Just one word: Plastics

Grapes:  The Natural
Snack

Anyone who knows me even a little bit will know that I have a certain fondness for mermaids, but what he or she might not understand is that this interest goes far beyond seashell bikini tops and "mermaid hair."  As denizens of the briny deep, mermaids are concerned about protecting our world's waters.  Shifting the conversation into reality, many of the human women who embrace mermaid culture also espouse causes such as conservation, recycling, et cetera.

Bottled Water, aka
The Scourge of Carpathia

Everything is connected.  Our actions on land have a profound impact upon the health of the water.  The waste that we generate pollutes the life-giving essence, the bloodstream if you will, of the world - and if we do not make some serious changes, I don't know what the quality of life will be like for future generations.

Of course, this conversation could go in dozens, hundreds, thousands or more different directions.  Should developing nations be allowed to generate the pollution that those of us in the West did during the Industrial Revolution?  Is global warming a natural occurrence, or is it a man-made phenomenon?  Does love for the Earth, for nature, equate to worshiping a false idol, to misdirecting the love that should be devoted solely to God?  If we set aside resources for the protection of animals, how will humans make a living and contribute to the economy?  These are just four questions, and while I have firmly held beliefs on them, I couldn't possibly have the answers to the countless others.

Soda Pop

What I do know is this:  the engine of American commerce is made - at least in large part - from plastic.  Throughout this post are some photos that I took while grocery shopping at a Super Target on the afternoon of October 11, 2013.  My intent is not to besmirch the character of Super Target or of the many fine product manufacturers whose goods are shown in the photos.  We are not farmers, ranchers, vintners, soapmakers, et cetera.  We all need to eat and to keep ourselves clean, and this is how we do it - by buying products that come in plastic packaging.  As you can see (as you already knew), even the produce - the fruit of the Earth - is wrapped in plastic!

Yogurt

One of my best friends recently took a second job in a water-bottling plant.  He is a highly educated husband, father, and respected member of his community.  I respect him for all that he continues to achieve and for the sacrifices that he is willing to make in order to provide for his family; nevertheless, when I read of his new job, my first thoughts were not exactly complimentary.  Please note that I mention it here as a statement of fact, not as some pathetic passive-aggressive attempt to comment on my friend's job.  It is the industry with which I take issue, not finally with him.  In fact, I used to purchase bottled water myself, and long after *I* stopped (having been influenced by the aforementioned mermaids), my mother continued to do so.  I am proud to say that she has not purchased any for probably two years now, opting instead to fill and refrigerate a (plastic) milk carton with filtered water.  It is a "win" in my eyes.

Cottage Cheese and
Other Dairy Products

Yogurt used to be one of my favorite foods, but because of my concerns regarding its packaging, I have neither purchased nor correspondingly eaten any for at least two years.  This means that I have no idea what all of the fuss is over that new Greek yogurt all of the kids are talking about these days.  I feel like a parent in the 1950's who does not understand rock and roll or a person today who does not know what a hashtag is.  #YogurtCulturallyIlliterate 

If I have "cottage cheese thighs," it is not from eating cottage cheese, yet another dietary victim to my concerns over the packaging.  It seems quite unfair to me that foods that are generally considered to be "good for me (and you)" are in harmful packaging, whereas the "food" served at many fast-food restaurants comes with easily recyclable wrappers.  Fast food is also considerably cheaper than healthy food.  While this is certainly not a revelation, it is an indignity, and it is leading to people - including myself - being simultaneously both improperly nourished and overweight.

Various Laundry Aids

I could always go the "save the container" route and rival my late grandmother's Cool Whip tub collection, but that seems irresponsible to me, as though I would somehow be making rationales for poor decisions.  It occurred to me last year to see if a local grade school would want some containers to sprout bean seeds for science class, but my guess is that I can go through enough yogurt cups to supply them for several school years.

It's not just food that comes in plastic packaging, of course.  We all like to have clean, fresh-smelling clothes, but washing them in the river or hanging them among the pines are simply not options for most of us.  Detergent, fabric softener, boosting agents, antiperspirants, and the like often come in plastic packages.  People make judgments based upon appearances and smells, and this is one facet of society with which I am overjoyed to conform, at least insofar as it applies to myself.

