Blog

Well, first of all, this layout will be going soon, I hope. I'm really tired of looking at it. So when you see the site is under maintenance, you'll know the reason. It seems like I should update my version of Wordpress too, so that will all be done at the same time.

Anyway, on to the main topic of this post. My brother and sister were discussing online games. More particularly, they talked about an online RPG-like game my brother plays. The game is free, but you can get more features if you buy a membership. The same goes for a game I play, DragonFable. You can register for free and play for free too, but there are items and quests that are only available to paying players.

They both agreed that they didn't see a reason to pay for something which you can get for free. There I completely disagree. Like everyone I do enjoy free things. One of the reasons I use OpenOffice and Firefox is because I don't pay for them.

I would gladly contribute money to some projects such as DragonFable (I really have to get around to buy a DragonAmulet there!). Why? Because there are people behind that project. Sure, they have advertising and probably another job. They're however devoting many hours of their time to this project. What's a small 30 something dollars contribution from me compared to all the time and effort that goes behind the creation of a video game?

I enjoy their game, using their creation, and loading their servers with one more person. I certainly don't see that "investment" as being a waste for me.

First, I am back from Montreal. I've been since Friday the 28th or something like that (it was a Friday, anyway). I guess I'll blog more about my visit eventually. For now, let us speak of dogs.

My dog is very obedient. She never steps into the living room, where she is not allowed. She also doesn't climb up to the second floor, where she also isn't allowed. And she doesn't leave our yard.

Nice as she may be, though, she has long hair. As she loves going outdoor and whatnot, her hair gets quite messy. My father got into the habit of trimming her hair a bit. He just cuts some messy bunches. Not long ago, though, he had a little accident while doing it...he injured her. When I heard this at first, I wasn't so surprised. He got those big hands, he uses a big pair of scissors that lack in sharpness, and a mess of hair is, well, messy.

It was another story when I saw the injury in question. It is disgusting. It is a large spot (larger than the tip of my thumb) of red flesh. It makes me feel all weird inside when I see it and talk about it.

You'd think a dog who is getting her flesh cut would react in some way or another. She didn't. She just stayed there while my father was doing it (of course it was accidental), and he saw what he had done only when it was too late.

Sigh. And now when she licks it (duh!), he gets angry at her.

I'm going to Montreal tomorrow. This is not The Big Announcement that will come when I move there again. I'm just visiting. It sure feels odd to say that I'm "visiting" in the apartment I lived in for almost three years...

Anyway, my mom and her family are going in the area for some family stuff, and they'll drop me off at my apartment, where my two roommates still live. I'll be spending the weekend and the beginning of next week there.

I don't really have big plans. I'll be seeing some friends I haven't seen for a while, doing some shopping and hopefully walking in the Old Harbor. And eating at some restaurant! I have a serious rage for Asian food right now. If you ask for an Asian restaurant here, you'll be redirected at those pseudo-Chinese restaurants that serve fried rice, chicken balls, egg rolls and chicken wings.

I don't speak about my grandfather much. I don't really visit him much either. It's not that I don't like him. I believe I know why now, though. It's because I feel so goddamn uneasy.

My grandfather loves his grandchildren. It's a good thing, because he does have 16 grandchildren and and 12 great-grandchildren. He is, however, a Roman Catholic. That, in itself, wouldn't be a problem. There are millions of Catholics in the world, and I don't feel this unease around them. The problem is that he is a very, very conservative Catholic.

In case you haven't noticed, I am not only atheist, but I am rather liberal in my views. Not that it's hard to be more liberal than him. He has often reproached some of his children to have have kids before marriage, that sort of thing.

He also believes that people who are not Roman Catholics will burn in hell. It doesn't matter if you are a wonderful, kind, generous person. If you are not Catholic, it's hell for you (I have the sudden urge of saying "There will be no cake for you"). It doesn't matter if you were born in 15th century South America, before Incas met Europeans for the first time. Were you Catholic? No? Well, you know what's waiting for you after death.

I don't believe in an afterlife, but it still is uneasy to be around a man who believes your wicked ways are dooming you to an eternity of pain and suffering.

Because it doesn't end there. Just that, I could live with. I just would avoid talking about religion. And God. And death. And Sundays.

My grandfather also believes that women shouldn't wear pants, shouldn't have jobs and should spend their time at home, taking care of children and meals for their husband. Needless to say that doesn't agree with me.

And then, of course, remember how I am bisexual? Well, I never heard my grandfather talk about homosexuality and I certainly never want to. Should I get myself a nice girlfriend, I can't bring her at my grandparents', or even mention her. I don't even dare imagining what he would do if he were to learn of my orientation.

In brief, I live with an undeniable fear of him. He doesn't know it, but he is disgusted by everything I stand for and am. Atheism is a belief and a choice. Bisexuality just is. I don't have a problem with my own orientation and it generally isn't of other people's business. It is sad, though, to be unable to share your love stories with your family members.