Eat mor chikin.. but not at Chick-fil-a.

Above is a copy of the letter from the mayor of Boston to Dan Cathy.  Many things have been misquoted so you should definitely take a look at the actual letter yourself.

For the past few weeks, I've remained quiet on the Chick-fil-a issue.  I hadn't really formed a solid opinion and furthermore, I didn't really care to.  I felt like people on both sides of the issue were throwing stones and straying away from the issue at hand.  And more importantly, I just wanted to eat my chicken nuggets in peace without having to question their religious beliefs.  They are chicken nuggets, after all.

Now the issue has gotten so out of hand that I couldn't ignore it.  It was clear that this one wasn't going to blow over.  I've taken the past week to finally sit down and fomulated my thoughts/beliefs on the issue without influence from either side...

I am a very firm believer that the only reason you should or shouldn't eat at a restaurant is the taste of their food.  I don't really care if the owner of a company supports or not supports my religious/political beliefs.  HOWEVER, the president of Chick-fil-a does not know how to separate his personal beliefs from the company and have made several comments regarding what the company represents.  And you know what?  That's totally their prerogative.  Believe whatever you want, run your company however you want.   That's one of the perks of living in the great U S of A. (However, I do have a few questions regarding government funding for something that is clearly a religious organization - how does that work exactly?  I need to research it more.)

You know what my prerogative is, though?  To not spend my money at establishments who's beliefs do not coincide with mine.  

Those in support of Chick-fil-a continuously argue that has the right to believe whatever they'd like and are furious with the boycott.  I don't really understand this logic.  It's okay for Chick-fil-a to make bold statements that alienate a very large group of people but it's not okay for those alienated people to decide to no longer support them?

I think both sides of the issue need to take a step back and think before they make certain comments.  A blogger said, "Christian business owners are no longer allowed to express religious opinions in Boston".  No no and no.  No one ever said this.  You as an individual who just so happens to be a christian business owner can express your religious opinions until you're blue in the face.  It becomes a completely different issue when you say "[insert company name here] believes..." and if you can't see the major difference in that, you have problems that reach beyond this Chick-fil-a issue.

On the reverse side, people need to stop making rash comments such as, "if they find out I'm gay, they won't serve me."  No.. you're wrong.  Cathy is not going to create a gaydar that buzzes every time someone gay or a supporter of the gay community walks through the doors and you will not be immediately sprinkled with holy water.

Furthermore, the comments that were made by Cathy extend far beyond the gay community.  His statement means Chick-fil-a does not support single parents; people who aren't married to their first wives; and really depending on what denomination's interpretation of scripture that you adhere to, people in interracial marriages.

I don't care where you spend your money.  If you want to spend it at Chick-fil-a, go for it.  If you don't want to, that's cool too.  I, however, choose (praise God for agency/free will!) not to support establishments who are very vocal about things I do not support or believe in.   I have done this with several other companies, so Chick-fil-a is just one more being added to that list.

If you do choose to no longer support Chick-fil-a, I ask you to do more than just not eat there.  Educate yourself on what's actually going on.  Become involved.  It's easy to sit around complaining on the Internet.  DO SOMETHING.

It's not goodbye.. it's see ya later.

No one believed in Band Aid Records when I first started it.  No one.  Nooooo one.  Everyone thought I was insane when I even suggested the idea.  I was already working for a 'record company' and I just wasn't happy.  I felt very stagnant.  I wasn't learning anything there (was actually being taken advantage of for the most part) and my soul died a little every time I walked through those doors.

I'd been doing freelance for several bands for years and soaking up everything I could from various mentors.  I really felt I was ready.  I gathered some of the bands I'd been working with and basically said, hey would you actually pay me to do this? and most of them did.  On January 1, 2011 Band Aid Records officially launched.

In the past year and a half, I've met so many incredible people that have taught me so much and given me so many opportunities.  I've gotten to travel.  I've gotten to meet bands I've admired since I was a little girl.  I got to work on the tour that started my love affair with music.  People in the music industry that I've looked up to from afar have become my mentors and even my friends.