While the problems of one man don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, I am one of over seven billion people, and we are taking a toll on our planet, and it can be invisible to us in many ways.  As far as when more people become aware of the problem, who can say?  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon - and for the rest of our lives, this is probably just going to get worse and worse.  If you don't believe me, take a look at this picture of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is now estimated to be approximately the size of the great state of Texas.

One Small Section of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Image obtained from http://www.greenpeace.org/... and shared without permission
No Copyright Infringement Intended

So, therein lies the problem, and I don't know what the solution is.  There are only so many foods I am going to be able to remove from my diet.  My friend needs to provide a comfortable lifestyle for his family.  We are not going to go to a society where laundering becomes a luxury instead of a necessity.  It is so easy to identify problems, but when it comes to providing solutions, that is another story altogether.

What do you do to conserve resources?  Have you removed foods from your diet or otherwise made adjustments to your lifestyle to accommodate your concerns for the environment?  Do you have any suggestions for me as to how I can become a conscientious consumer while at the same time enjoying simple foods such as yogurt and cottage cheese?

Please share your comments below.

Renaissance Man

Gates of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Going to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival has been a lifelong favorite pastime for me.  I can remember going as a young "playtron" when I was about ten years old or so, dressed as Robin Hood.  Throughout the years since, I have gone with family, friends, and by myself.  Saturday (09/28/2013) was an instance in which I went alone.

King Henry and Queen Elizabeth

From an early age, I learned about the added fun of getting to the Festival before the gates even open.  Given the distance from my home (approximately fifty miles) and the early-for-a-Saturday start time (9:00 AM), it is a true test of resolve to get there early - and it is often a hard sell when arranging to go with others - but it always worth it for me.  There is always a bit of theater that takes place at that time, with the pretense that some machination will result in the gates being opened early.  The exchange between the patrons and the performers consists of some good-natured ribbing, as well as the occasional double entendre.

When people ask me what I like about the Festival, it is not necessarily the artisans and their various wares, many of the stage shows, or most of the food.  What then could possibly be the draw, you ask?  I enjoy certain specific entertainers, such as the belly dancers and the acrobats, as well as the royal court.  My biggest source of enjoyment, however, are the mythological creatures - Bitto Behavin (a gnome), Ivy the Faun, Tia the Dryad, and several others, but most of all, Twig the Fairy and the new-in-2012 Mermaid Cove.

Due to rain, I was unable to take as many photos as I normally would, but here are a few highlights:

With Twig the Fairy.  She is autographing her book
"Twig the Fairy and the Goblin Masquerade"

With Mermaid Ambrosia

With Nadira Cuddlefish
I love the play on "cuddlefish."

With Zelah, Queen of the Mermaids

Zelah is actually a friend of mine from the entertainment community, and I was extremely excited to see her as the Queen of the Mermaids.  She even gave me a "kiss," which consisted of applying glitter to my nose.

All of the mermaid tails were made by a company called Finfolk Productions, operated by twin sisters, and I had the distinct pleasure of talking with one of them.

I also want to give special recognition to a woman named Kathleen Johnson, aka Mistress Kathleen, who is a hammered dulcimer player.  I have a dear friend named Cindy who also plays the hammered dulcimer, and came to know her through the Facebook mermaid community via her Mermaid Morrigan fan page.  Although Cindy and I have never met in person, we have talked on the phone a few times, and we have exchanged messages frequently.  She and her husband, Pirate Sam, are wonderful people.  By connecting with Ms Johnson, I feel as though I am also somehow connecting with Cindy on some level.

Upon leaving the Festival, I updated Facebook with a status that began "A rainy, windy, and cold day at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is better than staying at home any day of the week, and twice on Saturday."  It truly is one of the highlights of my entire year.

Do you have a festival, fair, or other event that you have been attending for years, even decades?  Have you ever gone under another persona, such as when I went as Robin Hood?  Have you had the opportunity to become friendly with people who remember you, in spite of the fact that you see each other once a year, and you each see hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the interim?  Please share your experiences in the comments below.  I would love to read them!

Dial "M" for Matthew

As I mentioned in my blog entry dated 09/01/2013, I recently started working at a hotel.  The other night, I received a telephone call from a woman who was staying at another hotel, and as she was not happy with her then-current accommodations, she wanted to know if we had room available for the following two nights.

