You never know how big someone's yard is until you have to dig a neat and orderly trench across it.
NORMAN'S YARD IS LONG.
I have spent the majority of the past two days cutting squares of grass, removing them, and digging knee deep into the dirt. Today, the plumbing and electrical pipes were laid. And then we filled the damn hole back up. Ugh.
But we did it.
And as a reward? Tonight we went golfing! And I are girl who are getting much better at golf.
Also, I just watched the BBC version of "Little Dorrit".
8 HOURS LONG.
That is all.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Moving Backwards
Let me tell you a little story.
When I was 17, I graduated high school.
When I was barely 21, I learned my second language.
When I was barely 22, I learned my third.
By my 25th birthday, I had traveled to: Czech Republic, Italy, Armenia, Mexico, Thailand, and all sorts of small western towns.
I have had a job or occupation since I was 16 years old. With almost no breaks.
I'm moving backwards, people.
I now live in a place called the Sunshine Coast (seriously. It's a real place.), and I sleep as late as I want. I help out around the house, but basically am an unemployed sloth of a human.
And you know what? I'm happy. I always thought some external form of validation is what has kept me sane. People thinking I'm good at something, finishing tasks, etc. And I do plenty of that here (Dishwasher? LOADED!) Turns out, I just need to feel free to be happy. Before, that consisted of supporting myself so I could do the things I wanted. Now, it means doing 2 hours of yard work and thinking "I'm such a hard worker" and then going sailing. Or golfing. Or swimming.
Yeah. My life is really, really hard.
Also, I will post sailing pictures soon.
Monday, April 1, 2013
On Perspective
So. As many of you know, I have been living out of the country since october of last year. I spent the first 3 months in the Dominican Republic, and the next 3 in Gibsons, British Columbia. It has been amazing - I have learned so much about myself, and what I believe, and what I value and want for the rest of my life. I finally figured out what "living the dream" means for me (read: being able to change your dream whenever you want).
Now; living out of the country has had some distinct advantages, especially in regards to politics and the way the rest of the world views America.
And to them, most of us look like this:
Or this:
And the longer I have been out of the country, the more I understand why.
Now, this is not a post about how America is the worst, or how I wish I weren't one. But all growing up, I thought I lived in the best country in the world. The country that offers the freedoms craved by many and offered by few. That here, "radicals" of our age can find solace, just as the "radicals" of 1776 found it.
I was under the understanding that we treasured the tenets on which our government was founded - that "men have certain unalienable rights".
And that those are "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".
That we believed that "all men are created equal".
I even thought that we still believed those things.
And since I've been out of the country, I've seen certain issues raise pertinent and pressing questions regarding the freedoms offered and principles threatened in our country. The main two?
Marriage equality and gun control.
Now, my opinions on those issues should become clear as I point out a few things; however, the purpose of this post isn't to weigh in as other folk have been doing. (Not because I think that's bad, just because.... that's not my purpose here.)
You know, having freedom of religion in 1776 was extremely radical and heretical. Maybe even as radical and heretical as letting people have other kinds of freedoms. I'm sure plenty of common, ordinary, everyday people were just as shocked and outraged at the idea of it as the state heads that were preventing it in Western Europe. But we still fought for it. Because we believe that people have a god-given, unalienable right to pursue liberty and happiness. In that time, it was religious freedom and not having to house dirty soldiers for free. Today, it is something different. But all the same - why are we fighting the progress that our forefathers died for?
Now, the logic applied above may indicate that one of the major things we treasure is our right to bear arms.
Now, here is where those two are different.
The Declaration of Independence was a document declaring, you guessed it!, independence from what the colonial dwellers deemed a tyrannical government. It is based on the idea that we (Americans) are a capable, free people and we weren't going to pay those damn taxes anymore. (Funny how it always comes down to taxes, huh?)
Then, after the war was over, the constitution was drafted. After it was finished, people were so butt-hurt about certain grievances that the Bill of Rights was added. Things like not having to quarter soldiers and not being subject to unreasonable searches and seizures. These were SPECIFIC things relevant to the events of the day that were added to protect the then paranoid and traumatized citizens.
So when people start discussions like this:
I find the idea of protecting the paranoia of our past bizarre and completely illegitimate.
So, I have a solution. Instead of fighting certain issues, why don't we take a look at the 10th amendment to the constitution and really re-evalute if we are living in the country our forefathers wanted to create, or if something basic and elementary changed along the way.
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
There is is, people. We have created these problems by letting the media focus our attentions on specific issues instead of the broad, overarching dilemma that we are facing as a country.
So instead of voicing opinions on whether marriage equality should be permitted, or whether or not the gun laws need to change, why don't we instead voice our opinions on whether or not we want the federal government to have the power to decide those things for us?
Just and idea.
Now; living out of the country has had some distinct advantages, especially in regards to politics and the way the rest of the world views America.
And to them, most of us look like this:
 |
| This man, unfortunately, is pretty typical. |
 |
| Don't take my bacon donuts! |
Now, this is not a post about how America is the worst, or how I wish I weren't one. But all growing up, I thought I lived in the best country in the world. The country that offers the freedoms craved by many and offered by few. That here, "radicals" of our age can find solace, just as the "radicals" of 1776 found it.
I was under the understanding that we treasured the tenets on which our government was founded - that "men have certain unalienable rights".
And that those are "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".
That we believed that "all men are created equal".
I even thought that we still believed those things.
And since I've been out of the country, I've seen certain issues raise pertinent and pressing questions regarding the freedoms offered and principles threatened in our country. The main two?
Marriage equality and gun control.
Now, my opinions on those issues should become clear as I point out a few things; however, the purpose of this post isn't to weigh in as other folk have been doing. (Not because I think that's bad, just because.... that's not my purpose here.)
You know, having freedom of religion in 1776 was extremely radical and heretical. Maybe even as radical and heretical as letting people have other kinds of freedoms. I'm sure plenty of common, ordinary, everyday people were just as shocked and outraged at the idea of it as the state heads that were preventing it in Western Europe. But we still fought for it. Because we believe that people have a god-given, unalienable right to pursue liberty and happiness. In that time, it was religious freedom and not having to house dirty soldiers for free. Today, it is something different. But all the same - why are we fighting the progress that our forefathers died for?
Now, the logic applied above may indicate that one of the major things we treasure is our right to bear arms.
 |
| No, not like that, silly Larry! |
The Declaration of Independence was a document declaring, you guessed it!, independence from what the colonial dwellers deemed a tyrannical government. It is based on the idea that we (Americans) are a capable, free people and we weren't going to pay those damn taxes anymore. (Funny how it always comes down to taxes, huh?)
Then, after the war was over, the constitution was drafted. After it was finished, people were so butt-hurt about certain grievances that the Bill of Rights was added. Things like not having to quarter soldiers and not being subject to unreasonable searches and seizures. These were SPECIFIC things relevant to the events of the day that were added to protect the then paranoid and traumatized citizens.
So when people start discussions like this:
I find the idea of protecting the paranoia of our past bizarre and completely illegitimate.
So, I have a solution. Instead of fighting certain issues, why don't we take a look at the 10th amendment to the constitution and really re-evalute if we are living in the country our forefathers wanted to create, or if something basic and elementary changed along the way.
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
There is is, people. We have created these problems by letting the media focus our attentions on specific issues instead of the broad, overarching dilemma that we are facing as a country.
So instead of voicing opinions on whether marriage equality should be permitted, or whether or not the gun laws need to change, why don't we instead voice our opinions on whether or not we want the federal government to have the power to decide those things for us?
Just and idea.
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