Those folks over in D.C.

So remember when the District of Columbia legalized same-sex marriage? (I did a news story on this, by the way, and it's in my resume reel if you want to see it! )

I was thinking the other day, after a discussion with my very insightful husband :)
Marriage law has long been interpreted as being under the jurisdiction of states; essentially, most believe the federal government has no business regulating marriage.

When you apply for a marriage license, it's issued by your state. Regardless of your opinion on gay marriage, one thing is clear: marriage laws are getting stickier and stickier. It seems that congress will eventually have to take a stand because it's just silly to be married in one state and not another. But I digress.

So, marriage law is left to the states. Well the District of Columbia legalized same-sex marriage in March. But D.C. is not a state. Doesn't some city council have no business making marriage laws?
But then, more or less, D.C.'s version of a "state legislature" is the federal congress itself (more or less). But wait, isn't the federal government supposed to keep its nose out of marriage law?
Well here's a bit of a pickle. Does anybody else see this as not quite right? If it were only from a jurisdiction standpoint, I don't see how the D.C. council was authorized to make that sort of decision. (those of you who actually know what you're talking about with regards to law, I'd love your input)
It seems to me that this needs to be decided by a bigger body. Why not get Congress involved?

And here's another point: a BYU law professor that I spoke to said this just looks like officials trying to force gay marriage down peoples' throats; nobody in D.C. voted on this issue either and he believes that such a hot topic should be taken to popular vote.

How do you feel about this? Doesn't this all feel terribly sketchy?

a momentous occasion

I obtained my learner's permit Wednesday (on the first try, might I add) and am now learning to be a responsible driver thanks to my dear husband. I thought I should immortalize the moment in a drawing of my own creation.
I call it:

Andrew teaching Lydia how to drive

Ode to Internet

Oh internet, how I love thee when thou flowest quickly
uploading images before I can run to the kitchen and back,
and opening pages with the first try,
before I even click refresh three times.

On reporters...

One of the things I appreciate the most about my broadcast teachers is that they are real, honest-to-goodness, down-to-earth human beings. Not fancy shmancy academics (although I do love academic learning, but let's face it, a lot of very intelligent people have high opinions of themselves and live outside of the realm of "normalcy..." whatever that might be), not terribly arrogant either, but just real people that are good at what they do. I think that's because ideally, a reporter should be a... normal human being! Somebody likable enough to be on TV and not irritate viewers' brains out, someone with a sense of humor, someone who can handle stress... and someone who can deal with all kinds of people. I get the impression that seasoned reporters develop a great deal of empathy, without getting too involved themselves. I feel like they've found just the right balance of curiosity in all aspects of life, yet they can stay detached from all the drama.
Good reporters have a good sense of self-respect and take care of their appearance, without looking too over-the-top runway-model-ish. They have a pleasant voice and know how to talk like REAL people; they can get in a conversation with a rock and still come out looking intelligent. And they make you feel like you're the most important person in the world when they talk to you.

That's just the short list of qualities a good reporter should have, a list of qualities that I'm going to try hard to obtain.

Basically, I think good reporters make not only good professionals but also awesome, interesting human beings.

Some favorites from concert....

Click on photos to see them in a better size. Cliquez sur les photos pour les agrandir.






Taken by Laura Johnson (http://laurajohnson.smugmug.com/Dance/Ballroom-Concert-Encore/11815851_Z3336#834967968_2Yfzk

My summer list

The sun is finally out (hopefully to stay) and I'm more than a little bit ready for the summer... And here's my/our list:

1) catch a praying mantis (ok, this one really isn't on Andrew's list...)
2) hike up to the timp caves
3) spend an entire day reading a book, pausing only for food
4) tube down provo river
5) get my driver’s license (woohoo!)
6) take a ton of pictures and improve my not-so-present skills
7) make our apartment lovely
8) finish my smooth dress
9) be an awesome Y-group leader :)
10) make a picnic blanket
11) go stargazing on said blanket
12) make homemade popsicles
13) find a new dance partner
14) learn a new piece on the piano (leaning towards Amelie right now…)
15) grow plants (cilantro and pansies are at the top of that list)
16) job shadow at ABC4?

Spring cleaning

I'm doing it again: the Big Purge.
And this has nothing to do with housework.
Every once in a while I see some random "friend" pop up on my facebook sidebar and I ask myself "Why?"
I never even talk to half these people, some I downright loathe, some I've met maybe once or twice, some make me gag with their TMI status updates or exasperating "inspiring" quotes... so why in the world are we all facebook "friends"?
Which brings on another point: why do I spend so much time on facebook in the first place? But that's another story entirely

So, nothing personal, but...

Farewell, awkward guy I went on a date with once and never spoke to again... Farewell, peppy happy girl that uses too many smiley faces... Farewell, random person whose name I... really don't recognize at all!

Maybe I should just delete my account altogether...

Finally completed my first semester in the program!
Here is my "resume reel", an overview of my work this semester. (This is the kind of thing I'd send to potential employers, accompanied by my resume.)
Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no3YqjCqLjE

Concert

Well, this is it: end of the year concert is here, I just completed my resume reel, and I'm sick. Bleh. The stuffy-nosed, light-headed kind of sick. So wish me luck... But I am really excited for concert--it's so much fun to be part of it, and the finale is probably one of my favorite parts because the stage is just packed with the entire company and it's very... dramatic! :D So if you're coming (which you should be if you read this blog. Shame on you if you're not. Although those living in an other country may apply for an exemption...)
The sad thing is, we won't get a video of it this year... bouh!

Easter/spring creations

Take a little bit of this...


Add this,


and voila!



PS: I kind of stole this idea from some random blog. But hey, if they post a tutorial it's cause they want people to copy it!

O-O (eyes popping out of my head)

Seriously???
"one of the new law’s [from health care bill] benefits would be to ban the denial of health coverage to women who have had a prior Caesarean section or been victims of domestic violence. Some companies providing individual policies have refused coverage in those circumstances, regarding Caesareans or beatings as pre-existing conditions that were likely to be predictors of higher expenses in the future."

wow. so if you're beaten up by your husband and finally gather up the courage to leave, you not only get to put the pieces of your life back together, but insurance companies get to make more money off you.

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/health/30women.html?ref=health

I understand that it makes sense in a way that pregnancy would be a preexisting condition: if you've had a baby once, it generally means you're able to have one and are capable of making more. I guess if you've never had a kid there's no way of telling that you're not sterile or something. I don't know. And if I remember/understood correctly, once you've had a C-section you have to deliver that way every time after, more expensive etc etc... so fine, it makes sense.
But a woman who's been beaten???!!!
Insurance companies are the devil.

Craftiness

Well, first of all I need to brag a little.
I am almost through my first semester as a student reporter, and I've survived AND I feel like I've progressed a ton! It feels great to have accomplished so much; I have a bunch of news stories on my hard drive that I've sweated and probably cried over, and I'm quite proud of how far I've come in a few months.
Also, couple-haters beware: my husband is amazing. No really. I received a special springtime surprise waiting in the newsroom for me last night-- it'd been a long week and inside the brightly colored wrapping paper, underneath the cheerful flowers, was a lovely dress that I'd been eying for quite some time. This is most likely proving my hidden material girl, but a new dress really does do wonders for a woman's ego, if I do say so myself.

(Mine is in black)

And finally, it's time to get back to the sewing machine. I'm feeling the inspiration right now! I've been making some dramatic changes to my red smooth dress, and it's pretty exciting... I'm stoning most of the bodice with bright ruby-red stones :) pictures to come soon...