It seems like yesterday that my friends and I rampaged the rough suburbia residential streets of the Silicon Valley yanking out the “YES ON PROP 22″ signs from people’s lawns and then making quick getaways. It wasn’t much, (and I’m pretty sure it was illegal) but it was the one of the only things that we as 17 year-old (read: unable to vote) high school seniors and the founding class of the GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) felt we could do. — Looking back, I’m sure we could have done more productive things — but I have to say, it sure helped us let out some steam.
Anyhow, as you guys have probably heard, the amendments made by Prop 22 in the 2000 elections to the California constitution have been overturned… Meaning the ban on same-sex marriage is, for now, gone.
I was on the road yesterday when I found out I (embarrassingly) actually cried tears of joy. Perhaps because I’m on my way to getting married myself, it makes the victory even more poignant to me.
I’m so happy that all the people I have met and known along the way can get married and be able to feel the way I do. It’s amazing being engaged to the man I love, and I know it’s going to be even more wonderful spending the rest of our lives together as a family.
I know would feel like I was losing something if my marriage vows were called a “domestic partnership”… Even if I knew everything was exactly the same. The connotations hold different weights. (For example, making love, having sex and f***ing could all be talking about the same thing, the same event, but you can’t tell me that they evoke the same feeling).
Separate is not equal… and I don’t think separate can be equal. Not for colored people who wanted to use a restroom or ride at the front of a bus…It wasn’t for women who wanted to vote… and it isn’t for gay people who want to get married.
“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red,
and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference
with His arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The
fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the
races to mix.”
How different and unforgiving would our world would be if that ruling hadn’t been overturned by the US Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
Concluding
I know that it’s going to be a hard road to keep the California Supreme Court’s ruling in place. There are a lot of dissenters, and a new amendment to counteract this overruling will almost certainly be on the ballot in November. I’m not as worried this year, though, and I probably won’t be pulling signs off people’s front lawn any time soon…
The difference this time around? I can vote…which (I think, anyway) makes a much larger difference.
April 25, 2008 at 5:29 pm · Filed under Rigamarole
For every year since 1999, I’ve participated somehow in the March of Dimes walk (formerly WalkAmerica, now March for Babies). This year, I’ll be walking at this event to raise money for the prevention of birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.
This event means a lot to me not just because I’ve been participating
for so long (9th year, baby!), but because I was a premature baby as
well. Go babies!!
Help me in my cause by sponsoring me as a walker! In past years I’ve collected dimes and dollar bills — every bit counts, so don’t be shy to even just donate a dollar or two.
March 27, 2008 at 9:16 am · Filed under Rigamarole
Yesterday, Craftzine posted a blog for Oh, Fransson’s Vintage Pillowcase Lunch Box tutorial, and the second I saw it, I knew I had to make it. It was gorgeous!!! I don’t need a lunch box, but I recently bought a camera, and have been looking for a tutorial for a camera bag. This wasn’t a camera bag, but since it’s a lunch box, it had instructions for padding on the inside, too! Perfect.
I’m planning to make a whole bunch more, since it whipped up so quick (about two hours in between commercial breaks while watching American Idol and Top Chef). So easy, and it takes about 1/2 a yard of fabric only for the outside, so I can buy really nice expensive ones and not feel guilty!
Next time, I’m going to lengthen the handles [currently you can only hold them in your hand, I like to be able to sling bags over my shoulder], and probably add a pocket to the lining.
Lining. The lining was kind of a mess [I made it slightly too large, so it buckles] but this was my first time quilting fabric, so I was pretty proud of that.
I bought this TO DIE FORRR fabric yesterday on impulse at Joann’s, so I’m totally going to be making a bag out of this fabric. ITS SO FRICKIN CUTE [but expensive $8.99 a yard!]
February 27, 2008 at 10:19 am · Filed under Rigamarole
As ya’ll know, I love tokidoki stuff.. But I’ve never been able to bring myself to buy their jewelry, even though I think it’s way adorable! I’m just not a huge fan of spending money on costume jewelry.
Anyhow, that didn’t stop me from taking a hand at making my own tokidoki jewlery out of shrinkydink!!  If I do say so myself, they came out pretty darn cute!
Total cost: about $5.00
Materials: ink-jet shrinkydink, metal chain, metal hoops, clasps, bits of ribbon
Tools: Pliers, scissors, printer, adobe photoshop, google
Time: about 2 hours
Charm bracelet
Ribbon bracelet
View two
Ribbon bracelet 2
Necklace
Lariat
=] I can’t wait to find a situation in which i can wear these!!
February 11, 2008 at 10:23 am · Filed under Rigamarole
In order to reduce the cost of the wedding, I’ve decided to make and arrange all the flowers for my wedding [with help, ofcourse!] … Anyhow, by calculations, in order to make 660[how much origami paper I bought] flowers, I need ato make about 3 a day until the wedding. So far in 4 days since I started, I’ve been able to make 150! Yay~
Additionally, I’ve begun prototyping ideas for flower arrangements for the wedding, starting with the bridesmaids flowers! Let me know what you think.
February 8, 2008 at 10:21 am · Filed under Rigamarole
I swear this is the last of it… =] I just felt like showing off some more. Also, once again, damn this camera phone! Wow. Apparently, I’ve spent over $1500 on tokidoki stuff. Amazing.
All my purses + wallet together in their glory. Wow! They take up a lot of space!
Here’s the one that was signed by the person who created tokidoki!
Postcard signed by Simone
My giant poster
Here’s me modeling one of my shirts — all over print [couldn’t find a picture of it online~]
February 7, 2008 at 10:22 am · Filed under Rigamarole
Now that tokidoki and LeSportsac have ended their long and awesome run… I thought it was fair time for me to share with you guys my tokidoki for LeSportsac collection…. I’ll take a picture of everything eventually, but for now I’ll just use images I was able to find online…
Spring 2006
Ciao Ciao in original tokidoki print.
Summer 2006
Bambino in Playground print
Fall 2006
Denaro in Fumo
Winter 2006
Bambinone in Paradiso print
Winter 2006
Canguro in Inferno print
Spring 2007
Gioco in Pirata print
Late Spring 2007
Mamma Mia in Amore
Late Spring 2007
Stellina in Amore
Fall 2007
Dulce in Tutti
Fall 2007
Buon Viaggio in Transportato
Winter 2007
Bambinone in Vacanze
(shown, bambino in vacanze, but close enough! I couldn’t find baminone in this pattern :()
What a great run… I’m kind of bummed that I don’t have anything from the Summer 2007 season, though! I totally thought that Amore was a part of that season, but apparently they were separate! :(T
February 6, 2008 at 10:22 am · Filed under Rigamarole
Excuse the bad quality of my recent line of pictures, since my camera’s broken, all I have access to is my cell phone camera.
Anyhow, here’s a picture of part of my desk at work. :)Â These guys make my day brighter every day.
Left to right [back row]:Â Â
Painted christmas munny from Secret Santa 2007 from Allen
My first munny
A crocheted goomba from Brent
Ichigo munny from Eric
Pullip doll
Alarm clock [brookstone] with eyes on it from Stephanie
Left to right [front row]:
Giant Robo
2 felt kitties from a swap,
Tortellino [red cactus pup w/ soccer ball toy]
Malandrino [grey cactus pup w/ skull toy]
Bastardino [large green cactus pup]
Timidina [pink cactus pup w/ monkey toy]
Ciotolina [khaki cactus pup w/ water bowl toy]
Things I’ve bought to add to my collection, but keep forgetting to bring to work:
Moofia toy
Blythe doll
$8.99 a yard!]
