So, all the NC talk made me want to ask a question. I was just in the Triangle area and really liked it. So much so that I've been talking to the GF about the possibility of living there. Would gay girls get bad treatment in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area? Mind you, the only peeps who'd probably really know would be our neighbors as most people don't peg us as gay on sight. Anyway, what are your perceptions?

Mostly I'm a little dejected about the state of my job hunt, and looking for things I can do above and beyond tossing cover letters and resumes into the ether. So I thought I'd look into whether getting an MLS would be a useful career move. And it's looking kinda positive, so apparently I'm not totally dead-ended at 37. Which is reassuring.

Calli, except for the MLS thing, I'm right there with you.

A funny interview with Jeeves:

Since my cat's name is Jeeves, I did quite the double-take when I saw your post.

GC, my experience in living in the Triangle is some years ago. Though I've kept up to some extent.

It's probably as good as you're going to find in NC. Especially if you can afford to live in Chapel Hill/Carrboro. (Note: Carrboro has elected -- and re-elected -- an openly gay male mayor.) However, it's an island in a very hostile sea -- you don't have to venture far out of town before things get very scary.

Hey, be grateful you all live in a country where abortion is legal at all. Telling people you're going on a quick trip to England always gets a raised eyebrow here, regardless.

Divorce hasn't even been legal there for 10 years yet, has it Jars?

There, see.

My doubts about whether I'd stand up to the fire hoses have more to do with abortion-rights related issues. For example, I am for parental notification. I will not support the government removing my right (and responsibility) to parent, and to see to the medical care of my child, because some parents abuse their children, and because when some minors say, "My parents will kill me," what they mean is, "My parents will restrict my freedoms, and will not be happy, and will be disappointed and talk to me, and I am afraid and ashamed."

The above is not an expression of doubt that there are abusive parents. I know there are. And they are out there, whether my right to responsibly parent my child is denied me or not, and they are abusive before the children conceive, not only after. So anyone who wants to deny me my rights, when I am law-abiding and responsible is in for a hell of a fight.

I will not support the government removing my right (and responsibility) to parent, and to see to the medical care of my child, because some parents abuse their children

I completely understand your wanting parental notification (for one thing, it is a medical procedure), but what about the cases where the child's fear of abuse/retribution is founded? Should a claim of "my parents will kill me!" automatically be investigated in those cases? (I'd think that at least examining the kid for signs of abuse would be called for in that case.)

I'm totally against parental notification, which has a lot to do with hearing one of my exes talk about her experience getting an abortion when she was 16.

Ahhh, here comes the rain in downtown. Thunder, lightening...... I dig thunderstorms.