To begin again.

I just wanted to be cool like you. So, there. We'll see how long this lasts. I'm hoping to side-step embarassing long waxings about my feelings. I do that enough in practice class.

Let's start with this:

I first read David Brooks in the NYTimes about a week ago where he praised the sanctity of institutions. And, why yes, I had to resist barfing all over the computer (after all, who really wants to clean up puke anyway-didn't we do that enough in undergrad?), but, somehow, he hooked me. I looked him up on Wikipedia and read him named a "third wave feminist." Now, normally, I trust the good scholars at Wikipedia, but this time, I just had a big ol' case of WTF. Somehow, a man advocating (poorly) for women's rights earned him the title "third waver." Seriously, Wikipedia? Seriously?

Then, perhaps to make matters worse, I saw that he supported gay marriage. I know, I know. WHAT? Not only that, BUT WHAT? So, of course, I had to read this column of his, scouring through years of neocon (yet third wave?) hogwash and found this gem.

An excerpt for those who appreciate excerpts:

The conservative course is not to banish gay people from making such commitments. It is to expect that they make such commitments. We shouldn't just allow gay marriage. We should insist on gay marriage. We should regard it as scandalous that two people could claim to love each other and not want to sanctify their love with marriage and fidelity.

First of all, Mr. Brooks seems to have the power to determine the course of all conservative thinking (gee, what a gift!). Second of all...uh...I really don't know where to go from there. I spend a lot (perhaps too much?) time thinking about marriage and what that means for me. It's complicated and muddy. I turn to you, my readers for help.