Yes I realize I haven't posted in a while.

Monday was a fine day of relaxing and trying to recover from my weekend which involved a night at a concert where I caused my husband's friend to say, "You know, I've known you for five years and I've never seen you drunk, until tonight."

And it was true, I "let loose" as the kids (may or may not say). When we arrived home (via a sober designated driver) I chatted with the babysitter which is the adult version of talking to your parents while pretending like you haven't been drinking.

We had a nice conversation most of which I don't remember. And in the morning I couldn't recall if I had paid her as I pretended to be a not a little more than tipsy responsible adult. That was a fun phone call. "Hi, Emma? Uhm...Not that I had more than a responsible amount of alcohol or anything. Actually I have amnesia, it comes and goes. Who is this?!" 

Tuesday was the election and so the kids had no school. I was okay with this as long as Maine kept their gay marriage laws intact. But no....the kids stayed home for nothing. I mean aside from preventing a crazy person walking unfettered into the school to vote and making a detour to shoot innocent kids. 

On Wednesday I spent a greater portion of the day than I'd like to admit talking to myself (and Twitter) about what utter bull shit it is to deny adults the right to marry who they love.

I stated it nicely.

"I have very little patience for people who think they are entitled to anything they justify denying others."

And I was also a bit prickly, which probably horrified the moms from school who have unknowingly "friended" me on Facebook not realizing what a crap shoot that is. 

"Clearly my love has more value because I like a penis in my vagina. Hold on a minute...why can't we let gay people get married again?"

People get a little shy around words like Penis and Vagina. Unfortunately that forces me to say those words more.

I also tried to do a Did They Eat It on Thursday. And, because I get overwhelmed by reading more than 10 sentences in a row, apparently. I failed to notice the part where the chili simmers for 2 hours. Did They Eat It: Middle Of The Night Edition. Logan and I ate the chili at 10 o clock, like we did with the stupid potatoes from last week and oh my it was good. But seriously I have to pull my head out of my ass at some point.

And Now it's Friday and, OH MY GOD we almost didn't have any plans! You guys, Logan and I would have just been SITTING AROUND doing NOTHING! Logan mentioned, "Hey, we have nothing on the calendar this weekend, how did that happen?" And I said, "Wow, that sounds nice. We should get a movie to watch or something."

And now we're having a bunch of families over for pizza. I hope everyone wants to snuggle on the sofa in front of the fire.

Comments

[Tracy]

Oh, gawd, the gay marriage thing. Why is it a big deal? I truly don't get it. So it's not in the Bible. Guess what - this country is a democracy, not a theocracy.

[BethanyWD]

Your friends in Washington State confirmed our version of "everything but marriage" laws:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010212278_webref7106m.html

[Tina]

Don't even get me started on the gay marriage deal....I live in a RED state, it's brutal being a blue gal. I'm laughing though because not having weekend plans sounds good, and then I feel the need to make plans because we have no plans...you know like "hey, we have no plans, why don't we finish the basement?" or "we don't have anything going on tonight, want to see what the Smiths are doing for dinner?" Personally, I think it's to make the time pass faster until I put the tot to bed...but that's just me being honest. And I agree with people's discomfort of the use of "penis" and "vagina" My 2 year old's daycare teacher asked me one day when he was about 22 months to teach him another word because he kept saying "boys have a penis and girls have a vulva". I was really confused about what words she prefer to teach him....
P.S. I just recently stumbled onto your blog and greatly enjoy it!

[tuesy]

haha! My husband flat out refuses to talk to our teenage babysitters after he's been drinking. He hides in the kitchen. Not that the sitter wouldn't think that was bizarre behaviour either...

[kate]

I'm so shocked and disappointed in Maine. But as the person above said, my state (Washington) did, by the hair on our chinny chin chins, pass "everything but marriage" law. Woohoo!

Really, gay marriage is a Civil Right, and needs to be handled as such: at the Federal level.

Hope you have a great weekend on the couch. Sounds lovely.

[cookingmel]

You weren't at the Fillmore Detroit were you? We caught the show there Monday night and it was AWESOME! :o)

[Caroline]

<-- really sad, disappointed Mainer here. :(

[Jordan @ Salt Sweat Sugar]

I'm a lesbian blogger and I live in Florida... and obviously our state voted against gay marriage as well. Ours wasn't even a close vote. Bah.

