What Dreams May Come

I've been terribly preoccupied lately. Well, there's school, that's always a big chunk of time, there's some side projects I've been working on, which I wouldn't trade for all the wealth on earth, there's work, ugh, work, work, work...and then of course there's just the day to day life of house work, cooking, keeping a dialouge open with the Wifester, you know, life. I started on a new painting, got some of the base colors down, then abandoned it and haven't returned, simply due to time constraints. I miss painting. I miss lounging around, laxidasically, as though I've not a thing in the world to do. Sometimes I miss being a drug-addicted, wasted youth. There was that aspect of it that allowed me to falter, to swim in apathy and neither I, nor anyone around me, cared to see me get out of the abyss of stupor and depravity that I called home.
Somehow I found my way to clarity and with it came obligation. Obligation to succeed. Obligation to persevere. Obligation to strive. Sometimes I feel as though I strive, to no avail, but then I look back, to where I've come from and realize that my efforts are not in vain. Regardless, when I'm feeling this way, weird things happen. Take for instance my dream the other night.
I had fish bowls. Many, many fish bowls. Full of fish. Tiny tiny fish that I couldn't really tell what species they were, but I just knew they were, in fact, quite expensive, and quite delicate. My mission was to juggle these bowls without killing the poor, unsuspecting fishies. I balanced and juggled those bowls all night long. Twisting and turning to catch them, holding my breath each time one almost hit the floor, and watching in amazement as I grew loooooooong arms, like Elasti-Girl, so as to reach the faltering tower of fish habitats that have been hovering overhead throughout the night.
I awoke so nervous, and anxious, instead of laughing at the sheer silliness of this dream. When I told Wifester about it, she asked me "So what do you feel you are juggling in your life right now?"
HA! School, work, blogs, web sites, school, a house that has constant repairs needed, flower beds that need weeded, art that needs finished, dinner that needs to be cooked. I'm not juggling a thing.
Speaking of dinners that need cooking, I've posted a new recipe and photos over at Fortune Cookies Cooks! It's what we had for dinner tonight. Go check it out!

California takes one step forward as Tennessee takes two steps back

Today, the California Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on gay marriage! California will soon become the second state in the nation to allow gay marriage, and not like MA where you have to live there, show residency there, kind of allowance, but a come to California and get married kind of allowance.
Monumental.
Lets keep our fingers crossed that the coalition of religious and socially conservative groups who are attempting to keep the ban on gay marriage in place(due to their religious beliefs) are unsuccessful.

And who cares about keeping church and state separate? Tennessee sure doesn't seem to! This week a bill has passed that will approve of Tennessee's public schools teaching bible classes, so long as they utilize a text book and maintain a "nonsecular, nonreligious atmosphere". If this is the case, well then, lets introduce koran class, and torah, and fairy tale class, hell we could even have a pagan class complete with text books too!
I thought that if you wanted your child to have bible studies in school, you sent them to private school. End of discussion.
My parents wanted me to know and understand the bible, so they worked hard and made sacrifices and sent me to private school. Sure, not everyone can afford tuition, I understand that. But that is why private schools have scholarships.And when that fails, you know what? Teach that at home and in Sunday school. Where it belongs.

This raises some serious concerns about church/state separation issues.
If you have concerns about this bill, please, do like I did, and send an email, a letter, and/or place a phone call to your House Representative
you can find them by clicking HERE.
The full text of the bills are available in PDF here : HB4089 and SB4104