Who do I still think I am??

This one's about controversy, meteors, and final words.

30DBC PROMPT: "What is your most controversial opinion? Why do you stick by it despite its unpopularity?", courtesy of Charlie ~ .

Hey folks! What a day...I feel like my timing is all off because I've had appointments shifted around on me and errands to run, and mornings are starting to become a blur of half-sleepiness and full-on disregard for my alarm, which I hope isn't becoming a trend. I also don't have much of an idea about how I want to address these prompts, so I'm just gonna dive into them headfirst and see what happens.

I'm not trying to sound like I'm some sort of blog snob or anything, but I don't think my opinions come off as being controversial. Don't get me wrong...I know there are plenty of people don't agree with what I say all the time, and don't always like it, but there's a clear line separating the offended population and a blatantly shit-stirring response to a prompt. I honestly believe that more often than not I tread somewhere in the middle of the road on most topics...if I can be bothered to care at all. It's been a long time since I've written something that anyone's tried to debate or challenge my viewpoint of; so long in fact that I can't remember when it's happened. Maybe I'm forgetting something, but I think if it was that important I would've remembered it...and maybe my definition of controversial is somewhat skewed, because I remember feeling while I was writing "This one's about feeling the best go down."  like I was gonna hear a lot of backlash because my opinion doesn't jive with the average American's ideal patriotic sense, but I was instead met with unexpected support- so much so that I won "Blogger Of The Week" in the "Blogging Circle of Friends "  that particular week on the basis of that entry (I wonder if that's what Wordsmitty ✍️ was referring to in his entry today, "Mid-Year Opinon" , where he said people can do no wrong referencing me and and that I'm held up as an example...hell, I'll take a compliment any way I can get it, backhanded or otherwise ). I guess what I'm saying is that if I've written something that someone doesn't agree with, they're more apt not to leave a comment and probably stop reading me altogether rather than engage in an intelligent discussion about how and why we feel the way we do. Which is fine with me, because that tells me maybe your convictions aren't as strong, and I really don't care for conflict (especially regarding matters of opinion).

So instead of spending forever this evening trying to come up with a controversial opinion of my own (yes Smitty, I'm totally copping to that today ), I figured I'd discuss a controversial subject in today's headlines: the Supreme Court's decision   to allow certain corporations the right to not cover contraceptives under ObamaCare. The face of this ruling is a chain of for-profit stores known as Hobby Lobby, an arts and crafts outlet which happens to be run by a very deeply religious family...so much so that they're closed on Sundays so their employees can "spend more time with their families". They put on a good front for a public that doesn't seem to know any better.

Yet this company also wants to control what their employees can and can't do with their bodies when they're not on the clock, and I think it's gonna set a really awful precedent. Sure, like most places, employment is at the discretion of the company, and if you don't like how they do things you can go work somewhere else...the scarcity of jobs means you can easily be replaced without a second thought. But the idea that companies can dictate to women through employer-provided (and employee-financed) insurance policies how their bodies should be maintained, based on the premise of "religious freedom", seems archaic at best and could encourage potentially worse scenarios down the road.

Let's say for example a college-educated woman in her twenties is having a hard time finding work in her chosen field, so she takes a job at Hobby Lobby because they offer full-time hours and benefits (minus birth control). She has a healthy sexual relationship with her long-term boyfriend, even though she'd prefer to be on the pill because it's an extra layer of protection and it also lessens the impact of her menstrual cycle on her overall health. But we all know that things can happen, and condoms aren't always 100% effective...so eventually this woman gets pregnant. She can't afford to support a child on her minimum-wage salary at Hobby Lobby, so now she has to look at all of her options and alternatives. There's also an interesting article on xoJane.com   about other potential examples where all kinds of religions could butt heads with this ruling...it's worth checking out regardless of where on this issue you fall.

I'm sure the religious right will scream "Premarital sex is a sin!" and "Idle hands are the devil's tools!" and all that, but come on. Sex is a very prevalent part of our culture, and it seems like every generation sex is looked at as being far less taboo than the ones before it saw it. And when two people share a mutual desire for each other that is stronger than the pull of their parents, their jobs, or their religion, good luck at trying to separate them.

And speaking of alternatives, there's also this little tidbit of information about Hobby Lobby: they invested through 401(k) plans in abortion and contraceptive products  . I'll give you a minute to let that sink in...the same zealots who won't let you practice safe sex are profiting off of the very the means used to prevent birth and kill fetuses. I think the term we're looking for here is hypocrisy.

