File under, “What they didn’t teach you in high school civics class:”

 
It’s been a major irritant to me for years now that my former home of New York has lagged behind places like Massachusetts, New Hampshire, (temporarily) California and (for fuck’s sake) Iowa in extending marriage rights to same-sex couples. I mean really… if anyone holds the American patent on sin and depravity it’s New York Fuckin’ City, and getting lapped by Massachusetts first on gay marriage and then on marijuana law reform was… well, I think I now know how my friends who are Yankee fans feel these days.

But at long last, that seems to be about to change: marriage equality is, weirdly, the only popular initiative being pushed by the deeply unpopular Governor Patterson, it just cleared the state house handily, and looks poised to win a close but clear victory in the state senate.

And just to add some sweet, sweet schadenfreudian icing on top of the already tasty cake of victory, it looks like it’s going to pass, as much as any other reason, because the Archdiocese of New York was too busy with other things to rally the troops over the marriage thing. What other things? Ladies and gentlemen, the New York Times:

The state’s Roman Catholic bishops have been somewhat distracted, too, having focused their lobbying energies this session on defeating a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse to bring civil claims, and have appeared unprepared for the battle over marriage.

Yes, you read that right: the Catholic Church of New York has been too busy fighting an attempt to tighten anti-pedophilia laws to lobby against gay marriage. Oh my lord, the awesome.

(More here. Disgustingly, the Archdiocese is being joined in their fight by a group of Haredi Rabbis. I have no words. Well, actually I do, they’re just unrelentingly foul.)

Of course, it will only be truly awesome if the bill in question passes. If you’re in NY, now would be a great time to call your State Senator…

 
First ever actual race.

Longest distance ever run. (8.03 miles)

Best personal mile time ever. (7:38)

Average pace 8:46 per mile.

…and then I walked another ~3 miles through Golden Gate park and around the Sunset.

Pretty sure I could do this in under an hour next year.

Thanks to , who made an excellent running partner.

Details.

(Why did my gps count it as 8 miles when 12km = 7.45mi? Not 100% sure, but I’m guessing the amount of side-to-side weaving I had to do to get around the people in costume had a lot to do with it.)