Friday, December 17, 2010

Glowsticks, Gorbachev, and Gibb's Free Energy

"Breath of Heaven, hold me together/Be forever near me, breath of Heaven..." -"Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant

"It's like George Bush and Jesus joined forces, and declared war on taste." -Stephen Colbert

"How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and eighty-five different kinds of cheese?" -Charles de Gaulle

Kiel vi fartas?: Mi estas libera! (I'm free!)

That's right, readers! It's winter break here in the Northwest, and that means the last-minute tests are done, and the parties have been had. Time for video games, naps, and CHRISTMAS!!! But first, a rather large event in my life was last week...

I turned 18 on the 10th!

That's right, readers, your dear blogger is now legally able to vote, buy dry ice and cigarettes, and enlist in the military. God help us all.

But something magical happened on that day! Something that couldn't have happened had I not started studying Esperanto!

Well? What is it?

A man from the Czech Republic, who speaks no English whatsoever, went out of his way on lernu! to wish me Happy Birthday.

You heard me right. A CZECH guy sent me an e-postcard wishing me a "Naskiĝtaga bondeziro".

So, for the skeptics out there, behold: a concrete reason to learn Esperanto!

Okay, partially-kidding, but really, it's an incredible thing that wouldn't have been possible before now.

Cool. What else has been up?

CHRISTMASCHRISTMASCHRISTMASohmygoshchristmas.

Yeah, it's comin' up.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, not just because of the presents and two weeks off and the delicious food. My favorite part about Christmas is actually the church service the night before. I sing in the youth choir at my church, and we lead the 11 PM worship service every year on Christmas Eve. The absolute best part of the whole experience, and what makes my holiday really special, is the very end; we hand out candles to all 5,000+ people in the church, and shut out all of the lights, and pass the little flame from the pastor's candle around, and sing Silent Night. It is so moving and powerful, and it's in those times that I feel close to God.

You wouldn't think it by talking to me, but I'm religious. I'm liberal, absolutely, painfully so, but it's a liberalism influenced by faith. I firmly believe that God created gay people that way, and that He calls us to care for the poor and the oppressed. It's my faith that guides me towards socialism, supporting gay and immigrant's rights, and being a silly naive hippie. Ironic, no?

For me, though, it makes sense. It makes more sense than the people who say they're Christian, then in the same sentence want to cut funding for welfare and health care, and want to keep some people in a second-class-citizen status.

"Why must you always go on campaigns?" -Jim (friend)

Yeah, sorry, it was getting political there...

BUT, one more political thing: an early Christmas present for the whole LGBTetc. community out there!

"DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" HAS BEEN REPEALED!!!

Yep, the 17-year-old policy of "We're not gonna ask, but we may search through your private e-mails until we find one with you talking about your boy/girlfriend and then interpret that to mean you TOLD us" is dead! 65-31 vote in the Senate. That's eight Republicans, guys. That's really impressive in this ridiculously partisan climate.

Merry Christmas, LGBT community!

And if I don't make another post before then, I hope all of you dear readers have a very merry Christmas, as well.

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