The Pressure Is On!

So, I've had three people tell me this weekend/week to post already. Geez!! I have all these great posts floating around in my head, but sometimes they're appropriate and sometimes they're not (too vulnerable, too indicting of someone else, too silly & random). Sometimes they're short and I can whip them out, and sometimes, well not so much.

So this one is going to be about what's new in my life. Briefly. Hahah, or so you think.

First of all, I had a huge prayer answered this morning, and my lease is being renewed for another YEAR!!!! I'm just so excited, so thrilled, and so blessed beyond words. I love the house I live in, and I want nothing more than to live there for as long as I can. I'm definitely putting in those blueberry bushes now, because by this time next year I could be seeing something come up. And, that means I will be able to decorate for Christmas this year too, and I know the house is going to look so adorable all Christmased out!! And my roommate, R, (for roommate of course) will in all likelihood be staying too, which is an answer to prayer. Really after living with so chill a roommate, the thought of finding anyone else that tolerates my randomness, my introvert-driven quiet spells and my ridiculous collection of high heels in every corner of the house, is both daunting and slightly disappointing. I guess he does try on the heels every once in a while though, so maybe that was incentive enough for him to stay. But to hear that I won't have to make that search for some time now, well that's great news. Really, really great news.

In other news this morning, I got told off by some weirdo hippie old guy at the Dunn Bros in Eden Prairie. Sometimes, if I wake up and roll out of bed early, and I can decide what to wear right away, I actually have time to go online at the coffee shop before work. Not often, but sometimes. The whole deciding what to wear to work thing is more brain-challenging than most people would imagine. I used to try laying out my clothes the night beforehand, but inevitably I wake up and my mood is different than the night before and I want to wear something else.

Anyways, so this morning I woke up, and wanted to be comfortable, and not wear anything too fancy, so here I sit in my black Gap work pants and a white cardigan with a white tank top underneath and some black gladiator sandals and tribal looking jewelry. Pretty darn simple. So, needless to say it didn't take me long this morning to get ready. Which meant I could head over to Dunn Bros and grab a coffee and get on Facebook for a few minutes before work. Except when I got there, there was this weird, old hippie guy on the computer. No worries, I thought - I'll just grab my coffee, and sit down and read till he gets off. I mean, there is a sign clearly posted that the time limit is 15 minutes. So I did, I took a seat at a table, and I waited, and waited, and waited. And when about 17 minutes had passed, I started tapping my toes rather loudly, and clearing my throat. You know, in that kind of Minnesota passive-aggressive way. He gave me a look once, but never indicated that he would be getting off the computer. So, then, when about 20 minutes had passed, I walked over, and very politely said "Excuse me, umm, sir, I'd like to get on the computer, and you've been on it clearly over the 15 minute time limit. I wonder, would you mind just letting me have a turn?". At which point he stood up, with his bushy grey beard, and his ratty camouflage hoodie, and his overgrown grey poofy hair, and his Birkenstocks (come on!!, really??) and he moved away, but not before he uttered, under his breath "Bitch". Whoah gross-gramps, way to be a jerk!

Now, here's the thing - I had very little respect for this man to begin with. From where I was sitting I could see over his shoulder at what he was surfing. And let's just say that creepy old men like that should not be looking at pictures of Miss California, Carrie "I-Love-Jesus-AND-Showing-My-Boobies" Prejean in just her skivvies. (More better on her below). Not only was he checking out Miss California's nudie pics, but he was also surfing some dating website, looking at profiles of women that were young enough to be his granddaughter. Eww! Pervy old fart. After he called me a bitch, I completely lost any and all respect for him as a fellow citizen, and the gloves were off. Seriously.

I'll be honest, guys like him creep & gross me out. Maybe he's a good guy, maybe he's someone's dad, etc. But for him to be surfing those sites, in a public place, at 7:45 in the morning is just a little weird. And really, I don't think a respectable, upstanding older gentleman would be hiding his face behind all that gross, bushy grey chin pubes. It's just not a clean look. I will admit though, that I was surprised this morning to find myself so clearly influenced by someone's appearance, and not to have recognized it till after the fact. This man was just creepy looking, I think he may have even had crazy eyes. But a big part of it was the bushy grey beard. How can anyone think that's attractive? Even still, I do recognize that he is a human being, and Jesus died for his sins the same as mine. God has a plan for his life, though from looking at him, all I could think was that I hoped it included a razor.

