Slice of Life

All Request Friday

Bridget, I hope you're out there today, because have I got a post for your request from last week that will be sending shockwaves all the way from the Peking Duck House to Winooski Beverage House.  (A personal touch for our Winooski readers.)

Questions?  Topics/subjects you want to know my thoughts on?  You know the drill.  Come in hot, or don't come at all.

All Request Day: My January Treadmill Challenge

GRRRR!  Nicole stops by and wonders if I have the right to brag to the world that I ran on the treadmill for one hour each day for the entire month of January, or whether I will be publicly hanging my head in shame.

I have shame.

It started out great.  I did the first couple of days, then around day 3 or 4 I realized how incredibly boring this challenge was going to be, so I put my nose to the grind and kept with it.  To sum it up for you, I made it to day 8 when I caught a horrible cold.  It was the sore throat stuffy head type of cold that felt like my brain was going to explode every time I sneezed.  Zero sleep for a few nights and there you have the end of my challenge.

I suppose once I recovered I could have finished out the month, but I didn't see the point.  My goal was every day for the entire month, and I failed.  But it did get my butt back into the gym as I had hoped.  Maybe I'll come up with another challenge soon.  I'll tell you all about it if I do.

SHAME!

All Request Day: Separation of Church and State

Heavy hitters bringin' the heat today here at Slice of Life.  I like it.  I like it a lot.

AJ, always comin' in hot, asks, "If church and state are supposedly separated, then why the fuss about gay marriage?"

Answer:  it's bullshit.  And your comment hits on the crux of the issue when you ask, why is it that the government is involved in this debate?  They shouldn't be, plain and simple.  And you're going to get a Libertarian rant here for a moment.  The government (federal, state, or local) has no fucking business telling me where I can and cannot stick my pecker.  (Well, but for animals and public places and minors, but you get my point.)  I don't mean to be blunt, but it's true.  But of course the issue is never framed in terms of "personal freedom" or any other concept upon which our country was founded.  Oh no, you'll never hear the neocons talk about that.

So what do we hear?  Why is the government involved?  One word, and it makes me want to put a fist through a wall:  tradition.  Yep, that's it.  Tradition.  "The traditional values of this country, one of which is that a man and a woman represent marriage."  Blah blah blah freakin' blah.  Oh and here's one I love:  allowing same sex marriages detracts from traditional notion of what a family represents.  Are you shitting me?  But I think that's a fair answer to your question as to how/why the government gets involved.  We get the labels of "tradition" and "family values" thrown at us.  Horseshit.  Vermont has recognized civil unions for what, over 5 years now?  Since I've only lived here for 4 years, did I miss the trip to hell in a handbasket after civil unions were first recognized?  That's where our fine state was headed if we did this, right?  Remember TAKE BACK VERMONT?  Jeezus, I can still drive to obscure parts of the state and still see these signs.

If we have to take it back, where the fuck did it go?

The thing about this argument about "tradition" and "values" is that it is such a lame ass argument.  Oh, you want to play the tradition card, do you?  Remember slavery?  That was around when our country was founded.  That was tradition.  What's wrong with that tradition?  Women couldn't vote when our country was founded, either.  What ever happened to that tradition?  If you're going to constrict what I perceive to be a matter that is purely my personal freedom by having your primary argument be "tradition," you better be able to explain to me why it is that some of our age-old "traditions" are now viewed as some of the saddest chapters in some of our nation's history but yet others we continue to adhere to as if the prospect of being open-minded and changing course will, to steal a phrase from my brother, "vaporize" the U.S.A. as a result of the floodgates of debauchery suddenly opening.  Please.

It's pretty easy for the middle-aged white males who purportedly represent you and me, with their botox trophy wives and piss ant snotty little kids running around the D.C. suburbs in their gas-guzzling Lexus SUV's and their bullshit mansions to stand on the floor of either the House of Representatives or the Senate and spew this utter nonsense about "tradition" and how gay marriage somehow "threatens the sancity of this age-old tradition."  Fuck you.  I'm sick of hearing it.

Which is why states need to rise up.  An interesting concept I actually learned and somehow retained from my law school days was this concept called "the doctrine of independent and adequate state grounds."  It works like this.  As you know, we have a United States Constitution.  The rights afforded each citizen in the constitution are the baseline in terms of what freedoms we enjoy.  Now, each individual state has it's very own state constitution.  The language is similar, but just a little different here and there.  This is how Vermont initially recognized civil unions.  Vermont's state constitution has what is called a "common benefits" clause.  It reads much like the "life, liberty, and property" portion of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  I don't know how the litigation began, but a same-sex couple (actully with a little help from their attorney, yes!) said, "hey, wait a second, I read this 'common benefits' deal to mean that I can marry someone of the same sex."  And I'm not sure how the litigation got off the ground, but it eventually went to the Vermont Supreme Court (the decision is Baker v. State, I believe) and the Court agreed:  Vermont residents have the right to enter same-sex unions pursuant to the common benefits clause set forth in the state constitution.  I understand that sometime after the court's decision, this law was codified by the Vermont Legislature.