Amanda Seyfried in the March 2012 Issue of Glamour
Photo by Ellen von Unwerth, Dress by Versace
Image obtained from http://www.glamour.com....
No Copyright Infringement Intended

There was, as they say, no room at the inn.  That's the end of the story.  Thanks for reading!

Or perhaps not....  Here's where the story takes two turns that I think might seem odd to most other people, hence my reason for sharing it with you today.

Had we had the room, this would have gone much differently, but as we did not, I asked her if she had communicated her concerns to the staff at the hotel where she was staying.  It has been my experience that people fester in frustration and then complain at check-out or even later, whether by phone or by an unfavorable online review, and that in almost all of those cases, we could have accommodated their concerns quite easily had they just let us know.  I wanted this woman to give our competitor the same opportunities that I wish my own guests had given me.  Unfortunately, she said that she was just too upset with them to talk to them at the time, and that she also didn't want to say anything until she secured other lodging for the next two nights.

I provided the woman the telephone numbers to some other local hotels, and she was extremely appreciative.  Again, one might think that the story ends there, but... not so fast!

Image obtained from http://annechaconas.com/....
No Copyright Infringement Intended

Then I called the competing hotel and spoke with the individual working at the front desk there. That's right.  I gave a professional rival a courtesy call, outlining the situation - and I said that I would expect the same from her.  As the hour had grown quite late, we agreed that it would be inappropriate for her to initiate engagement with the guest at that time, but that forewarned was forearmed.  (Eight-armed is an octopus, but that's another story altogether.)

Here's the thing:  a corollary to the expression "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" might be "I can't fix it if I don't know it's broken."  I firmly believe that, just as it is the responsibility of a service provider to exceed expectations, it is the consumer's duty to point out shortcomings calmly, professionally, and at the point of service - when corrective action can be taken.  Waiting only exacerbates the matter, not only for oneself, but also potentially for others.  

Would you have given your competitor a friendly "heads up," or would you have just gone about your own business?  Have you ever done something like what I described above?  How do you handle things when you are dissatisfied?  Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.

They Got a Big Theater They Call a Burley-Que

Over the course of the last few months, I have had the opportunity to attend a number of burlesque productions throughout the Twin Cities, as well as nearby Rochester.  Within the next two months, I also have plans to got to both Saint Cloud and Duluth.

Here are some posters from just a few of the shows that I have seen:

Burlesque and Dance (Now known as the Nudie Nubie Show - An Amateur Reveal)

06/15/2013

Town House Bar

https://www.facebook.com/RedCarpetBurlesqueProductions

The Midnight Muse - Rochester, Minnesota

06/22/2013

Wicked Moose Bar and Grill

https://www.facebook.com/MidnightMuseBurlesqueRochesterMN

Dr. Farrago's Burlesque Theatre

08/02/2013

Ground Zero Nightclub

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Farragos-Burlesque-Theatre/120539761324517

Flier Design by Johnny M Farrago
Cartoons by Timmah Pacello

Baking, Bowling, Burlesque!

08/09/2013

Memory Lanes & Flashback Cafe

Bippy's Burlesque-o-Rama!

08/14/2013

Camp Bar

https://www.facebook.com/bippys

The Playful Peacock Showgirl Academy Presents: The Hot Hot Show!

08/17/2013

The Ritz Theater

https://www.facebook.com/playfulpeacock

Black Hearts Burlesque Presents We're All Going to Hell

08/23/2013

Hell's Kitchen-Minneapolis

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Hearts-Burlesque/151174308285058

Twin Cities Top Drawer Burlesque Exposition

08/23/2013 and 08/24/2013 (three shows)

The Historic Mounds Theatre

https://www.facebook.com/TopDrawerBurlesqueExposition

Designed by Musette the Mistress of Mischief

Bawdy Blue:  A Burlesque Revue

08/29/2013

honey mpls

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bawdy-Blue-A-Burlesque-Revue/134374633263126

Design by Mia Malone-Jennings

Le Cirque Rouge, Cabaret & Burlesque Show 10th Anniversary Celebration!

