• Who hasn’t…

    … punched themselves in the face trying to remove a sock? It ranks right up there with hand v. ceiling fan, accidental dye jobs (the clothes formerly known as ‘whites’), bike v. parked car, unfortunate shirt/pants pairings, toe v. bed frame, and all the other things in life we learn the hard way.

    Poor Adam. If he’s anything like his father, this evening’s pain/humiliation is only the beginning.

  • Back out through the genetic minefield

    Poor Adam stepped on another last week. Cheryl picked him up from school and took him to the doctor because he’d been coughing a lot. The doctor gave a listen to his lungs and gave a look of surprise. “Wow,” she said, “you’d never guess just looking at him that he’s wheezing.”

    As the doctor said these words he was doing his impression of a perpetual motion machine, with a big grin on his face that was reduced to a blur – unless your eyes could anticipate his next move. I can already tell he’s going to be much tougher than his dad when he grows up.

    He got another nebulizer treatment, an updated prescription for albuterol, and a larger mask (for giving the albuterol to small children who aren’t quite ready to huff on a regular inhaler). Before they left the doctor told Cheryl to try and keep him calm that night… you know, to keep him from running around.

    Hah! We might as well tell him to stop breathing (all right, not funny). It didn’t turn out too bad though. We sat down together (the boy and his goof of a dad) and read a couple books. Afterwards we moved on to the computer, and pictures I took that weekend. Even with a boat load of stimulants coursing through his veins, he was still content to sit back and relax with dad for a while.

    When parents of older children speak wistfully of their kids’ younger years, I suspect they’re talking about these moments (rather than the preparation it gives you for a second career in the wonderful world of hazardous materials).

  • Coming in November

    Proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution, which will appear on the ballot this November:

    BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA THAT:
    A new section for Article I is hereby created to add the following:
    Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.

    I have so many objections to this amendment that I’m not sure where to begin.

    Sorry, I lied. I know exactly where to begin. (There’s a great blog post and discussion here, if you’re interested.)

    This is a horrible amendment. It not only eliminates the possibility of gay marriage laws (either by statute or case law), but it also makes a more conservative domestic partner law impossible. If that were not bad enough (and it’s more than bad enough), it also could undermine the rights of unmarried, heterosexual couples. Companies could be banned from allowing unmarried couples to purchase health insurance (unless they both work for the same company, and are willing to pay for two separate policies). Domestic partner registries (which allow partners to stay with loved ones before and after surgery in the hospital) could be in jeopardy.

    This amendment isn’t just about protecting marriage, whatever that means. It’s about setting aside a group of people, making them second class citizens, and punishing them. Incredibly, it’s saying the status quo isn’t nearly intolerant enough.

    Think of the last part of the amendment language “… no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.” Imagine how this broad language could be interpreted by conservative justices. Think of the slippery slope this amendment puts us on. Say these two words to yourself: “institutionalized persecution.” Think about what that means. Ask yourself if the amendment rises to this level, and even if you think it doesn’t, ask yourself if you want the final word on state law to head in this direction.

    It’s probably no surprise that I find the unabashed, wide reaching bigotry of the proposed language chilling. If you live in Florida, I hope you’ll join me in voting NO in November.

    One web:
    http://www.floridaredandblue.com/