365 days ago, I checked myself into treatment or, as one old geezer member of my 12 step group insists I should call it, rehab. This means, that I've been clean and sober for a year now which, considering that virtually every day from the time I was 14 until a year ago I was in some way chemically altered (that's almost 30 years folks), is truly remarkable. In this last year, there has amazingly only been one time when I had a strong desire to alter the way I felt with chemicals and that was brief and very quickly dealt with.
My life has improved dramatically in so many ways. I'm reconnecting with family while, at the same time, limiting any contact that would threaten my stability. I'm also reconnecting with some old friends while other old friends have faded into the proverbial woodwork. My romantic life actually is humming right along as I've discovered that some guys actually find my being clear and present is attractive. Wow! My health and physical fitness are at a peak. My job with the insurance company, while at times frustrating, is solid and provides a good income and excellent benefits. More often than not, I'm having a good day and because I am truly grateful for all that I have, I feel much joy.
Life is good and I'm moving on.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
When My Sobriety Gets Jeopardized
I'm writing this at 5am, having woken up after 4 and a half hours sleep. It took me two hours to fall sleep when I laid down at 10:30pm. For the first time in the almost year that I've been sober, last night I had a really strong desire for xanax washed down with a glass of good whiskey.
I've known for a month now that I would have 12 days of repeated family situations which, for me, tend to be frought with peril in terms of high levels of anxiety. I've prayed, I've meditated, I've gotten massage, acupuncture and chiropractic. I've spoken openly in the 12 step meetings I go to about the concerns I have. I've talked with the psychiatrist I see once a month. I've done everything I can think of to prepare myself mentally and physically for the stress I was sure would ensue.
Nonetheless, I found myself wanting the xanax/Makers Mark combo just a few hours ago. The situtation that developed came from a sibling who I was around for two nights in a row. This person has had some rather intense medical treatment recently for what was a potentially life threatening illness so their energy/stamina levels have been low. I understand this and I empathize with how draining the treatments must be especially when combined with the Texas summer heat. Two nights in a row I've been around this sibling as we went out and attempted to celebrate with a niece who's in town and last night with my mother for her birthday. Both nights this sibling acted disrespectfully to me and to my mother. Not just disrespectfully, but like an ill mannered, self absorbed child. This sibling is over the half century mark in age.
The medical situation may, to a degree, explain the mental condition this person is in. It does does not, however, excuse infantile, abusive, boorish behavior. I was around a lot of gravely ill (and dying for that matter) friends in the late 80's and early 90's. Professionals and caretakers who dealt with them would always remind those of us who were involved that when the sick individual acted out in such a way as to be hurtful and abusive, it was OK to try to understand what they were going through but to remember they didn't have a license to act like a jackass simply because they were ill.
Today I'm supposed to take this sibling and the niece to another niece's wedding. Moved heaven and earth to make it happen in terms of changing my schedule at work (which was really, really not easy), getting right mentally to be around lots of family that I haven't seen in well over a year, buying clothes and setting aside money for gas (the wedding is a good hour and a half drive from Austin). After writing all this, I realize how tired and drained I am and how I don't have it in me for anymore drama from this relative or any other. For me, the costs of dealing with someone who has made the choice to act like this are too great. Additionally, I've reached a point where I am no longer able to excuse this sibling's continual beration of our mother. I've had it.
Almost a year ago, I decided my substance use and behavior had to change. I worked hard to do just that and my life, outlook and relationships are improving in enormous ways. I wish this relative would make some similar changes but that's not up to me. What is up to me is deciding not to be around this person if they are going to act like this and to tell them in no uncertain terms that treating our mother as they have been is not ok.
I'm not going to use chemicals to change how I feel over all this. But I sure wanted to.
I've known for a month now that I would have 12 days of repeated family situations which, for me, tend to be frought with peril in terms of high levels of anxiety. I've prayed, I've meditated, I've gotten massage, acupuncture and chiropractic. I've spoken openly in the 12 step meetings I go to about the concerns I have. I've talked with the psychiatrist I see once a month. I've done everything I can think of to prepare myself mentally and physically for the stress I was sure would ensue.
Nonetheless, I found myself wanting the xanax/Makers Mark combo just a few hours ago. The situtation that developed came from a sibling who I was around for two nights in a row. This person has had some rather intense medical treatment recently for what was a potentially life threatening illness so their energy/stamina levels have been low. I understand this and I empathize with how draining the treatments must be especially when combined with the Texas summer heat. Two nights in a row I've been around this sibling as we went out and attempted to celebrate with a niece who's in town and last night with my mother for her birthday. Both nights this sibling acted disrespectfully to me and to my mother. Not just disrespectfully, but like an ill mannered, self absorbed child. This sibling is over the half century mark in age.
The medical situation may, to a degree, explain the mental condition this person is in. It does does not, however, excuse infantile, abusive, boorish behavior. I was around a lot of gravely ill (and dying for that matter) friends in the late 80's and early 90's. Professionals and caretakers who dealt with them would always remind those of us who were involved that when the sick individual acted out in such a way as to be hurtful and abusive, it was OK to try to understand what they were going through but to remember they didn't have a license to act like a jackass simply because they were ill.
Today I'm supposed to take this sibling and the niece to another niece's wedding. Moved heaven and earth to make it happen in terms of changing my schedule at work (which was really, really not easy), getting right mentally to be around lots of family that I haven't seen in well over a year, buying clothes and setting aside money for gas (the wedding is a good hour and a half drive from Austin). After writing all this, I realize how tired and drained I am and how I don't have it in me for anymore drama from this relative or any other. For me, the costs of dealing with someone who has made the choice to act like this are too great. Additionally, I've reached a point where I am no longer able to excuse this sibling's continual beration of our mother. I've had it.
Almost a year ago, I decided my substance use and behavior had to change. I worked hard to do just that and my life, outlook and relationships are improving in enormous ways. I wish this relative would make some similar changes but that's not up to me. What is up to me is deciding not to be around this person if they are going to act like this and to tell them in no uncertain terms that treating our mother as they have been is not ok.