09/06/2013 & 09/07/2013 (two shows)

Amsterdam Bar and Hall

https://www.facebook.com/lecirquerougecabaretandburlesque

Designed by Adam Zaske

Going to so many shows has afforded me the pleasure of acquainting myself with both the performers and their significant others, and many of us are on quite a friendly basis.  I have seen a wide variety of acts, including singing, tap dancing, belly dancing, fan dancing, aerial acts, magic/ sleight of hand, et cetera.  One young woman performed a classic can-can routine and had to cut herself out of her corset when could not get it to unbuckle!  In another instance, there was an act wherein one young woman played the glockenspiel while her sister played the accordion and sang "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)."  From their costumes to their instruments to the song selection, there was absolutely nothing about it that said "Yeah, I can see how they came up with that," yet it all came together magically.

Some acts are quite innocent in nature, while others skew toward the risque.  A particularly favorite style of act is when the performer takes a beloved song such as Beauty and the Beast's "Be Our Guest" or Mary Poppins' "Spoonful of Sugar" and turns it on its head.

In closing, this month marks my third year of attending burlesque shows.  It all started with an article in a local tabloid newspaper, The City Pages, and my life has not been the same since.

Have you ever developed a new interest by chance?  Please tell me about it in the comments below. 

Happy Labor Day!

"I didn't know you were planning a comeback."

It has been a few months since I have shared anything on this blog.  Most of the computers to which I have convenient access are technological dinosaurs, but I will just have to make the best of things, and a new purchase (see below) may help to alleviate some of those issues for me.

In the past few months, I have started a new job at a local hotel,

Lobby of the Fontainbleau Miami Beach Hotel
http://www.fontainebleau.com/
Obtained from http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/....
No Copyright Infringement Intended

bought a new telephone (a purchase that was long overdue),

A Telephone Switchboard
Obtained from http://www.inetsouth.com/pbx.shtml
No Copyright Infringement Intended

and attended more burlesque shows than any two men rightly should.

Moulin Rouge (1952)
Obtained from http://www.toutlecine.com/images/....
No Copyright Infringement Intended

My new schedule is from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM Sunday through Thursday, so life has been pretty much turned upside down, but I enjoy the job, so it's worth it.  One of my biggest fears, however, is being thrown into a 120-period of darkness when Winter comes.  As the days will grow ever-shorter, I will be asleep during the few hours of daylight.  I will, of course, have the sunny dispositions of my guests to keep me buoyed.

I am looking forward to coordinating my blog, Tumblr, Twitter, and other social media accounts with the assistance of my new smart phone, and as Norma Desmond of 1950's Sunset Boulevard, I shall not be making a "comeback."  I hate that word... It's a return.

Hoping that all has been well with you, gentle reader.  Looking forward to sharing more with you soon.

Matthew Morse

09/01/2013

Annoying Malware!

Just as I can only assume to be true of most of the people who will read this, the device that I use to access the internet, i.e., the world, depends upon my location and time of day - mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, what have you.

Somehow, one of the computers that I have been using on a regular basis has been infected with the Money Pak Scam malware.

Money Pak Scam Malware
http://malwaretips.com/blogs/green-dot-moneypak-virus/
No Copyright Infringement Intended

This is proving to be a difficult program to remove, but both my brother-in-law and I are working on the problem.

In the meantime, this is seriously cutting into my internet access.  Thank you for your patience while I get things squared away.

The Loss of the Greatest Generation

National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
http://www.wwiimemorial.com/....
Photo by Richard Lato

It was with great sadness that I learned that my Mom's neighbor Tony died this afternoon, less than seven weeks since another one went on to achieve his own reward in Heaven.  Let's take them in reverse order....

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

Here is an edited combination of two of my Facebook status updates from February 7^th and 8^th:

Bob lived across the hall from my Mom for the last couple of years. It used to be the case that I would participate in a card game with my Mom and her neighbors, but was not really a constructive way to spend time with her, as a few of them began to make *everything* increasingly unpleasant.  I have not made much secret of the fact that my Mom's neighbors can be quite challenging. Some of them have represented to me the embodiments of unreasonable viewpoints, the devastation of memory, profound loneliness marked by the need to talk constantly - everything I dread becoming.

Seal of the United States Navy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy
Public Domain

Not Bob though. He was a terrific story teller and was very funny.  A World War II veteran of the United States Navy, Bob was the consummate gentleman, funny, and a sharp dresser - everything one hopes to be - and although he was 88 years old, he never particularly struck me as an "old man."

