting the experience.

Dear Louis Anthony "Cousin Vinny" Agnello (or "10 reasons I asked if there was another way out of Barnes & Noble"),

1. I am not public property able to be touched because I'm in your space. Just because we are inhabiting the same area does not make me less than human or give you the right to just touch when you feel like it. Did I give you permission?

2. Bragging about your Stripping days in the same breath as you're bragging about how wonderful your book is does not make me want to read it. Especially when you keep saying you are a "messenger" (the "from God" being implied by your "I have some spirituality in me" comments).

3. You don't even KNOW ME, so how can you "guarantee" that YOUR book is going to be my "favorite book?"

4. You're trying really hard to get me to buy your book, but I feel like you're really just trying to explain to me why your penis is the biggest the world has ever seen. And I'm sorry, but I'm just not buying it.

5. Memorizing your laminated accolades doesn't make you seem cool, it makes you seem pathetic.

6. I am half tempted to read your book simply to give it a bad review. Seriously, you tell me how the writing is "the best" and that your story is "the most original" (fun fact: You're not original) and that the copies you are trying to hock are going to be "collector's items" because you are leaving that particular publisher, but I read a sample while I listened to you ramble and your writing style is similar to a 13 year old's. Seriously, I've seen better writing styles in Children's books. You write like you talk. Not very well.

7. You're visiting small towns in the Bible belt, of course this book is going to "sell like hot cakes."

8. Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. You play like you're the "Devil" just for a scenario, but you're in my face telling me I'm worthless. The difference, as I told you, is that I KNOW I'm NOT worthless. My worth is more than reading your book though. Seriously, how could you possibly think that would make me want to read it? Pretending that you are the Devil and that this book is going to save me from Suicide and save my soul... Dude, you don't even know my Soul!

9. "The Devil's Glove" is a terrible name. It sounds worse than cliched. And trust me, I've read some pretty cliched books. (Usually in the genre you are in)

10. "Are you big readers?" Nope. I walked into Barnes & Noble because I like the scenery. Never read a book in my life.

I could go on and on, really. This was the worst meeting with an author I've ever had. And I didn't want to meet you in the first place! Thanks for telling me all about your schedule though, because I now know to avoid B&N until Friday when you leave for St. Louis.

Sincerely,
Sarai.

Post Script: Don't laugh at me because I said "Joe Pesci does not endear me to your book." I was being quite serious. Going by his character name really doesn't make you more likable.

The Bechdel Test and Manhood.

I always find it so encouraging when Men stand up for the fight against Patriarchy and Rape Culture. It isn't that we need male saviours, it is that we need friends who are willing to back us up in any situation.

I also love that he talked about one of my favorite movies "The Wizard of Oz." (Which passes the Bechdel Test, fyi.)

It is SO empowering to know that you are not standing alone, but that you are standing with other people who know and understand and WANT to help.

I love this.

Beastly: A Review

Today I watched a movie with my friend Saira.



This wasn't an all together awful movie. But it was terribly cliched.

Things I didn't like about this movie:

• What is up with "stalking" being portrayed as "sweet" or "sexy" recently?
• Blackmail is also not sexy.
• Trapping someone with you isn't romantic.
• The use of the words "slut" and "skank."

Things I did like about this movie:

• Neil Patrick Harris.
• Mary-Kate Olsen as Kendra. Kendra was pretty much my favorite in this film.
• Kyle's tree tattoo.

Of course, watching this movie made me think about a few things.

1. Even though "Beauty and the Beast" is one of my favorite movies/stories, it is definitely not romantic. It is portrayed as such, but when you really delve into it nothing could be farther from the truth.
2. The liberal use of the word "slut" is a cultural epidemic. Seriously. Why do we care so much about someone else's supposed sexual life? Why is it insulting to imply that someone is having a lot of sex? There is nothing wrong with sex!! There is nothing wrong with someone having a lot of sex. Either with one person or multiple. It really, REALLY, bothers me.
3. What is up with our views of "stalking"? Its creepy that Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) follows Lindy (Vanessa Ann Hudgens) around. And, somehow, he is absolved of said creepiness because he saves her life. Really? He saves her life so suddenly its all cool beans?
4. Stockholm Syndrome. That's all I have to say on that point.

The music was half-way decent. Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen) was awesome. The movie was meh. Probably a 1 out of 5 stars. Maybe 1 and 1/2. I definitely wouldn't watch it again.

