This weekend I performed my first wedding ceremony. Now, before you ask, no I didn't get ordained as a minister over the internet. Originally I was going to, until the Mrs. explained to me that the Catholic religion doesn't look to kindly on that. Despite this lack of authority though I still conducted the ceremony. This was for two of my closest friends and I hope I lived up to their expectations.
Rae and Issac put the ceremony together, and I must say it was quite beautiful. There were a couple parts that had me choked up during my performance. I was extremely excited to get the opportunity to do this for them and it is something that I will always remember with a huge smile on my face.
So let me just end by saying thank you to Rae and Issac for letting me be a part of their day.
Rae and Issac put the ceremony together, and I must say it was quite beautiful. There were a couple parts that had me choked up during my performance. I was extremely excited to get the opportunity to do this for them and it is something that I will always remember with a huge smile on my face.
So let me just end by saying thank you to Rae and Issac for letting me be a part of their day.
We are going to Las Vegas on Friday. If anyone will be in the area, let me know and we will try to hook up.
Flip-Flopping is a term I hate. Not the footwear, mind you, but the term used in a political arena. Thanks to George W Bush's 2004 election, flip-flopping has now become part of the political vocabulary. Bush's handlers introduced the term as a way to combat John Kerry's changes in political stances, and it worked. Three years later, Kerry is still known in some circles as the great flip-flopper.
For the Republican Party though, Bush's introduction of a "catchy" phrase is now coming back to haunt them. Here is the current crop of flip-floppers, as dubbed by the media and critics:
Rudy Giuliani - In his first losing campaign to become mayor of NY, Giuliani was a strong anti-abortion candidate. After his loss, he went away for 2 weeks and magically became a supporter of abortion rights. In the first Republican debate of 2007, Giuliani pulled a flip-flop in a single answer by laiming to be both pro and ant abortion at the same time. Giuliani claims to personally hate abortion, but has donated money from his own pocket to planned parenthood centers.
John McCain - McCain was once the champion of small government and was very strongly anti-tax cuts to the wealthy. In an effort to court the Republican base that had long avoided him though, McCain now has come out in favor of just these kind of specific tax cuts. In addition, McCain once referred to religious right leaders like Jerry Falwell as evil and corruptive but now sings their praises.
Mitt Romney - Romney (as Gov of Mass) claimed that he would be more pro-gay than Ted Kennedy, supported pro-abortion legislation, and appointed two very-liberal judges to the Mass Supreme Court. Now, he is an anti-gay rights/marriage, anti-abortion, anti politically-inclined judges "conservative" candidate. All this in the span of just a couple years. On a more humorous note, Romney also claims to be a lifelong hunter despite having never registered for a single hunting permit in any of the four states he has lived.
As much as I hate the term Flip-Flopping, I have a feeling that Republicans are going to hate it more by the end of this election season.
For the Republican Party though, Bush's introduction of a "catchy" phrase is now coming back to haunt them. Here is the current crop of flip-floppers, as dubbed by the media and critics:
Rudy Giuliani - In his first losing campaign to become mayor of NY, Giuliani was a strong anti-abortion candidate. After his loss, he went away for 2 weeks and magically became a supporter of abortion rights. In the first Republican debate of 2007, Giuliani pulled a flip-flop in a single answer by laiming to be both pro and ant abortion at the same time. Giuliani claims to personally hate abortion, but has donated money from his own pocket to planned parenthood centers.
John McCain - McCain was once the champion of small government and was very strongly anti-tax cuts to the wealthy. In an effort to court the Republican base that had long avoided him though, McCain now has come out in favor of just these kind of specific tax cuts. In addition, McCain once referred to religious right leaders like Jerry Falwell as evil and corruptive but now sings their praises.
Mitt Romney - Romney (as Gov of Mass) claimed that he would be more pro-gay than Ted Kennedy, supported pro-abortion legislation, and appointed two very-liberal judges to the Mass Supreme Court. Now, he is an anti-gay rights/marriage, anti-abortion, anti politically-inclined judges "conservative" candidate. All this in the span of just a couple years. On a more humorous note, Romney also claims to be a lifelong hunter despite having never registered for a single hunting permit in any of the four states he has lived.
