Proposals at 1:39 PM

I've been proposed to three times, four if you count the drunk friend on Congress Ave. For the record, I'm 22 years old. I guess when you can't get legally married, a proposal seems like the thing to do... The first time however was probably the most traumatic for me. Great way to describe a proposal huh? Traumatic.

I was trying to go to sleep, totally exhausted. Was almost gone when my boyfriend at the time asked if I was awake. Always seemed like a stupid question to me. "Are you awake?" "No, I talk in my sleep." He kind of hesitates; "Can I ask you a question?" Without even thinking, I responded in my typical sarcastic way, "As long as you don't ask me to marry you, yeah what is it?" There's a pause. (Oh Fuck) Then he tells me not to look in the nightstand drawer, where he hid the ring. I calmly get up, walk to the bathroom, lock the door, and proceed to have what I only can describe as a slight panic attack on the tile floor. WTF! Who proposes after six months? The relationship quickly went downhill after that. It's kind of hard to keep up a relationship when you know the other person is constantly tinkering with a ring in their pocket.

I think about that night every time I hear about one of my old classmates getting hitched a few month after they change their relationship status to "in a relationship". Can we all just slow down a little, take some time, deal with these things with some levelheadedness? I have a few friends who did it the right way. Dated, got to know each other, didn't treat marriage as a trap to ensure someone never leaves you. Marriage is all fine and dandy, but really shouldn't be the "I'm bored, let's get married" alternative to dating.

Wall Space at 2:26 PM

I've ran out of wall space for my paintings. I either need to start selling some of them or repaint the older ones. I don't see the purpose behind painting something that nobody is going to see or enjoy. A lot of people ask for paintings from me, but I don't think they realize the time, effort, or money that goes into each one. Especially if I'm going to give the painting to someone, I don't want to just whip one out. If the canvas is going to be hanging in someone's home or space I want it to be good work that means something to me. I have a canvas sitting on my coffee table that I doodled on with paint, but nowhere to put it up. Something must go.

Pets vs. Children at 2:05 PM

Most of my friends know that I don't really care for children. They are loud, messy, and for the most part not very useful to anyone. I know, "not my children, not every child, blah blah". The other day at work thought I found myself standing up for the temporary little people, not to be confused with the permanently little people that get handicap parking spaces and their own shows on the Discovery channel. One of my coworkers was talking about her child and how they keep getting into the Christmas ornaments, how the little girl has broken a lot of the glass ones on the bottom of the tree (a bad place to put glass ornaments if you ask me) and one of the supervisors made the remark that his puppy does the same thing, "He's still a puppy so he gets into a lot of stuff he shouldn't too." This struck me as an odd connection, but after thinking about it, a connection that seems to appear often.

Maybe it is an attempt to make a connection to parents. Single people don't have kids most of the time, but rather they fill that space with pets. They personify their pets and treat them as their children. I'm really not that bothered by this; if I could have a dog I would in a heartbeat and would probably treat him as my child. The problem is when they start comparing their animal to other people's children. Your cat will not grow up to drive, go to college, and generally be a productive member of society. You do not need to worry that your dog will fall into the wrong crowd. No your pet goldfish with his friendly personality and dashing good looks isn't falling behind in class or going through "a stage". I know they may feel like your child, but really they aren't exactly on the same level.

If I had a kid and someone compared them to their Great Dane I think I would nicely smile at them and nod my head as I thought "What the F#$#% are you talking about. At no time did my partner and I worry that our child had hookworms or flick them on their nose for begging at the table." I'm trying real hard to give pet owners some leeway here. But really I think people just put up with them out of consideration and a need to appear nicer than their thoughts really are. Do we really want children to be compared to animals, more than they already are?

Marriage at 11:34 AM

I have a problem with gays and lesbian couples who refer to their partner as their wife or husband. You aren't. Sorry. If you went to some state or country an made it all legal, that's a different story. But if you just decided that you two have been together long enough to take that title, your wrong. You can't even get a common law marriage. I'll put up with "partner", "life partner", and even "spouse.". Marriage requires legal documentation and recognition from some type of government. And no, marriage of the heart doesn't count either.

When you use the term husband, your ignoring the fact that you can't actually get married. Your saying it doesn't matter what the government says, you aren't going to bother with that pesky step. Maybe your thinking, your being some kind of activist or pointing out how your partnership is just as valid as a marriage. It's not. You don't get the same rights, responsibilities, and respect. Don't get me wrong, I wish we could get married, but by ignoring the fact you aren't your ignoring the importance of fighting for that right.

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