You'll Be Given Love, But You'll Have to Trust It.

Joss Whedon just got a whole lot more awesome in my eyes. I found this via Sociological Images and Feministing (best logo ever), which give women and men reason after depressing reason to join Joss and others in the fight for equality.

This hits on something I've felt over the past three years, and especially in the last couple months: It's only by shithouse luck (if you'll excuse the expression) that, from the beginning of my college experience, I've fallen in among friends and family whose attitudes are progressive, inclusive, and inherently loving and empowering. It goes beyond just having heroes that represent the unrepresented. It's the implantation of an entire culture that thinks I'm important, not just another pair of tits stuck to a vagina. I shudder to think what might have become of me if I had not stumbled upon these treasures: people who were willing to be patient with me as I groped and faltered my way through the darkness; people who trusted me with their true selves, whether gay, bisexual, transgender, cisgender, or straight; people who will stand with me against the flood of hate.

Whether they know it or not, these people have given me a power that I have never had before.

An enormous part of that power is the comfort of knowing. For instance, I know I will never have to spend my life silently hating the men around me for the unequal way they treat me. I know I will never have to worry how my husband will react if our child turns out to be gay or transgendered. I know I know that the people around me act only to bring more good into the world. These are good things to know.

Another part of that power is getting to have a richer range of experiences as a human being. Unlike generations of women before me (and even, unfortunately, many of the women of my own generation), I will have the pleasure of washing dishes, doing laundry, visiting Planned Parenthood, vacuuming, making decisions, and living alongside my husband, not for him. I hope to be there when Sara and Aly welcome their baby into the world with all the love, pride, and happiness that anyone would on such a momentous occasion. Someday I hope to watch as my transman friend walks down the aisle with his beautiful bride and my dear gays join each other at the altar. Some of it is sad: I will never see the media the same way, and I will spend hours questioning the equality or inequality of each part of Ian's and my wedding ceremony. But let me tell you: I'd rather spend my time loving and being loved than hating, fearing, and discouraging love.

Another cop-out post.

I'm sorry for making yet another "this is awesome and you should look at it" post, but, well, I am busy wrapping up my last paper of the semester, and this is awesome and you should look at it.



Via the ever-wonderful, Cthulu-supported Ectomoplasmosis!. While you're there, don't forget to check out this video, featuring Andrew Bird's song "Eugene" and the douchebag character Quimby the Mouse.

I always fall in love with an open door

Here's Ra Ra Riot!, one of the bands that opened for Death Cab Friday night. The other was The Cold War Kids, who were okay, but not quite my style. This Ra Ra Riot song ("Ghost Under Rocks"), however, is quite deliciously awesome – these guys were very intense. I knew it would be a good set when I saw the electric cello and violin! Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of Ra Ra Riot! We were too scared that Security would come confiscate the camera because they had stopped us at the gates already - the Canon Rebel apparently looks too 'professional.' Are you professional? Well, no, Batman, I'm not.

After a while, though, we got more gutsy. I got a few shots of The Cold War Kids, whose bassist (center), without a doubt, was on drugs. My guess was coke, but who knows? Don't be fooled by his halo (full-size image if you click):


The CWK played a long (too long) set, then came the disgustingly long wait for Death Cab. After a few decades, they emerged. They played! Music! With instruments! And voices! We were waaay too far away for my taste, but that was okay. It was Death Cab For friggin' Cutie, and there's no complaining about that. I think this was the first time I'd ever even seen how they play live - I haven't ever watched any live videos of them, even. For me, DCFC falls into this strange category of being a band so perfect that they're possibly actually immortal. Before this, I only vaguely knew what they looked like because I felt that associating the music with faces and names would almost cheapen it; when I found out that one of the members of The Shins was abusive of his long-time girlfriend, it made me a little sick. I knew Ben by sight, and a little about his life, and that's about it. I don't even imagine him singing when I listen to the music. I'm not sure how to explain it. They have such perfect music that I can't associate it with actual people. So you can see how this concert was a bit surreal for me.

As a continuance of the surreality, Ben Gibbard (lead singer), the only person in the band I knew, was all skinny-like and had chin-length hair, which was weird, because the last pictures I had seen of him had been adorable Plans-era chubby Ben. Perhaps he is losing weight for his wedding to Zooey Deschanel? I love you Ian, but I have sooooooo much jealousy for Zooey. You do understand, I hope, that this is DCFC we're talking about. His voice was still nice, though, so I forgive him for the hair and the skinny.

And so, without further ado, the pictures:


Guitarist Chris Walla was the most popular subject of our photos for the express reason that he was closest. Also, the Martinez sisters (Angel and Amanda, our German-Mexican companions on the trip) really like him.


Soooooo far away.

The dudes:

It even fits the melody.

Wait 'Til They Do "The Thong Song" in Middle English
Girls, singing: My milkshake bringeth the lads in the square, prithee, 'tis better than yours, 'tis better than yours, I could teach thee, but I'd levy a fee.

4 Bus
Victoria
Canadia

Overheard by: Fair maiden Juliet

via Overheard Everywhere, Apr 17, 2009


SO MUCH WIN. The only change I'd make, I think, is to change "yours" to "thine." Other than that, perfection.