Reality, Virtual Reality, and a Real Fight for Equality

"If you don't create your reality, your reality will create you."
— Lizzie West

Reality

Our wedding is just a little over a week away! The plans are coming along, in spite of how busy everyone is. We changed our minds and decided to get married at home. Our dear professional Green Thumb friend Ms. V is generously donating her labor to pretty up the neglected garden. We've bought our wedding clothes, which will become our party outfits for the next N years. I still need shoes since my usual boots and beat-up sandals simply won't do, and maybe a sun hat. We've got the license. MG has been deputized as a marriage commissioner. The texts for the ceremony have been selected but the arrangement needs to be set. Etc., etc. There are so many details, and checking each item off the To Do list has been both satisfying and a relief. But mostly we are just deliriously happy that we get to do this. We can hardly wait to hear those words, "By the power vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you ..."

Virtual Reality

I wasn't able to attend BlogHer, the conference for women bloggers, in San Francisco today and tomorrow, but I registered for BlogHer in SecondLife (SL) instead. To prepare, I'd gone inworld for some pre-conference office hours where Gidge Uriza, a BlogHer08 volunteer and SL fashion blogger, graciously gave me a few fun pointers and a free makeover: skin, hair, shape and clothes. I picked up some free BlogHer t-shirts for my avatar to wear with her new jeans, and checked out the virtual conference schedule. This morning a shorter-than-planned meeting left me enough time to attend the "speed dating" style networking session where I got to credit Gidge for my avatar's new cuteness and meet a number of the other bloggers. We were all exchanging blog URLs, so I figured I'd better get in here tonight and get back to blogging. But first, at the end of my RL (Real Life) workday I popped back into SL for the evening festivities of dancing and chatting with Gidge and the gals. Great fun, and I finally figured out how to make my "Click to see my blog" button point here to Leaping Woman.

A Real Fight for Equality

The No on 8 campaign is getting underway. Last night I went to another meeting at the DeFrank Center and learned more about the campaign strategy, the areas where volunteers are most needed, and what we can do now. Of course the main thing to do right now is tell everyone I know that K and I are getting married and that California Proposition 8 on the November ballot threatens our right to marriage equality, and tell them how they can support us.

So I am telling you now. K and I have been together for over 17 years, through sickness and health, for richer and for poorer. As a matter of basic fairness we would like to keep the fundamental right we now have to choose who we marry, and to marry who we choose. If you feel that we should keep the right to marry, here are the things you can do:

• Go to http://equalityforall.com/ and sign up as a supporter.
  
• Volunteer for the No on 8 campaign. You can help even if you don't live in California.
  
• Donate money to support the No on 8 campaign (we're still working on that registry).
  
• Vote in the November election and, if you are voting in California, don't stop with the Presidential race! Vote No on Proposition 8 to say Yes to marriage equality.
  

My bride-to-be and I thank you.