Oh Yeah ... I Got Married

Iowa

- Home of Iowa State University

- Birthplace of the Rice Krispy Treat

- Home of RAGBRAI (the Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa)

- A State that allows same-sex marriage.

After close to 15 years together, on July 17th, Matt and I legally tied the knot in front of 175 of our closest family and friends.

I can truly say that it was one of the most wonderful days of my life. We are still awaiting the photos from our photographer (come on already!), so hopefully I'll be able to post a couple when they do come in. We had both the ceremony and reception at a local hall in Ames that's owned by the best barbecue restaurant in the state. Suffice it to say we had an amazing buffet for dinner. :-)

I have to say that I am continually amazed to live in a state that allows Matt and I to legally seal our commitment. In April of 2004, the State Supreme Court of Iowa ruled that a law outlawing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. It is very difficult to amend the Iowa Constitution, but we are not complacent. On Sunday we are attending a rally in support of same-sex marriage to counter the National Organization for Marriage rally.

I've been in love with Matt since the day we met (November 27, 1995). I honestly never thought I would be able to stand and declare my love for him legally. I am so proud to be a resident of the great state of Iowa.

Weighty Issues

I'm overweight. I'm 5'7" and weight 225 pounds. That gives me a BMI of 35.2 putting me in the Obese category. I'm 38 years old and just am not happy with the way I look or feel.

I bring this up because I've really been down on myself lately about the way I look. Matt and I went to Minneapolis this weekend to have a mini-honeymoon. While Matt spent some time at Cheapo Records, I wandered over to Lake Calhoun. It was a beautiful sunny day, so there were plenty of guys out jogging - shirtless. Admiring the scenery, I couldn't help but get a little sad that I was not in any shape to do the same thing. In addition, knowing my genetics, even if I worked my ass off to get in shape, that I wouldn't be able to approach those guys that I was ogling.

As I approach 40, I'm really regretting not making fitness a priority, but that's something that I can work to correct. But I have to admit, I wish I had been born with a different set of physical genetics.

Kids In Restaurants

Alright, this is my #1 beef. I have a real problem with parents who bring kids to restaurants and allow them to behave like wild animals.

Don't get me wrong, I know that families eat out all the time and the majority of them are well behaved. But for the life of me, it drives me up the wall when kids are screaming at the top of their lungs, throwing a tantrum, running around, etc., while the parents are seemingly oblivious to it or give that "awwww, aren't they cute" look. Ugh. Nothing gets under my skin more than to hear a toddler screech at the top of their lungs. It's my "nails on a chalkboard" noise. And it seems like in EVERY restaurant that Matt and I go to, there's "THAT" kid.

I seriously want to go up to these parents and ask them, "do you not realize that there are other people who would like to eat without having to hear YOUR kid?"

I've always respected my brother for the way he has raised my two nephews. When either of the boys began to build to a "melt down" he took them out of the restaurant for them to calm down. He and my sister-in-law taught the boys how to behave themselves while in a restaurant. The kids could still be kids, but they weren't a bother to other tables around them.

If I were a braver man I would go up and say something but knowing my luck, I'd get punched in the face.

Evening News

By popular demand (okay, 1 reader), I'm gonna start posting again.

So every once in a while there is a story on the evening news about someone who was killed in a car accident, house fire, shooting victim, etc. In the story there are always interviews with people who knew the victim. These people always seem to use the same descriptive terms - "funny", "always put a smile on your face", "caring", "kind", etc. BORING!

I just once want to see an interview where the person says something along the lines of, "yeah they got what they deserved. What a jackass! He was the most selfish, mean person I have ever met."

I gotta be honest, I think I would fall out of my chair in laughter.