And the great thing about this is that the federal government can't do a fucking thing about it, unless this bogus constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages ultimately passes.  Doctrine of independent and adequate state grounds.  Good stuff.  Federal constitution sets the bare minimum, states can expand those rights by reading certain freedoms into their own state constitutions.

All Request Day: Town Meeting Day

Succinctly described as a "microcosm of democracy," Folk Girl wonders whether and to what extent I participate in Vermont's long-standing tradition of Town Meeting Day.

I don't.  Don't get me wrong, you know I'm a big fan of democracy and apple pie and legalized prostitution (wait, what?) and all that good stuff, but I really haven't followed the issues upon which my fellow citizens of the fair City of South Burlington vote in my almost 4 years living in the area.  However, back in my college student days, when my permanent residence was still considered to be Newport, N.H., I did indeed shoot down to town hall with my father to vote on whatever laws or ordinances the collective brain trust of my former town put together.  The town wanted a new gym or something one year, that's really all I remember.

I like the idea.  Sure, some may see it as a waste of time and just another excuse for kids not to go to school, but we gotta remember our roots, ya know.  Democracy in action is a beautiful thing, even if it at times it is nothing more than a bunch of senior citizens wheeling themselves to the local voting booths to shoot down any type of proposal at all that would help the local school system.  Hey, I don't mean to be a dick, but it's true.  My school system back home was shit.  New Hampshire public school systems overall are crap.  Why?  Ugh.  I could be here forever.  My understanding is that because the N.H. school systems are funded primarily by local property taxes, the quality of each school is dependent upon the ritziness or lack of ritziness of the town in which you live.  Newport = not ritzy.  So anytime we ever needed an increase in the teachers' salaries or a new wing added to the high school, it was an uphill battle.  And I'm right on this one:  it was the town's seniors who would piss and moan and gripe ("aww, we don't have kids at the school" or "waaah, tax increase, waaah") and vote down just about every proposal that had to do with the schools.

It's a cool tradition, nonetheless.  Democracy is a good thing.  And so are Frosted Flakes.

All Request Friday

Bring the noise, people.  I'll soon be informing you of this fascinating new blogging opportunity that has come my way as a result of being reconnected with a good friend of mine who is a history professor and one of the co-authors of the blog Rebunk.  I'll give more details as soon as my co-authorship is officially announced, but I strongly encourage you to read this blog on a daily basis and/or add it to your blogroll.  Very interesting stuff from a group of witty and and intelligent guys whose writing is impeccable.  Me being added as a co-author will certainly lower the mean IQ significantly.  It is going to be a great experience for me, however, in that I will be writing about some very interesting topics, from the state of world affairs to why the Red Sox suck.

Rebunk!

All Request Switcheroo: June First

Our good friend over at Little 'ol Me wants to know what the deal is with her special day, June 1st.  Here you go, Celeste:

The Day of the Popular Eye

June 1 people can usually be found either in the public eye or observing the latest modes and trends of society.  Either way they are taken up with seeing or being seen in a social context.  Those born on this day may display an interest in history, but usually for how it sheds light on the present.  Indeed they bring all their powers to bear on what is most up-to-date:  dressing, talking, reading and studying the state of the art in various fields.

This does not mean that June 1 people are overly social beings.  They may appear extroverted, in rare cases exhibitionistic, but such an external attitude often masks a personality that is isolated and lonely.  Therefore, it is difficult for anyone to really know these unusual people well, although many might think they do.  June 1 people are masters at hiding not only their feelings but their deeds as well.  Few, indeed, are admitted to the inner sanctum of a June 1 person's world.

Both men and women born on this day are rarely without a mate basically because they hate to be alone.  To avoid loneliness some June 1 people throw themselves into social activities and amass a whole bevy of friends and acquaintances.

Rarely will June 1 people admit to ignorance.  They pride themselves on knowing a good deal about a wide variety of subjects, although their specialized knowledge may not run that terribly deep.  In the area that they are most obsessed with, however, they go to great lengths to amass an impressive body of information.  The subject of this study need not be academic--it could range from sports figures to comic books, for example.

