It's getting closer to Christmas and I think I might have finally gotten all my shopping done. I took the time the other day to write letters the heads of TV stations that aired the United Church of Christ commercial that has been the source of so much controversy despite a national boycott by some major networks. You can view the original commercial at website that challenges the FCC if your local stations refused to air it as mine did.



To whom it may concern:



I am writing to express my gratitude for your station's willingness to run the United Church of Christ ad. I viewed the commercial at their website and saw nothing controversial about a church wanting be inclusive of all people. My own religious beliefs include the notion that Christ accepts all people.



I have seen the news that other stations have refused to air the commercial, some even citing recent political action by the Bush administration as the reason. I am deeply saddened that more people have not used this message of love and inclusion to heal rather than divide. I believe that a church is a hospital for sick souls and that when we care for people and love people unconditionally we open their hearts to the love that Christ has for us. I believe Christ convicts and changes his people as he sees fit. This believe has caused me to adopt a "come as you are" attitude to faith and forgiveness that I believe is sorely missing in our culture. I applaud you in your effort to spread the good news of Christ's love.



Please share my comments with your staff.



Agape,

Shy

I came up with another last minute shopping idea for Shy and that would be the Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-350 ($180) which I am going to need to build my DVR (pieces and parts for which are laying around my feet as I type).

Located the OH SO COOL ITrip for my IPod today. It plugs in an let you listen to your IPOD over an FM Radio. Great for in the car =)

I was out over the weekend doing the "BLACK FRIDAY" shopping and I came across an item at Target that I thought would be handy. I can't find it on their website but it was a leather or faux leather bag that you put logs in to carry then from the wood pile to the house. I could use something like this...and I am not picky about what kind I don't think, but it did get me to thinking that I always take an old towel out to the wood pile and lay it down and wrap up a bunch of pieces of wood to carry back to the house. This can be messy and not nearly as attractive as having a special bag for this purpose. If anyone has an idea for keeping my wood dry that would be good too....and if anyone wants to send someone over to spilt some of the wood...I wouldn't object to that as a gift either.

It is that time of year again that we all have to start thinking about the things that don't need, would have no business buying for ourselves, and yet....often without shame or guilt, we just WANT!. I am working on my little list and so far I have some up with a few items. I am picturing myself with some new headphones (MDR-EX71SL/WK) for my IPOD, snuggled up with a Sunbeam Denim Electric Blanket (king) dreaming about having my Auburn Tigers (2X) win that SEC championship and go national.



And speaking of Auburn Laura and I have collected a few of these Pete the Cat prints by an Auburn Artist around the house and of the older prints that we have wanted to add to our collection is thecreation Pete print. But some of the new stuff is pretty cool too. I really like Welcome to Alabama Pete right now and the one of the Vulcan is pretty cool too, but since I have never lived in B-ham I guess I could let that one go.

My good friend and sometimes lover The Grease Monkey used to always tell me how she was dating her motorola V300. I always thought it was a pretty wierd thing to tell people even it was true...I mean, I honesty love my pocket pc, but dating? I don't think so. Well that was long before I met the new love of my life.... the IPOD. It has only been a few days and I haven't even been able to talk intelligently about my feelings...I haven't wanted to share the exquisite joy of new love, but I am hear to confess it now. It is gigs and gigs of pure musical bliss at my fingertips. So far it is every album I have ever owned in one device with room to spare. I have always been something of an Apple bigot. When I was a kid the Apple was my first real computer (I don't think anyone counts the Tandy TRASH 80) and I loved it....so much so that I got a second one eventually....but here is where the problem comes in. Back then, and probably now, if you wanted to upgrade your apple computer, you bought a new apple computer.....and they were pricey. So here was the IBM compatible and you could replace just parts of it and better yet you could build the whole damn thing yourself. Well, like a jilted lover I, and many more like me, abandoned the apple computer with its then superior operating system, in favor of the promise that I could exhert some measure of influnce over the type of computer I owned. And that was it...I have never looked back. When I met and fell in love with Laura I had no idea that she would become this Mac loving graphic designer and I had no reason to question my decision to abandon the technology......until the other day when we bought an IPOD. It was then I was quickly reminded of the absolute brilliance of the apple interface, the genius of how apple combines ergonomics and function to deliver quality products that are not only aesthetic but practical. Date my IPOD? Hell....I've picked out a ring.

Updated my links to include my good friend the Grease Monkey who has decided to start blogging, even if it is only to get into the google email beta. We shared an encounter with a flying foreign object last night, just before our run in with the po po's.

I was driving home from work today listening to an NPR story about Frank Gehry(Architect). This guy s amazing. Go out and look at the pictures of his work. It made me think of another architect that was at Auburn University. I remember picking up a TIME magazine and reading about Samuel Mockbee. This guy would go into the rural areas of Alabama with his students and create structures with recycled materials that improved the lives of the people living in those areas. A professional architec, Mockbee left his practice to teach at Auburn where he founded the Rural Studio. Mockbee died in 2001, but his works are outstanding examples of what can occur when you mix ingenuity with genius.  Just thought I would share one of my Auburn memories with you. 

