Moving In

As many of you already know, Holly and I decided to move back to Wymount last weekend. The decision was based on a variety of reasons that I'm not going to expound upon, but it should suffice to say that having our own place is a benefit to us in both the short and long term.

The move went pretty successfully. Holly and I had everything packed by Friday afternoon and then I rented a U-Haul for Saturday morning and had a few guys from the Wymount ward help me load it and then unload it. All in all it took about 3 hours to get it done from start to finish.

We moved back into an apartment that has the same floor plan as our very first one, which meant unpacking took very little time at all. We knew where to put everything off the top of our heads and didn't have to sit and wonder where things should go. Along with that, we got rid of a ton of stuff, which means we have a lot more "growing space" for Jack as he gets older and starts accumulating some of his own stuff.

There are still a few things left at Grandma Chatfield's house, like the crib which I'm going to go and take apart to move over this evening, and some of our pictures that we will certainly want to hang up over here at the new place, but we are almost entirely settled. I know that Holly is liking having her friends around again, and I feel like being closer to campus is going to be better for us in that I have more of a chance to come home if I need to some days between classes.

I'm sure I'll post some pictures soon once we officially have everything over here.

Proposition 8 Passed, Do I Care?

So here is the deal. This past week, the campaign to make gay and lesbian marriages no longer legal in the state of California (Proposition 8) was passed. This means that the gay and lesbian couples who could previously get married in California no longer can do such a thing, at least not for now.

The bigger question is, do I really care?

First off, I'm not a resident of California which gives me a certain air of disinterest in the entire production and as a resident of Utah, I highly doubt that gay or lesbian marriages are going to be legal anytime soon in my state. On the other hand, far too many people here at Brigham Young University seem to think it their godly duty to fight for a campaign they can't even legally vote for.

So, where do I stand?

I guess that a little bit of background information might help a little bit. As a member of the LDS Church I don't believe in homosexuality in the slightest. Some will argue, "It's a personal choice," while others lay claim to, "It's something a person is born with and cannot control." I happen to believe that the "born with it" argument is complete bunk, and it is a conscious choice that a person makes, but that is neither here nor there I suppose. The point is, I'm not a supporter of homosexual behavior, but at the same time, if a friend of mine were to decide to be a practicing gay or lesbian I wouldn't hate them for it. My relationship would probably stay pretty much the same in regards to them. They are my friend, they can live their life how they want. If they ask me for my support, they won't have it, but that support is mine to give so I feel justified in that stance.

With all of my personal thoughts on homosexuality out in the public domain now, let's discuss how this all relates to Proposition 8 for me personally.

Obviously I'm not going to encourage gay and lesbian marriages as I don't believe in them, but who am I to be judge, jury, and executioner in this day and age? I'm certainly not God, but I do know that whatever choices a person makes in life they will be accountable for. Should I support an issue that takes away the choice or certain people, or should I support an issue just because the leaders of my faith are?

Interesting question isn't it? I'm one of those folks who very strongly believe in the principle of agency. Don't want to do something? Then don't. Unless it directly harms my life, I quite frankly don't care much what you decide to do. Do I think that if Proposition 8 had not passed that the quality of life for LDS members in California would have deteriorated? No, I certainly do not, and anyone who thinks so is being silly.

Just because gay and lesbian marriages were legal didn't mean anything had to change for LDS members if you ask me. You don't have to go to one of those weddings, you don't have to be involved, and you can live your life according to the tenets of your faith just fine regardless.

Now, if I were a resident of California, I likely would have voted yes on Proposition 8, but not for the reasons everyone else around BYU is screaming about, and certainly not because, "The Church said so, so you better, or you're going to hell." People, please, act your age for a few minutes.

Proposition 8 is most likely a good cause, and worth my support in the end, but what turns me off to the issue is the zealots around BYU who think they are fighting a war much bigger than the one they actually are fighting, and the folks who turn their noses at others who say, "I'm not a resident of California, it doesn't matter to me, my support on your state issue means nothing at the moment," or the folks who simply don't get it at all.

Really? Can You Seriously Not Tell Where the Turn Lane is Located?

Yes, I'm sorry everyone, but there seem to be a proliferation of drivers suffering from idiocy in the Provo area. See, I ride my scooter back and forth to campus every day now, and so I take the same route on a regular basis. Interestingly enough, when riding a scooter, you find out all sorts of interesting stuff about the drivers of the four-wheeled variety.

Take for instance, the following example:

A week or so ago I was on University Parkway at the corner where it intersects Canyon Road. I was three or four cars back in line at the red light, and at the front of the line was one of the BYU mail trucks. As I had approached the intersection I had passed a multitude of bikes, perhaps 6 or 7 who were riding along in the bike lane to the right hand side of the road. They were minding their own business, doing their own thing. You wouldn't think this to be a problem would you?

Well, with the light glowing red, these bike riders obviously stopped at the intersection and waited for the light change. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but common sense says the fact they remained in the bike lane means they were doing the right thing, but here is where it gets interesting.

A car in front of me decided that they wanted to turn right, so, rather than wait for the light to turn green (as they should have), they took it upon themselves to squeeze their car in behind the bike riders and next to the mail truck. In the bike lane, yes, that's right, they pulled their car into the bike lane thinking they were going to make their turn much faster. How unfortunate for them to do so and then realize the bikes that were patiently waiting for the light instead.

But wait, the story gets better!

The car behind me driven by some rich kid accompanied by his girlfriend then pulled around me (I had my right turn signal on and was in the proper location), and got into line behind the other idiot trying to turn right. He then proceeded to lean out the window of his car and scream at the bike riders: "Get out of the way you stupid bikes!"

Yes, he really was that stupid, and therefore my natural tendency to make idiots feel like the fools that they are required me to respond with "You do realize you aren't even in a turn lane right? You are sitting in the middle of the bike lane."

His response to me was "Who cares, they are in my way."

I gave him a blank stare as his girlfriend then grabbed his arm and yelled at him "What the hell are you doing in the bike lane? Are you a moron!?"

Oh sweet justice! His face turned red and he slid down in his seat while she continued to berate him further. Idiocy at its best, plain and simple.