my thoughts on the plight of Terri Schiavo

I am so gosh-darn sick and tired of hearing about Terri Schiavo.

Thank goodness the poor woman finally died today, the way she wished. I hope. I am disappointed that her husband, Michael Schiavo, did not allow Terri's parents to witness her passing. But then again, I know what it's like to be at war against one's in-laws. Hopefully, we do not know all of the circumstances. In such a difficult struggle that has been systematically exploited by the media, our scarily Evangelical-becoming government, and the overzealous pro-lifers looking for a "cause", it is my sincere hope that some family privacy has been maintained through unquestionably very delicate moments.

This whole ordeal sickens me. In the last week or so, I have had colorful discussions related to the Terri Schiavo situation with friends and family members. My personal opinion is that of Michael Schiavo's, and maybe for more personal reasons than I like to admit. Yes, the man has a girlfriend and children by the girlfriend, but legally he was still responsible for his wife. I do not know why he chose not to divorce Terri, or get an annulment, or separation, or whatever, aside from the obvious inability of Terri to sign any paperwork. Perhaps he is a raging egomaniac obsessed with power struggle. Or perhaps he really was a caring, loyal husband devoted to seeking the fulfillment of his former wife's wishes. I don't really care to pick apart Michael Schiavo's motives or intentions.

What really steams me is the pro-lifer argument: it is amoral, sinful, against God, etc. to remove the feeding tube and let Terri die. Couldn't it be argued that all of this...the heart attack leading to Terri Schiavo's brain damage and persistent vegetative state, the long legal fights, the money, the pain, the removal of the feeding tube and its reinsertion a few years ago, the final removal of the tube days ago, and finally her death this morning...couldn't it be argued that all of that was "God's Will"? If the heart attack and subsequent brain damage were indeed God's Will in the first place, then who are we to interfere with that? Who are we to keep poor Terri Schiavo from going home to God?

Her parents, I think, were not "good Christians" with respect to this argument. They were scared and selfish. They clung to a pretty lifeless daughter for 14 years because they were too weak to accept the Will of God. Instead, the created a 14 year legal distraction for themselves so they wouldn't have to deal with reality.

Addendum:
Read a column from the Editor of Newsweek here - confusing law with theology.

is Easter over yet?

Haven't been around much, I know. I'll be gone till at least Monday...I'm swamped with services and rehearsals. See you next week.

NCAA tonight

Let's go, Orange!

the arguement for and against babies

Most of my friends are married, in long-term relationships with no desire for marriage, or engaged to be married. Most of my friends also don't want children. Susan, a few weeks ago, asked me if I wanted to have kids. Out of nowhere. I almost gagged on my beer. This past Friday, in my somewhat drunken haze, I vaguely recall asking Ben if he and Susan would still be friends with me if I had kids eventually.

Currently, I am undecided on the issue, but it's also a dialogue I've been having with myself a lot lately...

In the eyes of our society and culture: Isn't it the most natural thing in the world for women to have babies? Isn't that what is expected of them? Are women somehow less feminine if they elect not to give birth? Is there something wrong with a woman if she doesn't want to have children?

These are just a few of the questions volleying around in my brain.

i still have the breath i thought i would lose

you know the shape my breath will take before i let it out

i am awake, my body
awake
i awake, my body
awake my body

comes from you

make me forget
make me remember

Another proposal...

...and she said "yes".
Congratulations and best wishes to my oldest friend and his fiancee, who were engaged over the weekend!

English Genius You scored 100% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 93% Advanced, and 88% Expert!

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 61% on Beginner You scored higher than 70% on Intermediate You scored higher than 47% on Advanced You scored higher than 96% on Expert

Link: The Commonly Confused Words Test written by shortredhead78 on Ok Cupid

escaped just in time

It seems that my former hometown of Cleveland is one of the most depressed cities in the nation. According to an article in Men's Health, Cleveland received a big fat "F" and ranks at #92 in a list of 101. (Worth noting - Buffalo came in at #11 and got a B-. How'd that happen?!)

Other interesting facts:
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city landed the No. 1 rating in terms of big-city poverty in the United States. It was also ranked as the worst major city for children to live in, and it was the 20th most dangerous city in the country, according to Morgan Quitno Press, a Lawrence, Ka.-based publishing and research company. Cleveland landed in the top 10 list of cities where living is difficult. A study from the Rockefeller Institute said Cleveland is among a handful of American cities where major urban hardship has existed for decades. Men's Health also listed Cleveland as one of the flabbiest cities in the United States in October.

While there are specific things about the city that I miss terribly (the Orchestra, the CMA, the MOCA, Coventry & Tommy's, Tower City, etc.), contrary to popular belief (and you know who you are), I do NOT want to move back.

So there.

Happy Birthday, Beth!

pierre le gique

I seriously dislike running into people I know in public.

It is impossible for me to walk into Wegman's without seeing someone I know. It happened again this afternoon, and I was alone so I couldn't pretend I didn't notice my high school AP French teacher the 3 times we passed each other because I was too busy chit-chatting with my companion.

First, it was on the way in to the store. Maybe this was excusable, because I wasn't really sure if it was him. After all, it's been nearly 10 years since my last day of high school. I also can't remember if I actually went to French class that day. (I skipped a lot of classes senior year.)

The second time I passed him, I was on the way to the pet food aisle for a supply of guinea pig kibble and dog treats for Harley. He was stopped at that podium-station thing near the pharmacy, talking with a uniform-clad employee. He looked right at me; we made eye contact. I kept right on walking.

Then, the third time he passed me, I was in the, ahem, tampon aisle. I prayed he wouldn't stop to talk.

I guess it wouldn't have been that big of a deal to talk to him. He wasn't a bad teacher and it wasn't a horrible class. Of course, he had his little pets, but who could blame him when he had not one male student in that class? He was pretty cool about a video 2 classmates and I once made for a class project. If I remember correctly, in it we were supposed to demonstrate the usage of a particular verb tense. Anyway, we dressed up as hippies and "simulated" smoking pot while lip-singing along to Neil Diamond's Cracklin' Rosie.

grey

I have not felt like writing lately.

There has been plenty of typing, but I have not been motivated at all to actually pick up a pen and write something on paper. I wish this wasn't the case, because I don't much trust my memory for things I don't tell anyone.

I may not remember, even next year, how last week I picked up and took a little trip and didn't tell anyone. Which is something I promised I'd never do again. Not after a certain incident in Philadelphia a few years ago. I also may not remember how my moods and emotions have been drastically fluctuating for just under a week. I hope, at least, that's only hormonal.

For me, this winter has been nearly unbearable. Mother Nature teases with her quick rays of sunshine before yanking them back and choking them out with her clouds...a day or two above 30 degrees, then we are plunged back into frigidly dry ice-walls of cold air.

I don't leave the house unless necessary.

I eat too much chocolate ice cream.

I sleep too late in the day.

I don't care enough.

On Tuesday I forced myself to go outside. Armed with my digi, I took some photos of the neighborhood under the blanket of snow that fell Monday night. Everything was a dull white and grey. Even the red, blue, yellow, and brown houses neighboring mine looked bleak and colorless. I tried - I really did - to see the beauty, but the snow seemed contrived. Hollow. Dubious.

here we snow again

What better way to welcome in the month that gives us the first day of Spring than with a monster snowstorm?

At least someone's enjoying it.