Personally, I've never cared for Hobby Lobby anyway. I've been in one of their stores...I didn't find the staff very pleasant, and for an average weekday afternoon that wasn't very busy I thought the store was kinda messy and cluttered. Something about it just didn't feel right. And while they don't blast you over the head with religiousness, you can't help but feel the air of spirituality wafting through their aisles. I don't see the Supreme Court's ruling as being good for business either...the majority of their clientele are women, and the last I checked most women don't like to be told what to do in regards to their bodies. To penalize female employees by not offering certain services (regardless of what you as a company invest in) that other employers would not only seems unfair and borderline demeaning, but it also sets a bad example regarding the notion that government wants to have a hand down our proverbial pants.

I realize I may not have presented this quite the same way I'd initially planned (sometimes I get distracted by my own typing), and surely not all of you will agree with my point of view. I'm completely ok with that, and I welcome any mature, informed discussion regarding this or anything else, for that matter. But once you start with the name-calling and the generalizations, I won't hesitate to pull the plug...respect is a two-way street, and you must give it to get it.

BCF PROMPT: "June 30 is Meteor Watch Day. Write a story, poem, opinion, or educational piece about a meteor. Have fun."

Cripes...I didn't know this was a thing. I don't know much about meteors, other than some sci-fi stories start with a meteor destroying a planet, and some sci-fi stories are predicated on preventing a meteor from destroying a planet, and sci-fi bores the everlovin' outta me. I'm not crazy about astrology either. Stars happen, and some are brighter than the others, and some nights you can see more of 'em, and my days of wishing on them have long passed me by.

But hey, if you're down with watching the sky in hopes that you'll see some celestial fireworks, more power to ya. We've all got our somethings that make us who we are, and far be it from me to try and take that away from you. It's not hurting anyone, and as far as I know there are no sins involved in the basic staring up at a dark sky. It's just that I have better things to do, or it makes me feel kinda like some of you feel the minute I start talking about hockey. And since talking more about it is solving nothing, let's agree that our minds won't budge on the topic and move on.

MUSICAL BREAK!!

It's virtually impossible nowadays to find an undoctored version of this video anywhere...it was once banned by MTV for its violent and graphic images, yet it also won a Video Music Award in the "Breakthrough" category for the techniques used during filming. Basically you've got a severely mentally ill man, walking through a car tunnel. He gets hit repeatedly by cars, who don't stop to assist him. The original clip was slightly longer, and the cars aren't covered by tarps...there are also a few more disturbing accidents that are edited from this version, such as the part where he gets hit and run over by a second car while he's down. You can barely hear the audio, but really it's secondary (if you want to hear it, you can listen here, with lyrics  ) to the amazement and raw beauty that happens at the end of the clip (although it's so much more dramatic in the original version). It's definitely one of the most controversial videos of all time...but also one of the most powerful and moving.

THE DAILY BOX SCORE:

"These are my final words. In many movies characters are given that moment right before they die to say their final words. What will be your final words? Optional Bonus: What are the circumstances of your dramatic demise?"

Prompts like this kinda scare me, in that I'm afraid of foreshadowing, or that in the wrong set of judgments someone could take this the wrong way and turn it against me. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but you're seeing more and more of these stories where these people lose their minds and start shooting up schools or malls or movie theaters and then they trace it all back to something they wrote on social media, whether or not that's actually the case or admissible as evidence. I also have a mental health diagnosis, which could easily lead some to believe that out of context these are actually my final words (they're not). I've been close to that edge...closer than many of you have only imagined even in hyperbolic terms. So I think I'm gonna skip this one after all...it feels like it hits a little too close to home, and I also don't believe there would be any words uttered at all...no reasons, no motives, no explanations. If my number's up, I'll go quietly. That's not to say I won't go down without a fight, but you can bet it's gonna be messy and certainly far more traumatic for the survivors.

Congrats to all the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  participants this months who managed to blog all thirty days! If it's your first time, be proud of yourselves...it's a big accomplishment! I also want to congratulate the winners of May's official 30DBC round: The_Cavity has wisdom teeth! (honorable mention), Ash (3rd place), Charlie ~ (2nd place), and Mitchopolis (1st place). Great job everyone...I hope to see you all in July's competition! And if you don't wanna participate, there's a few slots open for judges as well. Contact 30DBC Creator/Founder for details about that.

Also, it wouldn't be the last Monday of the month without me pluggin' the latest issue of the "Invalid Item" . If you like it, or have any comments about it, let Wordsmitty ✍️ and his staff know by stopping by the "Blogging Bliss Newsletter Forum" . Elle - on hiatus has written a very informational piece about WDC's ratings system, which is worth looking into if you've ever found yourself questioning whether or not you should be changing the way your blog is rated. Plus there's the usual Editor's Picks, Tips 'n Tricks, and other useful info you've come to expect from the Bliss team.

And just like that, I've managed to kill almost another whole evening...how exciting am I? (Don't answer that.) Might just try to make it an early night, since I've gotta do that work thing all day tomorrow...peace, Christian suburbanites, and GOODNIGHT NOW!!