So excited for New York!

This is going to be one of my few political-leaning or religious-ish posts, as in, pretty much the only one ever on this blog that I plan on making, unless SC or VA joins the fight for marriage equality.

Avenue Q + Marriage Equality = Love and Happiness

I am 100% in favor of same-sex marriage under the law, and I am so excited that so many couples were able to marry yesterday in New York. The religious studies part of me understands why the churches may be against same-sex marriage, but I get absolutely incensed when I hear people on the radio trying to explain using Judeo-Christain-Islamic theology to state why the government, which is supposed to be separate from the church, should oppose marriage equality. I don't believe that the churches should be required to officiate a wedding that goes against their teachings, but that to me includes marrying people of a different faith than theirs (like trying to have a rabbi marry a Catholic couple.. I feel like that would be awkward). I think some things, though, are basic human rights under the government, and I truly believe that marriage in the secular sense, as a legally binding contract that affords protection and benefits under the law, should be one of them.

Family can take many forms. <3 it.

I think of friends I have known over the years, homosexuals and bisexuals alike, who have been together for longer than some of my other friend's marriages have lasted. I don't believe that God hates homosexuals, in any incarnation one believes in God (except for maybe the Westboro Baptist Church's God, who I'm pretty sure should be better referred to as anti-God most of the time). I know there's theology for and against same-sex relationships, and that you can find liberation theology for almost any oppressed group in the world. I feel, though, that the most important laws God provided, the 10 Commandments, are in no way violated by legal protection for another incarnation of His love, and that to me is the most important set of rules to keep in mind. Jesus spread a message of hope and love above all else; it seems the height of hypocrisy to spread a message of hatred and intolerance in His name.

The look of love and happiness on his face is priceless.

I believe in working for a bright faith, that looks in the world, sees it as it is, and can still find hope and grace and acceptance in God's love. I think same-sex love and marriage is just another step towards finding bright faith in all corners of the world. I am just so excited that there is now another state allowing same-sex marriage, and hope that those states that currently only allow civil unions take the plunge to make it marriage friendly. I know my stance goes against that of some of my friends and family, but it is fully what I believe in and support, and I pray that I see same-sex marriage accepted throughout the nation within the next decade.

The happiness you can see on their faces makes me want to cry. In a good way.

~Cassi

Procrastination to let my brain digest.

Handsome is finally home! Just in time to help take care of Rosie as I prepare for a massive anatomy exam tomorrow. He's been out of town for work far more than we had expected, which is harder on weeks like this, where there was a lot of class things to do in addition to studying for anatomy, which takes over my life. We've learned so much this session that I seriously have forgotten things I learned two weeks ago. It's a little overwhelming, to say the least. Tonight is a night of reviewing nonstop before sleeping for a couple hours and reviewing all morning. Eeek!

All three of us are enjoying life in Charleston. Handsome and I need to search for more bookcases-- our guest room tub is still overflowing with books! Not to mention the ones in the bedroom and living room that we're just kind of pretending don't exist at the moment. :-) I'm sure no one who knows me is at all surprised that books are taking over my house again. After all, the quote that pretty much seems to define my life is:

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.Anna Quindlen

I am working my way to being an e-reader convert, though. We got new phones, and I have the Nook and Kindle apps, which are my saving grace on the daily ride to and from the parking lot for school. :-) I've been re-reading Pride and Prejudice-- I absolutely adore Jane Austen, with the exception of Sense and Sensibility. I keep trying to like it, but the main characters are SO obnoxious to me. My dad found me an awesome comic version of it, though, which I really like-- it keeps the text enough to get the story going, has fun pictures, and, of course, is a comic! The nerd in me rejoices at the combination of Jane Austen and comics. I have Pride and Prejudice in comic form, too, which I also super much enjoy.

I get to see my parents in just over 3 weeks! I am beyond excited to get to go home and see my family for a few days. I'm intruding on their wedding anniversary dinner (HAPPY 31ST!), but it's totally worth it. :-) I'll also get to see my awesome mother-in-law, although my father-in-law will unfortunately be out of town, assuming she's not on jury duty that week. I'm definitely lucky that my in-laws are close to my parents, and that I genuinely like them! Makes life easier for sure. I'm super excited to have my mother in law and aunt in law come down for a visit when it's not 100+ degrees daily.

Rosie and I will be roadtripping our way north to Norfolk, since Handsome will be working that week. I'm super excited just to have some down time if nothing else, and while I wish I was travelling with my husband, he'll probably be on site out of town anyways at the rate we're going. We're hopefully going to have friends (one person, one canine) with us on the way up, so that'll make the long trip a bit more bearable.