I'm not going to use chemicals to change how I feel over all this. But I sure wanted to.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
What the American Flag Stands For by Charlotte Aldebron, age 12
The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.
School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.
Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag's real meaning remains.
Charlotte Aldebron, 12, wrote this essay for a competition in her 6th grade English class. She attends Cunningham Middle School in Presque Isle, Maine.
School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.
Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag's real meaning remains.
Charlotte Aldebron, 12, wrote this essay for a competition in her 6th grade English class. She attends Cunningham Middle School in Presque Isle, Maine.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Carlos
I first saw you when I began volunteering at the warehouse. I sat there mindlessly inspecting the cassettes for the blind and you descended the metal stairs in front of me. I was immediately struck by the smoldering carnalism that flowed from every inch of your sinewy body. There was no way not to notice you as your searing presence would not be ignored. I knew when I saw you that the torrid lust that erupted from within me would be wholly satisfied.
On every visit I've studied you intensely. You are taller than I am, easily six foot and quite syphlike. Your expansive shoulders top a torso that narrows past your thick, solid chest and smooth, taut abdomen, down to a naturally tapered waist. Your smoothly muscled, lanky legs descend from a diminutive pair of buttocks that roll delicately from the small of your back. The low rise jeans you favor fit you well and disclose the protracted, leaden component of your manhood and your inclination to wear boxers.
Semi-curly, un-tamed, black hair tops your profile which is usually veiled by a days growth of beard. Your Latin heritage is evident in your linear face, a face that frames a pair of incandescent, brown eyes. It's your eyes that ignite my desire. When you look at me, those narrow, amorous eyes speak in a language that decidedly communicates a coarse sensuality which states to me that you will have what you want in the manner you choose to have it.
Our trysts throughout the warehouse have been the most animalistic, torrid encounters of my life. Impelled by you onto the immediate surface of our transient beds, the savage force with which we battered our lust would fracture titanium. Our vigorous unifications have left me spent, gratified, and complete. It's you that I think of when I must trek to the warehouse for I know that you will quench my lust in a way no one else has......ever......
if only in my mind...........
On every visit I've studied you intensely. You are taller than I am, easily six foot and quite syphlike. Your expansive shoulders top a torso that narrows past your thick, solid chest and smooth, taut abdomen, down to a naturally tapered waist. Your smoothly muscled, lanky legs descend from a diminutive pair of buttocks that roll delicately from the small of your back. The low rise jeans you favor fit you well and disclose the protracted, leaden component of your manhood and your inclination to wear boxers.
Semi-curly, un-tamed, black hair tops your profile which is usually veiled by a days growth of beard. Your Latin heritage is evident in your linear face, a face that frames a pair of incandescent, brown eyes. It's your eyes that ignite my desire. When you look at me, those narrow, amorous eyes speak in a language that decidedly communicates a coarse sensuality which states to me that you will have what you want in the manner you choose to have it.
Our trysts throughout the warehouse have been the most animalistic, torrid encounters of my life. Impelled by you onto the immediate surface of our transient beds, the savage force with which we battered our lust would fracture titanium. Our vigorous unifications have left me spent, gratified, and complete. It's you that I think of when I must trek to the warehouse for I know that you will quench my lust in a way no one else has......ever......
if only in my mind...........
Monday, July 03, 2006
Some New Links
I've added some new daily read links on the right hand side of this blog. They are:
James' Site : I dated James the first few months of this year. I count that experience as one of the best since my recovery. James is a thoughtful, sweet, vivacious individual and quite a writer. When we trade emails while at work, the few sentences that will take me an hour to hammer out in between distractions are the part of the first of three paragraphs that James will send in a matter of minutes. Quick mind, cute guy, nice person. I'm blessed to have him in my life.
Caperton Classic Art : This is the business site of a friend I know through 12 step meetings. He has an amazing number of classic art prints available including some beautiful male nudes (ok, my personal favorites, it's true). Please take time to peruse his gallery.
Messopotamian Blog : This is a blog by an Iraqi who, as best I can tell, lives in or around Baghdad. He gives an insiders view of what's happening there something that we, as Americans, rarely get from US media. It aint pretty.
James' Site : I dated James the first few months of this year. I count that experience as one of the best since my recovery. James is a thoughtful, sweet, vivacious individual and quite a writer. When we trade emails while at work, the few sentences that will take me an hour to hammer out in between distractions are the part of the first of three paragraphs that James will send in a matter of minutes. Quick mind, cute guy, nice person. I'm blessed to have him in my life.
Caperton Classic Art : This is the business site of a friend I know through 12 step meetings. He has an amazing number of classic art prints available including some beautiful male nudes (ok, my personal favorites, it's true). Please take time to peruse his gallery.
Messopotamian Blog : This is a blog by an Iraqi who, as best I can tell, lives in or around Baghdad. He gives an insiders view of what's happening there something that we, as Americans, rarely get from US media. It aint pretty.
Friday, June 30, 2006
George W Bush - The Record
LAW ENFORCEMENT: He was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine , in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. He pled guilty, paid a fine, and had his driver's license suspended for 30 days. His Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.
MILITARY: He joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. He refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about his drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, he was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.
COLLEGE: He graduated from Yale University with a low C average. He was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE: He ran for U.S. Congress and lost. He began his career in the oil business in Midland,Texas in 1975. He bought an oil company but couldn't find any oil in Texas . The company went bankrupt shortlyafter he sold all his stock. He bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of his father and his father's friends in the oil industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, he was elected governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: He changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. He set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.
He cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
With the help of his brother, the governor of Florida, and his father's appointments to the Supreme Court, he became President after losing the popular vote by over 500,000 votes.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES: All records of his tenure as governor of Texas are now in his father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC investigations into his insider trading and his bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from meetings that he, or his Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: He became the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. He invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.
He spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury
He shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.
He set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
He set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.
His largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of his best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. history, Enron.
He changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
He appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.
