If I Do, So Do You.

So I was thinking about the tradition of asking the father for his daughter's hand in marriage. Many of you know I hate that tradition. I think that it is demeaning to me and my future wife. Our decision to get married has nothing to do with her father. I know it's tradition but there are a lot of traditions not worth keeping.
If this tradition was important to my future spouse I would do it. I wouldn't like it but I'd do it. I came up with a way for me to feel a little better if such an occasion. I will require my future spouse to ask my mom if she can marry me. If I have to do a useless exercise so will she. I say useless not because I don't think my mom will have a hard time "giving me up," or that I don't care what she thinks. Its useless because I know my mom respects and trusts my decisions. Therefore if i have to ask so does she.

The Good Fight?

Once there was a man. This man was just an ordinary guy trying to do good and make his world a better place. He did everything in his control to make his world perfect, but it wasn't. In fact his world was a joke. You know the story... we see it in the movies and sitcoms. Some nice guy (or girl) is at work making life better, not just for him, but for others too. But there is always comical opposition, whether its accidentally lighting the backyard on fire or tripping and pulling down the curtains while trying to stop from falling. Except this is real life and much worse. He constantly tries to fix his mistakes and unfortunate events. The clean up is wearing him down. However what destroys him isn't the clean up... its the guilt. You see he takes responsibility for everything that goes wrong, even the unfortunate ones. This man is broken to the point that he struggles with the basics. Things will change for him soon.
Now this is where you finish the story for him. Consider the odds and the obvious. Does this man give up a greater good or continue as he planned? What is right for him? Is it right for him to care so much or is that one of his flaws he needs to fix? How good is the fight?

Public Service Announcement

I need to let everyone know that Chris Carrabba has finished his latest album "after the ending." I am so excited because this means new music form one of the most talented musicians. Also this means that I will see Dashboard Confessional very soon when he starts touring. It has been almost a year since I have seen him in concert. I needed a fix. The album will be released November 10th. Let the countdown begin!

Can We Please Behave Like Adults

OK so I have kept fairly quiet but I'm sick of all the put downs and lies. Lets make things clear. Obama is not a socialist. His plan with a government option is not socialism. A public option will help anchor the cost of health care. Private insurance companies will still exist. So capitalism will still be part of the picture. Capitalism has flaws. Capitalism is based on ones greed. When people are vulnerable and desperate they will do just about anything. Death makes people extremely vulnerable. So health care cost doesn't respond normally in the market. So we need legislation to control the health care market. We have not had that control. So insurance companies do what makes them money. They make money by people enrolling in their plans and not making claims. So the insurance company does what they can to accomplish the goal of profit. We also need that competition of a capitalistic market. So a public option acts as a non profit insurance to bring down and anchor the cost of health care. People without health care who end up in the emergency room often can't afford the cost, so doctors and hospitals don't get paid. Doctors need to cover their expenses so they raise their prices. Health insurance companies raise their premiums and/or cut coverage. More people can not be covered because of health care premiums are too high. So capitalism has not worked for us. A public option makes it possible to control prices and still have competition. Most of the problem with health care is the insurance companies, so its should be called health insurance reform.
I am sick of all the childish bickering. People need to discuss the issue like adults and control our emotions. Politicians and political commentators need to be open minded and discuss solutions. Its understandable that we won't agree on everything. That is what makes America so great. We need another great compromise. Name calling and attacking, attacking others character and negativity is counterproductive.
So on that note I wanted to share a couple of my favorite quotes form Obama's speech last night.

"That is heartbreaking. That is wrong and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America. "

This quote references to victims of our current health care system.

"Our health care problem is our deficit problem"

Health care costs are major factor in our deficit

"The time for bickering is over"

This is funny and true at the same time. We are not arguing effectively to produce solutions.