zaiki and co.: Where is my rainbow flag?

zaiki and co.: Where is my rainbow flag?: As predicted here , Christie vetoed the bill . Disgusted but not surprised and wondering (yet again) how that man won the election. Was it h...

Where is my rainbow flag?

As predicted here, Christie vetoed the bill. Disgusted but not surprised and wondering (yet again) how that man won the election. Was it his finesse and charm? Was it his respect for his opponents? Or maybe the eloquent manner in which he expresses himself? Or maybe respect for the fallen soldiers? *Insert sarcasm anywhere* Bleh.

zaiki and co.: Daddy's Love and Mean Puppies

zaiki and co.: Daddy's Love and Mean Puppies: My girls have the most wonderful Papa ever. Papa who paints smiley faces on their bellies, shows them how to throw rocks in the river, reads...

Daddy's Love and Mean Puppies

My girls have the most wonderful Papa ever. Papa who paints smiley faces on their bellies, shows them how to throw rocks in the river, reads stories and sings songs and makes sure soap doesn't get in their eyes when he washes their hair. Papa whose chest is so comfortable to sleep on during the lazy-tired Saturday afternoon, and whose furry arms are just perfect for cheek rubbing, and who tells them it's ok to be mad at the whole entire world while he rocks them in his arms.

He really goes out of his way for them. One morning, Maya needed to eat a prune (btw, highly recommend for toddler poop issues) but it was too cold. So Papa stuck it in the microwave (which got a raised eyebrow from me). Then he determined it was too hot so he went outside (at 7 am!!) and started to wave it up and down to cool it off. Now that's love. And, I found out, he does the same thing with zaiki's pickles. Yes,yes, they like to have their pickles slightly warm. His objective, as explained to my, by that point, two raised eyebrows, is simple: to get them to eat the stuff that's good for them by whatever means necessary. I wish I had that kind of dad. :)

But don't feel bad for me - I get quiet a share of zaiki-love when they need comfort. We were walking in a park on a beautiful Monday afternoon to see a local waterfall so we could squeal and throw rocks in the water narrowly missing each other's noggins.

Nice weather = dog walkers. Lots of them. Zaiki like dogs, most dogs are nice, docile creatures who patiently wait while zaiki pet their fur. But no matter how nice the owner thinks their dog is, they are animals. With teeth. After saying hi to a particularly nice Peruvian Mastif, who could probably swallow them whole if he wanted to but licked their faces silly instead, we skippity-hopped down the path, and saw a man walking his little, fluffy and innocent-looking Corgi. The man just started  talking about how gentle his dog is, blah blah, when the "gentle" thing snarled and bit Sonya on the arm. Actually dropped her onto the ground. Thank God for the down jacket. It tore the jacket and got Sonya muddy. No blood, no bruises. And I got to carry screaming Sonya for about half a mile. She wanted Mama and the comfort that Mama provides. It was sweet. No more strange dog petting though.

And the week got finished with Sonya (the kid is a walking accident, I swear!) falling down face first onto a concrete patio from a slide. I'm not even counting bruises, nicks and cuts on their legs. Bring on the warm weather - can't wait to see what kinds of accidents we get to have this year.

zaiki and co.: The one where I whine

zaiki and co.: The one where I whine: Whining alert! Whining alert! I've been on a self-pity train for the past week. But whatever. I don't like my job. I feel stuck, and I hate...

The one where I whine

Whining alert! Whining alert!
I've been on a self-pity train for the past week. But whatever. I don't like my job. I feel stuck, and I hate feeling stuck. A monkey (well-trained and literate, mind you!) can do my job. I don't use my brain cells, I don't use my writing abilities, I don't use my education. All was a waste. I'm panicking - I don't want to spend the next 20 years here. I am looking, applying, and nothing is coming up. Nothing. And the more time goes by, the more desperate I feel. I am cursed, with a horrible job-settling curse. I'm a good writer, I'm good at strategizing (is that even a word?), I am creative and learn quickly. I am mothering two children while getting my masters and working, and if that doesn't it show I'm awesome in multi-tasking, then I just don't know... THEN WHY CAN'T I find a job that would appreciate my abilities and put them to good use? And pay me somewhat respectable money?
I am seriously depressed today. Close to tears, actually. I need a hug.

zaiki and co.: And Valentine's day for all...

zaiki and co.: And Valentine's day for all...: Ah, Valentine's Day! I guess nothing promotes the spirit of romantic love more than celebrating a horrible death of a priest who married int...

And Valentine's day for all...

Ah, Valentine's Day! I guess nothing promotes the spirit of romantic love more than celebrating a horrible death of a priest who married inter-faith couples despite Catholic Church's disapproval. This all-encompassing acceptance brings me to the current issue getting steam in the news today: equal rights for all. New Jersey legislators are granting gay people a right that EVERYONE should have. Aren't they just modern day St. Valentines helping the oppressed? I'm actually a little bit ashamed...

Tonight I had a conversation with my Valentine about gay rights. I honestly do not understand why it is such a big deal. Gay/straight/who cares. What we should worry about is our dependance on foreign oil. Or rising taxes. Or disappearing middle class. Or global warming. Do people who oppose the gay marriage honestly think that sexual orientation will matter when the Earth finally gives up and gets rid of us in a fiery ball of death? Oh wait! Actually, they probably do, since it's far Christian right that is indignantly waiving the Bible as their argument against gay marriage. Holla Governor Christie.

Marriage is a piece of paper. But the State made it a powerful one: it gives you rights to keep your property, share insurance coverage, raise your children together, even get foreign citizenship and have the say in each other's medical decisions. So what the anti-gay legislators are saying is that you, as a gay man or a woman, are not fit to have this power. We are not granting it to you because you are different from us (white Christian portly men in suits), and we don't understand you and fear you. Hence we'll withhold one right that will give us equal footing.

Another popular argument raised against equal marriage right is "how would I explain it to my children"? To quote one comedian - it is your problem that you can't talk to your child. And children, mind you, are the most accepting and open-minded part of human population. That is, if we let them to be.  

I know that the issue is far more complex: there are civil unions, domestic partnerships, blah blah. What really does bother me about this the thinking that lies behind the ban, the mere fact this country has to carve out a special niche for some of its citizens, that we can't move past 18th century definition of marriage, that we can't just accept that ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL. And should be judged on their own merit, not who they live with.

I know what will unfortunately happen with NJ's bill: Christie will veto it, his supports will cheerfully howl, clap their leathery wings and clank their hoofs, and we'll be back right where we started.

Happy Valentine's Day everybody!