Ties that bind

Well, the time is getting closer, and I have to admit I'm getting pretty nervous.
Ellie and I are set to get handfasted on the first of May, in front of her friends and family; and from then on we are bound. I've had to explain it to a few friends, but ceremony is simply this:

A swearing of love and fatihfulness to each other. Nothing less than a marriage.
In every way but legally we are getting married.
In a year's time, we are going to take our bearings and if we are still together and willing to be together, we will hold a proper christian ceremony to satisfy the law, her family and mine. But that isn't what's important - the fact is we are swearing to each other, and declaring our love and partnership to the world - Marriage in all but legal documentation.

It's strange and rather horrible to find just how hard it is to actually get married; even getting married in the registry office (a bleak, horrible little place where the plants are plastic and the chairs are bolted down so no one steals them!) costs hundreds of pounds. It's silly and it's stupid, but getting married and being in love apparently costs money.

In a world where love costs money are we all anything more than whores?

In other news, the votes are being cast in South Africa today - I know how it will go, the ANC will come out on top, but the question remains; will they actually do what they promised? Obama, oddly enough, seems to be making some of the waves that he promised - even the CIA are getting pissed at him; claiming that without torturing suspects (note the word: SUSPECTS) they cannot protect their country. They have cited, and get this: JACK BAUER as a case in point. The FICTIONAL hero from 24 is their example and excuse for slamming suspect's heads against walls and for using such extreme tortures as waterboarding and worse.
...But hell, it wouldn't be politics if it wasn't dirty, right?

Anyway, on my way again, see you all soon!