The last year was tough on Bob, but he maintained his spirits, and he never took people down by discussing his condition in graphic detail.

I learned on Wednesday (February 6, 2013) that Bob passed away. He shall be greatly missed by many people.

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

Tony lived just down the hall from my Mom with his wife of over sixty  years, Marlene.  In spite of that, I didn't get to know him as well as Bob, but I liked and respected him based upon our limited interactions and whatever stories my Mom shared.  She has been helping to clean their apartment once a week for several years, giving her the opportunity to know both of them very well.

Seal of the United States Army
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army
Public Domain

I, on the other hand, would run into Tony occasionally as he traveled the length of the hallway from his apartment to the mailboxes.  He was always cheerful and would ask me how I was doing, and no matter what my personal situation was, I would always greet him cordially and  tell him that everything was fine.  Similar to Bob, Tony was always well-dressed and charming, and I liked him because something about him reminded me of my own Uncle Bruce, and at the age of 94, he too defied the stereotypical "old man," apart from his walker.  As we chatted briefly in the hallway, Tony would tell me to say "Hi" to my Mom (which I often forgot to do), and that would be the end of it.  

Just as I wrote about in in my entry dated December 7, 2012, however, I have learned that there was much more to this man that met the eye.

Tony was a veteran of the campaign in Italy serving as a captain in the US Army, 88th Infantry Division "Fighting Blue Devils."  In addition to being a husband, he was a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.  

Marlene went out to lunch today with their son Mike, and when the two of them returned, they found Tony in his chair, having passed away peacefully.  Since he had not been sick, this came as a complete surprise.  Sure, he was 94, but he seemed perfectly healthy.  My Mom is torn apart and Marlene is understandably in shock.  I am going to miss seeing him in the hallway and wish that I had gotten to know him better.

Flag of the United States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States
Public Domain

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

My Mom has other neighbors who were World War II veterans, but a few of them strike me as "crotchety."  The reality, of course, is that they are widowers with a variety of physical ailments, and the world that they helped to create is leaving them in the dust.  As sad as that is, it is difficult to get past all of those filters, and even then, discussions can be littered with comments reeking of sexism, racism, and other ills that make me bristle.  Weighing the value of the non-renewable resource versus some of the complications that come with them is a real mental balancing act.

Do you know members of  the Greatest Generation?  Have you taken time to get to know them, have their personal styles been off-putting to you, or have they not "let you in"?  Please share your comments below.

Brief Update

Executive Recruiter
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/10/11/....
No Copyright Infringement Intended

Much of my time is spent volunteering and networking, with the goal of ultimately finding a paying position that best fits my skill set.  My  true talents lie within the administration of payroll and benefits, accounts payable, accounts receivable, scheduling,  and bookkeeping tasks - my mind is designed to work at its best within the structure that numbers provide.

I spoke with a recruiter on Friday (03/22/2013) about a position  that would utilize my experience, but was ultimately offered another, one that had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with my strengths.

Both Goodreads and BrainyQuote attribute the following quote to the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551 - 479 BC):

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

Let me be honest with you:  this does not seem to me as though it will fall into the "love" category, but I want to give it a shot.  In fact, my exact response was "I would like to have the opportunity to fail, so that I can turn it into the opportunity to succeed."  We'll see what happens.

Have you ever taken on a responsibility knowing that it played more to your weaknesses than to  your strengths?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Schedule Changes, Computer Problems, and Bears! Oh My!

It was my intent to have a blog entry for every day in March, but the last several days have been crazy.  Even though this entry is dated March 22, I am writing on March 27, and in those intervening days, I have lived and developed  several ideas, including commentary about a dramatic schedule change; an alleged Department of Justice warning, or in other words, a virus, that has completely infected one of the several computers that I use; tying myself  up in knots over the unknown; the passing of two World War II veterans whom I had the privilege to meet; and a few more.

Thank you for your readership.  I will be back soon!