But as with all good things, they must come to an end.

WHAT.

Is this real life?

Indeed it is.  Band Aid Records is... well, I'll say shifting gears a bit.  The blog will remain unchanged.  It will actually become the heart of everything.  We will continue to use it to report music news, do interviews, and promote independent artists.  We will still have the Brand Ambassadors; however they will no longer be promoting just our clients, but other independent artists.  (I'll post more on this later.)  I have two really great bands that I will personally continue to work with for a while.

Other than promoting the music I love, the driving force behind Band Aid has been helping young women establish themselves in this industry.  I have three great girls interning right now and I will continue to work with them until the end of their internship on September 1st.. teaching them everything i've learned and finishing up final projects for current clients.  After that point, I'm stepping away.

I'm placing most of my focus now into Open Our Eyes.  I have a few other projects I'm digging into and I can't wait to talk about them soon.  Photography isn't going anywhere either.. I want to see how far I can go with this.  Over the past few months, it's become a lot more than just a hobby.  I also have a really great opportunity at a local church that I'm considering pursuing.

I really feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world.  Most people don't get to live their dreams at all and I got to do it for almost two years.  Thank you to every single person who has had a part in this in any way.

I'm so stoked for the next chapter in my life.

Sara is like scabies. You can never totally get rid of her.

The episode begins with Showtime trying to trick us into thinking Whitney and Romi are together.  I don't know what non-Twitter universe they seem to think we're living in but both girls have been very vocal about their current relationships so we all know that wasn't the case.  Nice try, though, Showtime.  And kudos to Whitney on the new car.. movin' on up.

I'm not impressed with any of the New York cast.  Maybe it should have been more diverse.   Having everyone from the same band just seems very one dimensional. Maybe these ladies will grow on me.  From what I've read, the general consensus is that everyone else that watches agrees.  The awful freestyle from Amanda's friend didn't help too much with the ratings either.

The Cori/Kacy storyline is going to be really heartbreaking.  For those of you who don't know what happens, I won't say too much.  Also, shameless plug, check out the blog Kacy wrote for Open Our Eyes regarding her faith: openoureyes.org/2012/07/10/catholic-not-christian-kacy-boccumini.

House of Whitney's exes.. there should probably be a revolving door.  Other than Cori/Kacy, these seem to be the only ladies I'm really going to like this season.  Too bad they're not main characters.  The highlight of it all was Rachel's reaction to Romi's BJ comment.  Someone please please make a GIF of this.

When Alyssa runs back to Whitney to gossip about the bi-bomb that Romi dropped, my favorite thing to ever come from Whitney's mouth occurs: Why would anyone cast her out for that reason?  There are so many more to choose from.

Okay, and now my rant begins...

I'm at my breaking point with the GLBT community leaving out the B.   Bisexuals are not confused.   Bisexuality is not a pit stop on the way to Gaytown.  It's not being greedy.  Or double dipping, as some people like to joke.  Some people are attracted to both men and women and NEWSFLASH: that's okay!  The community as a whole is so allergic to the term bisexual and it's disheartening.  Stop with this "pick a team" nonsense.   It's so baffling to me that a community that has been treated so unfairly would choose to alienate anyone.  Ever.  The comments I've read because of Romi are disgusting.  Cut it out.

end rant.

Equally as baffling is Sara's comment about Romi doing things for attention.  Umm, hey pot, this is kettle, YOU'RE BLACK.

I'm not a Romi fan by any means.  It's been apparent from the beginning that very few things about her are genuine.  And I'm not really sure what gave her the idea that looking like your current lover's ex is ever a good thing.  I'm really interested to see how the show is going to portray her relationship.  I completely welcome portraying a bisexual character.  After all, The L Word had Alice.  The show even had a completely heterosexual main character: Kit.  Unfortunately, I feel that there were certain episodes where it was apparent Showtime was attempting to appeal to a heterosexual male audience.  I hope this show doesn't take that route and alienate it's majority lesbian fan base.

