Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol

I was raised in a dry household. I don’t remember there being booze in our house at all growing up. I didn’t drink in high school; I didn’t “party” in high school. That being said, I have a wine rack in my dining room that is usually at least half full. I look forward to a glass of wine or beer with dinner to relax after work. I think that things in moderation are wonderful. That being said, I don’t think its ok to drive drunk. I don’t think that being drunk gives people the right to do stupid things and not apologize for them later. I don’t think that alcohol should be a crutch or something that you “need” to get through the day.



Drugs? Well alcohol is a drug, I don’t hate alcohol. I’m a big fan of the prescription drugs I get from the DR when I’m sick. I may have smoked something I shouldn’t have in college, just once. I think that some drugs are worse than others. I think that addiction can ruin peoples lives. I think that its easy to judge people for not having the same views on issues like gay marriage, drugs and alcohol as being closed minded or judgmental.

Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?

I think that religion can be a very powerful tool. I think that religion has been abused in the past and present to justify some awful things. I think that some of my happiest memories of childhood and high school occurred with my friends at church. I think that Jesus loves me, and you. I think that people get so hung up on the smallest detail of a doctrine that they sometimes miss the overall message of love, peace and hope that the Bible preaches. I think that more people should practice what they preach. I think that instead of judging others so harshly because they are sinners that people should concentrate more on themselves and cut the rest of the world some slack.



I think politics is a game. I think that there is usually more than one right answer to a political problem. I think I’m sick and tired of the negative campaign ads I’ve been watching for the past 4 months. I think that people should not register with a political party when they are 18, your views will change the second you hit a college campus more than likely. I think that most of the country doesn’t understand how our government works and it scares me that everyone can vote sometimes.

Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.

It solely depends on if we are talking about a civil marriage or a religious marriage. As far as civil goes I don’t see why its an issue. The state doesn’t recognize the religious ceremony as binding, so I don’t know why gay marriage should be any different than heterosexual marriage from the government standpoint. It’s all about the money to the state, so why not.



On the flip side when it comes to religious ceremonies and marriage I don’t think that anyone should *have* to perform a gay ceremony if they don’t believe its ok. I was raised in a conservative home and church, I was taught from a young age that homosexuality was a sin and wrong. I don’t claim to know everything, but I think my views have been tempered with age. I don’t think that anyone who believes that way should be forced by the state to perform that type of ceremony. But I also don’t think that those people should have any say over what the state does in this case. It’s one of the reasons we have the separation of church and state in the US.

Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something

Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert.  It’s about the western concept of marriage and how its changed and evolved from a business transaction into something romantic.  It really made me take a 2^nd look at the way I view my marriage.  I think its something that would be helpful reading for someone who is about to get married.

Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.

I could live without the dang woodpecker that has made it his/her mission to eat my house over the past 4 years. 
I could live without feeling like we are strapped for cash on a semi regular basis.  I could live without my knee hurting ALL THE TIME making it painful and yucky to try and train for the Disney Princess Half Marathon that is going to sneak up on me WAY too soon. 
I could live without the vague feeling of guilt that I don’t miss a relationship with my dad, and being sad because if things keep progressing the way they have for the past 27 years he wont get to know any kids that Spence and I have in the future. 
I could live without feeling guilty for things I did more than 7 years ago that I can’t fix or take back, but did learn from.

Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.

?????? I am drawing a blank here folks.  Sorry this one is a dud.

Day 14 → A hero that has let you down

When I read this phrase I think of someone who has seriously fallen from grace.  I don’t have that.  My hero growing up was my mom.  I was pretty sure (as most kids are) that my mother was pretty much the smartest, prettiest, most amazing person ever.  She did a great job of sheltering me from the bad things in life when I was younger and making my childhood a pretty great one.  As I got older, I realized that my mom is human.  She makes mistakes, loses her temper and can be *gasp* wrong sometimes.  I don’t see this as her “letting me down” but I do have a more realistic view of her as a grown up than I did as a kid.  I think that’s both normal, and healthy though.