Please Stand By
http://www.ivygateblog.com/2011/10/stay-tuned-and-write-for-us/
No Copyright Infringement Intended

Sheer Plandemonium

President Abraham Lincoln, "The Great Emancipator"
Daguerreotype Taken November 8, 1863
Alexander Gardner (1821 - 1882)
Library of Congress Digital File cph.3a53289
http://www.britannica.com/bps/media-view/112498/1/0/0

Although a conspiracy plot ultimately carried out by John Wilkes Booth prematurely and tragically ended the life of one of our nation's greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln led a life and left a legacy that have secured him virtual immortality.  His measures ensured that our country would be restored after the bitter and divisive Civil War.  With his Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln extended the promise of freedom to over three million slaves and forged the path toward the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution, outlawing slavery in the United States altogether.

As such, Lincoln is known as "The Great Emancipator."

My personal accomplishments have been microscopic in comparison, but more than likely, so have yours.  To the best of my knowledge, Nelson Mandela and Lech Wałęsa do not read  my blog on a regular basis.  (Confidential to Mister Wałęsa:  Dziękuję.)

One Sharpened Pencil Among Unsharpened Ones
http://www.visualphotos.com/....

In spite of this, we all have our strengths, and one of mine is planning.  I like to anticipate needs and be able to fulfill them completely or defer an activity until I am better prepared.  You might say that I am "The Great Anticipator."

This involves a combination of personal experience, anecdotal evidence, and research.  Take a party, for example:  no one wants to run out of food, but on the other hand, it doesn't do any good to have an overwhelming amount of leftovers either.  Other considerations to take into account might be:  does anyone on the guest list have specific dietary requirements, whether due to allergies or religious observations?  Are there enough places for people to sit?

 

As I wrote in my entry dated March 20 though, quoting Robert Burns,

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men

Gang aft agley.

A Hansen Family Dinner
There appears to be sufficient seating for everyone
Davey and Goliath
http://www.daveyandgoliath.org/images/....
No Copyright Infringement Intended

As is the way of the world, no amount of planning can take into account the sorts of things that happen at every occasion.  Someone is sick.  Perhaps someone had a little bit too much to drink.  Maybe an unexpected guest comes.  Any number of things can go wrong, and sometimes we need to remind ourselves that "a good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow."  Too much planning can lead to a sort of social paralysis, and it can also lead to disappointment when events take an unexpected turn.

When I was married, I would often find myself on a Tuesday making plans for the upcoming Saturday.  Where would we go?  What would we do?  How early would we have to leave?  As the weekend drew ever nearer, I would become increasingly excited, only to wake up on Saturday morning to find my bride wanting to sleep in.  It was reminiscent of my childhood, when I would want to do things on a Sunday, only to be thwarted by the Minnesota Vikings.  As a direct result of that, I have had a lifelong distaste for football, and for sports in general, but that is finally starting to subside.  So too is my dependence upon the sleep habits of others.  If I want to go somewhere and do something fun, I go!

Are you a planner, or are you more of a spontaneous person?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

A Disappointing Attempt to Engage in a Respectful Difference of Opinion

Minnesota State Capitol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Legislature
Photo Credit:  Wikipedia User Mulad, aka Mike Hicks
Public Domain

I generally try to avoid calling people out by name, but when a public official makes his positions well-known, it seems within reason for me to do so.

At the beginning of February, Dan Hall, the state senator from the Burnsville – Lakeville – Savage area, about thirty miles south of where I live, started following me on Twitter.  This seemed very strange to me, but after corresponding with him, I followed him back.  The topic of same-sex marriage did not come up in our communications at that time for a variety of reasons, primarily because it didn’t even occur to me at the time.  You can only imagine my surprise when I saw him in the news a few weeks later.  

Senator Hall is referenced in this article  http://minnesota.publicradio.org/.... as follows:

The bill includes a specific exemption based on religious beliefs.  But other Republicans said they're still concerned about a potential infringement on their religious liberty.  State Sen. Dan Hall, an ordained minister, said he doesn't want to be forced one day to perform a marriage that he objects to.

"I personally will go to jail before I ever perform a marriage to a homosexual," said Hall, R-Burnsville.

In my entry dated March 18, I shared some of my thoughts regarding same-sex marriage, expressing both love and support for my friends and family members in the LGBT community.  Whenever I publish a blog entry, I send a Tweet, and the one in this instance read:

Love is love. 

matthewmorsecodified.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-thoughts-on-same-sex-marriage.html 

@SenatorDanHall @ScottDibble @ChrisWarcraft #MarriageEquality #StraightAlly

Note that Scott Dibble is the Senate sponsor of the bill that would allow same-sex marriage in the state of Minnesota, and “Chris Warcraft” is Chris Kluwe, the punter for the Minnesota Vikings, who has been very vocal in his support of the issue. 

