December 12, 2015
Crash Course
If you haven't checked it out yet, you probably should. I am definitely enjoying some Crash Course History while grading today. Also, I bought Thing Explainer last night and it is awesome. Note, please pay a bit extra to buy from your local bookstore if you can afford it.
November 15, 2015
Stress
Teaching the 11th grade Life Skills class is a wonderful way to help me stay grounded. I am reminded each year of the simple ways that I can make my life better. During my nutrition unit I try to eat better, during my fitness unit I try to exercise more, and during the unit on stress... well, procrastination is my biggest source of anxiety and I just crossed off one thing on my to do list that is 4 months over due and am feeling much better. I am looking forward to setting a few goals for myself to get the boxes unpacked which is the thing that has been on my "To Do" list the longest (2 years and 11 months).
June 26, 2015
"Marriage" Equality
Note: I edited this down a bit because I felt like it was a bit ramble-y.
If you want to see the majority opinion and the dissent you can download it from this article. The majority opinion and dissent are arduous and I jumped around a bit (okay, a lot) but a decent read. Most of the dissenters simply argue that the Supreme Court didn't have the right to rule and that they were overstepping their power.
The argument against which I have such a hard time with is expressed here in an excerpt from Justice Roberts' dissent:
"The premises supporting this concept of marriage are so fundamental that they rarely require articulation. The human race must procreate to survive. Procreation occurs through sexual relations between a man and a woman.When sexual relations result in the conception of a child,that child’s prospects are generally better if the mother and father stay together rather than going their separate ways. Therefore, for the good of children and society, sexual relations that can lead to procreation should occur only between a man and a woman committed to a lasting bond."
Aside from the legality of same-sex unions, I find this whole discussion of marriage based upon a necessity for procreation baffling. If I had married a man I still would not have wanted biological children. Does this mean that I should not have been able to marry? If an intent and ability to procreate was a prerequisite for marriage I know of many happily married couples who would not have been able to marry including those who don't want kids, were born infertile, became infertile through accident or surgery, who are too old to have kids, etc. There are also people who have no biological children but are helping raise kids through adoption (props to J, B). There are even people who aren't married who feel called to give their lives to help raise kids through foster care (props to A!) I just don't get the whole discussion of marriage based upon procreation. Defining it that way doesn't just take away the reason for same-sex unions but unions for anyone who doesn't want or isn't able to have kids.
New topic, I can honestly say that I signed the paperwork when I did because I was scared that if I waited (so that I could have some time to plan a wedding) there would be some sort of legal shenanigans that would take away my ability to do so. I am relieved that I no longer have to worry about what could happen if we traveled to another state that did not recognize my marriage and my wife or I were hospitalized.
Let's close with a humorous tidbit of Justice Scalia's dissent, I think the first part she is quoting from Kennedy's majority opinion "“The nature of marriage is that,through its enduring bond, two persons together can find other freedoms, such as expression, intimacy, and spirituality.”23 (Really? Who ever thought that intimacy andspirituality [whatever that means] were freedoms? And if intimacy is, one would think Freedom of Intimacy is abridged rather than expanded by marriage. Ask the nearest hippie."
If you want to see the majority opinion and the dissent you can download it from this article. The majority opinion and dissent are arduous and I jumped around a bit (okay, a lot) but a decent read. Most of the dissenters simply argue that the Supreme Court didn't have the right to rule and that they were overstepping their power.
The argument against which I have such a hard time with is expressed here in an excerpt from Justice Roberts' dissent:
"The premises supporting this concept of marriage are so fundamental that they rarely require articulation. The human race must procreate to survive. Procreation occurs through sexual relations between a man and a woman.When sexual relations result in the conception of a child,that child’s prospects are generally better if the mother and father stay together rather than going their separate ways. Therefore, for the good of children and society, sexual relations that can lead to procreation should occur only between a man and a woman committed to a lasting bond."
Aside from the legality of same-sex unions, I find this whole discussion of marriage based upon a necessity for procreation baffling. If I had married a man I still would not have wanted biological children. Does this mean that I should not have been able to marry? If an intent and ability to procreate was a prerequisite for marriage I know of many happily married couples who would not have been able to marry including those who don't want kids, were born infertile, became infertile through accident or surgery, who are too old to have kids, etc. There are also people who have no biological children but are helping raise kids through adoption (props to J, B). There are even people who aren't married who feel called to give their lives to help raise kids through foster care (props to A!) I just don't get the whole discussion of marriage based upon procreation. Defining it that way doesn't just take away the reason for same-sex unions but unions for anyone who doesn't want or isn't able to have kids.
New topic, I can honestly say that I signed the paperwork when I did because I was scared that if I waited (so that I could have some time to plan a wedding) there would be some sort of legal shenanigans that would take away my ability to do so. I am relieved that I no longer have to worry about what could happen if we traveled to another state that did not recognize my marriage and my wife or I were hospitalized.
Let's close with a humorous tidbit of Justice Scalia's dissent, I think the first part she is quoting from Kennedy's majority opinion "“The nature of marriage is that,through its enduring bond, two persons together can find other freedoms, such as expression, intimacy, and spirituality.”23 (Really? Who ever thought that intimacy andspirituality [whatever that means] were freedoms? And if intimacy is, one would think Freedom of Intimacy is abridged rather than expanded by marriage. Ask the nearest hippie."
May 16, 2015
Fresh Start
I have spent the last two weeks settling into a new pattern. After fourteen years I am no longer coaching gymnastics. It was an extremely hard decision to make but I have been amazed at how even breathing seems to feel different now. I feel like I have all the time and space in the world to be good at whatever I am doing. I am extremely grateful that the manager of the gym was very gracious and understanding when I told her that I couldn't work there anymore. Of course, I can't completely leave and am still heading down there once a week to take a class for myself (something I have not been able to do for almost three years now).
This summer I am going to do everything I have been putting off for so long. I have high hopes. The boxes that never got unpacked when I moved to Ukiah, finally organizing the library, filing papers, playing guitar, walking, hiking, camping, a trip to Scotland, and who knows what else.
The "contemporary reading" two weeks ago was about God's design for rest: sabbath, sabbath year, and jubilee. I find it difficult to rest in small portions and am finding that I am long overdue to let this part of my life lie fallow. I hope that some day I can take it up again but for now I am hoping that I can replace some of that time and energy with a restful spiritual practice.
This summer I am going to do everything I have been putting off for so long. I have high hopes. The boxes that never got unpacked when I moved to Ukiah, finally organizing the library, filing papers, playing guitar, walking, hiking, camping, a trip to Scotland, and who knows what else.
The "contemporary reading" two weeks ago was about God's design for rest: sabbath, sabbath year, and jubilee. I find it difficult to rest in small portions and am finding that I am long overdue to let this part of my life lie fallow. I hope that some day I can take it up again but for now I am hoping that I can replace some of that time and energy with a restful spiritual practice.
February 22, 2015
Spring is in the Air
Lettuce and spinach are planted as are some flowers. Hopefully vegetables will be in the ground soon as well. Mint.com is a great way to manage finances. This book may be one of my best recent investments. Walking each day for lent may have been one of my best recent decisions.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)