Sunday, March 23, 2008

Update

It's been forever since I posted. Please forgive me, because I've been busy. Or lazy. Sometimes both, if that is at all possible. Anyway, I do have news and topics to discuss.

1. The most important thing - I got accepted into the best Library and Information program in the country!!!!!! University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Very excited and nervous (it's the best, and the fourth largest school in the nation, I think...yikes!). But they really liked me...now I just have to figure out how to pay for it. Going into debt though seems totally worth it, considering that after two or three years there I can pretty much write my own ticket for a job. How awesome is that?!

2. I'm reading several books - many are young adult fiction, because I like to know what the students are reading at the school I work and it's just fun. I also bought a book of essays about motherhood - the essays are all accounts of either stay-at-home moms or working moms, trying to figure out why it's so competitive and bitchy. If you're a stay-at-home mom you think working mothers are missing out; if you work, you think stay-at-homes are bored. Either way, not good for respecting and supporting choice, which I think is part of my whole pro-choice philosophy. Not that I'm immune to judgement. I tend to think that both sides are right to some degree; but I ALSO very much agree that working mothers are better for their kids. PROVIDED THAT THEY REALLY ENJOY WORKING and not because they HAVE to work. There's a big difference. Before anyone jumps down my throat, I thought maybe I'd ask people to weigh in then go into my reasons during the comments section.

3. I accidentally picked up a Christian romantic comedy. I didn't realize it was Christian until I actually started reading it. I try not to read Christian fiction, as it's usually too preachy for me. I don't want to be preached at in real life, much less in my fiction. But I tried to read it, figuring maybe I was being judgmental. In this particular case, I was totally right. Bible verses, descriptions of "good Christians," and all the humor was lost when some guy character started talking about "accepting Jesus into your heart." As in, asking someone else if they have. This drives me crazy - keep your religion to yourself. Christians seem to be far too eager to seduce people. And they don't stop either; this has just been my experience. I am not trying to diss Christians.

4. Does anyone really have a rational, good reason for gay marriage to be illegal? Something NOT based on the Bible or their own personal horror at the concept. I mean, the whole love the sinner hate the sin thing might work, but considering that means discrimination on a whole group of people, whom even the Catholic Church admits doesn't CHOOSE their sexuality - unless I read the Catechism wrong -always possible!-(though why god, if god exists, would make a whole group of people that most Christian religions and societies discriminate against and in general do not provide acceptance is beyond my comprehension. That smacks of unjustness.) Asking this leads me to one of my favorite episodes of the West Wing. I think we all know what I'm talking about and if you're like me, just revel in that episode and smile and laugh.

Okay. So I'm ready for congratulations and well wishes and honestly, hopefully death threats of some sort. Also, please use the link titled, I'm Not Sorry. If nothing else, it will start some good debates or posts on other people's blogs.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. Congrats on getting into your school! Even though it means you won't be moving back, I am still super excited for you, and you totally deserve it.

2. I would like to know why each side is so judgemental of the other as well. If a woman wants to stay at home with her kids, that is her perogative, and same with a woman who wants to work. Women are not all the same, and it is wrong for either side to put us all in the same box, because THAT is what I think of as not being a true feminist--not allowing other women the same right to choose what is best for them when you believe that they should do so for you.

3. What book is this? I don't know that all sects of Christianity are out to seduce everyone, but some definitely are. I suppose that is their right (even though it is annoying), just as it is my right to be annoyed and/or ignore them.

4. No. I honestly don't believe that disagreeing with gay marriage can be rational. Is sexism rational? Is racism? It all just seems to be based on a feeling, and I certainly don't think that someone feeling or believing something is a sin is a reason to deny an entire group of people rights. Seperation of church and state and all that.

Anonymous said...

I know I already said so, but congratulations on getting into school! Very exciting...Kay

Kathleen said...

Thanks girls! I am very excited and extremely nervous.

Kathleen said...

In regards to their right to try, I guess that you're right Ramee. Maybe I can think of it as more of a funny situation and laugh instead of get annoyed. I mean, it IS kind of funny.

Anonymous said...

I have read christian romances and although I'm not offended by their preachiness, I don't like them as much as other, more steamy ones because, well, they're less steamy... and I need mindless steamy reads sometimes to offset all the actual knowledge gaining crap I read:) Kay

Kathleen said...

It was less a romance, than chick-lit...all about some Christian girl who thinks she's a matchmaker and then funny things happen when she tries to make more matches that don't work out, etc. The preachiness thing just drives me crazy though!

Sara Bishop said...

I hate going to I'm Not Sorry. It makes me sick sometimes. Seriously. Maybe I'm clicking on the wrong ones or something. Like the girl who was pregnant at 17 and told her mom and her mom was like "great! I've had two abortions. lets go get you yours!" and it was super awesome and easy. It should never be super awesome and easy. It should be a hard decision that you really think about. Because even if you're 17 and pregnant, it doesnt have to ruin your life. MANY colleges have programs for mothers to go to school. I know KState offered babysitting and campus apartments.

Anywho, just my two cents.

And I have a couple of Catholic novels that I really liked, but they werent romances. I've never read Christian romances. Also, I skip the steamier scenes, which Brad thinks is a waste. :-)

AND I just found a Star Trek novel by the author who writes the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels, which started out awesome until like, book 8 and now its all about how many different vamps and were animals Anita can screw. So I'm interested in seeing how her Star Trek novel comes out. It has Worf and Deanna on the cover. I'm a little afraid. Hee.

Kathleen said...

What is the Star Trek book called? And that's sort of the point of I'm Not Sorry. I meant the blog, but the website is good too. I realize that for a lot of people abortion is a hard choice, but I don't think it should ALWAYS be a hard choice - if it's clearly the right decision for you then you shouldn't be made to feel bad for it. I think that's what the stories are getting across. But to each his own on that particular site. I just like the blog a lot.

Bishniak said...

The book is called Nightshade.

I've never been to I'm Not Sorry, and really don't plan on it.

An old addage my grandfather used to use: "never discuss Religion or Politics" and since Aborition is so political it should have it's own candidate, I try to avoid the subject whenever possible.

Kathleen said...

Sara, I have the book Nightshade and it's one of my favorites! You should love it.

Sara Bishop said...

well, its not that they need to be sorry, but shouldnt it have been a hard decision? I mean, maybe if just one that I randomly click on said that it was a really hard decision, but they knew they made the right one and weren't sorry, then I might not feel so grossed out when I go there.