"California officials began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples Monday evening after a state Supreme Court ruling legalizing the ceremonies took effect."

"Weir, 59, and Hemm, 53, have been together 18 years.[Anna's Note: This is much longer than some "actual" men-women marriages. Har har har.] They have long wanted to get married, Hemm said, but he "didn't think it would ever happen."

"George Takei -- who portrayed Mr. Sulu in the "Star Trek" television and film series -- and his partner of 21 years, Brad Altman, also planned to be among the first in line to wed Monday evening.

"We're excited, we're nervous and we're overjoyed," Takei said."

"The march of equality that needs to include everybody equally and fairly is here -- at least in California," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. "But that I recognize that it's not existent in 48 other states means that we have a lot of work to do."

*grrr* "Opponents" anger me. Really, what concrete (and by CONCRETE, I mean, non-religious) reason do they have? Why should we not allow gay marriages? Times have changed - get with it! >.<

Marriage is a legal, civil RIGHT. If you want a religious marriage, then go for it, and congratulations.
But - don't prevent others from authenticating their love for one another. Leave them be.

Quote from Christopher Ott, a reporter for The Progressive:
"...you also have to wonder if he and other opponents to equal rights really understand the consequences of the amendments they support. Do they really want gay and lesbian couples separated at the emergency room door in the event of an accident or illness? Do they really think long-term couples should be denied the right to make medical or end-of-life decisions, which married couples take for granted? Do they really think that kids should be denied health coverage by one parent's health insurance because the law treats them as strangers? Do they really think it's fair for gay and lesbian people to pay the same taxes as everyone else, but to be denied the hundreds of rights, benefits and protections of marriage? Do they really think that a gay and lesbian couple that has been together for 50 years does not deserve the protections that non-gay newlyweds enjoy from day one?"

That said, I'm SUPER, DUPER excited about the Gay Pride Parade in SF.

Side Note: I'm not gay, but I believe in LOVE. I believe that people who LOVE each other deserve the RIGHT to marriage.

1) La Honda Faire and Music Festival
Music in the Redwood Forest
June 14 & 15, 2008
All day event

2) Lucia di Lammermoor Simulcast
Opera at the Ballpark
Fri. June 20, 8 pm
AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco

3) Gay Pride Parade
June 28-29, 2008
Free Love!
http://www.sfpride.org/

How do they do it?
Any ideas?
I notice that she looks "fatter" in the beginning, so she definitely has it underneath...
Hmm... I suppose I could guess.. lol
Cool video, nonetheless:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/06/10/crowley.hillary.women.cnn

still sad that Clinton lost.

I haven't posted any pretty pictures of cars recently... so...

2007 STi Limited...

+
Matching STi Babyseat

=
Super Happy Mommy and Baby...

UPDATE: since no one's playing, i'll top myself:

Regular: $5.21
Plus: $5.33
Premium: $5.45

can anyone top this?
$4.89
$5.01
$5.13

For beginners, I suppose it's important that they get along with your friends and family, share similar interests, challenge your mind and fire up your heart. It's probably also important that they share your religious or world view.

But beyond the basics, a life partner is someone who will be there when everyone else turns away, when things go bad... really, really, really bad. It's someone who will stand by your side through mistakes, lies, hurt, disease, decay, old age. It's someone you can trust, someone who will forgive and understand.

Now, let's say you get really lucky and find someone who satisfies part (A) and part (B). He/she shares your views, gets along with everyone, shares your interests, treats you well, is trustworthy, blah, blah blah. Since the initial conditions are satisfied, you move on to think about the future, about whether it aligns with theirs. Do they want go to where you want to go? Will they move with you? Will they adopt children? How will they raise their children? How do they want to live, how do they expect to live? What are their career goals, and will that work with yours? How will they want to retire?

Then you realize how different you two are.

I suppose that's part of why I jump from one relationship to another - I always get stuck on part (C). At this point in my life, I don't have the luxury to "play around" anymore. I have to think about a future together, a life as one.

Maybe, next time, I should start with part (C) before I even think about parts (A) and (B).

i am really, truly humbled by how much some people love their significant other.

i thought i knew what love was...
but maybe i don't.

i wonder if i can ever love like that......

hmm... i don't know.

maybe it's not really a choice for me to make.

thanks, danny.

Why Not?

i absolutely LOVE whynot.net.  The best way to describe it is that it's a market place of ideas...

"The "marketplace of ideas" belief holds that the truth or the best policy arises out of the competition of widely various ideas in free, transparent public discourse, an important part of liberal democracy."

People can "vote" on whether it's a good idea or not.

i volunteer at the humane society on weekends... and it absolutely saddens me to see the same animals there over and over and over again. the "cute ones" and the puppies get taken away pretty quickly... but the old, the blind, the deaf stay there for a long, long, long, long time. luckily, i volunteer for is a no-kill organization. animals can spend the rest of their lives in those cages if needed be.

i'm starting to realize that i don't want the cute puppy. adorable as they are, i feel no attachment to them. i pass by their cages and continue walking; i don't expect to see them again. they'll find a home quickly.

but whenever i stop at the cage with the dog that has been there for the longest time, my heart leaps out to him. he cannot hear, but responds to my gestures. he licks my hand and wags his tail. he is a kind and gentle soul. i want him, the animal who has been there for the longest time. because it is him, who needs a home the most.

i can't emphasize this enough, but it's SUPER important for people to get their pets from the humane society or animal rescue operations and NOT from irresponsible breeders or pet stores. Puppy mills "produce" these expensive pets like farmers produce cows - efficiently, inhumanely and cruelly. Mama cats and dogs spend their entire lives in small cages and are forced to breed year after year after year. Puppies and kitties are maltreated - packed into tiny, unsanitary cages and do not receive adequate medical care.