…is that this is not the first time in history that a leader who lost the popular vote but was elected into office anyway has used the threat of terrorism to justify preemptive action against another country in the name of peace and security.

So the war is on. We failed to assassinate Saddam Hussein with bombs, which is about what any reasonable person would expect; bombs are not, after all, the most precise of all munitions. Not even smart bombs.

kellyv and I had some friends over last night, and we were all watching “Law and Order” when the news interrupted the show to tell us we were dropping bombs on brown people again.

Quite honestly, I can’t even understand why they cut into the show. I mean, it’s not like it was news, or anything. This is America; dropping bombs on brown people is what we do. Hardly seems worth interrupting “Law & Order” to say that we’re doing it again.

But, we were able to makke the best of it; kellyv popped some popcorn and we pulled up chairs and watched, and played with Eric’s iPod.

I’ll be much happier in 2004, when our Glorious Commander-in-Chimp Bush Jr. and his lackey Herr Ashcroft are gone.

“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”

–Hermann Goering, speaking at the Nuremberg trials

Quotes out of Context

Her: “Implements of torture are always good gifts. I like anything that causes pain.”

Lemme axe you something…

Saturday, kellyv, Shelly, M and I went to a Renaissance Festival in Largo.

I used to go to Ren Faires often, though I haven’t been to one since 1992. They don’t hold quite the appeal for me that they used to, although we had an absolutely splendid time. Got to see some friends I haven’t seen in quite a while, as well.

And I got a battle axe! It’s great…a conversation piece, and practical, too!

kellyv and Shelly both said the same thing–“What are you going to do with it?” It’s a very peculiar question to ask; I’m not at all sure I even understand the question. I mean…it’s a battle axe! What does this “do with it” mean??

I did get some excellent pictures of Shelly in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn Express on the way home, which you can see tucked away behind the cut below.

Rearranging the Furniture

Friday, I drifted off to sleep holding hands with Shelly and kellyv. Being loved by the people around you is the most wonderful feeling in the world.

Shelly has a knack for getting right to the heart of things.

In the fifteen years that kellyv and I have been non-monogamous, one of the cardinal rules of our relationship has always been that we each have “veto power”–the unlimited right to reject a romantic relationship that the other engages in, if we feel threatened by it. This is common among many polyamorous people, and it serves to preserve the security of the primary relationship.

The downside is that it can represent a sword of Damocles, always hanging over the head of any newcomer to the relationship, and for Shelly, the fact that kellyv had this veto power meant that Shelly could not feel secure with me. Shelly challenged kellyv and I on this point, and as a result, kellyv decided that this power had served its purpose, but was no longer necessary with Shelly.

This is a major milestone in the relationship between kellyv and I. For the first time in our history together, she has felt secure without the unlimited right to hold final say over one of my outside relationships.

Shelly has that rarest of all gifts–the ability, and willingness, to make me re-examine some of the most basic ideas and assumptions I’ve made over the course of my life. She’s an absolutely wonderful person.

And now, as promised…
Pics of Shelly

Bavaria:

Power for Power’s Sake.

Fnord.

Which Illuminati are you?
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So did you, if you’re paying attention. 🙂

Quotes out of Context

Me: That’s what the world needs. More cute lesbian chicks!
Her: As long as they’re 90% lesbian, of course.

Passive Entertainment

Shelly, her mother, and I saw “The Recruit” last night. Not a bad movie; it’s basically “Training Day” with less urban attitude and more sleight-of-hand.

Exercise doesn’t really make you live longer…

…it just feels that way. I haven’t been to the gym this often or this consistently since…well, ever,now that I think about it. And it’s all Shelly’s fault. She’s a slavedriver.

She also has this refreshing tendency to challenge a lot of the basic assumptions kellyv and I have made in our relationship. She’s caused kellyv and I to re-examine many of the elements of our relationship, particularly with regard to what it means to be ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’ in a polyamorous relationship, and what needs those terms fill in the first place.

kellyv has always felt the need to be ‘primary’–that is, to fill a unique place in my life, to stand on the knowledge that my relationship with her in some way supercedes my other relationships. Yet she does notseem to feel threatened by Shelly, even when Shelly does things that she associates with “primary.”

What kellyv seems to value most about the idea of primacy is not so much control as uniqueness. She feels threatened if someone else wants a relationship with me that looks like the relationship I have with “lj user=”kellyv”>, and not feel threatened by someone who wants a relationship that doesn’t; that, more than anything else, is the key to “primacy” for .

Since kellyv and Shelly are very, very different in many fundamental ways, including the way they approach relationships both philosophically and emotionally, kellyv has demonstrated a significant willingness to be flexible and accomodating in Shelly’s needs.

Which is, I think, a very positive and healthy thing. The three of us are growing very close as a result, and I for one am very, very happy about that.

Tis much happiness should be criminal. Really. 🙂

Weekend Frustration

Still haven’t been able to get my plane in the air–most recently because I haven’t been able to reach the instructor who had been training me. I’m getting so frustrated I’m dreaming about flying it. Grr…

Just installed a third Ethernet outlet on our couch. kellyv and I now have a couch with three Ethernet ports: One on each side, and one in the center, between the cushions. Now when Shelly
I am such a geek sometimes.

Also, if you haven’t done so, check out Shelly’s tattoo here!
Continue reading →

Got the aileron problem with the plane sorted out. Looks like I’ll be able to fly this weekend!

Shelly has started working out, and she’s dragging kellyv and I with her. I need to be able to keep pace with her; otherwise, she might one day be able to overpower me, and we can’t let that happen. There’s no end to the evil she might do if she can restrain me against my will.

Been a long but productive weekend. The first good news: Villain Tees, the new joint venture between lordfuckbeast and I, is officially off the ground! We’re selling the most rude, obnoxious T-shirts you’re likely to find anywhere. Drop by and give it a look.

Today, kellyv and I helped Shelly move to Tampa. Shelly has been staying with us for most of the past two weeks, and to be quite honest, I’ve kind of become accustomed to having a couple of extra feet in my bed. It’s been really nice. Shelly has a place of her own here in Tampa, now, which is both good and bad–good, because she’s officially living here; bad, because she’s spending the night in her place, not our place, this evening.

She’s easy to get used to.

kellyv and I have been spending quite a bit of time together; our relationship is in a growth phase again, even after seventeen years. Some part of that has been prompted by Shelly, who has this knack–or maybe it’s an art–of offering a fresh and well-reasoned perspective on things.

Another milestone: I fired up the engine on my new model airplane this week. It’s just about ready to fly–a minor glitch with the aileron servos, which don’t seem to want to work properly, and it’s good to go. I can hardly wait!

A very large Web redesign project for a major client has been green-lighted for an effectively unlimited budget–good news indeed.

The Florida Poly Retreat is coming up in a few weeks–right about the same time as my birthday. 🙂

It is, it would seem, rather difficult to find the time to journal life when you’re quite busy living it.