Major Hollywood Engagement

These days and nights, I keep strange hours (surprise, surprise).

My mom got some call from a Hollywood agent she met in Florida at a talent search. The dude said that she should send some "comp sheet" or something to his agency; I think a black & white glossy photo of herself. So maybe she'll be coming out to Hollywood to break into show biz or something. Oh, and the dude also asked for comp sheets of both my sister Natalie and her fiance Chris.

Oh yeah, my sister's engaged. No date set for the wedding though. Chris and she don't plan on getting married for at least a year.

There has been an interesting dichotomy of responses to this news. Most people she knows in Willis, Texas are rejoicing (Chris asked my dad's permission to propose beforehand). And nearly everyone I've told here has thought that to get engaged so young, and with only a high school education, is crazy. Typical responses: How can she know who she is? I mean, they'll both be changing so much between now (ages 18 and 19) and their mid-20s. Wouldn't it be practical to go to college first? (Oh yeah, college sure clarified everything for me...NOT.)

Though she is young, I think my sister is more mature than many women her age. She has a purpose, mission, compassion, drive, and moral clarity rarely found in the high school hallway or college dorm. She has known this young man for three years and they have grown quite close. They are very compatible, spiritually, in their life's goals, and general outlook on life. They seem a good pair who can grow together. So why not get life's journey started together sooner rather than later?

As most of the people who will read this have (perhaps purposefully) avoided marriage for years in pursuit of a career or their own worldview or something, an early decision for marriage might be difficult to understand. It's as if Willis and Pasadena are two different worlds, or at least two different cultures.

Plus, it's important to remember that they are not yet married. The engagement period is that time in which they prepare for their lives together, if indeed that is what Providence wills.

Democracy, Coke, and the LA Riots

On an obliquely related note, I've recently thought about how liberal democracy is ultimately unsatisfying. Liberty and equality will always be in tension, or, one might say, contradiction. Think about liberty and equality for a moment, and what they each entail.

Don't get me wrong. I think liberal democracy is better than the fascist and communist systems we've seen in the 20th century. But still, the dialectic continues. To quote Francis Fukuyama, "We need a trans-historical standard against which to measure democratic society . . . that would allow us to see its potential defects."

And I sure need a Vanilla Coke.

Speaking of politics, today is the 11th anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots.

To quote Ice Cube, "April 29th, more power to the people."

Let's hope we never have a sequel.