Throwing Down the Gauntlet

Today, I received this really kind, sweet email from the president of the Human Rights Campaign, thanking me for all I've done for marriage equality. Now, this was a mass email but it still put a pang of cognitive dissonance in my mind. Mainly because I just joined the HRC two months ago and I haven't done much. Yes, I signed a petition. Yes, I talk about gay rights a lot. Yes, half of my best friends are gay and I photo-stalk people who photo-stalk John Barrowman. But that doesn't equal much of anything. Of course, neither does a passive-aggressive blog. But it's a first step, and it's the thought that counts.


So, as a New Year's resolution before New Years (a Thanksgiving resolution, if you will), I'm jumping into the political arena. That's right, baby - I am throwing down the gauntlet. Because we have a big election next year. And as GLBT issues are near and dear to my heart, there's some stuff I think should be clarified.

Read this article. And then watch the video posted below (it's the same that's on the article's website). Or just watch the video and then read the article. Really, I don't care. Just do it.

I don't know about you, but when I first watched this, I felt a bit like I do when someone is speaking Italian above my level - I can understand words, and maybe a few sentences, but nothing made cohesive sense. Fortunately for me, I read the article first. Or maybe unfortunately... because I spent much of the morning think about this.

Now admittedly, the video doesn't mention anything at all about homosexuals. But the Huffington Post blog article says that Tamara Scott, Michele Bachmann's Iowa Campaign Co-Chair, is speaking in reference to gay marriage and how it will ruin the institution of marriage. Because this is taken out of context and I have no idea what "red herring" is being referred to, maybe the Huffington Post (which is a pretty liberal paper) is just trying to make Scott look really bad. But she does work for Michele Bachmann. And, as I just learned in my social psych textbook, birds of a feather flock together.

This article, talks about John Becker and his refusal to pay for therapy sessions he scheduled as part of a sting operation to reveal that a clinic used reparative therapy - ones that are supposed to "turn" gay people straight. Here's the deal - the clinic Becker went to is a Christian counseling center in suburban Minneapolis, run by Marcus Bachmann, Michele Bachmann's husband. Now, Marcus Bachmann denies that his practice does any such counseling. But the thing is, Becker's video of the session he attended seems pretty convincing. And as Michele Bachmann refuses to talk about it, saying it's not important in regards to her campaign, there isn't a whole lot of clear light shed on the issue.

Here's my take: I don't like it when the media gets too deeply involved in a politician's background or past mistakes. Sometimes it's just too much and blown out of proportion (Bill Clinton did pot? This is Jack's lack of surprise). Sometimes it's just a violation of privacy. Besides, nobody's perfect - there's going to be mistakes in a candidate's past. But there's a level of knowledge you NEED to have about a candidate, not only to support their issues and empathize, but to TRUST them. Knowing whether or not your candidate thinks homosexuality can be "cured" by therapy? Big fucking deal to me. As far as I'm concerned, Bachmann is totally unelectable unless she discusses what her husband's clinic does. Yes, I know there's a level of patient confidentiality there - I'm a psych major, for God's sake - but discussing what sort of therapies one uses doesn't break that confidentiality. It's a simple yes or no question, really.

So if Marcus Bachmann's clinic has nothing to hide, why won't either one of them talk about it? A very good question in deed.

Also, all of you Bachmann haters out there, don't blame Minnesota for her. Please realize that she represents only ONE district of our state. And that I had absolutely nothing to do with her election. So haters - be hatin' elsewhere.

Cineworld

Today during Italian when, for the second day in a row the sub for our professor did not show up, I found myself daydreaming about Scotland once again. (May I note that it's especially weird in college when subs don't show up? Technically students are allowed to leave after 15 minutes if no instructor arrives but if you do this, often you will get yelled at later. Yesterday, we did take advantage of this, but today, we found the film we were supposed to watch on Netflix and watched about 30 minutes of it. We should get extra credit for that, I think :D Especially as the film was quite odd). Anyway, I was sitting there, watching the odd film, thinking about this movie theater we went to on the last day in Scotland (I mentioned it in the post on Captain America, thus it's recently been in my thoughts).

It's called Cineworld City Center and it is apparently the world's tallest cinema (12 stories, baby!). I wish I could find pictures of the inside of this theater because fellow Yanks like myself will be utterly blown away. IT'S INCREDIBLE.

Maybe I've just never been to a really fancy movie theater. I mean, I'm looking up photos online and I keep getting images of Gerard Butler and Ewan McGregor at film premieres. Clearly, this place is kind of a big deal. Now I'm wondering how the likes of me got in there :P

Let me try to explain how incredible this theater is. For one thing, their ticket area takes up a good chunk of the first floor... er, ground floor for you Europeans. None of this pathetic tiny box office area like we have in some American theaters, where you're standing on each other's hair if there's a long line. No, Brits seem to understand that there needs to be ROOM for queuing. Then, there's the fact that they have a STUDENT DISCOUNT. FOR MOVIES. I can't even get a student discount for some museums and theatrical productions in the States, let alone movie theaters! Then there's the floors - there are a million escalators taking you up to each floor, which was a bit baffling for us because there's only two theaters or so per floor (sorry, sorry, American theaters put everything on one level so then our theaters stretch out like a shopping mall. Kudos for you guys for making it classier and more compact, even if the long elevator ride is somewhat dizzying). But once you reach the floor you need, you begin to understand why there's only two theaters per floor. Because the concession areas are BRILLIANT.

