I love nights where I get to nerd out and drink chamomile tea and listen to Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, and Francoise Hardy.



As much as I like going out, I love being alone. I don't know if I can ever get married. I see a long future for myself living alone with a huge library with rolling ladders.

As happy as I was following the election of Barack Obama, I can't help but be disappointed following the result of the Prop 8 vote.

52% of California voters supported overturning the legalization of same sex marriage. The courts may still overturn the results of the vote, but it has left all of the recently married gay couples in legal limbo. It seems ridiculous that we're still talking about this in 2008. I think I tend to shelter myself in cliques of like-minded people. For instance, I don't think I could be friends with someone who was against gay marriage, pro-life, or voted for McCain. I'd rather not know, because that would mean they opposed everything I stand for.

I do actually understand the urge to be "fiscally conservative", but, in America especially, tight-fisted economic policies always seemed to be coupled with puritanical, bible-thumping, flyover-country values. I do understand the widespread frustration with people on welfare, especially since there are so many people who make up the working-poor.

But, after handling calls for the government on "welfare Wednesdays" in BC, I can tell you that most of those people are too overcome with mental illness to ever fully support themselves. Some people might be able to go through job-training, but so many just need social support. Anyone who signs up for the meager support offered by government programs, which pales in comparison to the earnings from full-time employment, must really need it, for whatever reason. I probably will never rely on the social welfare offered by Canada, but I like that it's there for others I could talk for hours on the welfare reform begun by the Clinton administration that was manipulated and changed in order to garner enough Republican support to pass (I am one of those losers who reads 300 page releases from political think takes on government policy- which is why I probably be cold and alone 25 years from now), but I won't

Although the Republican party makes it sound like the funding of social programs equals higher taxes, only 1% of last year's budget was devoted to social welfare. Most of it was, of course, devoted to the war. I have to say that the counties I've lived in, thus far, in America, have seemed really progressive. For example, Multnomah county offers free HIV testing and counselling in gay bars monthly.

Practically everyone I know is left-leaning, and, in a way, it's dangerous that I've sequestered myself in that way, since I'm somewhat ignorant of the amount of ignorance and prejudice that still exists in our society. I basically have blinders on when it comes to certain aspects of North American culture. I might nerd out and read reports on American foreign policy or have listened to the new Deerhunter record be up on the most exciting releases on the film festival circuit, but I have no concept of what music dominates the popular airwaves or who is winning on Dancing with the Stars. I couldn't even name the pro or college sports teams in Seattle or Portland (after a year of living in Seattle and eating vegetarian food in the University district, my Dad had to tell me the name of the University of Washington sports teams.....the Huskies). I'm always shocked when people tell me that one in ten people are gay, because in the circles I run in, it seems like it's more like 4 out of 10. My friends and I have lamented more than once that it's hard to find a cute straight man out there. In short, I have forgotten that there's this rightist segment of the population, and it's incredible to me that 52% of the Californian voters are anti gay marriage. It's hard to believe that there are so many ignorant and hateful people out there.

As much as I love some aspects of this country's culture, I hate the puritanical values that are still prevalent in American culture. The large Catholic and Mormon support for Prop 8 just reinforces my resistance to organized religion (there are many great things about Christianity and all religions, I just think it's unfortunate that these close-minded people use religious rhetoric to discriminate against others). Although I am not religious, I don't think there's anything wrong with having faith and I don't think there's anything wrong with most of the teachings of Christianity, I just hate when certain people cherry-pick religious teachings to endorse their own close-minded beliefs. It's shameful that, in 2008, a large contingent of the population is still denied the right to marry whomever they want.

There are exceptions to this. Once, I went to a wedding of two lesbians in an Anglican church in the west end of Vancouver, and the minister gave an inspiring sermon on the acceptance inherent in God's love for humans and humans love for each other, and it was amazing to see someone use religious rhetoric, so often manipulated for the sake of condemnation, to argue for the acceptance of others.

I do feel proud of Canada for, rightly, legalizing same-sex marriage (although that should've occurred years earlier, as well). One of my friends in Seattle, an Australian lesbian who fell in love with an American, isn't even allowed to work or, go to school in this country since she is not allowed to marry her partner of seven years. Instead, she keeps paying to extend her "pleasure visa" and will have to choose between pursuing graduate studies or staying here with her girlfriend.

On a more positive note, I am so happy that my Uncle was able to marry his partner of 20 years and that they were both able to move from New York to Vancouver.

Anyway, if anyone reading this is from Vancouver, my Uncle Sean is in the midst of running for city council and doing some pretty amazing things. You can read about it here . I know I was always woefully ignorant about civil politics, despite living within city limits for a number of years, but I think it's really critical to vote to maintain and protect the diverse and exciting culture of Vancouver. So, do read about it and vote!