For those who like such things, a class in pyrotechnics ... basically, setting things on fire and blowing them up. Quote from the professor's assistant, "When samples don't ignite as quickly as he'd like, he gets out the blowtorch."

Or Jilli or Cass? Or me?

YES! Bev is the best. She'll let me play with fire and stuff.

talking about the promotee telling his children someday about how he was off in Iraq defending America from the people who crashed two planes into two towers.

This is just massively upsetting to me.

How can that be right? I mean, it's clearly not right, but how can that be the law? Argh.

As are the idiotic hops that Glam and DW are being forced to jump through just to legally make their family a ... family.

edit: hoOps, not hops. Being forced to jump through hops makes no sense at ALL either though.

We're having a big fuss in DC over same sex marriage - there's a bill before the council and a massive group of people opposed. Many of them were organized (back when the initial proposal to recognize same sex marriages from other states was brought up) by churches from outside DC. There is also a group of clergy from a whole range of denominations that is in support of marriage equality. Gave me a little glow when they had a clip of their first meeting on TV and there, big as life and charasmatic as all get-out, was the rector of my church.

I think a lot of people don't realize that any number of US churches were performing gay marriages well before any US states or cities were even discussing it.

What a bunch of crappy, ugly things Seska, GC & her DW, and Stephanie are being confronted with today. I'm sorry. I wish I had more than words for each of you.

GC, I wonder if there is anyone associated with the GLBT community that can help, pro bono or otherwise, with the asinine adventure that you and DW have to go through. And I'm on the line with everyone else of "pissed off". I remember a co-worker in CA, when she got married, telling me the list of things that her marriage doesn't legally cover. I forget how long it was, and all the things on it. But it helped me understand that in this day and age, marriage is *really* just a legal contract that allows you rights and access to each others things and lives. Banks. Hospital stuff. Children. Inheritance. Nothing to do with love or religion. And the fact that a het marriage gets all that with the swoop of a pen, and a same-gender marriage has to jump through a MILLION hoops and fork out a ton of cash, is just wrong!

ION- long detailed e-mail of "why playing the same sound cues in rehearsal as was played last year in Christmas Carol will not sound the same", was responded from my boss with "good e-mail. Clearly written." Why yes, I do love it when I'm told I do a good job. Especially when brain is still fuzzy from weeks of OMGWTF hours.

But it helped me understand that in this day and age, marriage is *really* just a legal contract that allows you rights and access to each others things and lives. Banks. Hospital stuff. Children. Inheritance. Nothing to do with love or religion. And the fact that a het marriage gets all that with the swoop of a pen, and a same-gender marriage has to jump through a MILLION hoops and fork out a ton of cash, is just wrong!

I, personally, don't care what the hell they call it, I just want the ability to have the same rights in my next relationship whether it is with a man or a woman as I had in my het ex-marriage.

It doesn't seem like it should be so complicated... I get that it is, but it shouldn't be.

And for all the people who say that allowing two people of the same sex to marry would devalue the institution of marriage, how about all the people you hear about (admittedly, mostly celebrities) who marry, divorce, and remarry? and the infidelity that seems to be so common? How could allowing two men or two women who've been together for years to make it formal be any worse for marriage than what we're seeing?

GC, I wonder if there is anyone associated with the GLBT community that can help, pro bono or otherwise, with the asinine adventure that you and DW have to go through.

I'd be tempted to fight it. Its challenges to that sort of inconsistency (coupled with the grandfathered gay couples BUT NO MORE! "legal" status) that is going to get that rediculousness overturned.

However, it's not just Gloom and DW they need to worry about now! Baby person is coming! And it might not be in his best interest to fight that battle right now...

How could allowing two men or two women who've been together for years to make it formal be any worse for marriage than what we're seeing?

Seriously. My failed marriage devalued the institution far more than either of my two gay uncles' relationships (each of more than fifteen years, so far) did.

I am pissed beyond belief at the way our society craps all over parenthood. Two days of maternity leave? That's an insult. And GC's wife having to PAY MONEY to legally be the parent to her own child? I am there for whatever beat down is necessary. And I also vote.

Java said what I was coming to the end to say. What a bullshit situation, GC.

My failed marriage devalued the institution far more than either of my two gay uncles' relationships (each of more than fifteen years, so far) did.

I'm also with Cass. My marriage lasted 7 years, at the same time I know at least 10 same sex couples who have been together 20+ years.

The fact is though, the health of the institution cannot be diminished by those who enter and then leave it. It thrives on good unions where two healthy (and/or compatible) people reside. Marriage doesn't need unhappy people staying together. THAT devalues it.

::ahem, pardon the peeve::