Quickest Girl in the Frying Pan

Yes, that's a Tori Amos reference for you astute listeners.

Actually I saw a great reference to the XTC song River of Orchids this morning on my way to work: grass literally growing up through the pavement, in between the two yellow lines in the center of the road. It was awesome.

So I haven't been blogging much but I keep having ideas for things I'd like to write about.

For example, how people under 40 don't think gay marriage should be an issue, but people under 40 are the group that votes the least.

How, if gay marriage is banned, I really should get out of this country. I'll be really ashamed if more than a handful of the most backward states actually go through with it. I'm assuming the constitutional amendment won't pass, but if it does, I think I'm outta here.

Or, for example, how Chile has a female president, and the students there actually protested a week or two ago about how they want better schools.

Can you imagine if that happened here? What it would take for that to happen here?

Honestly I was pretty impressed with the demonstrations against the various immigration laws, but I also think English should be the official language. I was surprised that you don't have to speak English to become a citizen, and ballots are provided in a variety of what are called 'minority languages.' I never knew that. I don't really see why it would be so bad to require everyone to at least learn enough English to vote in English?

So I'm thinking of moving to Chile. Don't know if they allow gay marriage or abortion or even birth control, though. I should read up on that stuff. I was pretty impressed that Costa Rica, for example, has the highest literacy rate of any country, and they don't have a military. On the other hand, apparently you can't actually own a house there, I think it's like Mexico where you get like a 100-year 'loan' from the government, or something.

Other than that, I'm trying to figure out whether, when my advisor asks what I think about why certain graduate students behave the way they do, I can answer truthfully and say it's her own fault, not theirs.

You know, the usual stuff.