An End to Poverty

Recently my husband sent me an imgur about how Switzerland was considering a minimum income program.


The point of the minimum income program would be to provide every citizen of Switzerland with $33,600 annually as a way to eliminate the poverty line. Pretty simple right? Sound good? The picture sparked some commentary (which I was also linked to) which, in turn, brought my attention to a program in Canada from the 70's called "Mincome." The project was based in Manitoba and provided families below the poverty line with a minimum, guaranteed, income every month.

I posted the picture (and commentary) to my Facebook page as a way to share with my like-minded friends. Obviously, I have some friends who are not so like-minded. The following is commentary made by my friend (LG) and myself.

LG: The problem with this is we have tried this in various forms, and people tend not to appreciate what they get for free: hence the vandalism, wasting of food and resources etc. I do believe in some forms of public assistance, but people in general need to feel they're contributing something to society, however little. Look around at the epidemic of children in this country who have no input from their fathers, financially nor emotionally. Herein lies much of the cause.

Myself: I would have to politely disagree. The problem isn't that children have no input from their fathers (mine has been non-existent in my life for almost 13 years and I feel no need, nor desire, to vandalize) or even that people feel the need to vandalize and take advantage. The problem is people not being able to LIVE.

If the government had caused the acceleration of minimum wage to coincide with the rise in average cost for goods and production we might see less of a problem. However, because the cost of services, food, medicine, etc, has risen dramatically while the amount of money flowing into the average working man's pocket has stayed at a pitiful (dare I say, negligible) amount, we are left in a flux.

I see nothing wrong with the Government (by the people and FOR the people) taking care of its People. The fact that the Government would rather spend literally Trillions on Military and on a war that was supposed to only last a "couple of months" (I am quoting Vice President Dick Cheney there) instead of providing affordable health care, food, better Education (we're ranked so abysmally on the World Wide scores that it is rather disgusting) and affordable birth control (so that there were less Children starving and without homes/families) is an absolute travesty.

The other problem is that we have a lack of proper education to show just how truly ignorant we've been of how the rest of the world works.

Places like Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, etc. have been putting time and effort into their People so that Sweden is shutting down an astonishing amount of their prisons because there aren't any criminals to fill them. Canada has higher prices, but better health care. So much so that Americans sometimes go to Canada to receive the health care they need! Denmark is the HAPPIEST country in the WORLD. In the WORLD! South Korea and Finland out rank us in Math, Science and English. 

The cause of our problem(s), is this: Our Government has become one that would rather waste tax dollars regulating women's bodies than protecting citizens from guns (I am pro-gun and pro-regulation), become one that believes that a Corporation can have Religious Rights (last I checked, Corporations aren't people) and We The People are the ones suffering. They are still getting the money they need to waste. They are still getting fed. They are still getting to make all the decisions for people that they don't even know and don't care to know.

That is the cause of our problem(s). The government has been completely warped from what it was intended to be.


Want more info on Project Mincome?

• http://public.econ.duke.edu/~erw/197/forget-cea%20%282%29.pdf
• http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/4100
• http://archive.irpp.org/po/archive/jan01/hum.pdf

More than a Mouth

Misandry and Misogny.

This article was very interesting. My biggest issue with the Men's Right Movement isn't even that they want equality. I want equality! We're human beings; gay, straight, white, black, man or woman. We're HUMAN. We ALL deserve to have rights.

My issue with the Men's Rights Movement is that they do nothing for their cause by attacking and abusing people who disagree with them. Militant Feminism is no better. The truth of the matter is this:
Feminism isn't evil. Being a Men's Right Activist isn't evil. What's evil is trying to pin the sins of a wicked world on one another. What's evil is trying to destroy other people on your way to "equality."

And, sadly, Misandry does exist. There are men who ARE being discriminated against. You know why? Because other men have this warped view of "manhood." Being a man doesn't mean that you have to be interested in sports, working out or guns. Being a man isn't about being some distorted version of "manly."
We have this warped view that if you are a Man you can't be interested in fashion or cooking or dancing because those things are viewed as being too "feminine." When we stop viewing "feminine" as being a BAD thing then what do we have? We have a man who enjoys his life.

We have this view that for a man to express any type of emotion is wrong. It makes him a "sissy" or any other derogatory term. Again, because it makes him "feminine."

The number of men that are abused and sexually assaulted by women is ridiculously under-reported because it is somehow shameful that a MAN LET himself be abused or be raped. No. That's wrong. Its just another facet of victim shaming. Men can be abused or raped just like a woman can. A man can be depressed or love fashion just like a woman can.

