Jury Acquits Couple in "Caged Kids" Trial

This makes me sick. Sad, too. But mostly sick.

Apparently, the jury felt that the couple was justified in locking John Eckhart's two autistic sons in a room secured with a cage-like door. Why? Because the couple was acting out of concern for the boys' safety.

Raising children with autism is very "inconvenient" indeed.

Re-Posting from Autistic Speaks

Because this blog is very well written.

A lot of the things the author mentions in this post really describe some of my own feelings. I'm fortunate to have some very good friends in my life, people who have been by my side for well over a decade. They love me unconditionally, in spite of my flaws, and I return the sentiment wholeheartedly.

Sometimes, getting to the point where I can feel comfortable and forge a meaningful relationship with someone is the real obstacle. Especially in Utah, where my anxiety always seems to be high due to painful experiences in my past. That anxiety has decreased significantly in recent years, but it's still there and it still has an effect on me. People also act a lot differently in Utah than they do in Louisiana. I feel like most southern folks are more laid-back and "warm" than folks around here. Maybe that puts me at ease.

Her post is definitely worth reading. Very insightful and thought-provoking.

Being a Writer

Ever since I was a wee lad, I've been in love with the idea of writing. My passion first expressed itself through my love of reading; as a toddler, I demanded that adults read to me. When I was old enough to read on my own, I devoured everything I could get my hands on. The next logical step in my progression (or downward spiral?) was to tell my own stories. This has been challenging for me, as sometimes I have a hard time visualizing the settings for my stories, but it's a challenge that I really enjoy and that has enriched my life on many levels.

One aspect of writing that I do not enjoy is writer's block. It seems that sometimes my life becomes so overwhelming that I simply can't get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes, the simplest things can feel overwhelming (ie, stress about work/school), and that contributes to the buildup of writer's block.

What I need to remember is that, writer's block or not, I should set aside some time each day to focus on my writing.

This blog has really helped me to focus on my words. Even blogging about life in general has stimulated my creativity and led to some short story concepts. Keeping a small moleskin notebook close at hand has also been helpful when ideas strike as I'm out and about.

For awhile, I had been feeling discouraged because I'm not where I want to be with my writing. Now, I can step back and look at the bigger picture. I've accomplished much more than I've given myself credit for, and I'll only continue to make progress as long as I maintain this optimistic attitude.

Setting realistic goals and celebrating their achievement is much better (and more productive) than setting irrational goals and beating yourself up when you fail to meet them.

Slightly Belated...

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there... especially my mom and my mother-in-law. Who knows, two years from now I may have to include my partner in the Mother's Day wishes!

Seller Offers Gun Range Targets Meant to Resemble Trayvon Martin

No, really. I'm serious.

What the hell is wrong with people? This is just cruel on so many different levels. A kid was murdered. If your child had been murdered, would you want to see their image placed on a target of any kind?

The seller is clearly an intelligent fellow. Regarding the Trayvon Martin case, he feels that the shooter is innocent and that he "shot a thug."

Because thugs are always found packing Skittles and iced tea.

Sometimes, I just don't want to live on this planet anymore.

President Obama Supports Gay Marriage

Well, that's nice to know. I'm not being sarcastic, either- it's nice to know that the President of the USA believes that gay couples should have the right to marry. I have my owns views on marriage in general, but that will have to be written as its own blog post.

I hope that one day I will live in a world where the idea of gay couples not being allowed to get married is just as absurd as, say, interracial couples not being allowed to marry.

Thanks for the support, sir.

Did Queen Latifah Come Out?

Apparently, a lot of folks are assuming that she has. At least from what I've seen on Facebook and from surfing random blogs around the internet. The assumption that Queen Latifah has finally come out stems from the fact that she's headlining this year's annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival, which she has never participated in before. Which is great, except that if you want to be technical, a lot of straight celebrities participate in LGBT community events.

Now, I'm not saying that Queen Latifah is straight. If I had to bet money on her sexuality, I'd say that she's a lesbian. However, that's her business. If she wants to come out, that's great. If she wants to stay in the closet, it's her life and her decision. I just think it's a little funny that so many people are claiming that Queen Latifah has finally come out simply because she'll be participating in an LGBT community event. Maybe she'll come out during the festivities; maybe she won't. Let's just enjoy the show and stop putting words in her mouth. Coming out is a process, a very personal decision, and nobody has the right to take that away from anyone else.

Gay or straight, I love me some Queen Latifah and I'm glad to see that she's headlining this event!

NC Pastor Suggests Parents Beat the Gay Out of Their Kids.

His blathering is nicely summarized here.

He's trying to defend himself now by claiming that it was "all in good fun" and that he was "just joking." Because, you know, advocating child abuse is hilarious.

I think my favorite part is where he uses the act of ditch digging as an example of manliness. Real men dig ditches, damn it! I think I might actually have to use that one on my son...

"Son, be a man. Go dig a ditch."

Sadly, I think many people would actually take this pastor's advice seriously.