Frenzied Daddy

I keep trying to type “Section 8″ for “Proposition 8.” Must be a Freudian slip.

What is this to you? Nobody is asking you to embrace their expression of love. But don’t you, as human beings, have to embrace that love?

The world is barren enough! It is stacked against love, and against hope, and against those very few and precious emotions that enable us, all of us, to go forward.

Thanks, Keith, Ms B, David, and Stacy

I finally broke down and visited the Japanese Garden. It shouldn’t really have taken me 22 years.

My mother first took me to a Japanese garden in Seattle, when I was a kid. As I recall, it was a very short loop without too many branches and side-paths. Since then, the serenity of the gardens has intrigued me.

When we moved to Portland and I learned that we had a Japanese Garden here, I I should have rushed off and visited. But something always came up. And now, I can’t see spending eight bucks for myself and the carefully crafted gardens when I can enjoy the rest of Forest Park that much less expensively. But yesterday (Veteran’s Day) was a free day, and though it was raining and windy, I went anyway.

By the time I arrived, the rain and wind were hardly noticeable. As I walked up the path and the stairs to the gardens (I parked down by the Rose Garden), I passed a lot of kids with their little slickers and rain boots and, as the TT would say, their “rainbrellas.” They were all smiling and happy; I should have brought my kids too. But they were home, warm and dry, with their mother.

I enjoyed walking around the garden. I just did one quick loop, and left some paths unexplored for the next time. So I’d have new things to see when I brought the rest of the family. There were a few places where I was sad that it was so wet. Since I was alone, nobody would be there to tell me I was sitting and looking at a rock, or a pond, too long and they were tired of waiting. But the benches were all wet and I didn’t feel like getting my butt all wet.

Standing by the white garden, with the white rocks on the right, there’s a standing rock in a pool of river rocks. The standing rock makes an interesting contrast, with the pool of dark rocks at its base, against the whiteness of the “white garden.” I couldn’t figure out how to get the picture right, though.

I took my little camera because I didn’t want to get the “good one” all wet. So the pictures are a little smaller than you might be expecting.

The TT and I were on our way home after dropping the DQ off at school. She sits in her carseat, in the back, next to the passenger side window. She looked out and saw an 18wheeler and started laughing and giggling– “Daddy, that truck has lights underneath it!” I looked over, and indeed, the cab had some brake lights underneath. We were coming up to a train track and slowing down, so she got to see their lights come on.

This lead to a really sweet, fun discussion about trucks; explaining how the trucks come apart and can pull different loads, how some of the trucks can carry milk, others are big boxes that get filled up, and even some trucks can carry those shipping containers that she sees on trains and boats. And how the big cranes at the docks would be able to pick up the shipping container and put it onto the truck.

Every new revelation was greeted with “ooooooh” and “aaaaaaah.” And we pointed out every container type truck on the road. Eventually, she wanted to know where they were going. I said that since they didn’t have names on the sides, we could only guess- they might be going to Fred Meyer’s or to Toys R Us, but we didn’t know. She thought about that for about two seconds and announced “Or maybe they’re going to Safeway! Or to someone’s house!”

It was great.

I’m ashamed for “my friends” in California- Proposition eight passing saddens me. I have real friends (as opposed to “my friends” friends) in California (Hi Unka C and Unka N!) who are married and who live in San Francisco.

I want to encourage you, my readers, and my friends, and anyone else who happens to think through this. Even during the push for civil rights for women, civil rights for non-whites, there was a process of two steps forward, one step back. It’s saddening, it’s maddening, but it’s not really surprising when gay marriage is voted down. Keep your faith, remember that we’re in this together.

An interesting anonymous comment on Stop All Monsters, where the author promotes a boycott of Mormon businesses starting with the Marriot hotel chain.

The Prop 8 struggle is not a gay/straight issue, it is an equality issue. It is Brown v Board of Education. Seperate but equal. It is akin to the rich tradition we had of not allowing women to vote in this country. The same arguements [sic] being used to support Prop 8 can find chorus with the voices that denied rights to women or people of color. As with those historic struggles we must understand that this issue is not about the people who’s lives it may affect most but instead about our constitutional identity which we must continue to strive toward.

I think that it’s important to remember that you, Unka C and you, Unka N, weren’t voted against specificially. It’s not really about you, and this author says it isn’t really about straight or gay. It’s about equality across the board. It really shouldn’t matter to the country, to the state– to the government, who wants to get married. That’s between two people who love each other and promise to stand by each other for the rest of their lives. Gay marriage is just a step in this journey of equality before the Constitution (federal or state).

I don’t really think this post is very coherent. I’m trying to show why it doesn’t surprise me but does sadden me, and I’m trying to encourage you and encourage my friends. I believe we’ll “get there eventually” but I hope we get there sooner rather than later.

Hmm, Even Fox News is announcing “President Obama.” I’m just sitting here refreshing the page hoping it stays blue. It was kind of funny watching the three west coast states turn blue at eight pm ( refreshing those pretty flash maps ).

It’s really interesting to see how close the popular vote is. When the first few results were coming in and the electoral votes were for McCain, and the popular votes were for Obama, I was annoyed. But then it switched, and the electoral votes were for Obama and the popular votes were for McCain, and I was happy. I’m such a hypocrite.

Now that I can be less stressed about a possible Palin Presidency (let’s not talk about 2012), I can worry about Measure 8 in California, and the Sizemore initiatives in Oregon. Let’s worry about those now.

It’s a small world. I picked up “Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait” by K.A. Bedford. I’m enjoying it so far, it’s early yet, but it’s fairly science-fictiony and it’s fun to find a murder mystery where a time machine plays an important role. I like the character (Spider), how he feels about his relationship with his wife, and that he hates his job.

So I went online to track him down. I typed “K.A. Bedford” into google, and found his blog. Ok, he’s using wordpress (like me). He’s got a pretty theme, and he also likes XKCD. That was nice; this Australian Stranger who happened to write this book I’m enjoying also likes a comic I like. Oh, and the Yarn Harlot. He links to the Yarn Harlot too.

Two eighty-plus year old ladies blogging? Not as fanciful as it might sound. And I think Helen’s got her head on straight;

I really don’t know why gay people want to get married. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Just ask Harold. But I guess if one consenting adult wants to declare their love for another, why would anyone have an issue? I do know one gay couple. Margaret’s nephew and his friend have been together for several years. They are a lovely couple and make me laugh and feel special every time I see them. –Helen

“We had a few trick or treaters come to our door – two devils, one monster, a ghost, two Sarah Palins, and one witch!..so make that three Sarah Palins.” — Margaret

Their site is over here. It was put up on wordpress.com by Helen’s grandson, to help her keep in touch with her friend of sixty years. And they ( the women ) have some tee-shirts and coffee mugs and other items at Cafe Press that the grandkids have designed. The grandkids get the profits. Nice of them, hmm ? My favorite is this mug, but this t-shirt is packed chock full of win too.

Fun fact: the woman who owned our house before we did was named Philpott too . Different Philpott, however.