Two of my closest friends are a lesbian couple who are at the stage in their relationship when straight people would be getting engaged/married without a second thought. They got engaged, despite their opposing families, thankfully. However, can you imagine telling a group of conservative relatives that you're engaged to your lesbian lover? Most of their family responsed with "Engaged to do what?" or some similar atrocity. Fuckers.

Clay County [the next county over from mine] had a whopping 100% vote AGAINST the amendment. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT! And we're supposed to be one of the swing vote states. Hrumph.

[madge]

It's been a re-he-he-lly rough week in Maine for the 47% of us who were devastated by Tuesday's shameful outcome. Since I live the most liberal area of the state, it's like the whole city has it's period.

Also, am so guilty of trying to act sober for the sitter. Talk about shame....

[CanadaSteph]

Not to harp on baked potatoes but here goes. I tried that "wrap them in foil and put them in the slow cooker on low for the day" thing. Jesus Mary and Joseph my life has changed! No work - perfectly cooked through ready side dish! My 7 year old son told me they were the best darn potatoes ever!! I guess the butter and sour cream helped too! So thanks for having this website and getting these tips because as a working mom getting a good dinner on the table quickly sucks wahoola. And you know what I'm talking about.

[Erin]

Hee, I'm making chili tonight. Actually, it's already made. I chopped a goddamn onion at sevenfuckingthirty this morning so the chili could cook (and drive me crazy cooking) in the slow-cooker all day.

My recipe only simmers for 45 minutes but that 45 minute wait drives my husband crazy because HE CAN SMELL IT.

I did that "acting sober for the babysitter" trick on Wednesday, except the babysitter was my mother-in-law so I didn't have to worry about paying her. Did you know that if you don't drink for an entire year, one margarita at Chili's makes you slur and walk crooked? Good times.

[mythoughtsonthat]

You know, when I come here to read, I almost always end up laughing. Thanks for that. Peace.

[Steph]

I feel about gay marriage like I do about abortion. If you don't like it, don't do it.

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

I too am disapointed in people's inability to open up to gay marriage. And I'm sorry you won't be snuggling on the couch. The pizza does sound good however.

BTW... it's pretty entertaining to read through your comments. It goes from gay rights oppinions to chili and potatoes back to gay rights. It was fun to read.

[Nancy]

I am proud to be a Canadian, where it's been legal for gays and lesbians to marry since 2003.

[Woman with Kids]

So damned upset with my state (Maine). Seriously. We pass the law to expand legal pot usage, but not to allow people to get married. Brilliant.

[Amy]

Maybe if we can get some of the bigots here in Maine to smoke that legal dope they'll lighten up and not try to decide who other people should marry.

[CAC]

I practically pee in my pants when I read your blog.

[Sasha]

Yay for my state, WA, we passed our gay partnership law! And if I was your FB friend I'd be all over the like button for your status updates.

[Courtney]

Why is school closed on election day?

[Melissa Summers]

It's a polling place. The district is concerned about so many unknown people roaming around the school while it's in session.

Sent from my iPhone with fat fingers on tiny keys.

[Medusa]

Ahem... You could have gone back to Traverse City this weekend. What happened to all the pretty leaves in your pictures? All I see is brown sticks with a cloudy background.

[jer]

Yean, what is up with Maine and all thta! They need to be more like Iowa, and dont even get me started about California!!!

[Amanda]

Oh these people really need to get over a little harmless penis on penis action. Or vagina on vagina action.

I'm sick of it. And for the record I have a vagina and love a good penis.

[Justsayin]

I don't suppose you will post this but...

Can't it be called something other than marriage if the gay community would like to legally engage in a union?

Also, the abortion comment was IMO horrible.

[Justsayin]

I don't suppose you will post this but...

Can't it be called something other than marriage if the gay community would like to legally engage in a union?

Also, the abortion comment was IMO horrible.

[nicool]

oh, come on. What would you call it other than marriage? It's a union between 2 people. I don't understand why some straight people think their relationship is more important or more worthy than a gay relationship! It's so unfortunate that people aren't more open minded--Love is Love. "If you don't have love, you don't have shit." Amen.

[Justsayin]

Marriage has a traditional definition to many people. Will you "marry me", marriage vows,etc.

Select new verbage or just different, because let's face it, gay and lesbian couples are NOT the norm and by no means is their union traditional.

Folks go head first into brick walls instead of learning to scale them with finesse.