He's broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.
He garnered the most sympathy for the U.S.after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacyin world history.
He set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest him in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
He has cut health care benefits for war veterans and supports a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime.In his State of the Union Address, he lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
He has so far failed to fulfill his pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.
MILITARY: He joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. He refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about his drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, he was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.
COLLEGE: He graduated from Yale University with a low C average. He was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE: He ran for U.S. Congress and lost. He began his career in the oil business in Midland,Texas in 1975. He bought an oil company but couldn't find any oil in Texas . The company went bankrupt shortlyafter he sold all his stock. He bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of his father and his father's friends in the oil industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, he was elected governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: He changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. He set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.
He cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
With the help of his brother, the governor of Florida, and his father's appointments to the Supreme Court, he became President after losing the popular vote by over 500,000 votes.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES: All records of his tenure as governor of Texas are now in his father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC investigations into his insider trading and his bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from meetings that he, or his Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: He became the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. He invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.
He spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury
He shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.
He set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
He set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.
His largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of his best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. history, Enron.
He changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
He appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.
He's broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.
He garnered the most sympathy for the U.S.after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacyin world history.
He set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest him in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
He has cut health care benefits for war veterans and supports a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime.In his State of the Union Address, he lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
He has so far failed to fulfill his pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
I Always Thought He Was Big Dick Anyway
This is just too much fun!
Limbaugh Detained Over Viagra
From one old pill head to another Rush, make sure you have an Rx next time you're holding drugs. By the way Rush, does this mean that there is actually someone out there who would have sex with you? Or that you're just really hopeful? Either way, ewwwwwwwww!
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Reconnecting With An Old Friend (not a friend that's old)
Recently it's been running through my head the many friends that I've had that, for assorted reasons, I've fallen out of contact with. This seems to be how it is in life. You make acquaintances in different settings, some of them become friends, some of those seem to stay in contact for years on end while others move on and you lose touch.
After not having heard from "Kev" in several months, either via phone call or email, I decided to write him an old fashioned, USPS delivered, letter. Kev and I first met at a bar in Corpus Christi called The Other Door in about 1987. We became friends through hanging out and our mutual involvement in local theater. I'll always treasure the "Best Actor" statue that Kev gave me after I got a rave review in the Corpus Christi Caller Times (we're talking big time now!) for my performace in a one act play called "Lone Star" which Kev talked me into auditioning for and acting in.
We maintained that friendship through my move to San Diego and Kev's move to Key West. Kev, if I remember correctly, moved for love and I moved because I loved California. Many months passed after those moves where we lost touch with each other but eventually we would be in contact and catch up on where we were and what was going on. Kev eventually made the move to Los Angeles which allowed us to visit one another since I was just down the road in San Diego.
I recall so many great get togethers. There was a weekend that Kev came to celebrate his birthday and rented a limo for a night on the town that included dinner at The Hotel del Coronado. Great night it was even if the details are a bit fuzzy. There was a day/night of revelry in Tijuana the details of which, well, we'll just keep those between the participants. Suffice to say that it was a long trip back across the boarder. A longgggg trip with a lot of ups and downs! Kev knows stories about me that I'm glad only he knows and for this, I am grateful.
I ended up back in Corpus Christi after my foray into SoCal and am now, of course, in Austin. Kev remained in LA where he has worked for a large law firm for several years now and had sent warm greetings when I got through rehab some 10+ months ago. I got busy with getting back into and on with life and some time passed before I realized that I hadn't heard from Kev in a while. So I wrote him and this week I recieved an email back.
Kev has had some trying times: the death of both parents in the last two years, his own experience with a bad case of shingles and the reminder that our health and life is a fragile thing and must be lived as if each day is the last.
As he and I move towards 45 (we are just a couple of months apart in age but I'm older has Kev is inclined to gleefully point out), we're at that great point in life where one can look back on a good deal of life experience and also look forward to all that is still possible. Knowing that he is ok and that he's been part of my life for so long warms my heart.
After not having heard from "Kev" in several months, either via phone call or email, I decided to write him an old fashioned, USPS delivered, letter. Kev and I first met at a bar in Corpus Christi called The Other Door in about 1987. We became friends through hanging out and our mutual involvement in local theater. I'll always treasure the "Best Actor" statue that Kev gave me after I got a rave review in the Corpus Christi Caller Times (we're talking big time now!) for my performace in a one act play called "Lone Star" which Kev talked me into auditioning for and acting in.
We maintained that friendship through my move to San Diego and Kev's move to Key West. Kev, if I remember correctly, moved for love and I moved because I loved California. Many months passed after those moves where we lost touch with each other but eventually we would be in contact and catch up on where we were and what was going on. Kev eventually made the move to Los Angeles which allowed us to visit one another since I was just down the road in San Diego.
I recall so many great get togethers. There was a weekend that Kev came to celebrate his birthday and rented a limo for a night on the town that included dinner at The Hotel del Coronado. Great night it was even if the details are a bit fuzzy. There was a day/night of revelry in Tijuana the details of which, well, we'll just keep those between the participants. Suffice to say that it was a long trip back across the boarder. A longgggg trip with a lot of ups and downs! Kev knows stories about me that I'm glad only he knows and for this, I am grateful.
I ended up back in Corpus Christi after my foray into SoCal and am now, of course, in Austin. Kev remained in LA where he has worked for a large law firm for several years now and had sent warm greetings when I got through rehab some 10+ months ago. I got busy with getting back into and on with life and some time passed before I realized that I hadn't heard from Kev in a while. So I wrote him and this week I recieved an email back.
Kev has had some trying times: the death of both parents in the last two years, his own experience with a bad case of shingles and the reminder that our health and life is a fragile thing and must be lived as if each day is the last.
As he and I move towards 45 (we are just a couple of months apart in age but I'm older has Kev is inclined to gleefully point out), we're at that great point in life where one can look back on a good deal of life experience and also look forward to all that is still possible. Knowing that he is ok and that he's been part of my life for so long warms my heart.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Friends Rock and So Does the New Apartment!