June 1 people have a facility with languages and an aptitude for tasks requiring manual dexterity; those born on this day also know something of people and their needs and wants.  This makes them excellent salespeople, for they have an eye that sizes up prospective clients in an instant.  June 1 people would make excellent detectives if only they had the stamina and patience to stand the boredom and waiting demanded by that arduous profession.  Improving their powers of concentration, which are not the most developed, and cultivating a capacity to amuse themselves without turning to external stimuli are crucial to their personal growth.

Since those born on this day have a feeling for the value of things, they also make excellent shoppers and in general are shrewd at handling money.  However, because of their great appreciation for the products of others and an accompanying talent for imitation, they often have great difficulty realizing their creative potential.  Trusting in their own individuality is essential to their development; without it, even a more imitative creativity begins to atrophy.  June 1 people must find the courage, at some point in their lives, to dig deep within themselves; when they find out who they really are and what it is they want, they may have no choice but to pursue their dreams regardless of what society, parents or friends think.

Strengths:  visually perceptive, shrewd, fun

Weaknesses:  temperamental, distracted, impatient

Born on this day:  Marilyn Monroe! (film actress, icon, died at age 36), Brigham Young (Mormon leader, visionary, had 17 wives, 56 children), Morgan Freeman (stage, film actor), Jonathan Pryce (British stage, TV, film actor), Colleen McCullogh (Australian novelist, The Thorn Birds), Andy Griffith (TV actor), Mikhail Glinka (Russian composer), Frederica von Stade (operatic, concert soprano), Cleavon Little (film actor), Le Petomane (French novel entertainer, famous for simulating musical tones and sounds through the release of flatulence - HA!), Mireille Johnston (French food writer, BBC TV personality).

Meditation:  Living is a creative act.

All Request Switcheroo Couple: September 17th & May 26th

Remember that you asked for this, Jay.

May 25 - June 2:  The Week of Freedom

September 11 - 18:  The Week of the Literalist

A Wave Function

Apparently unstable, this relationship, with its characteristic swings or oscillations, actually contains an innate regularity, a self-controlling mechanism.  Like sound or radio waves, it has a periodicity of function, showing predictable highs and lows that appear at fixed intervals.  It is not instability that typifies the relationship, then, so much as rhythmic change.  Any kind of joint endeavor requiring the constant application of effort is not recommended here.

Both Virgo and Gemini are ruled by the speedy planet Mercury, which symbolizes change and communication.  thus Gemini I's and Virgo III's are on the same wavelength in matters of love, friendship and family.  All of these relationships may resemble a roller-coaster ride, not unlike a literal graph of a wave function.  Feelings in particular have marked peaks and troughs.

Marriages feature arguments about how things are to be done, and especially about who will do them.  Gemini I's tend to take Virgo III's practicality and capability for granted; annoyingly, they also tend to be absent just when a job needs doing.  Such behavior can arouse resentment and anger in Virgo III's, resulting in bad looks and sharp commands.  Friends and family may find such behavior overreactive or grouchy, but in fact it may be needed to keep wayward Gemini I's in line.  The marriage is likely to feature battles over dominance and money.

Gemini I's and Virgo III's make excellent friends, but their friendships should be freed of the influence of romance or career.  Neither partner should ever get the idea that the other has ulterior motives in mind.  This relationship values natural and open behavior and has a hatred for pretentiousness or phoniness of any kind.  Honest is the yardstick for most of the pair's statements, so that Gemini I's are expected to curb their tendency to exaggerate while Virgo III's are urged to release hidden feelings.  The half-truth may assume a curious role in such a relationship.

Strengths:  varied, honest, communicating

Weaknesses:  oscillating, irresponsible, half true

Best:  friendship

Worst:  marriage

Advice:  If you expect honest, don't bend the truth.  Balance confrontation and avoidance.  Even out emotional swings.  Normalize daily behavior.

All Request Switcheroo: April Twenty-Sixth

Here you go, Jay.  Your first born son, Christopher.

The Day of the Cultivator

Those born on April 26 have a talent not only for creating new systems and physical structures but also for maintaining them.  they will go to great lengths to preserve and protect the social organizations within which they work, as well as personal relationships (yes he loves his Uncle Rich), family ties and even the physical health and well-being of friends.  Having new ideas and implementing them is only the beginning as far as April 26 people are concerned.  the day-to-day running of organizations is of equal or even greater importance.  April 26 people have "the long breath" and stamina for the long haul.  Having begun an effort, they will keep moving ahead day after day, week after week, year after year in the same direction.

