Until recently, I was unaware that Oprah and God were two different people

(Not mine, found it on a very amusing website...)

But it does bring to mind the ever-existing struggle between religious people, other religions and, well, everyone.

As an atheist myself, I find it very difficult to listen, understand or care about other people's religions. Fine, go ahead and worship, pray or burn black candles while dripping chicken heads over them, but don't involve me. Also, I figure that Jeebus is a proper substitute for Jeezus.

And what do atheists do? Well, first let's dispense with a popular misconception--they don't 'hate' God. For that to happen, they would have to believe in a god. And that just ain't happening.

I like to tell people I am polytheist, and into 'many' gods. I have a god for money, a god for health, a god for luck, a god for love...etc etc etc. People love this. It takes away that horrible ''pious, unholy'' feeling they get whenever they talk religion with anyone. Tell them you're an atheist and screeeechh...record skids off the A-track.

Atheists also don't act immorally because they have no 'god' watching over them. They act like decent, kind respectful people because, *gasp* they are! They are not accountable to an imaginary patriarchal figure in the sky. They are good people, simply because they are. They do not act charitable with hopes of great rewards in an afterlife, or act in fear of some supposed hell. Bad people are christians, agnostics, atheists, humans and anything under the moon. Religion does not preclude you from being an asshole.

I also like to joke that I avoid churches because I'm afraid I'll burst into flames upon entrance. (Yeah it goes over well with certain audiences...but it's a tricky one...)

Finally, I can't help but think that hell isn't the horrible place it's said to be. As I live in a climate that can be extremely cold and treacherous, and frequented hot climates that I loved...well...If it existed, and this is a big if...

Hell would be cold.

Come on, feel the noise

So, anyone tried to read 8 textbooks in two weeks? Cuz I'm gonna have to!

Yes, another thinly-veiled reference to school. (why god why)

Bonus: Two take-home exams before we leave on our residency to India. At least we are going to India!

So, apologies in advance, but the blog may take a bit of a literary hit these next few months...How long did I predict this frenetic pace would last? A year you say? Oh jeebus.

Off topic: My little fluff bunny is being very cute, he has learned not only how to hop into planters in the backyard and wreak havoc on the dying plants, but he licks the living room carpet where he once ate crackers. As if he could scrape up a little cracker flavour off the fibres, if he is desperate. As long as he isn't tearing up the carpet, all is well. Oh and we had a few episodes of bunny gas, yes apparently they are prone to it. The only thing that solves it is baby anti-gas droppered into his mouth! Cute but kind of scary when you don't know what it is.

Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun

I'm at an in-between stage.

Young enough to be irresponsible, old enough to own two properties, be married for a year, finished a BA, working on an MA, own a horse and freelance write professionally.

I got in a debate (ok, argument) last week with my partner about defining 'responsibility.' He claimed that if you never have to be responsible, you are therefore allowed to embrace it, continue on in that life and never, ever have to be responsible. You can travel, endlessly. You can run home when you run out of money. You have many fleeting relationships, you don't need to own property, you don't have a mortgage circling your neck like a financial chain.

Honestly, it sort of sounds great. But at some point responsiblity creeps up on you (unless you're a drug addict or rich or something...) and then whap--you have property, a marriage, a family...house in the 'burb's or something equally horrible.

Again, I know I'm too young for a lot of things like that/don't want them. But this responsibility crept up on me. It is very insidious. Also can be seductive. Who doesn't want to own a house? A horse? Oh but wait, now you have to work full time. And to get ahead full time, you need a better education. And why don't you write more? Yes, write more. Do more school. Work more. More.More.More.

Partly, I love it. I want people to look up, not down at me. I want to be in control, have power, have things, have relationships, hold good jobs, be an accomplished writer, equestrian, everything. Who doesn't? It's that tricky responsibility thing, and sometimes I find myself lameting how did I get here at my age? How long do I have to stay here? When does this train stop and let me out?

I will be here, in this mindset, for 1 more year--I think.

I'm falling into a power trap, and it's completely of my own doing (undoing?).