In a perfect world, we would work TOGETHER to end the inequality between the genders. We wouldn't be fighting AGAINST each other.

To do this, however, we have to admit that there are faults on both sides and that, because we are human this is always going to happen. Just because there are faults doesn't mean that we have to ATTACK each other.

http://time.com/2949435/what-i-learned-as-a-woman-at-a-mens-rights-conference/

Used Up.

I have a problem with this picture.



Let me tell you WHY I have a problem with this picture.

1. It implies that you didn't actually care for the person you were with previously, because you now see them as both a TOY and as having been USED UP.

2. Being jealous is a perfectly natural feeling. I hate that we've made it so evil. Being jealous isn't a terrible thing. Its only terrible if you try to ruin the other person's happiness because you don't have what they have.

3. How fucking disrespectful is it to refer to someone you used to have feelings for as a USED TOY that you are "sharing" with someone else?

Seriously, if you are an ADULT, you have no need to post images like this because you're above that shit.

We're human. We hurt each other, we get hurt, we grow up, we move on. Moving on should NOT include an image like the one above.

The Hoosier State

Today (June 25th, 2014) a Judge struck down the marriage ban in Indiana freeing hundreds of couples to marry whomever they choose, regardless of gender or sexual preferences!

This is a glorious day for all Hoosiers!

Congratulations, Indiana! Welcome to the 21st Century!

Love is Love!

Love Yourself

The Other Woman: A Review

The other night I had the misfortune of being dragged to see a movie.



A few other reviews I read said it was "predictable" and "stale." But I think it goes further than that.

Welcome to Sexist Hollywood. Welcome to Racist Hollywood.

A few things that pissed me off about this movie (there are SPOILERS):

• Toilet Humour. I've never been a fan. EVER. I think Toilet humour is the lowest form of humour out there. Its not classy, its not funny. Its stupid.
• Nicki Minaj was the ONLY black person in the WHOLE movie and she was a fucking secretary. Not only that, but I felt that she was portrayed as being a woman of "loose morals" because she and her current boyfriend/husband (its not mentioned if they are married) fell in love with each other when they were married to other people.
• Can we say "Body Shaming" and "Slut Shaming"? At one point Cameron Diaz's character (Carly) tells Leslie Mann's character (Kate) that "No man wants to see that" referring to Kate's not shaving her vagina. This is just one of several things that had me seething in my chair. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO SHAVE ANYTHING FOR ANYONE BUT YOURSELF! And if HE doesn't want to see it, HE can hit the road. Not only that, but there was liberal usage of the words "slut" and "whore" when referring to the "other women."
• Carly, the other woman, is supposed to be the "smart" character in all this drama. She's a lawyer, obviously a successful one since she is practicing in New York City. So... How come she participates in felonious behaviours better suited for teenagers? FYI, altering someone's drink without their knowledge/consent is IN FACT a FELONY. As in, you could go to jail! Not to mention that putting an excessive amount of laxative in a drink can literally kill someone.
• Kate, the wife, is an idiot. She is portrayed as being weak-willed, scatter-brained, etc. It was ridiculously sad, because you could tell that she loved her husband and this was a shameful thing for some reason. Wanting to repair her marriage was a terrible choice, according to everyone else. I'm not saying that trying to fix it would've worked, but confronting him rather sabotaging him would've been better.
• Amber (played by Kate Upton, apparently), the other (other) woman, is just there for boobage. Legit, she is in this movie to be breasts. She barely talks. She is sex. And that's all she was. She was also not very intelligent. Which made me incredibly sad. It would've been awesome if she had been portrayed as an intelligent young woman, besides being a sexual object.
• Mark (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), the "scumbag," isn't just an adulterer, but he is also a criminal! How fucking cliche can you get? I mean, really? He can't just be an adulterer, he's an altogether terrible human being too.
• The women in this movie are portrayed as vindictive bitches. Not to mention that Kate is portrayed as someone easily swayed by sex and an idiot. I know women can be vindictive. I mean, I'm a woman. I'm vindictive sometimes. But men can be JUST as vindictive. Its a HUMAN problem, not a gender problem.