April 26 people can have somewhat fixed ideas and be stubborn and unwilling to change their course.  (God you two are going to have some epic blowouts.)  They will, however, listen to reason (i.e., your wife); thus, they are receptive to logical suggestions for improvements.  But if the advice given is to abandon a proposition altogether it may fall on deaf ears.

Those born on this day have an overwhelming desire to serve.  Although maintenance is not always the most interesting work it is nevertheless essential.  If an April 26 person is put in charge of an office of department within a business there will be few complaints about efficiency or service.  Those born on this day can actually be quite ruthless in their desire to keep things rolling along smoothly, but though they may at times be accused of insensitivity, they will generally be perceived as fair.

Many born on this day could perhaps envision themselves as gardeners or shepherds, nurturing and minding that things go well.  They like to have fun doing it, too, and enjoy a laugh with co-workers.  Strangely enough, although April 26 people generally feel they have the best interests of society at heart, they are hardly beholden to its mores, particularly those with which they are at odds.  Essentially pragmatic, those born on this day believe that if they continue to perfect themselves all else will fall into place.  (Only way to go baby.)

Because of their extreme dedication to the cause they are preserving or protecting, April 26 people can be quite lonely.  Not highly individualistic in thought, they can be hard on those they consider odd or unusual, particularly their children or relatives.  According to their Procrustean model, everything and everyone has to be cut to the right shape and size.

Although pragmatic, those born on this day can wax philosophical when the occasion arises.  They do not need much encouragement to slowly and painstakingly spell out their philosophy of life, which generally sounds conservative, in rare cases, even bigoted.  April 26 people can usually be found on the side of law and order and the preservation of existing societal standards, but again, only those they deem reasonable.  Those born on this day are first to prune the dead wood of bureaucracy and take pleasure in the removal of unnecessary rules and regulations.  Cool, a Libertarian.

Strengths:  stalwart, independent, consequent

Weaknesses:  isolated, fixed stubborn

Born on this day:  Marcus Aurelius (Roman emperor, general, philosopher), I.M Pei (Chinese architect), David Hume (Scottish philosopher), Eugene Delacroix (French Romantic painter), Ma Rainey (blues singer, composer), Michel Fokine (Ballet Russe choreographer of Firebird, Petrouchka), Charles F. Richter (seismologist, invented Richter scale for measuring earthquakes), Anita Loos (Hollywood scriptwriter, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), Rudolf Hess (Hitler deputy, parachuted to England, imprisoned for life), Alfred Krupp (19th century German industrialist), Bobby Rydell (rock & roll singer), Jess Stearn (writer, Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation.)

Meditation:  The act of annihilation is passionate.  What keeps us from killing each other may be mere apathy.

All Request Switcheroo: February Fifth

Hmm, Folk Girl, I think we might have date with destiny, say, February 4th around midnight?  Freakin' Saturday birthday sister, gotta love it.  I talked to AJ and he said we could trash his place.  (Aren't neighbors you are good friends with wonderful?)  Anyway, here you go buddy, February 5th:

The Day of Quiet Eloquence (For the record, there is a folksy looking guitar and a thimble for this date in the book.  Those who don't have the pleasure of knowing our dear Folk Girl, she is indeed a kick ass folk singer.)

Those born on February 5 lend fluency and grace to most any endeavor.  They have a convincing manner that in a quiet way announces that they mean business.  Perhaps less eloquent with words than with deeds, February 5 people have a reassuring physical presence that suggests they can be relied upon in a pinch.  Those born on this day that do have verbal gifts often speak in a rather terse and direct manner, yet their speech has a compelling charm and imaginativeness.

February 5 people are insightful in their analyses of the current situation.  Not everyone will agree with them by any means, since their opinionated views tend to arouse opposition and their self-assured and somewhat breezy presentation can ruffle feathers.  Most often, those born on this day only give their listeners one chance to understand.  If they are misunderstood, they may not bother to clarify or explain.  Therefore, February 5 people must become more adept at smoothing over differences, taking time to illustrate in greater depth what they mean to say, and finally positing that they are ready to listen and cooperate as well.

February 5 people often make a direct appeal to the emotions of others, but in fact it is their own mental, concentrative abilities which are their forte.  Admittedly, they themselves are emotional people, but the extent of their success may well be in direct proportion to their ability to keep the excitable part of their nature under control.  Highly evolved February 5 people have a sophisticated poise which can be very reassuring indeed, especially in difficult situations in which they care called upon to take the lead.  However, this sense of confidence can sometimes arouse irritation, particularly if they adopt a condescending attitude.