I haven't posted since seeing The Breakup due to the fact that I moved last weekend and everything surrounding those dates has either involved preparation for the move or recovery from the move. There were countless trips down the stairs from my 2nd floor place and countless trips up the stairs to my new 2nd floor place (to think I almost moved to a 3rd floor!) leaving me with a strained knee and no zip for the last few days. But I'm in now and I love it! It's bright and sunny, has a nice layout, a large L shaped balcony (I mean really large!) with a pool view in a complex with huge oak trees and quiet neighbors. I'm jazzed.
I'm also jazzed about the fact that three friends offered to help me move. I didn't have to beg, bribe, cajole or plead, they just offered. Offered. Of their own free will. Amazing. The one with the most hours and trips up and down stairs was VelvetSaje who, despite the heat (nothing like 100 degree temps to make you wish you weren't moving), never complained, not even once. There was Mike, from my 12 Step group, who helped with the "sacred", antique makeup table (a table that my mother unnecessarily obsesses about everytime I move...it hasn't been damaged yet despite her absolute certainty that it will be!). The next morning JN, my former squeeze and still faithful friend, made one trip with his truck that would have taken me 5 in the vehicle I was using. Oh lawdy, do I feel blessed!
Needless to say, the next time any of these three move, they have someone already signed up to help.
I'm also jazzed about the fact that three friends offered to help me move. I didn't have to beg, bribe, cajole or plead, they just offered. Offered. Of their own free will. Amazing. The one with the most hours and trips up and down stairs was VelvetSaje who, despite the heat (nothing like 100 degree temps to make you wish you weren't moving), never complained, not even once. There was Mike, from my 12 Step group, who helped with the "sacred", antique makeup table (a table that my mother unnecessarily obsesses about everytime I move...it hasn't been damaged yet despite her absolute certainty that it will be!). The next morning JN, my former squeeze and still faithful friend, made one trip with his truck that would have taken me 5 in the vehicle I was using. Oh lawdy, do I feel blessed!
Needless to say, the next time any of these three move, they have someone already signed up to help.
Monday, June 05, 2006
The Best Part of The Break Up
I went yesterday to see The Break Up, the just released "romantic comedy" with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. Normally, I couldn't give a rat's patootie about seeing something like this in the theater....would much rather wait until it comes out on DVD and watch it at home. If then.
The movie got old after about 10 minutes. As my mother put it, listening to a couple argue and fight (which is the basis for the whole film) wears on your nerves rather quickly. I'm not a fan of either actor unlike seemingly most of the country and even seeing Ann Margaret wasn't too exciting.
What was exciting and the reason we paid to see this in the theater was the fact that The Old 97's appear in the "break up" scene towards the end of the movie. Now that was worth waiting for! The Old 97's are fronted my my nephew, Rhett Miller, who is enjoying a rather notable year with the release of his second solo album, The Believer. The scene was actually shot at a 97's show in Chicago and there are a couple of brief close ups of Rhett although the entire scene lasts less than a couple of minutes.
The movie would have been SO much better with more Old 97's and less Jen and Vince!
Saturday, June 03, 2006
The Theft of Democracy
Day in and day out the news brings us revelation after revelation of the bumbling, perverse, crooked antics of W and his gang. It's so bad, I haven't even been able to write about it...it just makes me physically ill when I think about the damage this bunch has done to this country. Of course, yesterday W was on the radio pushing the the effort to enshrine discrimination into the Constitution in the form of a ban on gay marriage. No better time to revive your pointy headed base than when you're at Nixonian levels in the polls. With five months to go to the elections, my imagination simply races with the emergencies, terror threats and social agenda that the neocons will come up with in order to mitigate or prevent their losses come November.
What bothers me most about these thieves is how they got into power. Think way back to November of 2000 and you'll recall that there was that little fiasco about who really won the election. That question went all the way to the Supremes who awarded the issue to W and installed him as President. Realizing that we (theoretically) live under the rule of law, Al Gore conceded the election despite a great deal of evidence the election was stolen.
Many of us held out hope that we'd see an end to this morally bankrupt administration in 2004. Indeed, the night of the election, exit polls seemed to indicate that we would as there was every indication that Kerry would win Ohio and, therefore, the Presidency. But the result was four more years of the incompetence and thievery we'd been experiencing. According to a well written and researched article by Robert F. Kennedy Jr in Rolling Stone, "Was the 2004 Election Stolen?" , it appears that Republicans stopped over 350,000 Ohio voters from casting ballots or having their votes counted which would have been more then enough to have put John Kerry in the White House. If this is true, then our system of government has suffered a crime on par with the election thefts of many third world countries, not once but twice.
This is a ruthless bunch and I fear that we are only one "terrorist" attack away from martial law and a brutal dictatorship. I have no faith that the truth will ever make it out to the mainstream media.
What bothers me most about these thieves is how they got into power. Think way back to November of 2000 and you'll recall that there was that little fiasco about who really won the election. That question went all the way to the Supremes who awarded the issue to W and installed him as President. Realizing that we (theoretically) live under the rule of law, Al Gore conceded the election despite a great deal of evidence the election was stolen.
Many of us held out hope that we'd see an end to this morally bankrupt administration in 2004. Indeed, the night of the election, exit polls seemed to indicate that we would as there was every indication that Kerry would win Ohio and, therefore, the Presidency. But the result was four more years of the incompetence and thievery we'd been experiencing. According to a well written and researched article by Robert F. Kennedy Jr in Rolling Stone, "Was the 2004 Election Stolen?" , it appears that Republicans stopped over 350,000 Ohio voters from casting ballots or having their votes counted which would have been more then enough to have put John Kerry in the White House. If this is true, then our system of government has suffered a crime on par with the election thefts of many third world countries, not once but twice.
