We did it!

So even though Evan and I really finished college 4 months ago, it wasn't really official until we dressed up like this:
After 5 years of studying, exam taking, numerous papers, and several pointless assignments we got to show off our intelligence by wearing mu-mus and cardboard hats. Yes, we are that intellectually inclined. I think our costumes scream "Look Ma! I gradumatated!" more than "Ah yes, I did attend university for several years and received my Baccalaureate degree after arduous study and testing." But I guess people smarter than myself decided this is what educated people are supposed to look like. At first I was excited to wear the mu-mu, I mean gown. I thought because it was so big maybe I would look skinny in it. As evidenced by the pictures associated with this post, the gown only makes me look bigger, more house-esque if you will. But I guess people who tend to wear mu-mus, being larger in physical dimensions than others, don't usually look skinnier in said mu-mu. I'm not sure why I thought I'd be any different.
We attended both commencement (the big one with all graduates) and my convocation (the smaller one with only education graduates). Both ceremonies were good, not that I would attend another one of my own free will. The only thing that would have made them better would have been if we were handed a wad of cash and a card telling us where we would be getting jobs. Wow, that would be nice!
There haven't been any real changes in our employment situation. We are both waiting to hear about jobs. We are also considering selling all of our possessions and moving to a beach in Mexico. But with the whole swine flu/won't get it if you eat pork/wash your hands 5,000 times a day thing going on down there I think we'll stay put for now. I did stumble across these quotes and found comfort in them so I thought I'd add a little optimism to this post. Here goes:

"God's ways of educating our desires are, of course, always the most perfect... and what is God's way? Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we wanted them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come." ~Joseph F. Smith

"The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude." ~Joseph B. Wirthlin, Come What May and Love It.

So I guess patience is the name of the game. Evan told me one time that I'm a patient person. He's obviously never heard the conversations I have in my head.

*Not pictured: Evan's parents (I'll get those pictures soon!)

long time no post

Ya ya I know. It's been a century or two since I last posted anything on here. So I thought I'd dust off the ol' blog and vent a little. Nothing too terribly exciting has happened in my life, so I'm turning to political stuff to blog about now. I'm not sure if this is really going to be about politics as much as it is going to be about opinions and when it's ok to have one...according to some people.

As some of you know, Evan and I do not currently have television capabilities so we watch shows and get our news from the Internet. So I heard about the whole Miss California "controversy" via the information super highway. I read about how during the question portion of the competition Miss CA was asked the following question by Perez Hilton, an openly gay celebrity gossip blogger: "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?" Miss CA's response was, "Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage, and you know what, in my country, and in my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you." Hilton immediately took to his blog to post that Miss CA was a dumb (insert obscenity here) for answering the question the way she did and saying she was the only person in Miss USA history to ever be booed. After watching the video I actually heard more applause for her answer than boos. It was obvious by her saying, "No offense to anyone out there" that she may have heard people booing, but I heard more applause than anything. While Hilton obviously does not agree with Miss CA's opinion on same-sex marriage, he obviously was not interested in her honest opinion even though that is what he asked for in the question. (Do you think every state should follow suit?) And he even asked that she explain herself. (Why or why not?) From the way he formed his question it seems like he wanted her to answer honestly and give an explanation. But that is not what he really wanted. He states on his blog that he really wanted her to answer in a more politically correct and less alienating way by saying that the forefathers of this country set up a government where the states make decisions for themselves. But had she answered this way, she wouldn't really be answering his question at all.

Some may say that in a competition such as Miss USA you cannot answer questions like you normally would (isn't that called lying?). You have to answer in a way as to not offend anyone. What I find so frustrating is that Miss CA is now being berated by some people who have access to media outlets for answering the question honestly. I think it took guts for Miss CA to answer the way that she did. She easily could have given the typical "world peace" answer that beauty pageants are often made fun of for. Instead, she chose to express her opinion, and if I remember correctly we have something called freedom of speech in America. Just like Mr. Perez Hilton is allowed to express his views and opinions, so are the rest of us. I guess some people feel it's ok for other people to have an opinion as long as it's the same as theirs. Now, does that really make any sense...at all?!

And while we are on this topic: I also find it frustrating when people who do not agree with other's opinions accuse those people of being narrow-minded. Doesn't the very fact that they are calling someone narrow-minded for having an opposing view make them narrow-minded? I don't think people who agree with same-sex marriage are narrow-minded. I think they have an opinion. And that's ok.