Late that day, Senator Hall responded:

@MatthewMorse6 @ScottDibble @ChrisWarcraft Not for me.  I love my wife different than my niece.  There are many different kinds of love.

Twitter Symbol
https://twitter.com/twitter
No Copyright Infringement Intended

Although I interpreted the response as immaterial, argumentative,   ridiculous, and insulting to my intelligence, I am loath to engage in an online argument with anyone, much less a politician.  It also raised some questions, which I never posed directly to Senator Hall:  Did you read my blog entry, or did you just reply to my use of the expression "Love is love"? Did you read about the people who are in loving relationships? Did you read about my friends and family? Do you understand how your "Christian" beliefs are hurting others?

I keep very close track of the people with whom I am connected on all of my social media accounts, so it was easy to notice when the counts for both my "Following" and my "Followers" were down by one on Tuesday.  Senator Hall unfollowed and blocked me.  It was never my belief that his mind would change, but the fact that we could not have a respectful disagreement strongly disappointed me.

I sent him one last Tweet:

@SenatorDanHall You unfollowed me and arranged it so that I no longer follow you? Because I have a lesbian cousin? I don't understand.

Senator Hall has to date not responded to me.

Have you ever been involved in a disagreement with a politician? How did you handle it? Please share your comments below.

A Day of Questionable Productivity

Little Mermaid Ariel 02
One of the Google Image results for the term "Insomnia"
Photographer:  ~insomnia-stock (Marianna) on deviantART
http://insomnia-stock.deviantart.com/....
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I had a networking meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM.  Based upon the distance, as well as the unknowns of weather and traffic, I wanted to get up at 6:30 AM, so that I would be able to arrive early without having to rush through my prep time.  My goal was to go to bed at 10:30 PM.

As the saying goes,

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley.

My good friends, Agents Rossi and Hotchner of Criminal Minds fame, convinced me to stay up until midnight, and then I was WIDE awake at 3:00 AM.  After tossing and turning for more than thirty minutes, I decided to get up and watch the overnight news on one of the original networks for a laugh, if for nothing else.  Having caught a broadcast recently, I was thoroughly unimpressed with the anchors' demeanor, questioning whether they were delivering news or stand-up comedy.

It's 5:00 Somewhere Neon Sign
http://www.menards.com/....
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To my delight, I was able to watch the inaugural mass of Pope Francis I.  Just as one does not simply walk into Mordor, nor does one - at least not this one - simply turn off such an important event.  Before I knew it, 5:00 AM had arrived.

Round two:  let's try this again.  After ninety minutes, and then two hours, I woke up at 7:00 AM and had plenty of time to get ready and arrive at the networking meeting at 8:30; however, being there and "being there" were two entirely different things.  Although I was not as engaged as usual, I was able to meet some nice people and take some good notes from the guest speakers.

The afternoon and evening have been a complete waste though, and I hope to get some rejuvenative sleep tonight and have something more substantive to share on Wednesday.

This has happened to all of us.  If you would like to tell me about one of your experiences, please feel free to share it in the comments below.

PS:  Yesterday's blog entry had a Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 12.6  Even with the Robert Burns quote, this one comes in at 8.5.  Sorry about that.  I am clearly very tired tonight!

My Thoughts on Same-Sex Marriage

"Golden Wedding Rings on White Background"
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/....
Photo Credit:  Petr Kratochvil
Public Domain

If you had asked me twenty years ago what my thoughts were on same-sex marriage,  I might have said some things that were not particularly charitable toward the more than 11.7 million Americans who identify as LGBT.

I attended private Catholic schools from kindergarten through my senior year of high school, and my recollection of that time is that some people, including myself on occasion, would use the term "gay" as a slur.  Two particular students in the grade just above mine would use far more graphic terms.

The passage of time has resulted in some personal illumination, stemming from four specific sets of circumstances.

