Reading & Writing

Not a long one tonight.  I'd rather be reading than writing.  One of the things I neglected to take into account when I began writing regularly is that it eats into my reading time.  With a forty-five minute drive to and from work, the gym, our kitchen renovation, the dogs...well, as I'm sure you're all acutely aware due to the circumstances of your own lives (listen to how optimistic that sounds - lives - like there might be multiple people reading this) - there are only so many hours in the day.

I'm currently in the middle of about six different books.  Some of them I may not be in the middle of anymore.  What is the statute of limitations on "being in the middle" of a book?  At what point does it move into the "books I never finished" column?  Is that moment liquid depending on your optimism?

At any rate, I'm currently in the middle of Jon Krakauer's book, Where Men Win Glory.  I literally can not put it down and I'm eager to get back to it before I fall asleep tonight.

So, quickly...

The Washington Post brings us an article by Dennis W. Wiley and Robert M. Hardies.  They point out that the marriage equality debate has largely been portrayed as a "God vs. gay" and "black vs. white" debate.  Indeed, it does seem that the protectors of injustice are largely driven by their slavish, almost obsessive devotion to particular interpretations of certain passages of the Bible.  They have been given license to frame the debate.  Because news is not about news.  It's about money.  And these hateful, hurtful, bigoted, backwards people with the Bible in one hand and hate in the other attract viewers, which attracts advertisers, which attracts money.  They seem to be the people who get trotted out for "debate" on the issue.  But where are the Dennis Wileys and Robert Hardies?  They, with their important message, get sidelined.  They have written a thoughtful article that should be read.

Gerald Posner at The Daily Beast lead points out heroin abuse among our troops and its devastating repurcussions both abroad and back at home.

Ceara Sturgis, a high school senior and out lesbian, decided to take her senior class photo in a tux instead of the more traditional wrap.  Because of this, her school district has decided not to run her photo in the yearbook.  She currently has a Facebook fan page.  Join it.  I don't know what good it will do, but I know that it won't do any harm. 

The battle in Maine over marriage equality is going strong.  Click here to learn more about the fight and how you can easily donate to help protect equality in Maine.

And finally, Jack Price, a gay man who's brutal, savage beating was captured on film last week, speaks to the press for the first time since his attack. 

On that note, I'm going to snuggle up in between my hopefully soon-to-be husband (come on New Jersey, it's time!) and one of my puppies.  I'm going to breathe deeply, slow down and appreciate.  Then I'm going to open my book and attempt to read more than two pages before I fall asleep.

More tomorrow.