As much as I hate the term Flip-Flopping, I have a feeling that Republicans are going to hate it more by the end of this election season.
As you may or may not know, I will be speaking at this year's Take Back the Night Rally and March at Kansas State University. Let me start by saying that it has been a long time since I had to speak in public. I do not have stage fright. Not any more. In high school, I signed up for Debate to rid myself of that terror, and it worked. The problem is high school was a decade ago. I am just a little out of practice. My nervousness comes, not from speaking in front of a couple hundred of people, but from the worry that I will seem rusty or unprepared. In short, I need to write this speach soon so I can practice it a few hundred times.
If you are curious, the subject of my speach will be the role in men in relation to Take Back the Night. I want to discuss the perception that men are being excluded from the event and the mindset that men should be able to participate in the march itself. Now I just have to organize my thoughts into something that makes sense.
If you are curious, the subject of my speach will be the role in men in relation to Take Back the Night. I want to discuss the perception that men are being excluded from the event and the mindset that men should be able to participate in the march itself. Now I just have to organize my thoughts into something that makes sense.
I just finished making coffee. I am trying a new flavor today, called Pumpkin Paradise. Of course the whole time I am grinding the beans all I can do is sing Amish Paradise. I think that is a sign that it is going to be a strange day.
I am up way too early in the morning.
I woke up to the sound of a cat puking at 6 AM. I tried to go back to sleep. Each time I was almost there, I here the puking sound again. He did it three times this morning. Each time, I had to run into the living room and move him off of the carpet.
What a great way to begin today.
I woke up to the sound of a cat puking at 6 AM. I tried to go back to sleep. Each time I was almost there, I here the puking sound again. He did it three times this morning. Each time, I had to run into the living room and move him off of the carpet.
What a great way to begin today.
I should be writing a paper on the French Foreign Legion right now, but I am really bored with it and am trying to take my mind off of it.
Let's see, what is going on with me right now. This is the week of the English Cultural Studies conference at KSU. It kicks off Wednesday night with a performance by El Vez (the Mexican Elvis) and is followed by three days of panels discussing different aspects of the entertainment industry and popular culture. It is always a great time and there are some pretty out-there papers presented. This year, the topics will range from homosexuality within the X-Men, the politics of Harry Potter, the iPod generation of student, and the Masters of Horror series. I can't wait. Plus, there is a drink-fest Friday night for the conference that is always an absolute bender of a time.
I have to right a speech. I will be speaking at the Take Back the Night rally in April. For those who don't know, TBTN is a rally and march designed to combat violence against women, operating on the idea of having one night where women do not have to feel afraid and powerless after dark. I will be speaking on the the responsibilities of men and what their role is at TBTN. It has been a LONG time since I had to deliver a formal speech. I'm sure everything will be fine, but I am already a little nervous.
Oh well, I must get back to the paper now. That is enough wasting time.
Let's see, what is going on with me right now. This is the week of the English Cultural Studies conference at KSU. It kicks off Wednesday night with a performance by El Vez (the Mexican Elvis) and is followed by three days of panels discussing different aspects of the entertainment industry and popular culture. It is always a great time and there are some pretty out-there papers presented. This year, the topics will range from homosexuality within the X-Men, the politics of Harry Potter, the iPod generation of student, and the Masters of Horror series. I can't wait. Plus, there is a drink-fest Friday night for the conference that is always an absolute bender of a time.
I have to right a speech. I will be speaking at the Take Back the Night rally in April. For those who don't know, TBTN is a rally and march designed to combat violence against women, operating on the idea of having one night where women do not have to feel afraid and powerless after dark. I will be speaking on the the responsibilities of men and what their role is at TBTN. It has been a LONG time since I had to deliver a formal speech. I'm sure everything will be fine, but I am already a little nervous.
Oh well, I must get back to the paper now. That is enough wasting time.
Just wanted to let everyone know that I am finally feeling better. This was the longest cold I have had in a very long time. At least that is over now.
