Would you believe it is Janurary?

Bright blue sky, no wind, upper 70's and a perfect day in general. Don't you just have January?

The Magic that is...

Go to Ralphs and buy some and enjoy the magic that is Bacon Salt!

Meg can turn now!

Meg learned to turn! but she is not an ambiturner.

Setting the lead cave downtown

Hanging out at work, literally. what you can't see is i am about 30 feet up under a horizontal roof. after I took this picture I ended up dropping my phone to the rocks below, another reason why I love my phone. It can survive 30 foot falls. This was possibly the most scared I have ever been. 30-40 feet off the ground, putting up climbing holds on basically upside-down surfaces with nothing but a rope, knots, and carabiners keeping me alive. It was fine when I was just hanging there like I am in the picture, but as soon as I unclip from one of the carabiners on the roof, I take a nice little drop and swing. Basically it was like a bunch of mini bungie jumps again and again, except I did all the rigging and did not use any bungie cords...

Slackline

Playing on the slackline at La Jolla Shores again.

Prop 8...Gay Marriage

So I voted the other day. Some of my votes were no brainers like who I was going to vote for president, Obama. And others took a little thinking, Prop 8. 

First thing I thought about this when voting was what all people were saying about this, mainly those who say vote Yes. (A yes vote means that there would no longer be same sex marriage in California.) A couple of things went through my thoughts specifically.

1. Same sex marriage is not christian

2. It will be taught in schools

3. It promotes an unhealthy families

Thinking about those things, I was not convinced to vote Yes on Prop 8 and here is why, starting from the bottom up.

Does it really promote unhealty families? Really think about it, does it? Now what is your definition of unhealthy? Do you mean to say that they won't be just like yours? Well of course not. There are all kinds of families. In college I can think of two friends who both had lesibian parents and they were the nicest people I have ever met. And there family as a whole, goodness. They were all around some of the best people I have ever met. They were on a whole better then some "Christian" families I have encountered. Saying that having same sex parents is completly bogus. There are tons of other family situations that are as different as anything else. I was no convinced on the point of "unhealthy families"

Having same sex marriage taught in schools, was something some absolutely ludicris that I just laughed the first time I heard this point. First off, there is nothing in Prop 8 that says it will be taught in schools (Actually look what it says in the law nothing there says it will be taught). The superintendent for California Public schools has said it is not required to be taught. That should be more than enough right? Apparently not for some people. They bring up situations that have happened where it has been "taught." I did a little research into it and know what I found? A whole lot of bullcrap. In every event there were circumstances that revolved around the situation that allowed for it to happen. Now I want you to think back to when you were in school, did you learn about marriage? You did? Really? Well wait up a second, did you go to a religious school? Home schooled? Or Private School? Yes? Well you don't count. In all those "schools" you're not under the same guidelines as the public schools system. You have a special cirriculum that is influenced by those running those school systems, or even your parents. For those in public school however, you more than likely were taught nothing about marriage other than a brief mention of it. Same sex marriage is not going to be taught in depth in public schools. There may be a brief mention of it when talking about government or something. There might even be a debate about it, but that is something that will be up to the students to debate about. It is like religion and school. You cannot teach religion in school, you can teach about it, but not teach it. Still a No vote on Prop 8 for me.

And finally the point where religion comes in. I was driving on La Jolla Villiage Parkway and saw some people on the corner holding signs about Prop 8, one in particular mentioned something about keeping religious freedom. At first I was thinking that these people were all about vote No. Turns out they were Yes on 8. Religious freedom? Really? I get the complete opposite feeling with a Yes vote on Prop 8. Now as far as I am concerend a Yes vote on Prop 8 is a violation of the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution which addresses the rights of freedom of religion (prohibiting Congressional establishment of a religion over another religion through Law and protecting the right to free exercise of religion), freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition. 

When people say that marriage is between a man and a woman, ask there where it says that. If they say the bible then are refering to a Christian marriage. Denying same sex couples to get "married" is a 1st amendment violation. The government cannot pass a law that would deny such a thing. It says so in the 1st Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,..." there cannot be such a law. Basically what happens if same sex marriage is denied is that the government is saying that because it says so in the bible, marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Now what that just screams out is that the government is saying that one religions views on the matter is precident over the word marriage. I'm sorry but that is a violation of the 1st amendment, still a No vote on Prop 8. And not to mention that christianity does not own the word or solely define the word "marriage." Marriage has been around longer than a lot of religions that use the word, and no one religion can claim that its definition is the only definition.

Another thing that I have heard that grinds my gears about this subject is when people say that "But the US was founded on Christian morals and ethics" or even "the US is a Christian nation." Two things with this and then I am done. The US is not a Christian Nation, it might be a nation with Christians in it, but it is not a Christian nation. There is something called the seperation of church and state. There is now state religion in the US, therefore the US is not a Christian nation but a nation with Christians. The US is a place where all its citizens can freely practice any religion they choose to. The other thing about being founded on "Christian morals and ethics." Seriously? After spending four years studying religion and getting my BA in Religious Studies I noticed something. Christianity is not so original in its morals and ethics! Just about everything can be traced back to earlier system of beliefs. Even still, So what if it was founded on "Christian morals and ethics." What do you want? A cookie? Gold star? It doesn't mean that the government should be run according to Christian beliefs. If it were, than that would be a violation of ... what was that thing? You know, the amendment of the constitution that we all hold so near and dear to our hearts? Oh yeah, the 1st Amendment! 

So I come to the end, and I probably lost my train of thought and got a bit unorganized. But if you managed to follow at least some part of it then great. If not, than just ask me and I'll explain myself to you better. That's all I got for now. Bye!

No on Prop 8

No on McCain/Palin

Yes on Obama/Bidden

and of course NO on Prop D