Today is the first day of not being so lazy

So I tried to kickstart this lil' blog a while back with my rant about Obama.  Yeah, that lasted for all of a couple of hours.  At least it got back to kicking around in my head, so here I am trying to start it again.  Let's see if I can get back to semi-regular posting.

In the spirit of easy, light-hearted prattle, I have decided to come up with a list of things I want to do before I leave Chicago (it's only a month, how crazy is that?)  In no particular order:

Eat at Clarke's at 2 in the morning - (Melrose would work too.)  It's been way too long.  Mainly because I think their food took a major turn for the worse.  But still, I miss going out for a full meal in the middle of the night.  Especially when I've had a few drinks and I get really excited about eating mountains of food, and then having two bites before I realize that all I really want to do is sleep.  I even miss the random drunk people making a scene.  It's part of the charm.

Wander around Millennium Park like  a midwestern tourist - I'm gonna admit, I haven't actually been to Millennium Park since that one House event right after it opened.  And even then, I think all I did was walk under the Space Jellybean.  It's time to lose the snobby attitude and join in with the gawkers.

Hit the beach - Not such an exciting aspiration, but this may be my last chance to go to an actual beach for a while, seeing as I'm heading to a state with nothing but rivers and "lakes" that are actually glorified ponds

Shop at the giant Macy's - Seriously, it's like its own little city.  Sure I can only afford like 20% of the items there and the chances of actually finding those items is tiny, but I want to soak in all of the retail excess before I leave

Go running downtown - I think the most fun I've ever had running is when I went down the Embarcadero in San Francisco.  People-dodging adds interest and an extra challenge to the excursion.  Another thing I might try is to just start running north and go as long as I possibly can, then take a bus home.  Sure to be a good time, although I'm sure that the other busgoers would not be too happy to share their space with a sweaty, panting guy in running shorts.

Buy the "Where fun comes to die" T-shirt and other school merchandise - Since I'm leaving the good ole' U of C, I need to start showing my pride.  Not to mention my mom'll kill me if I leave without getting her a bumper sticker.

Become officially overweight - It turns out that for somebody who's 5'11'', you're officially overweight on the BMI scale if you're over 180 lbs.  Seeing as I'm currently at 177, I think it'd be hilarious to be both overweight and in the best shape of my life.  Besides, while I'm in Davenport, I'm not sure if I'll even get a gym membership and I'll probably spend most of my time running anyway (SO excited for the Bix), so this may be my last chance to bulk up for a while.  

I'm sure that there's more.  If I weren't so poor, I'd try to do things that cost money, like go to the opera and the symphony.  However, I need to start saving for the move and the month and a half that I'll be living without a paycheck.  Besides, if things go my way, I may be paying vet bills in a few months...

Just a disclaimer:  I'm kind of sick while I write this, so if it's completely nonsensical I blame the fact that my head is swimming.

So, I recently came across this post by Sullivan and it really struck a note in me.  I am sick of the 'gay issue' getting shoved into the backgroud by Obama's administration.

The thing is that Obama ran on a platform of change.  Now, I can see that change is slow and it's hard to actually enact things in Washington.  However, I think that the really telling thing is that two of the greatest movements of this year, the push for gay rights and for the legalization of marijuana, have been completely ground up and given the cold shoulder by the administration.  Change, really?

One thing about Obama is that he inspires strong emotions.  I think that it's just a quality that he has.  Unfortunately, this is not the first time he's inspired actual rage and disappointment in me.  His silence on the issue tells me that he cares much more about his political capital with social conservatives than equal rights.  And why not?  As long as he plays the middle ground, he doesn't lose anything, although there is going to be a slow erosion as his aversion to meeting the issue head-on becomes more apparent.  Just like the invitation to Rick Warren to speak, he's sending a message that his standing among bigots is more important than justice.

I realize that I am rather partial on this issue, as I'd have to be.  As far as I'm concerned, DOMA is a blatant violation of our constitutional rights and I'd be in favor of an immediate supreme court ruling on this issue.  However, I see how strategically that would be a bad idea.  Seeing as how most Americans have no idea what the judicial branch is here for.  You know, ruling on laws that violate the constitution...  But, you know those liberal activist judges

Now, Don't Ask, Don't Tell...this is what really has me worried.  There is absolutely no excuse that this debacle hasn't been repealed yet.  It's wildly unpopular and based on premises that are blatantly false.  The only possible reason that it hasn't been approached yet is that Obama is afraid to open the big closet stuffed full of the gay issues that have been ignored by this country's leadership for so long.  However, every state that approves same-sex marriage adds more pressure, and there is a sea change in public opinion going on right now.  Eventually the issue will be unavoidable.  I only hope that Obama will start to become the advocate of gay rights that he pretended to be when he was campaigning.

All right, I'll get off my soap box now.  I hope the rant actually made some sense.  In any case, it's time to lay down and have another cup of tea.

PS I also just started watching the third season of Battlestar Galactica.  CRAZINESS!!!!  For example, did they just kill who I think they just killed?  And my only consolation for the fact that they made my favorite eye candy into a fatass is that they added new eye candy that's way cuter and less self-righteous.