It's like... a giant popcorn/soda area along with an candy shop. On each floor. Along with other eatables like pretzels and such. Seriously, if I hadn't been running out of cash and had no idea how much cab fare to the airport was going to cost the next morning, I probably would have splurged on British sweets. I was totally blown away by what the theater was like. Seriously, going to the movies in America is usually not this cool. Maybe because we do it all the time.

I think this is a different theater, but you get the idea of the basic layout and design.

Even watching the movie itself was different. The previews at the beginning were different from American previews (seriously, the ad for Bridesmaids was nothing like the one shown in America). The disclaimers about pirating movies and not letting kids in for adult films were shown more and much more... I don't know, government-y, official sounding. More forceful. And it was different just to hear everything said with a British accent (seemingly minor, but really... for an American, who hears American voices all day long - except when watching British TV - it's kind of weird. Although it does get to the point that when you hear American voices THAT sounds weird).

So, if you're in Glasgow and you have nothing better to do, spend 10 quid or so and enjoy a memorable cinematic experience. And if you don't mind, bring me back some of that candy, please :)

FIAT, parte due

Okay, you should probs watch this video, if not to see an awesome car, then to hear a sweet remix of a Vivaldi Concerto by the Glitch Mob. It's pretty much the greatest thing I've seen today (other than the A I got on my Italian test which I took with a 101 degree fever).

The Stars

We had a visit in my Italian class today from an Italian soccer player who plays with the Minnesota Stars, our local soccer team.

Okay, I admit I'm embarrassed. I didn't know we had a soccer team. But I'm glad we do. I LOVE THE SPORT. And am quite sad it hasn't caught on in the U.S. So yay - new team to support! I imagine they're fairing better than our pathetic excuse for a football team (Vikings, you embarrass me. You too, Gophers).

So if you're ever in Blaine, check out the soccer field there. And look for #19 and tell him Nels' 1004 class says hello.

Weird-ass Twenty-something

I had a weird conjunction of phone calls made today. It started with a call from Allstate, trying to get me to get auto insurance for my vehicle. First problem: I don't own a car. They said that wasn't an issue though, and that I could use it for whatever other cars I might be driving, using, etc. I said that I just don't drive that much right now but I'd keep it in mind. Which subtly hides the second problem: I don't have a driver's license. 

It isn't exactly from lack of trying, I did take the road test before I started college and failed marvelously. I planned on taking it again this summer, but really didn't spend any time behind the wheel, and so cancelled the test knowing I would just fail it again anyway. I'm not particularly a good drive, I don't particularly care, and I don't particularly LIKE driving. It's okay when I'm driving through the country to [uber gay] or [it's a twins thing]'s houses. But considering I35 goes right through my hometown, I HAVE to know how to drive on the interstate if I want to get anywhere quickly. And I hate the interstate. So, I have procrastinated to the point where it almost doesn't make sense for me to get my license anymore. I live in the city, I can take the bus, I can bike, I can walk. I save gas money and gas in general (more for those douchebaggy Hummer drivers to use instead). I love Mini-Coopers and Smart Cars, but those are the only cars I can picture myself driving. Sort of. And I don't even want one THAT bad. It'd be more for a fun factor than I actually WANT to be driving. I fear I have turned into some weird hipster that just refuses to conform and drive like a normal human being. People judge me for it and it's REALLY awkward to admit. But really, when did society decide that EVERYONE has to drive, hmm? Why do I HAVE to? What about people who can't drive - like the blind or the epileptic? Is it really that big of a deal? (Yes, it probably is, but I'm a cultural studies nerd, so thus I'm skeptical of anything that's supposed to "normal")

I admit, this isn't "normal" for a traditional twenty-something. But neither is buying tickets to the opera- another feat I undertook. I'm going to see Silent Night at the Minnesota Opera in November  on it's opening night. Is that impressive? Actually, yeah, it is - it's a brand new opera and it's opening night will be the WORLD PREMIERE. Considering there's only three new operas premiering this year in the United States, this is kind of a big deal. People from all over the world are flying in to see it. And I'm gonna be there. She who has only seen one opera in her life (Romeo and Juliet and I was so tired by the end of it because it was on a school night in high school that I can't even remember at all enjoying myself). She who knows very little about the structure of opera except for what I've gleaned from taking Italian, too many band classes and The Phantom of the Opera. Actually, I probably know more than I think I do. But something in me years to be part of the opera crowd, to attend some art form that isn't appreciated as much anymore, that only a small elite groups belongs to.

I am such an elitist. But it's another life tile to have under my belt. And a perfect opportunity to push my culture vulture attitude to the limits. Will I enjoy the opera? We'll have to see; Romeo and Juliet was a bit too... French for me, I guess. I'd really like to see an Italian opera, but that's just probably not going to happen this year. But I am SUPER excited to see this. I loved the movie, so I'm hoping for awesomeness in this staging.

So there you go - pondering on opera and my lack of driving. What a way to start the weekend.

Passato remoto

I learned a new verb tense in Italian tonight - passato remoto. It's used for anything that happened in the far past (unless you live in Southern Italy, as my professor said, then they use it all the time). According to my professor, some Italians who don't get a good education never learn to use this tense. That freaked me out. We're not expected to know how to conjugate it, just recognize it and be able to translate the verbs into passato prossimo (the normal past tense, like I ate dinner yesterday). But still... it shocked me. If your Italian professor, who's actually from Italy, says the tense is a torture... the be prepared. There's a reason why great thinkers like Dante and Da Vinci speak Italian... probably because you have to be pretty damn committed to fully understand that language. It's beautiful, it's fantastic, and it's a dangerous. Like so many things in life.