This is a ruthless bunch and I fear that we are only one "terrorist" attack away from martial law and a brutal dictatorship. I have no faith that the truth will ever make it out to the mainstream media.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
One Time I Listened to My Sixth Sense
While reading the book that I mentioned in my previous post, I've been reflecting on times when I've been "been highly aware of the subtleties of my environment including the subtleties of people's body language, word choice and inflection." There was one time when this ability served me well.
In 1989 I moved to San Diego where I lived for several years. It was a great experience and broadened my horizons immeasurably. Within a year of moving there, I met a guy at a night club, Andrew DeSilva. Andrew was charming, intelligent and handsome. There was also something about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on...something that just caused my inner voice to make me approach with caution. Andrew and I went out a couple of times. He wanted to keep seeing me and called me a number of times but I let it go and didn't pursue him in any way. I never could articulate to myself why but I just felt it better that I not. I would see him around town once in a while and he seemed to run in a fast crowd, as did I, albeit different crowds. I ended up moving back to Texas and didn't think of Andrew DeSilva for several years.
In July of 1997 the news was seized with the story of a killer making his way across the country. I didn't recognized the name, Andrew Cunanan, but when I saw the picture that flashed on CNN, I had a very sick feeling. Cunanan was known to me as Andrew DeSilva, the same person that my inner voice had said stay away from 7 years earlier. He'd murdered four people in a cross-country journey during a three-month period. He then murdered Gianne Versace on July 15, 1997 on the steps of Versace's Miami Beach mansion and, eight days later on July 23, Cunanan committed suicide in the upstairs bedroom aboard a Miami houseboat apparently to avoid capture by the police.
One never knows where life will take you or whom you might encounter. I'm just reminded how fortunate I am to have good gut instincts.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Highly Sensitive Me
A friend recently loaned me a book called The Highly Sensitive Person which I've only just begun to read. The few pages I've read have brought home a realization that I seem to fall into the 1/5th of the population that falls into the "highly sensitive" category. Now the term "highly sensitive" conjures up someone who takes things too personally and is easily hurt but this is not what the book and the label refer to.
The title refers to some people's tendencies to:
* Be highly aware of the subtleties of their environment including the subtleties of people's body language, word choice and inflection;
* Be very sensitive to pain;
* Find themselves needing to withdraw during busy days to the solace of a quiet, private place;
* Be easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells, or loud noises;
* Be deeply moved by the arts or music;
* Notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes and sounds;
* Make it a high priority to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations;
* Become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around them.
OK, a light bulb went on! All of these things seem so very familiar to me. I've often felt that I noticed things about people and situations that others miss. Indeed, I have a sibling who has just the opposite tendency - they are absolutely, totally unaware of most subtleties, especially those involving people. It seems that I pick up on how people say things, the inflection they use, their body language, a look in their eye and also on the things they don't say. I've referred to it as my Sixth Sense.
My sensitivity to pain is well known by close relatives, especially my mother. She has advised me that, even as a small child, I seemed to feel pain very deeply and intensely. This may have been a factor in my affinity for pain medication when I had any physical discomfort.
I've been acutely aware since my trip to treatment that making sure my schedule didn't get too full had to be a priority. When I get too many balls in the air, I get overwhelmed and anxious. Not a good thing for me. I'm also cognizant of how important quiet, alone time is for me. If I don't get it, I feel cranky, unfocused and get rather surley and let's not even talk about the affect that loud noises (car alarms, ringing cell phones, babies crying) have on my nervous system.
So far the book seems enlightening and empowering.
The title refers to some people's tendencies to:
* Be highly aware of the subtleties of their environment including the subtleties of people's body language, word choice and inflection;
* Be very sensitive to pain;
* Find themselves needing to withdraw during busy days to the solace of a quiet, private place;
* Be easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells, or loud noises;
* Be deeply moved by the arts or music;
* Notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes and sounds;
* Make it a high priority to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations;
* Become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around them.
OK, a light bulb went on! All of these things seem so very familiar to me. I've often felt that I noticed things about people and situations that others miss. Indeed, I have a sibling who has just the opposite tendency - they are absolutely, totally unaware of most subtleties, especially those involving people. It seems that I pick up on how people say things, the inflection they use, their body language, a look in their eye and also on the things they don't say. I've referred to it as my Sixth Sense.
My sensitivity to pain is well known by close relatives, especially my mother. She has advised me that, even as a small child, I seemed to feel pain very deeply and intensely. This may have been a factor in my affinity for pain medication when I had any physical discomfort.
I've been acutely aware since my trip to treatment that making sure my schedule didn't get too full had to be a priority. When I get too many balls in the air, I get overwhelmed and anxious. Not a good thing for me. I'm also cognizant of how important quiet, alone time is for me. If I don't get it, I feel cranky, unfocused and get rather surley and let's not even talk about the affect that loud noises (car alarms, ringing cell phones, babies crying) have on my nervous system.
So far the book seems enlightening and empowering.
Friday, April 28, 2006
An Open Letter to the 16%
Dear 16%:
I've been noticing the polls lately and it seems that the President is down to about 32% that approve of his performance. In the 2004 election, he won with just under 51% of the vote (such a mandate!) and in the 2000 election.....well, let's just not even go there. So if you do a little math, that leaves 16% of the public, you guys, that seemed to think that W was doing an OK enough job that you should vote for his re-election.
Consider these figures: 49% of us knew, knew in our hearts, that W shouldn't occupy the Oval Office. 32% seem to think W hung the moon (indeed, the Prez could probably sacrifice his mother atop an alter on the South Lawn of the White House - which personally I'd be in favor of... she's evil too - while wearing a pink tutu and drinking her blood and the 32% would still think he's a swell guy). Now you 16% seem to be the ones who waver back and forth between approving and disapproving of his this dangerous buffoon. Let's talk for a minute, k?
When you don't pay close attention and you throw your vote to someone because you like their ads, you don't like the other candidate very much or you don't feel like taking the time to research their background, there are consequences. In this case the consequences have been quite costly to all of us. Think about it.
