Shh...don't tell or they'll ban the book!

I was volunteering in my kids' school library today--something I do a lot--and started flipping through the picture book The Story of Ferdinand. (It's about a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight.)

The librarian, Mrs. S, saw me and commented, "I used to read that book to the kids, but then one day it suddenly hit me--he's gay! I can't read it to the kids anymore because I can't get through the book with a straight face."

I then told her how my LJ friends and I see "Le Gay" everywhere. That we'd even read Deathly Hallows and said, "Dumbledore is in love with Grindelwald!" but that we'd thought it was just us seeing what we want to see.

(Personally, I don't think Ferdinand is gay. He's not interested enough in the other bulls, just the flowers. A pacifist and potential florist perhaps, but not gay.)

My dilemma: Outrage vs. purty icons

When Strikethrough and Strikethrough II occurred, I decided not to leave LJ, but that I would vote my my pocketbook, specifically, when my paid account expired, I would switch to a free account. Well, folks, my paid account expires in a bit over a week.

So, I know what I should do; I should refuse to give LJ and SixApart another penny of my money. It really won't be much of a hardship; I use very few Paid Account features. The only feature I would miss is my many, many icons.

I currently have 36 icons and am permitted 45. (And I don't understand that at all. The account features page says that I should have a max of 30. I seem to remember getting bumped up to 45 as a pat on the head for when I joined or something.) If I go to a Free Account, I will be limited to six icons. Six! How on earth will I choose the lucky six?


Next Day Update: Well, I've done it. It was a painful process, but I deleted all but six of my icons. I am now ready to say good-bye to my paid account status.