The only thing that I appreciated about this movie:

At one point in the film, Carly wakes up in just a shirt. She notices that she is other wise naked and she immediately thinks that she has slept with Phil (played by Taylor Kinney), Kate's brother. Phil tells her that they didn't "hook up" and when she asks why not, he says he considers himself to be a "good guy." I appreciated this for two reasons:

1. Its the first time I have seen a movie take the stance that having sex with a highly inebriated woman is wrong.
2. Phil not only DID NOT sleep with Carly, he put his shirt on her so that she wouldn't be completely naked and then made sure she got to bed.

It didn't really "ruin" the moment, per say, but the only thing I found not endearing about this scene was when he said that he had to "wall up" his willpower by putting a bunch of pillows between them. It would've been better if he had left it at being a "good guy."

I am terribly sad that my friend, Kid, spent $20.50 on this movie (my ticket and his, since I said I didn't really want to see it in the first place). I think its the worst $10.25 he's spent on me. Ever.

This movie isn't even worth a "rating" in my opinion. I legitimately hated this film. One of the worst movies I've seen.

Do yourself a favour, don't see this film. Its not funny. Its not classy. Its terrible.

Choose this day whom you will serve.

The following is in response to someone saying that Music isn't that powerful, that Homosexuality is wrong and some misguided things about Suicide. Unfortunately, she removed the comments so I can't post them here. However, you get to read my reply anyway! (Also, I apologize for how NOT stream-lined this is. It was a stream of consciousness rant to my phone and I have copied it... Verbatim)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's why we still listen to Gregorian chants from the 1100's. That's why we still have hymns from the 1700's.That's why we still listen to Beethoven and Bach and Mozart. You can't say that music has NO lasting power when, in fact, its been proven, over several centuries, to, in fact, have lasting power. The other thing is, even if, a person does not have a physical hand in a suicide, they have a hand in a suicide. There are always reasons and its not always a cry for help and its not always for attention. And its not always for selfish reasons. Some times its selfish; a good portion of the time its selfish, but some times its not.

And your articles are just, you went and looked for something to support your opinion. Not any actual, real leg-work, as far as finding things to support it. Just... things that coincide with what you believe. Which, I mean, most people do and that's fine, but you shouldn't do that.

Also, if we're going to get into the biblical side of things here: we have to go with either the New testament or the whole bible. Now, if we're going with the new testament, we have to admit that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality, abortions or sex outside of marriage. The biggest commandment that Jesus gave to us was "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." And we, as Christians, seem to have forgotten how to "do unto others." Especially as we want them to do unto us.

You have to ask yourself the question: "Would I want somebody to come in and tell me that my marriage isn't valid just because they disagree with how I live MY life?"

No.

"Would I want somebody to come in and tell me that I can't have a life-saving abortion because they disagree with it?"

No.

The truth of the matter is that there are a lot of Christians who have had abortions because they're "life-saving." And then we argue about that some more too.

The point is that you either have to go with the whole book or the new testament. And if we're going with the new testament you have to admit that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality. Nothing. Not one verse.

Jesus devoted absolutely no time to sexuality. Paul, on the other hand, devoted lots of time to it. And, I would like to point out that, Paul is not the best example of humanity, just throwing it out there.

If we're going to go with the whole bible, then we have to look at the point of fact that we wear clothes that are of mixed texture, eat we shellfish, we eat pork, we touch pork skins when we play football, we gossip about celebrities. Because it is gossip. We're talking about them out of turn. We don't even know them. We're gossiping.

Its just... And we have to say that we're women but we don't actually leave our family home when we start our periods. We don't, you know... and if you tell me that those laws are out dated; those laws are the same laws that you find along with homosexuality. You can't say that homosexuality is NOT outdated, but everything else is. That's not the way it works.

So. Either you have to follow the whole book or you have to, or you can cherry pick. Which, I mean, is what a lot of Christians do. Which is really sad. So, if we're going to cherry pick, the whole bible, we're going to pick verses like homosexuality is wrong.

We're not going to cherry pick the verses that say that children who speak out of turn to their parents should be stoned to death. Or anything like that. You know, because that would just be silly! That law's outdated; you know, "thou shalt not murder." Okay, but God said to...

You can't really reconcile the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament, because Jesus was a fun loving hippie. You know, peace, love and... you know, apple juice. Not really apple juice, but peace, love and wine.

God was all "destroy everything!" That's, that's where I get a little bit sketchy about Christianity, its because I, personally, cannot look at the bible and say "God and Jesus are the same being." Can't do it. Because God of the bible says that he is a "jealous God." But jealousy is listed as being an incredibly evil and wicked thing.