Leave tradition alone. I for one would not talk to my child about same sex couples as being married. Before you react, it is my choice what I teach in my home, just like it is their choice to do whatever thrills them in the bedroom.

Melissa, do you teach your children acceptace or tolerance on this issue? There is a huge difference. You cannot tell me that as a parent you haven't pictured your daughter married to a man someday?

[Melissa Summers]

I teach acceptance and tolerance. I refer to gay couples as married, I tell them how foolish it is that gays and lesbians can't be legally married in so many states.

Because I see nothing wrong with it. Nothing wrong with being gay, nothing wrong with wanting to marry someone you love.

I also tell them that it was only 1967 when interracial marriage was legalized. I tell them I believe one day it will be legal for our gay and lesbian friends to be married, it's just taking time for people to realize they are being hateful by denying anyone this right.

You are approaching this from a religious point of view and any religion that can't accept other human beings is intolerable to me.

Still no one is telling your religion to marry gays and lesbians. I wasn't married in a church and simply because I prefer to have sex and live my life with a man, I am not somehow more entitled to my union than another human being in love.

Certainly I think my kids will most likely grow up to be straight. And if they don't? I only fear them having to deal with people who feel they are less entitled to the life they choose, people who will treat them as abnormal, people who will tell them they aren't worthy of something as simple as marrying the person they choose to share their life with.

That makes me furious.

Sent from my iPhone with fat fingers on tiny keys.

[Kate]

See, what you need to do is always get roped into being the Designated Date Night Driver, like me. That way you return home still enunciating perfectly, even able to take your heels off without holding onto the wall. Of course, this means that your better half is left to banging into the coatrack, mistaking $10 bills for twenties, and finally waking up the kid. The important thing is that your reputation as Boring Suburbanite Mom Who Doesn't Remember How to Have Fun remains intact in the babysitter's mind.

God, I hate my life.

[Justsayin]

Melissa, I am absolutely not relgious and you mistakenly assumed I was or was approaching the gay marriage issue from a relgious standpoint.

Please don't be so narrow minded yourself. You totally assumed wrong. I can and l have an opinion on gay marriage without a religious argument. It is too easy to blame relgion for gay marriage legistation defeats. In reality our country is far much more comfortable with tradition than you and some of your readers.
Wouldn't it makes sense that your readers generally feel and think the same way as you? Why else would they be here. I stumbled onto this site and decided to post a comment. My views are very different from yours on a lot of issues, but that doesn't mean I can't read/post does it?

[Justsayin]

Melissa, I am absolutely not relgious and you mistakenly assumed I was or was approaching the gay marriage issue from a relgious standpoint.

Please don't be so narrow minded yourself. You totally assumed wrong. I can and l have an opinion on gay marriage without a religious argument. It is too easy to blame relgion for gay marriage legistation defeats. In reality our country is far much more comfortable with tradition than you and some of your readers.
Wouldn't it makes sense that your readers generally feel and think the same way as you? Why else would they be here. I stumbled onto this site and decided to post a comment. My views are very different from yours on a lot of issues, but that doesn't mean I can't read/post does it?

[Melissa Summers]

I didn't tell you not to read or comment. You've refrained from attacking anyone and I appreciate that.

Tradition is not a reason to deny people rights you enjoy yourself.

Your email address begins with the words GodSeed. You'll have to excuse my religion assumption.

Someday gay marriage will be legal and our kids (or our kid's kids) will look back at this issue with shock, wondering how we ever justified such discrimination.

Sent from my iPhone with fat fingers on tiny keys.

[Swistle]

The gay marriage issue is so astounding to me, I am re-shocked every time I find out that someone else opposes it. And then I am shocked yet again when they want tolerance and respect for their hateful, discriminatory point of view. And then I am shocked yet again when they consider it non-hateful and non-discriminatory.

I posted on the subject a week or so ago and just about blew a gasket over some of the comments, and the impossibility of arguing with them.

[Tricia]

Just found your blog, and read your "about" and discovered that you got called out for worrying your toddler may grow up to be gay. And, my 5 year old son recently told me he was going to marry his friend, a boy, and I've been wondering ever since what is the best way to raise a son who may or may not be gay and totally wringing my hands over it.

Anyway, "in some states, maybe" shouldn't be the answer to a 5 year old's question, "Can I marry my best friend?"

[Lurker]

Sending you good thoughts.