Enga mellom fjella

Dandelions. Seeking peace and love in this vale of tears.

"In my left hand I hold the pen that etches the struggles of a life: each long-suffering tear, each brief moment of joy." KE

Bart Sullivan of Greenville, North Carolina wrote in his local newspaper:

"Gay marriage is justified on the ground that it is the only way for homosexuals to get the same rights society grants heterosexuals.

Perhaps the quickest way to get the Mahones of this world to understand the problem is to take away all the rights that heterosexuals have heretofore enjoyed.

Now if one's sexual orientation is not a free choice, where did it come from? No one knows for sure, but, if you believe in the God of scripture without question, then blame ... ah, credit him.

“Sodom and Gomorrah.” “Final stages of moral corruption.” “Righteous judge.” “Wages of sin.”

Ringing words all, but hardly more than manipulation by fear. What a sorry approach to the difficult business of seeking peace and love in this vale of tears." [my bold]

Personally, I find it difficult to understand how folks insist that someone else's marriage would define their own. Those who are Catholic or Mormon may be surprised that many folks of various ilk do not care if someone's wedding was blessed by the Pope or held in the Temple (some folks live under a basket). But it's true... civil marriage is already a human right extended to two consenting adults with or without a church's blessing. Why some folks still insist on making life miserable for other people who don't adhere to a particular group's cultural/social or personal expectations I do not understand. There is the fear-factor... but fear can be overcome.

"In my right mind I would be thankful for them both."

Dandelions offering peace and love

Nature loves the color yellow
streaking across a noonday sky
feathers, sunfish, topaz mountains
there... a drift of bright gold eyes:

dandelions offering peace and love
beyond this vale of tears and cries.

© Kåre Enga [166.196c] 2009-09-08

I was thinking of the golden hawkeyes blooming in my sister's lawn, but dandelions work better. Then I mixed in the phrase I found on the internet today and tweaked the title... I've written about dandelions before ... many a time.

Watt's Gnus:

I will need to write an essay/opinion about Caster Semenya. She won a race in South Africa and then had to undergo gender testing... The latest reports are that she is intersex. Ah... to be 18, win gold, and then be vilified for not being who you were raised to believe you were. And... in such a public manner.

Since I've had a friend, Vaughan, who went through this when he was 30 (turned out he is XXY), I can tell you this is no small jolt to the system. Castor has support from family and a nation, but her internal questions will need to be addressed.

ME?

Met with the writer's group Fiction Plus last night. Was nice to see Kathleen and Hobie as Hobie had been on hiatus and Kathleen was in NYC for months. I read a group of poems I've posted here. Franses asked when I was going to make a book to give them... Encouragement is nice.

Have the current issue of Poets and Writers. It even has an article on chapbooks. I've done 3 or so... but can always learn more.

Will attend a reading/signing of poetry by Peter Filkins downstairs in Shakespeare & Co. tonight.

Travel:

$20 = ₡11,612 today. It is helpful to know the money exchange rate! A good casado should cost ₡1,500; a good fruit drink (like mora en leche ) ₡ 500; a humble hotel room, ₡5,000; Ronald loaned me ₡52,250 (more or less) when I lost my Mastercard in July. This trip, I need to have ₡580,000 available, spend less than ₡290,000, hopefully only ₡175,000 for 18 days. If I am to return in January I need to find a place to rent for ₡120,000/month.

One of the tricks in speaking another language is to think in it. One of the real necessities of living in another country is to be able to think in the local currency and know what things cost. I try.

In 9 days I'll be in San José... and yes, I know the way...

Election night in Iceland, 1991...Páll Óskar does Dionne Warwick in drag:



Blogville

Z.˚rz announced he has 20,000 views of his blog. It does take a while to reach that number. 1st... you have to have a readable blog and Zee Zachmeister has focused on off-the-wall humor. Good choice. 2nd... it helps if folks are googling the entries or that there are off-site links. My old blog "Laura del Campo" is still being read; this one is not being googled. Neither have proper off-site links. 3rd... a readership. I average about 70 unique WdC readers per month (down from over 100); but, if it weren't for my loyal readership (which includes many who don't comment ) I wouldn't have a reason to continue posting. 4th... it helps to be interactive with other bloggers. Zachster visits y'all... I've seen his little tracks... 5th... Anyone who lives in Saint Louis needs all the sympathy he gets. Not true... but Scarlett's rule of 5 y'know...

Another death message... this time at Tor's Place (not Tor or Mel): "Invalid Entry" 

Montana: 78° and pleasant in Missoula at 2 p.m.

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