Dear California,

I see you’ve made a decision not to join us for Derby next year, use our convention facilities, or drink our bourbon.  Shame, we will miss you, your wines, movies, Disneyland and Kardashians.  But, ultimately, I understand you feel you need to take a stand against other states who you feel aren’t upholding your views on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  And, I understand that sometimes it isn’t worth waiting for Supreme Court rulings to take care of things, like it did DOMA.

I mean, why wait for due process, when you can use your economic power against smaller states for the good of all the US, right?

THANK YOU for being the proactive, progressive state looking out for those of us who don’t know better.

Without you, I’m not sure how KY will ever recover from such a horrific law as allowing school groups to set membership requirements.  I mean, seriously, removing Jesus from a “Charlie Brown Christmas” program didn’t require such a heavy handed response from Commonwealth leadership.  I mean, it’s not like Christmas has anything to do with Jesus anyways, am I right?  So, why did people get all weird about it and pass such asinine legislation to protect school programs?? #XChristFromChristmas

But, let's be honest, we’re pretty inept here.  I mean, before you spoke up, I hadn’t heard much, if anything on my social media feeds about Senate Bill 17.  It took courage from someone like you to set my Twitter feed ablaze with the fire of righteousness.  Again, thank you.  

You have shown us the light and, apparently, our own laws.  You have given us courage to speak our minds and hearts and to rise up against the injustice that may, or may not, happen in our schools.  We know we aren’t alone here in KY.  We no longer fear the likes of Bevin and McConnell…. All because of YOU.  #slowclap #wipestears

I can’t wait until the next gubernatorial election knowing that you are on our side.  Bevin’s going to be beaten so badly.  I mean, how is he going to recover from this?  If only he’d thrown himself upon your mercy as Mayor Greg Fischer and Mayor Jim Gray did, he may have had a chance.  Now what’s he going base his campaign on?  Standing up to other government entities who would see themselves as the overlords of our small, but precious state?

I can’t wait to see the laughter and sneers from across the Bluegrass as they hear his sure-to-be slogan: “While Kentucky liberals kowtowed to coastal left-wing agendas, Matt Bevin stood up for Kentucky.  Matt Bevin stood up for you.”

What a sad attempt at a campaign slogan, am I right?  I mean, who would fall for that claptrap?  Yeah, this won’t fly at all.  I’m sure all the Democrats will have to do is sit back and let him implode like he did last election.  Errr.. I mean, sit back and watch how Trump imploded… err.. hrrmmm.. wait…Uhhh. Moving on….

Again, I want to to thank the great state of California for being our moral compass and using their stature as the largest state in domestic product, highest number of electoral votes, largest number of House Representatives to push the small, less enlightened states around.  We need are so desperately in need of your leadership and guidance.

I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next.  What will be your next crusade?  Medicinal Marijuana?  Free abortions for all, even for men - because, you know.. equal rights?  Expanded gun laws?  Giving voting rights back to felons - wait, we’ve already done that.  

I’m so excited I don’t know if I will be able to sleep tonight.

Thanks, California!  You are the Real MVP.

Sincerely,

Me.

P.S.  To be on safe side, you may want to start stocking up on yarn now.  I have a bad feeling we may need more hats through 2024.

*random edits*

Weird

I work in an industry with a bunch of engineers and programmers.  As a result, I’m already a small demographic.  Even amongst my demographic, I seem to be an even smaller subset.  It's like I'm a unicorn, but the weird goat-like European type.

Sitting in a work event next to another female, I found myself struggling to make small talk and ended up acting like I was reading email on my laptop.  Then another woman walks up, and bam, they are chatting up a storm about kids, pregnancies, schools, pets, and menstrual cycles (no, not really.. I made that last part up...).

I had been, before being interrupted by the loudness of their conversation, contemplating whether to go ahead and buy a Nintendo Switch or simply wait until Christmas.  I really want to play Breath of the Wild.  Maybe I should wait and get the new XBox with 4K video instead.  OR... should I stop with the Xbox fandom and move to a Playstation?  I already pre-purchased Destiny 2 for access to the Beta, so I’ll need to keep the Xbox around a while longer.  Maybe I should just go with the original plan and get the Switch to replace my broken Wii.  I skipped the WiiU, so should be justifiable….

Sorry, I’m getting off topic, but you get the gist of it.  I don’t seem to be wired like most people I meet.

Now, nothing is wrong with discussing baby-care and cats.  Each are perfectly natural things - I just have nothing to add to the conversation.  I did almost buy some pet grass today at the grocery store, but wasn’t sure I was ready for the commitment.

I’ve always realized I'm a bit different, I just didn’t consciously realize the extent until these past two weeks.

A few days ago, I reviewed the result of an old personality test I took:  “women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population…”

Wow.  Ok.. so .8%.  And to top it off it furthers goes on to state: “…explains why many fictional villains (and misunderstood heroes) are modeled on this personality type.”  /facepalm. This explains sooo much.

Fast forward a few days, and I review my Gallup Strengths Finder results with my manager as a part of my yearly performance review.  His response? “You know, I’ve done this with lots of groups, this is the first I’ve seen of one like this.”  Yeeeeaah.

Again, most times this isn’t a big issue.  I’m cool with the solitary life, but it’s hard when you have to interact with humanity, when things just don’t come that naturally to you, or you lack sufficient common ground.  You either come off like a complete bitch, or creepy.  Sometimes both, but only on very rare and special occasions - like first dates.

Heck, even my astrology is weird - I’m a double Aquarian who is cold, rigid and ruled by (of all things...) Uranus.  I didn’t make this stuff up.  Someone else did.  *rimshot*   Thank you! I’m here all night.