Now, here's where I'm going to go off on a bit of a rant. Can I just say that I have no problem with Miss California, Carrie Prejean, when it comes to the issue of her answer at the Miss USA Pageant, or her media comments on same vs. opposite sex marriage thereafter. I support her stance, and admire her courage to speak out when asked what she believes. What I do have a problem with is that she is wearing her Christianity like an advertisement splashed tautly across her perk fake breasts. In a debate with media ho' Ken Olbermann, one viewer described her like this "Carrie Prejean may be a beautiful woman, with the problem that she reflects the "Barbie" or cardboard cut-out of Anglo-Saxon beauty. There is nothing about her that makes her special: she is everywoman's magazine model. All of them rolled into one soft porn image. And not only this but the brains of an infant. Yaaaaawn." This is how the world is seeing her, as a physical retooled tool. A beautiful (albeit cookie cutter) yet inconsequential woman. Sadly though, she is also known as a follower of Christ, and this is a fact they will not let slide either, and rightly so. My question is this - Don't we have a greater responsibility than to shine as a dim, dumb, light? Yes! We have are called to represent, to a skeptical and raving world, a picture of intelligent, responsible Christianity.

What's more... this is the image of Christian faith that young women growing up in the church are expected to look up to? She is lauded by the more conservative movements, for her outspokenness regarding opposite marriage, which automatically places her in the role of a role model. But can you be a Christian role model and an underwear model at the same time?

I think of certain young women I know, who claim faith in the Lord, and are quick to remind people how much they love Jesus... just after they post their latest, greatest party pics on Facebook. "Yep, here's me, showing off my booty, posing in my undies, mock-kissing my girlfriends, beer in hand, cigarette dangling, etc, except, oops, I forgot, here's my Bible too.... I have to rest my drink on something!" My heart is flooded with pity and pain for these young women and their choices. They have no idea what they are truly doing, or how they are searing their souls - they are unaware of the hurt they are causing themselves, in what I believe is an act of trying to mask or hide pain to begin with.

The fact is, there are just too many young women facing this issue already, for us to need any more in the public spotlight, trying to be role models. While Miss Prejeans actions, of knowingly exposing her breasts for some pretty damn racy lingerie photos, are clearly in the past, and none of us can know her feelings regarding her decision, her influence as a Christian woman, is relevant now, especially as conservative groups rally behind her. And if they're standing behind her, you can bet so are their 17 year old daughters. What more license does a girl on the brink of such decisions need? And while her fearlessness to speak out regarding her faith is admirable, the glossed over endorsements from this current action will only serve to anesthetize young Christian women to the gravity of her previous behavior. Urgh.... as if these fake Barbie types didn't annoy me enough? Carrie Prejean has either GOT to get a clue, or stop setting herself up as a spokesperson for Christians!!

Wheww...... I think I can take a breath now.

Ok, so now that I've gotten off my soapbox, as well as clearly admitted what a prejudiced little brat I really am, maybe I should talk about something nicer? Wow.... way to deflect from my own shortcomings, right? Let's talk about something that brings me joy, and doesn't get my blood boiling. I found a website that I fell in love with... and it's all about cupcakes. http://cupcake-goddess.blogspot.com/ Whoever this Cupcake Goddess is, I want to learn from her. I want to sit at her feet and just be her disciple and learn. The cupcakes that she creates are amazing little pieces of art. I went through her blog to try and find a favorite one to post here, but every post is better than the next. And, get this, she makes shoe references all throughout her blog. In one post, she actually says "I think that frosting is a personal thing, just like shoes. Some prefer simple while others prefer something more extravagant. I would venture out to say that my buttercream is like a Louboutin or maybe a Manolo stiletto." Wow!! My hero! All I can say is that if you're a fan of cupcakes, or just want to see some amazing, blatantly feminine, edible art, you have to check out her blog. You just have to! It's completely inspiring.

Well, that's all I've got today kiddos. Sorry it's not more exciting, but I had all the excitement zapped out of me just in trying to write that piece about Miss California. Not to mention the energy it took last night, to try and keep up with the Bender/neighbor kids for a few rounds of In A Pickle (apparently, Risk isn't the best choice when A. I'm tired & B. they've got a 9 o'clock curfew). Even though I was completely wiped, even before they came over, it was a fun evening, and I'm just happy that I have neighbors I can be in community with. It's just one of the many blessings of living where I do, and since I get to be there for another year, I better appreciate it. I do, I really do.