Your careless votes got us a President who took us to war with a country which had never attacked us and did not threaten us. In the process, we've spent well over $87 billion and the cost estimates indicate that before we're done that figure will be in the $1-2.5 trillion range. That could buy a lot of health care folks. Additionally, Iraq is now, by W's State Department's own admission, a hotbed of terrorism. It wasn't before we invaded. Saddam was a despot, that's true, but he was basically impotent in terms of being any threat.
Your careless votes got us huge tax cuts for the wealthy and an eye popping federal budget deficit. Remember when that scoundrel Bill Clinton was in office and we had a budget surplus? The deficit now tops $8 trillion and over $4 trillion of that was amassed under W's watch since 2000. That's debt owed by us and increasingly owed to the Chinese. Comforting, huh?
Your careless votes enabled Cheney and W to award over $8 billion in contracts in Iraq to Halliburton in 2003 alone. This is the same Halliburton that signed contracts with Iraq worth $73 million through two subsidiaries while Cheney was at its helm. The same Halliburton that in 2005 quietly signed a major new business deal to help develop Tehran's natural gas fields. That's the same Tehran as in Iran as in "axis of evil" Iran as in we gonna build a nuke Iran. That Cheney is such a patriot...always thinking about the country's well being.
Your careless votes brought a man into office who promised to return the Office of the President to a respectable stature. He then authorized the leaking of a CIA agent's name for his own political purposes. Talk about integrity. Imagine how upset folks would be if he had gotten oral sex in the Oval Office.
Do you get my point here 16%? It really does matter how you vote. It really is important that you do a little homework on the candidates and that you aren't swayed by red, white and blue campaign ads.
It seems that you all may finally be coming to understand just how we've all been given the finger by this President. W's numbers have been dropping ever since Katrina and the "doin' a heck of a job Brownie" comment. Now that gas is at $3 a gallon, even the pointy headed, Red State uber patriots are beginning to wonder about the shaft they're getting. Yes sir, you can lie to the citizens of this great country, you can send their children off to die in an illegal war, you can invite graft and corruption into the White House, but you better not let the cost of gas get too high! That really pisses voters off and they will turn on ya'.
Maybe you've seen the bumper sticker that says, "If you aren't completely appalled, you haven't been paying attention." Me thinks you guys haven't been paying attention for most of the last 6 years. But I can assure you that those of us in the 49% have been completely appalled.
So maybe this coming November and again in 2008 you guys in the 16% could pay really close attention and get familiar with the candidates and become aware of their backgrounds and the power brokers who are giving them money. Maybe then we can begin to put a halt to the severe damage being done to our country.
It's kind of important, don't ya think?
Sincerely,
Gudpackage
PS In 2008, if a candidate for President can't correctly pronounce the word "nuclear", maybe he/she shouldn't get your vote. Capiche?
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
I can fix me but only you can fix you.
I've been reminded in recent days that just because I've chosen to work on myself (rehab, therapy, exploring spirituality, owning up to my behavior, etc, etc), that doesn't mean that those around me are under any obligation to do the same.
A little over a week ago I sent a few different relatives and friends thank you notes for their assistance in getting me around and helping me shop while I was without transportation. It seemed like the appropriate, polite thing to do and is what my momma always taught me was the sign of good manners. There was, however, one relative that looked right past the gesture and focused on, in a rather pointed way, the abhorrent error I made in misspelling their spouse's name (once again!).
Now, being totally honest here, I'm guilty. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I did misspell the spouse's name on the envelope and card and it wasn't the first time. Indeed the relative had pointed this out to me a few weeks ago. The spouse has never made mention of this so I don't know if it bothers the spouse, the relative, or both of them. In discussing it with other family members, it seems that I am not the only one to make this gaffe. The name is a very common one but is one letter different from the usual spelling. Kind of like if your name was "Phil" and you spelled it "Phill". OK, are you with me?
So, the day my thank you card is received, I get an email from the relative that starts off misspelling my name in capital letters. Twice. The email then goes on to say:
"If you are being funny, the joke is not humorous.
If you are being negligent, please pay attention.
If you are being intentionally disrespectful,
please continue on right as you are doing."
Ummm, hello, I wasn't being anything other than my sometimes absent minded yet well intentioned self.
Now, this relative is prone to taking something like this and making a Federal Case of Intentional Disrespect out of it. I responded with an email that I just made a simple human goof, I meant no disrespect and that a Federal Case wasnt warranted. I further stated that the tone was mean, unnecessary and unappreciated. I also typed a letter of sincere apology to the spouse and mailed it. Yes, a Letter of Apology for misspelling the name on the Thank You note I had mailed a week earlier. Does anyone else have to do things like this with their family?
The response from the relative came back along with a PS:
" I have re-sent this, as it was undeliverable as you had addressed it when I tried to reply. I guess you changed your name to ***** in the address line to do this (****-*-******@austin.rr.com>). Seems to unnecessarily perpetuate this exchange concerning names. Just another joke on your part?"
Oh lawd. Actually I had misstyped it (yes, I misspelled my own name...do you see how prone to this I am? I certainly meant no disrespect to myself, intentional or otherwise) when I reloaded Windows on my PC a couple of weeks back. I thought it was a Road Runner tech who made the mistake, but no, it was me. I am the guilty party. I responded that it seemed to be an error on someone's part and that it seemed rather human.
The final exchange has the relative telling me to get over my "victim mentality." Well, I really don't feel like a "victim" here; the term "victim" evokes the feelings I had when my car window got smashed or when Bush was awarded the 2000 election by the Supremes. That's victimization! No, I am just annoyed that this relative, who really does have some wonderful qualities, can't see their own role in a situation. I am perplexed that they must always, always be right and the other person in the situation is making too much out of things and has a "victim mentality" or some other mental aberration that might require professional help. I am taken aback that they think they can send an arrogant, caustic communication and then act indignant that it provokes a less than friendly response.
But I'm clear that I will continue to work to improve my flawed self and continue to make small but steady advances. I'm also clear that I'm only responsible for improving me.
Everybody else is on their own.