Weirdly enough, I'm ok with being a little weird.  Weird is what makes life interesting.  It's what spawns grand adventures and epic sagas.  Life's all about being an awesome #@%@#^ prancin' unicorn.

I Have a Love/Hate Relationship with the Month of June, but that isn’t what this is about

June is great month.  The weather improves. Kids get out of school, making morning commutes easier.  Patios, Balconies and backyards become places of mass merriment and BBQ.  There’s a lot to like this month.

The downside of June is that it has Father’s Day, my Dad’s birthday, and not too far into July, the anniversary of my father’s passing from cancer.  These past few years it’s been an adjustment to not think about gifts and menus.

There’s nothing special about it, most people go through the same process when they lose their parents.  I’m no different than the next person, or the person after them.  The only reason I’m bringing this up, is to give emotional context to what I’m about to say.

I’d really like to ‘hit’ on a recent topic here in Kentucky: How “legal” are our laws against marijuana.  You can read up on a recently filed lawsuit in this Herald Leader article.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’ve never been into the stoner scene - even in college.  It’s just not my thing - mainly because I’m fully capable of making an ass out of myself completely sober.  I’ve demonstrated this on numerous occasions - none of which I will outline here.  And, I was basically on the non-legalization bandwagon myself a few years ago - until my Dad got sick.

If you’ve not experienced it, or are not currently experiencing it, I can’t begin to tell you how gut-wrenching it is to watch someone you love deteriorate and waste away before your eyes. The only way I can try to explain it is to imagine yourself being dumped into a pool of water without knowing which way is the surface. You can’t breathe, you know you are drowning, and you don’t know which way is up.

After this experience, I can’t help to question why medicinal marijuana is so bad?  Is it bad to use a possibly organic drug to help ease pain without making someone nauseous?  How about a drug that makes them WANT to eat?  I can’t tell you the number of conversations I’ve had with people about sick loved ones that just won’t or can’t eat.  The body looks for other ways to nourish itself, so it starts breaking itself down, which further weakens the patient and starts the downward slide.

I hear the argument of “gateway drug” used often, but aren’t opioids gateway drugs for heroin?  I hear arguments about the effects of marijuana on undeveloped brains - are opioids any different (I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking)?  Alcohol affects developing brains, we just put an age limit on it.    (Side note:  just with some quick googling on alcohol vs marijuana affecting the teenage brain, I came across this study).

Think about it.  What if medicinal marijuana were legal?  

• How much more affordable could health costs be if people could grow their own medicine?
• How much of an economic impact could it be to the Bluegrass, if this were an industry?
• How less of an ecological impact would growing marijuana be vs mining coal?

I’m not saying go all in, carte blanche, doobie-doobie-doo on the issue.  I’m just thinking we can get some real tangible benefits if we were to legalize marijuana for medicinal use.

Why not let them eat space cake?  

btw - this wikipedia post has the funniest unintentionally funny statement I've seen in a while:

"Hash brownies" redirects here. It is not to be confused with hash browns

Yeah, if you confuse these two, you might just have a bad time...

Kathy Griffin - What’s wrong with America wrapped up in one shameless publicity stunt

#1 - Why would ANYONE feel it is appropriate to drench a mask in fake blood and stand there as if you are holding a severed head?  Who in their right mind thinks this is a way to get through to someone?  How to make a political statement?  Guess who else does this as a political statement - ISIS (only they use real heads of real people who've they've slaughtered).  Such a total lack of decorum, respect and good taste.  And for what?  Publicity?  Art? 

Art Schmart. This whole thing shows total lack of respect. Trump will go home to NY in four years. We have more appropriate ways of dealing with this division.  We're adults, let's start acting like it.

#2 - Why on earth do Twitter posts with images of bad words get caught by the “inappropriate” filter, when this picture of a women with a faux severed head popped up several times?  Why is this acceptable while the word “ass” isn’t?  Get real, people.  Yes, bad words and boobies aren’t always appropriate, but neither is this level of imagery.  And to be honest?  I find depiction of violence much more inappropriate than nudity and foul language.  

Why?  Violence is about hurting people.  It's about inflicting pain. No one should be desensitized to the suffering of others.  The more we see it on TV, movies, and social media, the more our emotional response gets dampened.  The more it's used, even in art, the less power it has.

#3 - Making a threat on an acting president (or ex-president) is a FELONY.  That’s spelled F-E-L-O-U-Gonna-B-N-Jail.  How is this not a threat?  How is she not being charged?  If this had been done by a Muslim-American, an African-American, or an Immigrant on a VISA - I’d bet dollars to biscuits they’d be in a small locked room with some very large Secret Service agents have a nice little chat.  Why isn’t the same happening here?  

Why?  Because she’s white?  She’s female?  She’s a ginger? She's rich? Tell me that people aren’t treated differently, and I’ll put you on my “not to be taken seriously" list.

#4 - People think Caucasian women are harmless.  I got news for you folks, white women are just as crazy.  We made Yoga pants and lattes happen.  SWF and Fatal Attraction was about us.  We have Kate Gosselin. We have Mary Kay Letourneau, Casey Anthony, and Madonna.  Ever heard the Dixie Chicks’ song Good Bye Earl (or any country music song written by a woman, sans Faith Hill)?  Hell, three of us Caucasians married Trump.  I think I rest my case.

Want to experience what I’m talking about first hand?  Head back to my neck of the woods and interrupt a woman from her Marlboro break while you tell her that her man has been cheating.  Sit back and watch her be "harmless."

Stop treating us as like we’re background decoration. We aren’t. We're human just like the rest of you and have just the same amount of potential. We are fully capable human beings - some of us make good choices, some of us not so good. 

Don't be fooled by the toy dog in our purse.

/micdrop

*Edited for poor grammar*