Today I am looking on the internet for a chicken salad recipe. There is this place in Columbus that I swear has the very best chicken salad I have ever had in my life. I usually don't like chicken salad because people tend to put pickles or funky stuff in it. I tried to butter up the woman that works there to tell me what was in it and she was pretty straight forward to tell me that all they use is chicken, lawry's seasoning, and mayonaise. She said that she didn't mind telling me because you can make it at home and it won't be as good. She believed that the sheer volume that they make at her deli causes the chicken salad to taste different. So I have a whole chicken boiling right now and I am on a quest to discover the perfect home made chicken salad. If you have any chicken salad recipes that I should try, let me know.

I was working on my website today. I am planning to put out about 650 pictures from when my house was being built if I have the server space to do it. Anyway...I got bored and I started doing some random surfing and I came across Denali's Haven. I am just so impressed by some young people. This girl is 15 years old and has created a very well thought out online biography of herself and her interests. I envy that talent and invite you to have a look for yourself.

Haven't made an update lately. There hasn't been too much to talk about. My employer laid off a bunch of people and luckily I was spared this time....but I an not really ready to talk about that yet. I am sure more will come later. Tonight Laura and Kathy M. and I went to see "The Passion". It was brutal and difficult to watch. Earlier this week I sent out about 40 letters to different GA state leaders about SR 595 which seeks to ban gay marriage in GA. Out of all those letters I have gotten two replies. Here is how that went:



My letter:



I am writing you today in opposition to a Georgia constitutional amendment that would ban same sex marriage. Our country was founded on the principles of liberty and equality for all people. I fear that history will look back in disgrace on any laws that this state or this country seek to approve that disenfranchise any of it's citizens. Granting equality to all Americans so that they have equal access to social security, health care, parental rights, and other survivor benefits does not mean that any religion would have to change their stance on gay marriage. No religion will perform these marriages if gay marriage violates the tenants of that religion. I am asking you at this time to focus on matters of dire consequence to the people of Georgia like jobs, health care, and the economy. Former Georgia conservative republican Bob Barr has labeled this type of legislation as "both unnecessary and needlessly intrusive". I am asking you to be conservative with the constitution of this state by preserving its current integrity. I am concerned about the negative attitudes legislation like this may cause our state. I am concerned that our ability to attract new industry and technology is negatively impacted by this type of publicity. It is both harmful and unnecessary as Georgia law already prevents same sex couples from seeking marriage. Most large companies embrace the image of diversity in theory if not in practice. This state already has a civil rights history that is damaged by our legislators refusing to acknowledge the equal rights entitled to ALL of it's people. I am asking you to protect the image of our state and weigh carefully the outcome that this legislation may have for Georgia in the future.



Here is the first reply that I got from my own representative Vance Smith:

Shy,

Thanks for contacting me and for your comments.

I respect your opinion on this subject matter but I have a different opinion.

This Senate Resolution is in the House Rules Committee at the present and I do not know if it will come to the Floor of the House or not. If it comes to the Floor with no amendments I will vote yes on this legislation.

Again, thanks for your e-mail and contact me on any issue that is of interest to you.

Vance





Wasn't too promising and I was beginning to wonder if my efforts had been a waste of time. But today I got this response from Representative Nan Grogan Orrock my hope was restored:



Thanks for your thoughtful message about SR 595 which would place on the ballot a constitutional amendment to recognize marriage between a man and a woman. I am in complete agreement with your position. I am working against the Resolution but I am not optimistic about being able to stop it. SR 595 is predicted to readily pass the Senate which is Republican controlled.

It takes a two thirds vote - 120 people in the house - to pass a resolution to amend the Constitution. That makes it a steeper incline but I don't know if we have the 61 votes to block the effort. I'm working toward the goal and am very happy to have your input and support in this effort. We must keep fighting against discrimination and keep standing up for civil liberties for all our citizens.



Representative Nan Grogan Orrock

Majority Whip

House Majority Office

415 State Capitol

Atlanta, Georgia 30334





I will post new ones as I get them....if I get them.

My sweetie called me at work today to tell me that the New Jersey state Senate approved a bill Thursday to give same-sex couples many of the rights available to legally married couples, and the governor is expected to sign it into law, making New Jersey the fifth state to recognize domestic partners (Domestic partnerships are recognized in California, Massachusetts and Hawaii, and civil unions between same-sex couples are legal in Vermont).



This is always such a sensitive subject with my friends and family. I just don't get what the big deal is myself. I know that not everyone is comfortable with gay people and hell, I was raised that way too and I can remember the effect that had on me and my feelings towards myself at a certain time in my life so I will give you that one. If you love someone, but you are not on an intimate basis with them, it is pretty creepy to try to think about what they do under the covers when the lights are out. Since I live in a society where my lifestyle is solely evaluated on what and who I do under the covers with the lights out, I get the skeeve factor in that. Really.....



But the whole defense of marriage angle seems to be predicated on the sanctity of marriage as a religious institution (even though the church officially wanted nothing to do with marriage for the first 1000 years or so of Christianity since marriage was a matter of property and not religion). I say it is a legal contract to protect and define the relationship that two people choose to engage in, but fine... Even so, if marriage is this holy and special thing that must be protected from the influence of sinners then why was it legal for Britney Spearsto have a few hours of it? It scares me to live in a world where someone like Spears can get drunk and stupid and whimsically enact the legal system to bind her life to someone else and yet my partner of eight years and I can not even thoughtfully define those same protections for ourselves.



Maybe we should not focus on who is getting married and direct our funds and energies on educating people about why two people get married.