The Constitutionality of Fairness

I get to talk to a lot of unhappy people at my job. It's often better when the voicemail talks to them, because sometimes it's hard to keep smiling, and not reach through the phone lines and strangle people.

Yesterday, I got a message from a lovely gentleman unhappy with the Colorado Legislature's proposal to offer health care benefits to same-sex partners of state employees. It's a controversial subject, I know. Homophobia is rampant, especially among conservatives. This guy went another step, though. He explained, with citations to the Colorado Constitution, that it was unconstitutional to extend benefits to same-sex partners because in this state, marriage is defined as being between one man and one woman. Sadly, that last part is true. We do define marriage that way. I wanted to say to this man, "sir, that's the whole reason for the bill. It's because we restrict marriage this way that we have to take extra steps to give homosexual citizens the same rights you have. The Colorado Constitution prevents them from getting married, but it does not, thank goodness, also say that they are not entitled to all of the other rights that you are."

Alas, it was just a message, so I couldn't. Well, I couldn't have even if it was a live call. My job is just to listen and smile. And what's saddest? That we do need legislation for this kind of thing, and even worse, that there's a good chance we won't achieve it this time. Will the bigotry ever end?

Sharing the love

Miss MZ has given i like stuff an award! I think it's very awfully nice of her to think that I'm award winning. I'll try to keep up the good work, so I can feel like I earned it.

I'm supposed to return the favor by passing out 5 of these babies myself. Well, here they are:

• I don't think this is the intent of the award, but Miss MZ is just so super that I am re-awarding her. Her blog (well, she has two, but the one most inspiring to me) From This Point. Forward. is a personal, eloquent journey through her battle with the immune-system attacker RA.
• Miss [Dis]Grace. She's responsible for getting me into blogging (for better or for worse), and was/is a great friend and co-adventurer. Her blog, Miss Disgrace, is about the trials and tribulations of raising her fabulously handsomely adorable son.
• She doesn't post much, but my sister has a blog where she shares her terrific insight (on occasion). For someone as young as she, I'm always impressed at her musings. She blogs as Thoughts from an Undecided Undergrad, aka Tuna's Thoughts.
• On to the bloggers I don't know...
• Dooce. She's so popular, I'm not sure she needs my awarding, but I do LOVE her blog about life, and raising her daughter (soon to be two daughters!). She's Heather B. Armstrong, a recovering Mormon in Utah.
• The Daily Coyote. Another uplifting blog, chronicling the life of a rescued coyote named Charlie. The author posts a daily photo, and coyote puppies? Are so cute.

To finish the task, I shall be posting a comment on each of these award-winning blogs (four out of five, I know, have won awards previously, so I'm a little behind the curve, but whateva').

Dear Weather,

It is very nearly May. Please stop snowing now? Snow is for winter. I know that you forgot to snow all winter long, but I promise it isn't necessary to make up for it by snowing profusely all April long. That is all.
Sincerely,
Your Friend Paris

Shop for Mother's Day - Stella & Dot!

Mother's Day, it's a comin'. May 10, in fact. Time to think about getting Mom a present. Or, getting yourself a present, if you are a mom. Mom's deserve all the gifting they can get! Shop now!

Confused Tea Party-ers

I was marveling at the lack of logic in the Tea Parties held last week, and I stumbled across this article. It's worth a read. My favorite is the repeated mention of the number of taxpayer-funded facilities and resources used to put on anti-tax events. It's a bit ironic. Dontcha think?

Help out a great cause!

The MESA (Movement to End Sexual Assault) Canine Classic 5K/10K run/walk is coming up, April 19 at the Boulder Reservoir! Register to participate, or donate to help end violence against women, here. MESA is a non-profit in Boulder, Colorado with a terrific track record of helping women who have been assaulted or abused. It's an extremely worthy cause, and no donation is too small!

More than meets the eye

toothpastefordinner.com

Worst economy in how many years?

I'm about to be unemployed. One month from today, I will leave the lap of luxury (y'know, the $10/hour one where I make less than an unemployment check?), and be without work. It's not for lack of trying. Oh god, there has been trying. I'm applying for anything and everything I can find, but with 150-1400 people competing for single positions, the odds are a teeny bit stacked against me. And many others. The 149-1399 others for each and every job. I'm getting rejection letters like Miley Cyrus must get fan mail. So, knowing that finding "regular" employment ain't gonna happen anytime soon (especially if I talk like that!), I'm striking out on my own. Sort of.

Enter Stella & Dot. It's a direct-sales jewelry line, which means that I'm technically a small-business owner, working for myself, but get some hand-holding (and someone else is responsible for the creative genius part). Stella & Dot is a pretty fabulous jewelry line, one with prices just about anyone can afford. So, I'll be hosting parties and selling online, in the hope that July rent can be paid. We're good on rent till then (thank goodness), but after that, well, you know what happens. Landlords don't like people who don't pay rent.

If you need a little sparkle in your life, some retail therapy, or want to get some friends together and have a party and try on jewels, cruise on over!

Ignorant people shouldn't speak

There is a blogger in Colorado who goes by the catchy title of Rossputin (his name is Ross), and he has spent a good amount of time debating the merits of House Bill 1299, which would enter Colorado into a compact to give our electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, if and when enough states have entered said compact. I'm not here to discuss the merits of the bill, I think there are good arguments on both sides. I'm here to debate Rossputin's intelligence. So much more fun.
I have taken issue with a number of his constitutional arguments on my own time, but this simple inability to navigate the interwebs is my favorite. On his blog, in a posting made yesterday, 4/1, he has this to say:

"Not even 48 hours after my state Representative, Claire Levy, sent me a long explanation of her support for HB1299 which would nearly eliminate the important of small (and small-ish) states like Colorado in Presidential elections, Mrs. Levy has not only deleted that same note from her web site’s home page, but she has deleted the entire “National Popular Vote” page from her site. And she does not mention the issue on her “Current Issues” page."

Well, Rep. Levy's webpage was last updated on Tuesday, 3/31. As of today, there is an ENTIRE page devoted to the issue of the national popular vote and HB 1299. It's titled, "National Popular Vote," which isn't exactly subtle or difficult to find. I think it's the precise page Rossputin is referring to? The one he says isn't there? This page was up when the genius Rossputin wrote his posting about how she's a coward. Way to go, smart guy. Maybe surf the interwebs a tad bit before you go running your not-entirely-literate mouth!