February 5 people are many-faceted individuals who show a great deal but also hold a lot back.  They often lead secretive inner lives to which few are granted access, and may nurture rather strange habits and neurotic rituals which give them a sense of well-being.  February 5 people can be very protective to those dear to them, but themselves can use the backing and protection of more powerful individuals or organizations.  Most often February 5 people can be found working for groups or organizations, and contributing a great deal of energy to family and friends.  They are much less frequently freelancers or isolated artists, and even those who are self-employed generally work on collaborative projects.  In general, February 5 people must learn to let others catch up with their accelerated pace, and make an effort to be more thorough so that their work can stand up to intense scrutiny.

Strengths:  facile, fluent, graceful

Weaknesses:  abrupt, antagonizing, superior

Born on this day:  Adlai Stevenson (Democratic 2x liberal presidential candidate, U.N. representative), Hank Aaron (all-time homerun and RBI leader), William Burroughs (writer, drug expert, addict), Sir Robert Peel (British 19th century prime minister), John Guare (New York playwright), Charlotte Rampling (British film stage, TV actress), Roger Staubach (Dallas Cowboys football quarterback, Super Bowl MVP), Sir Avan L. Hodgkin (British Nobel Prize-winning physiologist, nerve conduction), Al Kooper (singer, songwriter, keyboardist).

Meditation:  Getting a fire started can be much easier than extinguishing it.

All Request Switcheroo: February Eleventh

Christina stops by and throws her special day February 11th into the hopper.  First of all, welcome.  And secondly, enjoy.

The Day of Improved Comfort

Many born on February 11 make a contribution toward improving the quality of life around them.  Such improvements may be of a conceptual, inventive nature or of a distinctly hedonistic variety.  In either case, the physical well-being of those close to them is likely to not only be looked after but improved.  They key concept for February 11 people is improvement, for they believe that things are never really as comfortable or efficient as they could be.

Although comforts and luxuries may result from their efforts, most February 11 people themselves are not hedonists.  It is only the less highly evolved individuals born on this day who give themselves over to an unremitting pursuit of pleasure.  This can actually work out quite well for a time, but inevitably spells disappointments, jealousies, possessiveness and pain.  For more highly evolved February 11 people, improving the lot of others is a creative task which they pursue with great ardor and dedication.

In contributing to the quality of life (living standards, diet, entertainment) of others, February 11 people may not only wish to make life easier and more pleasant, but also more meaningful.  Improvements of a practical nature may only be a means to allow more time and energy for intellectual, creative or spiritual concerns.  Indeed, those born on this day are remarkable in that they are able to enjoy the pleasures of life without becoming mired in them or losing sight of what is most important.

Freedom is a central theme in the lives of February 11 people, particularly in regard to overcoming limitations.  Transcending the limitations of their body, whether overcoming congenital or acquired handicaps or just shoring up their deficiencies, can be both challenging and rewarding for them.  In fact, February 11 people hate to see themselves or others held back by any sort of disadvantage, whether physical, mental or financial.  Unfortunately, in their desire to improve the lot of friends, family and acquaintances, they may demonstrate a better way of doing things with all the best intentions but wind up being resented for it.

Those born on February 11 can overlook the fact that most people prefer to be left alone to do things their own way, even if they make mistakes or do poorly.  Certainly it can be difficult to watch foolish or stubborn people go on making the same errors or failing to take advantage of opportunities for improvement, but that is precisely what those born on this day will sometimes have to do.  February 11 people who rise high in society can be regarded as mavericks and antagonize more reactionary spirits who are threatened by change and progress.  Thus, in order to remain successful, they will need to cultivate a large measure of tact and diplomacy, and become more sensitive to those situations which are best left unnoticed.

Strengths:  helpful, inventive, appreciative

Weaknesses:  excessive, overinvolved, insensitive

Born on this day:  Thomas Alva Edison (inventor), Mary Quant (British fashion designer), Virginia E. Johnson (sex researcher, Masters and Johnson), Pual Bocuse (French master chef), Burt Reynolds (film, TV actor), Lloyd Bentsen (U.S. Senator, Vice Presidential candidate - classic line in debate against Dan Quayle:  "You senator, are no Jack Kennedy" *crowd roars*), King Farouk (Egyptian ruler), Manuel Noriega (Panamanian dictator, ass captured by the U.S. baby), Henry F. Talbot (British botanist), Rudolf Firkusny (pianist, giving concerts in his nineties), Tina Louise (TV actress - Ginger on Gilligan's Island!), Leslie Nielson (film actor), Sir Vivian E. Fuchs (British geologist, writer, Of Mice and Men), Rudolf Bauer (German modern painter, art theorist).

Meditation:  The pursuit of pleasure ultimately involves the suffering of pain.