Breaking up with Romi looks great on Kelsey, though.  I think it's safe to say Kelsey will not have a problem finding someone who adores her.  Wink wink, nudge nudge.

I don't even want to comment on the Whitney/Sara marriage shenanigans.  Someone made a comment on Twitter that pretty much sums up my thoughts: Gotta have to agree with the vast right wing conspiracy to keep Sara from getting married.  But only her.

I hope this entire season isn't focused on figuring out or commenting on Romi's sexuality.  She doesn't need anymore attention.  I hope there's more Kelsey.  I hope Rachel continues to pop up.  I hope the entire New York cast gains personalities.

I also highly recommend someone creating a shower scene drinking game.

Bottoms up.

You'll always take Capeside with you.

My relationship life was based on two television shows growing up: One Tree Hill and Dawson's Creek.  On the latter of the two, I was the girl-next-door Joey Potter who spent more of her adolescence trying to convince her best friend to love her.

Unlike Joey and Dawson, we never gave it a legitimate try.  My Dawson always found reasons not to.  I was good enough to be his best friend with "girlfriend benefits" but never good enough for that actual title and the commitment that comes with it.  Between relationships, we'd always find ourselves at the same crossroad.  I'd always want to take that leap of faith and he would claim to have the same desires only to change his mind in the end.  Looking back on it now, why would he make that relationship leap?  He had the best of both worlds: me there whenever he needed me and still the freedom to do as he pleased with whoever he pleased.  Just as Dawson did throughout many seasons, he took advantage of the fact that Joey would always be there.

After ten years of things never changing, I gave up last month.  Under normal circumstances, I'm a very strong advocate of always fighting for the things you want, especially when it comes to matters of the heart.  But I think maturity is knowing when to separate the things you want from the things you need.  After severing all ties with my real life Dawson Leery, I received a text yesterday of him wanting to give us a real try.  I've thought about it non-stop since then.  Actually, I think obsessed over it would be a better description.  I waited ten years for this and now he's finally saying it.

Nope... not a chance.

You know how this story ends?  Joey ends up with Pacey because Dawson waited ten years to finally give a damn.

We spent fourth of July in bed.

"Okay guys, one more thing, this summer when you're being inundated with all this American bicentennial Fourth Of July brouhaha, don't forget what you're celebrating, and that's the fact that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn't want to pay their taxes." - Ms. Ginny Stroud (Dazed and Confused)

Put on your headphones, I'm right here.

This is what i've been listening to this week...

Of Monsters And Men – Mountain Sound
Suzanne Vega – Gypsy
Jason Mraz – I Won't Give Up
Maroon 5 – Payphone
Nada Surf – Waiting For Something
Eric Church – Springsteen
Fun. – Some Nights
Kate Earl – Can't Treat Me That Way
Kate Earl – Melody
Kate Earl – When You're Ready
Kate Earl – Golden Street
The Lumineers – Slow It Down
Daughter – Candles
The Moody Blues – Nights In White Satin
Ben Howard – The Fear
Cal Scruby – The Get Up (Intro)
Cal Scruby – Attention Deficit
Cal Scruby – Best Foot Forward
Knox Hamilton – Barley Missed You
Cal Scruby – My Interpretation
Adele – Chasing Pavements
Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
Gavin DeGraw – Dancing Shoes
Carrie Underwood – Good Girl
Taylor Swift – Back To December
Taylor Swift – Mean
Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks
Nada Surf – The Moon Is Calling
Empires – My Poor Lover
Arkells – Pullin Punches
Arkells – John Lennon
Camera Obscura – French Navy

You can listen to this playlist on spotify: 7/3/12.  Sadly, you can't listen to Cal Scruby there because it's from my personal library.  But, I highly recommend you watching this video and then downloading Best Foot Forward.

Found this on Tumblr tonight.  It couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Thank you, Craig Owens, for always knowing what to say.