Home truths

If there’s one belief that drives social conservatism with regard to female sexuality, it’s that women can’t make good choices, and so their choices have to be made for them. That’s the argument underlying the panic over the hook-up culture (read: girls are too dumb to say no when they want to, so we have to say it for them), the hostility toward comprehensive sex education (if girls know their options, they may make choices we disapprove of), the move toward restricting abortion and contraception, the hostility toward single mothers, and all the knee-jerk anger—like Bill O’Reilly’s—over any hint that women might have choices.

Courtesy of STFUConservatives.

Definitely food for thought!

Sam & Andy's is not worth it

Ok, so I had a lousy meal there recently.

I was surprised. I don't eat there a lot, but have enjoyed meals there in the past. This meal just...sucked. Sucked so hard, it tasted like I was eating nothing (but lots of calories, of course).

I had a Chillotta, and it was the most miserable, flavourless piece of shit I have ever eaten. It was a steak and veggie wrap in a tortilla with jalapeno cheese. Honestly, I asked the waitress about it, because it was supposed to be Jalapeno-flavoured and everything, and even the cheese tasted like styrofoam.

???

She was surprised, and mentioned it was normally a popular menu item. I don't doubt it, really... But it was horrible. Flavourless, all it had going for it was some sort of texture with zero spice and zero anything. I was very disappointed. I will not be going back. I had to drown that awful meal in Tabasco to choke it down. Ugh.

Sorry Sam & Andy's, you had your chance. You can now join the Copper Ridge Pub, Tokyo Sushi, the lousy Indian place, and the Edgewater in 'places I will never pay to eat at again'.

Hope you're happy! * man that list is starting to grow... to be fair, I'm not a picky eater. I just have issues with cost, terrible service, terrible food, hair in my food. (all of which have happened at least once with the places above)

What happened to August?

Interesting, what did happen to August?

So far this past few months;

• Bought a horse
• Working on research proposal for Masters (argh)
• Work (argh)
• Parents visited
• Husband visited
• Took time off work
• Writing a ton (like it, but man...lots of work!)
• Ate out a lot (more on that later. Have one restaurant rant)
• School trip to India in October
• Trip to Ottawa this month

Yep things have been busy! I am going to try to hop back on the bandwagon.

Wow, it has been awhile

Let's see, what's been going on recently...

My computer died, in the middle of writing an essay. I had to buy a new computer, which sucked ass (note to everyone: do not buy HP computers), the speakers didn't work, so my Skype group meetings for school didn't happen, I kept going back to Staples (note to everyone: do not buy computers from Staples) and they kept saying there was something wrong with Skype, rather than my computer...

WRONG!

Man, they were wrong. So wrong.

So I marched that computer back to their store and returned it on their asses. Yeah, take that!

Also this update is turning into a 'lousy Whitehorse businesses rant' which is ok...

I marched right over to The Source by Circuit City (Radioshack) and asked about a few computers, yep no problem I have them right here...and the dude comes back with no computer. ''Oh sorry we don't have any in stock." Okkkayyy...What about these computers? "Yep definitely one minute." Comes back, "oh, we don't have any of those either..." WTF?

So I end up with a floor model (yeah I know) and ask what kind of deal I could get on it. "We don't do that." >!!!

Ok, well I'm walking. Sorry, you could have made at least $500 on this sale, but now your sale is walking out the door and to Wal-Mart (yeah I was that desperate) and buying a computer from them. Suck it, Radioshack!

And I did just that. Walked right over to Wal-Mart and couldn't find their laptops. Turns out some wit had covered them up completely (display and all) with copies of shitty Microsoft 2010. The fabulously-mulleted store clerk was having a total meltdown when he saw it, cue "frigging..grumble...assholes..one day I'm going to...grrrrr...arghhhh..."

He pulled a Toshiba out of the boxes and voila! My new computer! Also it was $100 cheaper than freaking Staples, and I even saw the same shit-HP computer that I had previously bought that was also $100 cheaper than Staples. Man....

(Not that I remotely condone buying anything at Wal-Mart, but desperate times call for desperate measures...)

And it works perfectly, Skype and all!