WINTER TIME

what is up? I am off work all day today and getting paid. ahh yeah! SNOW ICE SLEET etc... we had a winter storm come through last night here in okc. Only in Oklahoma do you have a high one day of 75 and then the next below freezing. and its an actual storm as in the rain turns to ice and snow and sleet while the thunder and lightening remain. a real mess on the streets today so all the schools are closed. what sucks is that I DON'T get paid for missing my night job. that always sucks missing 4.75 hours from the paycheck. anyway, needless to say I'm getting a LOT done at my house today. I have unpacked all my luggage from last weeks trip and put everything somewhere, also all the clothes put away or in a laundry basket. I guess laundry is next. I also got out this aluminum Christmas tree i bought on clearance last spring from West Elm. If you go in for decorating up you place at christmas I definitely recomend checking out that website in Jan, then again in Feb, and again in March etc.. you get the picture.

I am also listening to a lot of CD's today and hope to eventually burn some CD's today to include with Christmas cards. most of my friends and family would never listen to some of the stuff I do but they always love my mix cds. I also want to send some stuff to the troops this year if I can get my butt into gear and do it. There is a website I've used before called anysoldier.com where you can send basic samll gift packages to soldiers, and I like to include sports and health magazines and mixed CD's although prolly the younger soldiers prefer more rap and hard rock to all my eclectic stuff, somebody randomly will enjoy it. I had my students write a few thank you letters a few years ago etc...

Did anyone catch the ridiculous non-news about Kelly Rippa and Clay Aiken about how she didn't like him joking on air and putting his hand on her mouth, she had said "I don't know where that hand has been, honey". and the next day Rosie Odonnel on the View said it was a homophobic comment, and the Kelly called in live and told her what a stupid statement that was and she was NOT homophobic just a germophobe in general. well its all on youtube if you even care. I jsut thought I'd comment to say I agree that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard that saying I don't know where that heand's been is homophobic. WAY too defensive, Rosie, sorry.

But it made me think how a lot of people walk around with a chip on their shoulder and are sensitive to the slightest thing, and this includes some gay guys I know--- for example if you mention marriage, suddenly it's a debate on gay marriage, or bring up sports and suddenly it's about who would be hot or not in bed. NOT EVERYONE, I'm just saying I know some guys that seem to need to have every conversation mention something about them being gay.

I know I have a chip on my shoulder when it comes to anyone getting cut down or insulted. I want to stick up for anyone different in any way when I hear any sort of ridicule or exclusion taking place. I know the defense comes from myslef as a kid and the fear I had of being different than everyone else. I grew up a pretty happy-go-lucky kid, and sometimes I (half-jokingly) wonder if I was lied to in some of the children television programs when I was told to be "free to be me, you or me" ,or Mr. Rogers saying "I like you just the way you are", I mean you can say it -- but maybe my mom and Mr. Rogers are the only ones that really mean it. One thing I like as a teacher and as an adult is the confidence to voice my opinion immediately without the fear of someone thinking I'm gay just because I'm defending someone or idea or right. I know in college I was more afraid of being assumed gay if I spoke up on any gay issue. Now I feel like I can usually say what the heck I want to and why should anyone assume I'm gay or not. Hopefully someone will question whether I am a Christian or not first by what I speak, and the sexuality thing, well none of their business anyway. I guess you can probably imagine that in a Christian crowd of friends and family, I have opportunity to question others why they believe this or that. For example not assuming everything one political party is doing is the for-sure Christian or anti-Christian way. People want to blindly follow an opinion or view without researching why they believe/agree or not THEMSELVES. I think the most confusion among Christians is trying to make the Law a Christian law. That's the old testament. the past. That's trying to take the easy way out, trying to make the law keep everyone accountable to living a "Christian" life, when really they should be setting an example of love to non-Christians and encouraging one another so that by example others can also believe in Christianity if they are led to do so. In which case they hold themselves and each other(Christians only) accountable according to God's word. I suppose it's hard to draw a clear line. After all we do need basic moral law, but then where does right and wrong come from for most people it must begin from some religious belief...

I found this interesting post at Lettrist.blogspot about how a newcomer to the "bible belt" of Oklahoma who thinks Christianity is sort of forced upon everyone. It's true what he says about downtown, for this whole month two of the skyscrapers will have crosses on every side of the building at night, made by certain office windows left on to form a cross. I sort of like that during Christmas time, obviously, and it's the right of the owners of those buildings to do so. ( I couldn't have been more moved in fact when they were turned on every night after the OKC bombing, seeing them in April was just out of sorts and reflected what the city was feeling) I hope people don't think it's completely an anti-gay place, I consider OKC more of just a place with a very religious history and culture, and it IS changing. I would harldy call it much of a bible belt now with the laws passed by Governor Henry legalizing all the casinos. (I think we are also one of the fattest states, the most smokers, and the most divorces) The anti-gay views are too easily connected to people's faith, when really most Christains are ok with ALL KINDS of sin, only the gay issues seem to really bother them. Just consider how much sinful sex was taking place on Cheers, Friends, and Seinfield on tv for years. People loved those shows but were so quick to show contempt for any gay tv show. stupid. I wish that most people can see the over-all friendliness of people here in OKC not just the judgemental political views , those views are everywhere really.