If God is jealous that means he's sinning, but God can't sin because God is... God. Okay...

So then we look at Jesus, who is the perfect example of someone who loves everyone, regardless. God, on the other hand, not so much.

God's like "Kill this," "Kill that."

"What's that? You defeated this army? Kill their children!" That's in the Bible. Go look it up. I can point out verses.

Its just like... Then we get onto the topic of sex.

Again, we can go to the bible and sex, sex, sex. Everywhere. We're sexual beings. We were created to be sexual beings. So, when you look at the bible you've got: people going out and raping, you've got people going out and having sex with prostitutes who turn out to be their daughter-in-law.

You know, you go into this, I mean... The bible is chock full of sex. But its not "bad." Okay, so how is it any different than what's going on now-a-days? Its, its not. People don't really change. Sex is a big thing and will always be a big thing. And the only people trying to suppress it are the church. I don't feel like God wanted us to suppress sex, but that's just me. Especially since he "created" us for it. Its just like...

You also have to think about the fact that, you know, Adam and Eve were probably having sex in the garden and God was watching. There's that. And, technically speaking, they weren't married. Just want to throw that out there. If you want to get really technical, they weren't married.

They were the only two people alive, but they weren't married because, according to a lot of people now-a-days, marriage involves having a certificate. You can't be "married" otherwise. So, Adam and Eve didn't have a certificate of marriage, so they weren't married.

"Joining as one flesh," yeah, that's sex. Just FYI.

Lackadaisical

I'm sorry that I've been rather lackadaisical with my posting of late. Things have been a little bit crazy on my end.

I'll skip my usual Easter/Zombie Jesus Day rant and tell you all that I am feeling like today is a new beginning, in the most Pagan of ways.

Fertility is all around us, the awakening of the earth to a new life, the everlasting cycle of Birth, Life, Death. I have to admit that I love this time of year because it just goes to show how cyclical our lives truly are.

All for now, Happy Spring to you all.

A Wish Upon a North Star

"[T]here was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other."

Today marks the 1st day of my favorite month (besides September of course). Black History Month!

The above quote is from Harriet Tubman, one of the most amazing women to live during that time. She is credited with having helped over 300 slaves to escape to Canada and the Northern states. She worked tirelessly, despite physical ailments and the danger of the job.

I would like to honor this woman today, for all the sacrifices she made and the beautiful life she led.

Still Preaching

I will say this until it is recognized as fact:

LOVE IS LOVE.

No matter your race, your religion, your choice in underwear for Christ's sake. Love is Love if its between two men, two women, a man and a woman. It doesn't matter.

And I'll keep preaching world peace, world love, until I am old and wrinkled. I'll keep talking about equal rights for EVERYONE until I'm blue in the face.

And I'll keep posting beautiful videos.

The Children

There MUST be a way to teach your child to be self-expressive AND respectful to those around them. Seriously, there has to be some sort of happy medium!

I love kids, I do. I love babies, toddlers, even teenagers. I love children. But I HATE it when they are loud, terrors. I am all for self-expression and I hope that, if I were to become a mother, I would be able to teach my child how to be self-expressive, but still respectful of the people around them.

As in:
Not running around the room
Not screaming
Not throwing things
Not being generally disruptive

Seriously!!

I don't like the idea of spankings, because I was spanked as a child and I know the damage it can cause. Plus, I don't think it is right in general to hit someone and then tell them not to hit. That doesn't make sense.
But I swear to god, I was about to bust this kid's ass!

Please, parents, I'm not saying you should "control" your child, but TEACH your child SELF-CONTROL! And if you start young, they learn it very well. Ugh.

2014

Happy New Year!

Let's take a moment to look back at the last moments of 2013:
Last food eaten: Chocolate
Last movie watched: "Bunraku" (Starring the beautiful Gackt and the sexy Josh Hartnett)
Last song listened to: "Eden" by Sara Bareilles
Last book read: "The Unscary Scarecrow" by John Patience

And now, some of the firsts of 2014:
First thing done: Kissed my husband.
First song: "High Society" by Betty Who
First website visited: Facebook (duh!)
First food: Pumpkin Spice & Caramel Ghiradelli Chocolate Square (I'm a fancy bitch)
First drink: Smirnoff Ice Screwdriver
First text received: From Kid (Happy New Year!)

Here's to all the firsts and the lasts!

Welcome 2014!