I Dedicate this to all Fellow Whopper fans

The Sanctity of Marriage

I had a conversation with my little brother this afternoon that I have to write about. Now I want to say that I absolutely love my brother to the very depth of my being but I was really shocked by what he said and how strongly he believes his position.

Remember, we were raised Republicans. We were discussing political candidates and he expressed that he didn't like Giuliani because he considers him to be a closet Democrat. He brought up that Guiliani supports gay marriage; and then he said the following. He said that if gay marriage was legalized that it would open the door for pedophiles being able to marry children and people marrying animals. He was dead serious that this is where it would go and I was floored. I'd heard people say this but I didn't give it any thought because I think they are nuts. When I heard my brother say it, I didn't know what to think. I'm passed it though, like I said, I love him. But I've been tossing this thing around in my head all day.

I really began to consider everything his statement implied. What was he saying when he made this claim?

First, like others who hold this position, he doesn't see homosexuals as complete people. It is implied in his argument that he sees homosexuality as just sex. And since it isn't between a man and a woman, it's unnatural sex. Immediately he relates it to other "unnatural" sexual activity: Bestiality and pedophilia. Both are examples of activity where one party is not consenting.

But what I realized is how he and others who make this claim view marriage. People don't get married so that they can have sex "legally". But they do get married so they can have sex morally. And that, I think, is where it gets confusing because people who marry for moral reasons cannot get their head around gays being married because, according to their moral code, homosexual intimacy is not moral. What an interesting dilemma.

Then I began to think about the sanctity of marriage and what I thought would protect it. I think that the sanctity of marriage could be protected if the people getting married understood the law regarding marriage before saying "I Do". If people knew going into marriage how property was divided, credit was allocated, homestead issues applied, custody issues, inheritance issues etc. etc. maybe they would reconsider marriage. Maybe it would discourage young people from just jumping in.

Encouraging young people to wait before marriage would then force them into immoral sexual activity. Ah another dilemma.

The sanctity of marriage isn't threatened by the sexual preference of the people seeking the union; I think that the sanctity of marriage is threatened by the lack of forethought of those who go into it. The legal aspect of marriage as a binding contract isn't romantic but that's the heart of the issue. My brother doesn't understand that aspect of marriage. Neither minors nor animals can be bound to a contract. And allowing same sex consenting adults to enter into the contract of marriage isn't going to make it possible for animals and minors to enter into any contract, much less a marriage contract.

I think the reason marriage is looked at mostly as a moral issue is because the ceremony takes place in a church. I think if the majority of individuals had their marriages in front of the JP that there would be very little debate regarding homosexuals being allowed to marry. Because then most people would understand more clearly the legal implications of their union.

Anyway, that's my take on it.

Musetta wishes everyone a Merry Christmas!

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Big Day

Today is a big day for me. First of all it's my Birthday! and secondly it's the first anniversary of my business!

Nothing exciting to report on the Birthday front. A couple of dinners and lunches planned and that's about it.

I'm very excited, however, about my business. I had a stellar first year AND I hired my first agent last week. I have an agent, I'm so excited. She got a very sweet deal because she IS the first. My goal is to have 5 by June. I'm hiring a PR/Marketing to totally revamp my website and at some point perhaps redo my logo.

I'm trying very hard to get my little brother to join me. He's in Clovis NM right now but is contemplating relocating his family to Texas. I was looking at my logo and I realized it's very girly. If I want male agents, I might need to have it redesigned. It's not a priority at this moment but it is something that is definitely worth revisiting.

I've been a chatterbox lately. For months I've been absent and then suddenly, I can't stop posting..... Funny how life works.

Everybody, Meet Seamus Heiney MacCool

This is my dear, sweet, Seamus. I got him from a local breeder who does very well with Bi-color persians. I actually think she is an excellent breeder overall; her cats are healthy both physically and emotionally.

I don't even know where to begin to tell you how sweet this little boy is. He loves everyone who walks in the door. Is always at my side. And is just a love machine.

When I was younger, I used to thumb my nose at Persians. I never really considered them to be real cats. My short time with Little Bear sort of changed that for me. And I'm afraid that Seamus has truly made me see the light. I will definitely get another Persian. Seamus is the sweetest most loving creature I've ever experienced.

Dead or Alive?

If you are a Patricia Cornwell fan and have not yet read her latests Scarpetta book "Book of the Dead", then stop here. This is a spoiler!



So, if you read the book and you walked away wondering if Marino was dead or alive, I'm pretty sure he's alive. This book ended sort of abruptly and I'm weary of the tension between these dysfunctional people. I often wonder if they even like one another and if they have any happy moments. I wonder if Cornwell suspects that and that she left us with a cliff hanger to so she could get another chance to keep us drawn in.

I'll always love her Scarpetta series. I don't think that I would ever stop reading her stuff in spite of the problems her characters have. I just get tired of all the tension, I feel like they should move on by now.

Our Attempt at Show Business

Looks like my sister and I have been drinking just a wee bit too much egg nog....if you know what I mean.

Check us out!

Women - Apply Within

Norway has passed a law that requires all publicly traded companies to have a certain number of women on it's board by January 1 or risk being shut down. The law was initially passed in 2003 and now everyone is scrambling trying to meet the requirements.

I learned of this news as I was reading through the Wall Street Journal today. Initially, I started reading the article because I was curious. I'm not really sure how I feel, I'm sort of letting it sink in. I am a firm believer of free trade among goods and labor. Norway is the only country in the world that has this law.

But here is something that just really hit me funny. In the article I came across this: 'Trygve Hegnar, CEO and editor-in-chief of Hegnar Media, publisher of Norway's biggest financial newspaper and newsmagazine, [a man] says boards have "kicked off some very good" members to make room for inexperienced newcomers whose "main qualification is that they are women."'

If I were to change that to read "boards have kicked off some very good members to make room for inexperienced newcomers whose main qualifaction is that they are men", could we say that was a true statement?

I thought over my life experiences throughout my past career. And I can honestly say that the pot is calling the kettle black. Ladies, have you ever felt that a job or an opportunity was given to someone because their "main qualification is that they are men?". Ever had a man as a boss who may as well have been a monkey?

I've held positions in organizations where I produced and was intentionally held back and passed over because I am a woman. And I'll bet my bottom dollar that Trygve Hegnar has probably passed over a woman quite simply because she was a woman.

How many times have we heard of men who started as a clerk in the mail room working their way up to eventually become president of the organization. It happens. Men don't get pigeon holed into clerical positions. Has anyone ever heard of a woman promoting from the mail room? Or from the typing pool? No. Why? Because she was a woman. If she had any skills she wouldn't be in the typing pool....right?

The source of Trygve's frustration is that women in Norway are able to nominate themselves for these board positions, even if they are currently teachers or flight attendents, etc. My brother is a landman and has been for years and years. He didn't always have work but today he's making a six figure income. During the dry times, he was a baggage handler. Does my brother being a baggage handler disqualify him from being able to do work that pays six figures? I was a secretary and I heard over and over again that I couldn't be more than that in spite of my educational background, awards and previous work experience. Once a secretary always a secretary.

The way I see it is that this law has been passed because women in Norway aren't given opportunities to reach their full potential. So if teachers and waitresses and flight attendents are applying for these positions it may very well be that these people are underutilized and fully capable of the positions for which they are applying, just as my brother was while he was a baggage handler making minimum wage.

So I say, suck it up Trygve Hegnar and take it like a woman!