A little over a week ago I sent a few different relatives and friends thank you notes for their assistance in getting me around and helping me shop while I was without transportation. It seemed like the appropriate, polite thing to do and is what my momma always taught me was the sign of good manners. There was, however, one relative that looked right past the gesture and focused on, in a rather pointed way, the abhorrent error I made in misspelling their spouse's name (once again!).
Now, being totally honest here, I'm guilty. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I did misspell the spouse's name on the envelope and card and it wasn't the first time. Indeed the relative had pointed this out to me a few weeks ago. The spouse has never made mention of this so I don't know if it bothers the spouse, the relative, or both of them. In discussing it with other family members, it seems that I am not the only one to make this gaffe. The name is a very common one but is one letter different from the usual spelling. Kind of like if your name was "Phil" and you spelled it "Phill". OK, are you with me?
So, the day my thank you card is received, I get an email from the relative that starts off misspelling my name in capital letters. Twice. The email then goes on to say:
"If you are being funny, the joke is not humorous.
If you are being negligent, please pay attention.
If you are being intentionally disrespectful,
please continue on right as you are doing."
Ummm, hello, I wasn't being anything other than my sometimes absent minded yet well intentioned self.
Now, this relative is prone to taking something like this and making a Federal Case of Intentional Disrespect out of it. I responded with an email that I just made a simple human goof, I meant no disrespect and that a Federal Case wasnt warranted. I further stated that the tone was mean, unnecessary and unappreciated. I also typed a letter of sincere apology to the spouse and mailed it. Yes, a Letter of Apology for misspelling the name on the Thank You note I had mailed a week earlier. Does anyone else have to do things like this with their family?
The response from the relative came back along with a PS:
" I have re-sent this, as it was undeliverable as you had addressed it when I tried to reply. I guess you changed your name to ***** in the address line to do this (****-*-******@austin.rr.com>). Seems to unnecessarily perpetuate this exchange concerning names. Just another joke on your part?"
Oh lawd. Actually I had misstyped it (yes, I misspelled my own name...do you see how prone to this I am? I certainly meant no disrespect to myself, intentional or otherwise) when I reloaded Windows on my PC a couple of weeks back. I thought it was a Road Runner tech who made the mistake, but no, it was me. I am the guilty party. I responded that it seemed to be an error on someone's part and that it seemed rather human.
The final exchange has the relative telling me to get over my "victim mentality." Well, I really don't feel like a "victim" here; the term "victim" evokes the feelings I had when my car window got smashed or when Bush was awarded the 2000 election by the Supremes. That's victimization! No, I am just annoyed that this relative, who really does have some wonderful qualities, can't see their own role in a situation. I am perplexed that they must always, always be right and the other person in the situation is making too much out of things and has a "victim mentality" or some other mental aberration that might require professional help. I am taken aback that they think they can send an arrogant, caustic communication and then act indignant that it provokes a less than friendly response.
But I'm clear that I will continue to work to improve my flawed self and continue to make small but steady advances. I'm also clear that I'm only responsible for improving me.
Everybody else is on their own.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
The Soul Queen of Capitol Hill
The whole fiasco regarding Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) and her allegations of being stopped by a Capitol Hill cop because he's white, doesn't recognize her because of her hair style change and that he is, therefore, racist, just stinks to high heaven. Under increasing pressure from House Democratic leaders, McKinney took to the House floor Thursday to apologize for an incident in which she allegedly assaulted a Capitol police officer. 'Bout time.
As Leonard Pitts said, McKinney trivialized racism to gratify her ego. Is there a problem with racial profiling by law enforcement? Yes. Are there racist cops out there? Yes. Are there a disproportionate number of black men going to prison? Yes. Should law enforcement officers treat all citizens with respect? Yes. Is Cynthia McKinney the victim of an abusive, racist Capitol Hill cop? I don't think so.
At a time when there are so many vitally important issues facing this country, McKinney pulled the spotlight onto herself. At a time when there are so many crises that confront the black community (and, therefore, all Americans), McKinney caused a flap because she is too arrogant to wear the nice little pin provided to all members of Congress. McKinney drew the spotlight to herself because she is too important to stop and identify herself to a Capitol cop. McKinney gave the Republicans someone to draw the news coverage away from all their scandals (imagine the image of Tom Delay calling her a racist!).
Rep. McKinney may be indicted by a grand jury for assault on the Capitol Hill cop. If she is, I wont be upset for her but I'll be very upset that the media has this story to focus on when the focus should be on the shameful conduct of Republicans.
Bad Cynthia, bad.
As Leonard Pitts said, McKinney trivialized racism to gratify her ego. Is there a problem with racial profiling by law enforcement? Yes. Are there racist cops out there? Yes. Are there a disproportionate number of black men going to prison? Yes. Should law enforcement officers treat all citizens with respect? Yes. Is Cynthia McKinney the victim of an abusive, racist Capitol Hill cop? I don't think so.
At a time when there are so many vitally important issues facing this country, McKinney pulled the spotlight onto herself. At a time when there are so many crises that confront the black community (and, therefore, all Americans), McKinney caused a flap because she is too arrogant to wear the nice little pin provided to all members of Congress. McKinney drew the spotlight to herself because she is too important to stop and identify herself to a Capitol cop. McKinney gave the Republicans someone to draw the news coverage away from all their scandals (imagine the image of Tom Delay calling her a racist!).
Rep. McKinney may be indicted by a grand jury for assault on the Capitol Hill cop. If she is, I wont be upset for her but I'll be very upset that the media has this story to focus on when the focus should be on the shameful conduct of Republicans.
Bad Cynthia, bad.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Staying Concious: Staying Grounded in a Busy Word
This is so good, I thought I'd post it to share with others and keep for myself.
1. Live simply and live deliberately. By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you are doing your part to slow it down. You will also discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive.
2. Stay in touch with yourself. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.
3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.
4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media bombards us with visions of hate, war, and pain. Be judicious about what you read, watch, and listen to.
5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in a sprawling metropolis or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.
