Honeymoon Part 1: London, England

Well, we're still married, even after 8 days together. I don't have any wedding pictures yet, at least not in digital form. So here are some pics from London.


Yeah, that set the tone for the whole honeymoon.

I waited for David Tennant to step out of this thing for 20 minutes, then remembered that he travels in a blue police box.

Aren't we just adorable? (Don't worry. There are only about 10 pictures that actually have us in them, and only 2 more with both of us.)

The Rosetta Stone, at the British Museum. Did you know that most of the museums in London are free? You could spend days seeing all kinds of cool stuff without spending anything more than airfare.

Me with various antiquities. I'm thinking of growing a beard on the advice of that Assyrian sphinx on the right.

Big Stone Head is angry!
Garuda to the rescue!

This is the oldest working clock in the world, located in Salisbury Cathedral. (Not pictured: the flashing "12:00.")
The Affiliate and I right after the ritual human sacrifice at Stonehenge (Motto: The best Henge in the world)
The hills on the horizon are in Wales. If you look closely, you can see all of the sheep running in terror.

At the Tower of London, The Affiliate realizes she is sorely under-dressed.

This was our hotel lobby. We are, after all, classy people.

Paris pictures to come soon.

California Dreamin'

The first gay marriages were performed in California. Here's a first-person account from Marty Beckerman. (Note: Since this is a Beckerman column, it is both hilarious and incredibly offensive to pretty much everybody. Read at your own risk)

Strangely, The Affiliate and I are still married, despite this recent change in law. Probably because gay marriage isn't legal in Minnesota yet.

Speaking of which, I'll have some pictures up soon. I just got a new LCD HD TV, and GTA IV is sneering at me from the shelf, just waiting to be played in 1080i, so my time is at a premium.

Your I Do leader.

It Doesn't Look Gay

Hopefully this comes across in English and not French.

Just a quick post to say I'm in a hotel in Paris, watching Holland hand it to the French in the Euro Cup. (I'm still sore about Croatia over Germany.) I'm thinking of finding a bar for the second half to mock the frogs here.

There was no free Internet in London, but we had blast. I'll be posting plenty lof pictures when we get back.

Your Bon Soir leader.

You Always Say Your Name, Like I Wouldn't Know It's You

It was December, 2002. I was going to my cousin's wedding because my Brother and Dr. SIL couldn't make it. It was a Saturday night, and I had a "poker game" to play, but I gave in to my Mom's insistence that I go. As I was walking to my seat, I saw a familiar face, one I hadn't seen in 3 years. Why would she be at my cousin's wedding? I thought.

Before dinner, I went to sign in book to check names. "Looking for me?" I heard a familiar voice ask. It was the girl I had used to date "Actually, yes." It turns out my cousin was marrying her best friends younger brother.

We talked and danced a little that night. I still had the same phone number. She called soon after. A few weeks later we would meet at a Tim Malloys show. We had our "first date" on Valentine's Day 2003.

Fast forward to August, 2006. I had just been notified that I had gotten a job with the Minneapolis Police Department. I went out that week and got a ring. I held that ring for 2 weeks. I finally asked her if she was coming home after work that Thursday. "I'm going to make hot dogs on the grill." Sure, she said, I'll be home.

I wasn't going to make hot dogs. I was going to leave a series of notes leading her to meet me at Olive Garden, the only place we could afford to eat out at the time. I would propse thre, and she'd be happy, etc., etc.

On Tuesday, she said, "Hado is home from North (or South) Carolina. Can she come over and eat with us on Thursday?" Hado is the person who first introduced us, and one of The Affiliate's best friends going way back. "Sure, no problem," I said through gritted teeth. All of my plans, ruined! Now I know how supervillians feel when Batman comes along, or how God feels when he looks at his followers.

Wednesday night, I went in the bedroom and opened the top drawer, where the ring had been kept those 2 weeks. "What are you getting out of the drawer?" she asked from the other room. "Nothing," I replied. "Is it a sex toy," she inquired coyly. "Kind of, was my retort. She came in the room.

"Danielle, will you marry me?" "Oh my god! Yes! Oh my god."

(In the other, "clean" version of the story, when she asks what it is, I say it's an engagement ring, and she says yeah right. That's the better story, but I went for truth here.)

Tomorrow, she'll marry me. She had always wanted 06/07/08, and I was able to give her that, at least.

Thank you Danielle, for marrying me . I love you.

Why My Dad Rocks

Apparently having 19 days off makes me bored enough to post. There will be at least one more post this week, and, because my eye hurts something fierce, it may be typo filled.

A letter from my Dad to the Aitkin Age newspaper.

John McCain, the presumptive nominee for President from the Republican Party, is a war hero. There is no question about that. He is also considered a maverick of sorts for taking on his party in the past. Perhaps that is changing since he has a 95% pro Bush voting record in congress in the last few years.

However, as a veteran and a war hero, I have some serious concerns about his attitude toward today's veterans. Most of these facts are from a recent article in the Star Tribune by Edward Humes. (June 3, 2008) Even though my friends on the right consider the Star Tribune to be main stream liberal biased media, the facts of Senator McCain's voting record on veteran issues are totally accurate.

There was a time when the original GI bill (1944) was truly a reward for serving ones country. College was a free ride including books, tuition, housing, and living expenses. That has certainly been watered down in the past 60 years. Low interest loans once helped put GIs into homes. The article claims, rightfully so, that these rewards for serving the country helped create a well educated and prosperous middle class.

So, as Congress tries to get back to meaningful benefits for our soldiers, why does Senator McCain suddenly feel the need to vote against major legislation supported by veterans organizations. Examples: in March 2004, he voted "no" on $1.8 billion reserve for veterans medical care; in April 2006, he was one of 13 Senate Republicans to vote against $430 million for veterans outpatient care; in May 2006, he voted against $20 billion expansion of inadequate veteran medical facilities. Further, for fiscal year 2007, he voted "no" on a $1.5 billion increase in veteran medical services and establishing a trust fund for underbudgeted vet hospitals. He also voted against a Senator Webb bill mandating adequate rest for troops between combat deployments. Finally, on the latest GI bill, he expressed opposition before skipping a vote on the May 22nd legislation.

Senator McCain says if the benefits are too generous re-enlistments will go down. Interesting logic. I'll let readers ponder why re-enlistments might be a problem. Just who is this 'maverick' running for president? The fictional Maverick brothers were card sharks and con men. Is that what is behind the image Senator McCain presents to the public?

Hard to believe we're related, huh?

Your My Father's Son leader.

He's Forgotten, But Not Yet Gone

Wow. I've been busy working and getting ready for the wedding, so no posting for a while, but I had to take a moment to link to the best story I've ever read.

Also, when you state delegates are planning the rules for DemoCon this weekend, how about showing you're better than the (R) party by letting those who don't support the presumptive nominees speak.

I'll see you when I get back from London/Paris.

Your 19 Days off leader.