On that note, I should probably get back to studying and pretending my brain can take in this information so that I pass anatomy and can actually go to Norfolk!

Cheers,
Woozel

Fetch = Best Thing Ever!

There's an abso-freaking-lutely amazing doggy day care center called Fetch! next door practically to our apartment, and I am madly in love with it. Not only is the staff super nice, but the facility is huge, clean, has slides for Rosie to play on (which she LOVES), and the dogs are all super sweet. She actually wants to go to daycare, and for the most part leaves willingly with the staff (which is the equivalent of another dog saying "Peace Out" and running off without looking behind). Best of all, I bring her home and she does this:

She totally and completely passes out! I love it. :-) So different from the walks-on-the-hour she wanted last night.

Handsome's been out of town for work, so today, with both my loves out of the house, I decided to do a major clean up. There's now artwork on the walls, more things out of boxes (it's a slow process), and definite plans to buy more bookcases. The poor artwork might not be thrilled with me, though... I couldn't figure out how to make the drillbit work for real, so I used it by hand to start a hole, hammered in the screw slightly (just a couple taps so it went where I thought it should), then turned the screw for the rest (and majority) of the way into the wood. In other words, I totally made up how home improvement should work, Woozel style. I don't think Handsome's going to leave the tools where I can get them next time he goes out of town, seeing as he does not approve of the whole hammering screws technique.*

While it's kind of nice to have quiet time to study, Rosie and I are both super excited that Handsome gets home tomorrow! She does not approve of late night walks with just her mommy; as soon as it's dark, I am supposed to be safe in the house or have Handsome escort me outside, apparently. Althought I love having him home, it is exciting that he went on his trip, though, because it's more good work opportunities for him. Yay computer stuff! If anyone wants to really know more, you'll have to ask him, as my brain is too full of  anatomy to focus on the tech-speak right now. Now, back to studying!

Cheers,

Woozel

*For the record, I do know that screws are not meant to be hammered. This was an exception to how I normally use tools, not the rule!

Happy 4th of July

It's hard to believe that it's already July! My camera died, so I have no photos, but here's a quick update on life as we know it here in Charleston:

• Our apartment is awesome! We love having 2 bedrooms, particularly having a space for me to study when Handsome watches TV. Rosie loves it, too! I think she really just loves that she has long hallways to curl up in.
• We have a brand new washer and dryer, which is quite possibly my favorite purchase ever in this world. It not only works (improvement over the last apartment!), but it dings when things are done! Always a good thing when I'm studying and lose track of all time.
• We've been downtown officially once now! Just for post gross. I think I prefer the West Ashley scene in Triangle, but downtown is definitely pretty.
• I have, of course, managed to get a sunburn every time I've been outside more than 20 minutes, even with sunscreen. I love the beaches here though! Rosie's been introduced, and she liked it, too, as much as could be expected. The water is SO nice and warm! Even Handsome doesn't mind it, even though he's definitely not as much of a water baby as I am.
• Since we found out (the hard way, of course) that eggs are off my diet, I found two new allergy cookbooks, one of which is a vegan cookie book that I am SUPER excited to make cookies from! I was going to bake last night, but we had a Scrabble fest going on, which was obviously more important. :-) Cookies may be on the menu tonight, though-- chocolate sounds awesome right now.
• One awesome new dish I've made: made-from-scratch pork enchiladas! I handpulled the pork to get out as much fat as humanly possible, added some tofu "cheese," and today added spinach, then made homemade enchilada sauce, including with fresh diced tomatoes! It's so good, and really pretty good for you-- low fat, low sodium the way I make it, and Woozel-friendly, which is ALWAYS nice.

I know there's been more that's going on, but it's time for me to get back to studying the skull. I definitely love it down here; even though it's super hot, part of me wants to live here forever. :-) I'm excited to show Handsome's mom around in August! I also hope to go camping up in Asheville, which is only 3 hours away, sometime this fall. I think it'd be a nice break for us, and camping with the RooRoo may be a huge adventure in and of itself. :-) If we decide to make a day trip up there later, there's fortunately an AMAZING doggy day care next door to the apartment, wich Rosie is seriously in love with! She plays all day, nonstop, and the people there are fantastic. 

Anyways, yes, back to studying. If you're ever wondering what I do in my free time, the answer really is "study."

Cheers,

Woozel