Brushing off the Dust

For anyone who is interested, I just wanted to say that I am brushing some of the dust off my story "All of Her," which I've not finished yet.

I'm hoping to rework some of it and actually get it finished, but I'll need your support!

For anyone interested in reading what I've already written (pre-edits, by the way) you can find them at:
http://septembertarantella.blogspot.com look under January of 2013. There IS a prologue, so make sure you start with that.

Feel free to comment or otherwise show support. And feel free to share my writing blog with your friends!!

This has been a self-plug announcement from Sarai, we'll return to your irregularly scheduled insanity shortly.

Decriminalize the Human Body

Dear Radio station,
Sad to say that I un-liked your page today because of comments made about Breast Feeding in public causing people to "lose" their appetite.

Would you like it if you were forced to eat your dinner in a public restroom or a hot car or under a stuffy blanket?

Breasts were intended for the feeding of children and if some people can't be adult enough to handle that a child is hungry, maybe they shouldn't be eating in public.

sincerely,
Sarai.

Response:
"We do apologize if we offended you in any way. I will have a conversation with the air talent and try to figure out a way to resolve the situation. Until then I do express my gratitude of your listernership and I hope this incident doesn't deteriorate your listening to B-- in the future. -Management" 

"Pam at B-- will be interviewing our very own Georg'ann C. and Ann Marie N. on Monday, October 7th at 11:15am. Tune in for a great conversation on breastfeeding."

When is Rape Okay?

When I was a little girl (and later, as a teenager) I was violated, sexually. Not quite the same way as rape, it never went quite that far (though there is a question about that when I was very small and have no recollection), but it was still without my consent and therefore a form of rape. Part of the problem is not knowing when to say "No" and part of the problem is that we all seem to be under this delusion that just because there wasn't a "No" means its a "Yes."

Another, far larger, part of the problem is that some of us seem to be under the impression that its okay to force someone to do something sexual; even if they say no.

What are we teaching our children about Rape? Are we talking about how wrong it is? Are we saying it is NEVER okay? That just because she didn't say no, doesn't mean she said yes? Apparently we aren't saying enough because below are the answers Teenagers are giving in response to my question. Not just teenage boys, either. Teenage girls are saying this too! Are we really existing in a time when 31% of our daughters believe they deserve to be raped if they were going have sex with their partner, but changed their minds?

The Morals of Incest.

If two consenting adults engage in sexual activity should said sexual activity be, in any way, be regulated or controlled by the government?

If said consenting adults were brother and sister (brother and brother or sister and sister), should their relationship be regulated by the government?

That is the question that came into my head after I stumbled upon a video featured on the Huffington Post website about a German couple, brother and sister, who fell in love and have four children together. The brother is currently appealing his jail sentence for incest and his lawyer kept saying how he couldn't believe that in this day and age we were still having to fight over two consenting adults being allowed to engage in a sexual relationship.

This brought up so many other questions for me as well... Questions regarding sexual freedom, the meaning of consent, the choices we make, etc.

I read an article once, whether it was based on fact or fiction I don't know, about fraternal twin brothers who had fallen in love with each other. They had been trying to date other men and had been trying to stay away from each other because they believed what they were doing was wrong. But they couldn't stop being in love with each other. So they asked the question "What should we do?"

Is there morality in something like incest? Why do we even believe it is wrong? It can't be from the Bible, because many famous couples, including Abram and Sarai, were brother and sister. Incest was actually something to keep bloodlines "pure."

But then you have to ask yourself, where do we draw the lines for these things? Sexuality isn't finite. It is infinite in scope, desires, etc. Is it wrong for the government to control a couple who is in love, of age and consenting?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/patrick-stuebing-susan-karolewski-incest-germany_n_1420107.html

On Monday...

Dear Aunt Peggy,
I keep expecting you to call, even though I know you're not going to. I keep expecting you to leave me a voicemail message, saying, you know, "what do you want for lunch on Monday?" And I keep thinking "what am I even going to do on Monday?"

I've had a lot of suggestions.

"Well, you could always catch up on all your reading." or...
"I'm sure you'll come up with something, you have plenty of time." and...
"What will you do on Monday?"

My answer is, I don't know.

What will I do on Monday, Aunt Peggy?

You're not going to be there and I keep thinking, "man, I kept putting off cleaning those pictures for you. And, man, I kept putting off going and seeing you there at the end. And, man, I did a lot of putting off didn't I?"

And then I keep thinking you never broke any promises to me before now. In one fell swoop, you broke several.

I don't have a picture of you. Besides the one I took on my phone when you weren't paying attention. Can't see your face.

And you broke your promise that you would live to 100, 'cause we still had seventeen more years to go.

And, you know, broken promises. I'm not angry at you. I just wish you'd been able to keep them.

But I keep thinking that you had the spaghetti and meatballs all ready. And that you were so excited we were going to have spaghetti and meatballs because we hadn't had it in a long time.

And I keep coming back to "what am I going to do on Monday?"

Because we're not going to get to share our McDonald's cup of coffee anymore.
And we're not going to get to eat goulash together anymore.
And we're not going to get to rant at Pat Robertson anymore.
And we're not going to get to do any of those things anymore.

So, what am I going to do on Monday, Aunt Peggy?

What am I going to do on Monday?

I thought maybe I'd still come and share a cup of coffee with you.
And maybe I'll bring my books and I'll bring a blanket to sit on so I don't get grass stains all over my rear.
And maybe I'll go and buy a chocolate soda.
And maybe I'll figure out how to make goulash on my own.
And maybe I'll use those potholders that you gave me.
I'll put up all the knick-knacks you gave me.
There's a lot of maybe's.

But Aunt Peggy, I'd much rather be with you. I'd much rather actually be getting to see you than wondering what it is I'm going to do.

Who am I going to watch "The Price is Right" with?
Who am I going to banter with about who pays for what?
Whose going to make me ham salad even though I don't eat pork? But I eat it anyway because you made it. The only time I ate pork for a really long time.
Whose going to worry about me while I'm off gallivanting in DC and whose going to ask me what "erectile dysfunction" means and whose going to ask me all these questions I don't know how to answer?

Its not fair, Aunt Peggy.
I love you.
I miss you.
I'm sorry I didn't come and see you at the end.
I'm sorry.