July 17, 2013

On XP

Andycyca

user since:
Tue Jun 11 2013 at 22:33:04 (1.2 months ago)

I'm a big fan of RPGs, (Final Fantasy Tactics, anyone?) and the concept of leveling up is a very trivial and strangely satisfying psychological reward. It's certainly not enough to bring me True Happiness but it's a nice warm feeling in my gut. I just leveled up for the first time, which means I get some votes per day and a picture in my homenode, which currently features my face last New Year's Eve. I don't usually sport a goatee

On volunteering

I just got an email from the local Wikimedia chapter, looking for volunteers for their next photo contest. I'll use it as both an opportunity to get to know Mexico City and maybe I can land an internship with them. I think it would be nice working with the guys who make Wikipedia

On relationships

Yes, I do like her and I think she likes me too. The past few months have been a slow but steady stream of small moments like sharing a pizza, walking hand in hand and random hugs from behind. Nothing formal yet, no sex yet. However, I just found out that the guy who I thought was her best friend was actually her boyfriend of almost 7 years until two months ago.

I'm confused.

I recall her presenting him to me as her best friend, but my memory has failed me before. I've only seen them together once or twice and they never looked like anything more than good friends (no kissing, no holding hands, etc).

I'm afraid that she's been deliberately dating me while she was in a formal relationship with this other guy. If that's the case and we end up together, what will stop her to do the same if she ever gets bored with me? I certainly don't want to be the crazy controlling boyfriend (as I really love her independence) but I don't want to be used. Not anymore.

Today Queen Elizabeth II gave her royal stamp of approval to the Marriage of Same Sex Couples Act, allowing same-sex marriage in England and Wales.

Although those of us living in the USA haven't been kept particularly up-to-date on these matters, this bill was introduced into the British Parliament on January 24, 2013, and has been subject to just as much hellfire as if it had been proposed in America. Very Scared People have explained that this bill is how "Nazis and Communists undermined faith" (The Right Reverend Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury), that this sort of nonsense might lead to legalizing polygamy, and have worried (out loud!) that teachers might have to face the intolerable burden of teaching children about gay people in school. There was also the rather bland Tweet by Labour MP Austin Mitchell that gay marriage is "neither urgent nor important"

The bill specifically guarantees that no church will be required to perform same-sex marriages; this was the famed 'quadruple lock' that occasionally was ignored-by-name in the American media and apparently dominated a number of debates in Britain. Basically, churches don't have to marry any same-sex couples, and this specifically includes the Church of England and the Church in Wales. As you might expect, the religious folks who were the most verbal did not really seem to care about how the law might affect their own religion, being much more concerned with society as a whole. The practical upshot seems to be that same-sex couples can't sue churches for not marrying them.

The first marriages allowed under this bill will take place some time next summer.

It should be noted that the UK has had legal civil partnerships giving the same rights and responsibilities as legal marriage since 2005. America still does not. Mostly because of that "Nazis and Communists" thing.