Look Ma! No Hands!

It has been awhile since I posted something more than an album review, dream journal, or something light on content but big on giggles.  Let me catch you up.

Shortly after Christmas my awesome-amazing boyfriend asked to officially move in with him.  I think I've put longer thought into picking out what color nail polish I want to buy, I immediately said yes (it was the easiest decision I've ever had to make and every day I'm so thankful for this life I'm living), gave my landlord 30 days notice, and started moving things to his house, I mean our house (it took awhile for me to get the hang of saying it).  I was all in within 2 weekends (it was too hard to try to move during the week).

Let me tell you.... living in sin is the best thing ever.  For me there didn't really even seem to be any growing pains, it just feels like home. He does most of the cooking, I do most of the laundry, and we share the other cleaning chores, they get done as they need to.  Everything seems to be falling in place.  I never thought living with someone else would be so easy, I don't know what I thought it would be like, this is the first time I've ever lived with a boyfriend, and I'm glad he's the one I'm experiencing all this new stuff with.  My family loves him (which is a great feeling). We have a cute little dog named Bugsy, we spoil him rotten...he's like having a 3rd person in the house half the time.

So that's the big life update. I don't think I've ever been this happy and relaxed in a relationship.  I'm not constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop or for some dramatic disaster to happen.  It just feels good to have a true partner, not just someone who is there for the moment.  For the first time in my life I feel like a real adult, not a kid in a grown up body. It's not nearly as scary as I thought it would be.

Another update is that today I decided to become a Partner in Hope.  I signed up to give a monthly donation to St. Jude's Children's hospital. I've had a nagging feeling for a long time that I need to become involved in something that is bigger than me and my personal world, but I didn't know where to start.  This morning on the drive to work one of the local radio stations was hosting a radiothon to raise money for the hospital and I was moved to donate.  I can't afford to give a lot, but I can afford to give what I used to spend on a monthly sample subscription.  If you want to become a Partner in Hope you can follow the link and help battle childhood cancer. If you can't afford to donate money, maybe you can find a cause that speaks to you and you can donate your time, and if you don't have time or money (hey we've all been there, no judgment) you can share links on how to help your cause of choice, maybe you'll inspire one of your friends to help out in any way they can.

You Know What Chaps My Hide

I know a lot of this has already been said (not necessarily here by me, but it has been circulating the Internet for months now... maybe longer), but with the encouragement of The Elitist I decided to let the fire breathing monster out of her cage again.

Its a fairly short rant today, the first a minor annoyance and then it escalates from there.

October is Awareness Month: For seemingly EVERYTHING. Anti-bullying month, Breast Cancer Awareness (more on this later), Lost Children, etc. It seems like every time I log into one of the various social networks I'm a member of I'm being told that in honor of October's ________ Awareness Month I need to take a moment of silence for {insert cause here}. There are 12 months out of the year people, spread your shit out. Okay, sorry, that was harsh and mean for any one of the millions of people who have been affected by whatever cause they're supporting, and I'm not saying your cause isn't worthwhile... it probably is, but why is October so special?

Breast Cancer and it's Pretty Pink Ribbons: First of all before you jump on my case for being a heartless jerk, let me say this FUCK CANCER. It's scary, deadly, and as of yet we don't have a solid cure... yes there are treatments that might force it into remission, but it's like a time bomb ready to go off at any time. Breast cancer (and all other forms) is serious business and I feel like "pinkifying" the world for one month out of the year makes light of it. T-shirts that say "Save the Boobies/Ta-Ta's/Second Base" across the chest is not only sexualizing something that is clearly NOT SEXY but it's reducing women to one piece of their anatomy. Women are more than their breasts. I've never seen a pair of men's sweat pants that say "Cure Colon Cancer" or "Protect the Prostate" across the ass, so why are we turning a very serious medical issue into something campy at best.  Yes, sex sells and gets people's attention, and sure it will bring dollars in... but just because you can get attention that way doesn't make it the right way. 

Professional sports teams, firefighters, and other companies spend thousands of dollars purchasing pink uniforms for their employees, who does this help?  I know they have the right to spend their money on whatever they want, and it's not up to me to decide what their budget gets allocated toward, BUT I think it would help a lot more people if they would donate whatever funds they use to purchase uniforms that they only wear for one month out of the year to cancer research. To something that will actually help cure cancer instead of just giving it attention. Let's fund research instead of rallies. We're aware, now let's do something about it. 

Why is Feminist Such a Dirty Word?: Is it because it conjures up an image of an angry woman in a pant suit? Or a hairy-legged, man-hating, sandalwood smelling, anti-deodorant-wearing, bra-burning hippie woman? Is that why strong women want to distance themselves from that word?

According to Dictionary.com a feminist is someone who advocates social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men.

Doesn't seem like such a bad thing does it? There's no mention of hating men, wanting more rights or privileges than men, no requirements for setting your bra on fire or tossing out your razors ladies. 

Do you want equal rights? Do you want equal pay for equal work? Do you want to be treated the same as your male counterparts? Do you want to be able to take your car to the mechanic and not get ripped off because you have a vagina? Do you want your daughter to grow up in a world where she has the same educational and career opportunities as your sons? Do you think your sister should be able to walk to her apartment at night after her last class without getting raped on her college campus? Do you think that your best friend should be able to have a cocktail at a bar or party without the fear of getting drugged? Do you want your major medical decisions to be between you and your doctor without political interference? Do you think that its ridiculous that single mothers are currently being blamed for society's problems by a certain political figure? Congratulations, here's your membership card to Club Feminist. Men are welcome here too.