Mawage: Year One!

Three years and two days ago, I kissed a girl.

One year ago today, I kissed that same girl, making her my wife.

This morning, I kissed the very same girl. And then I made coffee and she fed the cats. Ain't married life grand?

According to some tradition or other (one that apparently dates back to the Middle Ages, the interwebs tell me), the married couple on each anniversary is supposed to gift each other things made out of a certain material, like wood (heh) or crystal. Now, because we're corny, you've-been-the-love-of-my-life-since-I-first-saw-you-we-don't-need-no-stinkin'-piece-of-government-red-tape-to-know-what's-what types, we've already done paper and cotton (years one and two, respectively), even though we've only technically been married a year, so today we're supposed to give each other something made out of leather.

Why? Dunno. Three years seems like a little soon for a relationship to need spicing up. I would think maybe the seven year mark is more appropriate. The funny thing is neither of us really has an idea about what to get the other--though we've both suggested a cured ha'bunny pelt at one time or another. (For those playing at home, Eliza often looks and acts as if she was half cat-half bunny, and the English used to call a half penny a "ha'penny." Again yes, we're geeks. And yes, we joke about flaying and tanning her hide because we often want to kill her.)

If nothing else, I have promised my love the leathery feel of our skin after 60 years of wedded bliss. As far as gifts go, this one may take a while to deliver, but it'll be sooooo worth it in the end...

Muppets Assemble!

My wife loves the Muppets; I love the Avengers. And, as a child resembles a blend of its parents, it clearly follows that this awesome sketch by Caanan Gall is an attempt to imagine what the fruit of our joined loves will yield. Behold:

A Koster-Hurt family portrait.

How did this Caanan person know?

Gun Control

He'z no got it.

And all I can think about is this:

Gunning for love...oh, and cops too...

I enjoy firing guns, but c'mon y'all, everything in its right place. Doesn't bringing a tool designed solely to kill to a ceremony honoring the generation of new life and the continuation of society seem a little, I dunno, cognitively dissonant?

Then again, in the case of the Hutaree it may in fact be perfectly consistent if you're actively pursuing the dissolution of your country.

As for the incident in Akcagoze, I guess Turkey really is a Westernized nation....