I was married to - and have long since been divorced from - a young woman who must not have been paying attention in her high school health classes, as I think she believed that AIDS was something that could be transmitted through casual contact.  Her particular brand of homophobia was one based on fear, whereas her father's stemmed more from contempt.  He was one of those "God made 'Adam and Eve,' not 'Adam and Steve'" types.  That expression has never seemed particularly inventive to me, especially not when he used it in reference to Jimmy Kimmel appearing in a dress on "Win Ben Stein's Money,"  and that he made the comment during a "meet the parents" dinner that my parents hosted.  Just as a matter of record, I should point out that his application of various "-isms" was not limited to sexuality.  For example, he also referred to people from the Middle East as "sand n*****s."

An Evening of Burlesque
http://www.guildhallartscentre.com/....
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The next three ultimately tie together and are provided in a non-linear timeline.

One of my closest friends has an affinity for the LGBT community.  It was a topic that we did not discuss in as detailed a level as we should have, but I fully understood that it was important to her.  As she is someone whose opinions hold great value to me, I reconsidered my beliefs on an ongoing basis, ultimately coming to appreciate that love is love.

I have several friends in the burlesque community who are gay and lesbian.  These people have become very important in my life over the course of  the last few  years, and I want to extend to them every manner of respect that I can.  In many cases, to know the performers is to know their significant others as well, and I have had the fortune to get to know several of the couples on an actual first-name basis (as opposed to stage names).

Minnesotans United for All Families 2012 Yard Sign
https://www.facebook.com/....
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As much as I love my friends, however, the single biggest catalyst in re-framing my thought process has been the fact that I have a first cousin who is a lesbian.  She and her wife have been together for six years, first as girlfriends, then as engaged partners, spouses, and now... mothers!  I know  firsthand what it is like to be in an unsuccessful heterosexual marriage, and when I observe the love that my cousin and her wife have for each other and for their son, I can't possibly say that there is something "wrong" with them.  Love is love.  My failed marriage had legal recognition, while their successful one does not.  There are, in fact, 515 ways that their marriage does not have the same rights, so they have to go through legal avenues in advance to ensure, for example, such things as hospital visitation rights in the event that one of them should become ill.

Spurred on by my love and respect for my family members, my friends in the burlesque community, and countless individuals from throughout the state whom I shall never meet,  I chose to volunteer during the 2012 election cycle for a political action committee called Minnesotans United for All Families, working in opposition to the Minnesota Marriage Amendment:

Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?

I am proud to say that the organization's tireless efforts resulted in a victory, by a margin of 52.56% to 47.44%.

With Minnesota Vikings Punter Chris Kluwe
Photo Taken on Election Day - November 6, 2012

Although I used the term "LGBT" (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) above, another more inclusive term might be "LGBTQIA," which the University of Missouri-Kansas City defines as "Lesbian, Gay, Genderqueer, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Ally, and Asexual."

I far prefer the term "ally" over "straight," simply because the latter term suggests to me that all other orientations deviate from a norm, that they are somehow less-than-straight, perhaps even "crooked."  I got to meet a famous ally last year on Election Day - Chris Kluwe, the punter for the Minnesota Vikings - who released a letter on September 7, 2012 indicating his support for same-sex marriage rights.

Representative Karen Clark (left) and
Senator Scott Dibble (right) on 02/27/2013
http://bigstory.ap.org/photo/....
Photo Credit:  Jim Mone, Associated Press
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This matter is being discussed in our State House once again.  In light of the Constitutional amendment measure having been defeated, chief Senate sponsor Scott Dibble and chief House sponsor Karen Clark (along with additional sponsors in each chamber) have launched an effort to legalize gay marriage in the State of Minnesota.  Several elected officials within the Republican Party have voiced their strong opposition to the matter, but Governor Mark Dayton (himself a Democrat) has voiced his support.

People are speaking against the motion with language highlighting tradition, religion, the need for children to have both a mother and a father, et cetera.

I am not a theologian, politician, lawyer, doctor, parent, or many other things; however, one thing that I am is a friend and a family member, and I want people who are close to me to be able to exercise the same rights and privileges that I can, and that their love can be recognized by the State of Minnesota.  Love is love.

I am apprehensive to allow comments on this entry, but I will trust that people will respect my opinion, even if they do not agree with it, and that individuals will not engage in hostile cross-chat with others.  Thanks in advance.