6. Nurture your ties to your tribe. If you don't have one, create a community that you can belong to. Modern life can be isolating. When you have a tribe, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members - loved ones, friends, or neighbors - can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.
7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.
8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem routine. Never stop assimilating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.
9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live a sedentary life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a visceral way. It also restores our vitality.
10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often "on the go" and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.
1. Live simply and live deliberately. By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you are doing your part to slow it down. You will also discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive.
2. Stay in touch with yourself. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.
3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.
4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media bombards us with visions of hate, war, and pain. Be judicious about what you read, watch, and listen to.
5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in a sprawling metropolis or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.
6. Nurture your ties to your tribe. If you don't have one, create a community that you can belong to. Modern life can be isolating. When you have a tribe, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members - loved ones, friends, or neighbors - can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.
7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.
8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem routine. Never stop assimilating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.
9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live a sedentary life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a visceral way. It also restores our vitality.
10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often "on the go" and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Leslie's Back, Helping to Keep Austin Wierd
I was overjoyed tonight to see on the news that Austin's resident cross dressing, homeless, former mayoral candidate Leslie Cochran had returned. Seems that Leslie had been on a little train/road trip to Iowa (huh?), Colorado, Nebraska (what?) and New Mexico. From what he said on the news, he had a nice trip although the cops in an Iowa city didn't seem to understand his unique fashion sense and threw him in jail for 7 days with a charge of Public Intoxication.
Now, for those who don't know, Leslie Alicia Cochran (who was born Al "Leslie" Cochran), is a resident celebrity and tourist attraction in Austin. Leslie is known for wearing a thing/bikini bottom and little else while hauling is cart of belongings around Austin. There arent many guys who can wear a bikini bottom quite like Leslie; his skinny, saggy, tanned rear end is, well, one of a kind. He usually also wears a nice matching pair of high heals that would make Tina Turner envious although on the news segment he was wearing pink slippers. His feet musta been hurting after all that hitchhiking.
I had the pleasure of sitting and having drinks with Leslie once. It was during his third run for mayor in 2003 (he got 1.9% of the vote that year, 3.5% in 2001 and was at his peak in 2000 with 7.7%). I had gone to local bar Charlies to meet a friend who ended up not showing up. I was about to leave when in walked Leslie, wearing a blue flight attendants uniform. I must say, it was a good color and he looked rather fetching. Rather than leave, I decided I shouldn't pass up an opportunity to have a drink with a mayoral candidate and celebrity so I offered to buy him a cocktail. My recollection is he chose some type of brandy concoction.
We chatted and drank for about two hours. Of course, all the queens that were at the bar looked at me like I had absoluteley lost my mind or was really, really hard up. Leslie was actually an entertaining chat. He's not dumb by any means; indeed he went to Florida State University although he never graduated. He is, however, a couple of rounds short of a full magazine. This may be a result of the coma he was in in 1977 but it may also have to do with Leslie's fondness for any type of mind altering chemical. I ended up buying him 3 drinks that night and chatting about his life (interesting to say the least), homelessness (chronic and, at times, dangerous), the election (he felt he had a good platform), sex (Leslie is omnisexual.....'nuff said) and his clothing (he likes to accessorize).
Welcome back Leslie. Glad you're home.
Monday, March 13, 2006
I'm Liberal and Damned Proud of It!
As the upcoming elections approach, we'll begin to be inundated with an onslaught of campaign commercials. The attack ads against Democratic candidates will almost certainly include an announcer who will use the term liberal, saying it with a tone that is dripping with acidity and a pejorative tone. In many areas of the country, this tactic will work as Republican candidates have been allowed by the Dem's to use the term as if it's a bad thing! The public has been conditioned over the last 20 years to hear the word in a negative light. I'm going to admit that I, too, have used the term progressive rather than liberal.
George Clooney, recent Oscar winner and producer of the film Good Night and Good Luck, recently wrote a column in which he came clean and, GASP!, admitted his liberalism. He stated "Too many people run away from the label. They whisper it like you'd whisper "I'm a Nazi." " Clooney said, "I am a liberal. And I make no apologies for it. Hell, I'm proud of it." Well George, make that two of us. *
What does being a liberal mean? Being a liberal means one prefers a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals. It means favoring limitations on the power of government, religion and, yes, corporations. It means recognizing how vital the rule of law and the free exchange of ideas are. It means working for a system of government that is transparent. It means recognizing that dissent when your government is doing wrong has nothing to do with disloyalty. It means that individuals are entitled to some basic level of well being and that this takes precedent over the freedom from taxation. It means that the wrongs perpetrated by government will be addressed and changed (think slavery, think suffrage, think denial of civil rights). It means evolving as a society. It means progress as a nation and a people. It means, per the dictionary:
-Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
and
-Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
So recognizing what the word means, my profile has now been changed to "Just your average, middle aged, gay, LIBERAL, recovering individual with a sense of humour and a passionate sense of politics." It's time to take the word back and use it in the proud way it should be.
Yes, I'm a Liberal!
*News item today (3/16/06) states that Clooney is disputing the blog posting with Arianna Huffington. There is no indication he retracted comments about being a liberal
George Clooney, recent Oscar winner and producer of the film Good Night and Good Luck, recently wrote a column in which he came clean and, GASP!, admitted his liberalism. He stated "Too many people run away from the label. They whisper it like you'd whisper "I'm a Nazi." " Clooney said, "I am a liberal. And I make no apologies for it. Hell, I'm proud of it." Well George, make that two of us. *
What does being a liberal mean? Being a liberal means one prefers a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals. It means favoring limitations on the power of government, religion and, yes, corporations. It means recognizing how vital the rule of law and the free exchange of ideas are. It means working for a system of government that is transparent. It means recognizing that dissent when your government is doing wrong has nothing to do with disloyalty. It means that individuals are entitled to some basic level of well being and that this takes precedent over the freedom from taxation. It means that the wrongs perpetrated by government will be addressed and changed (think slavery, think suffrage, think denial of civil rights). It means evolving as a society. It means progress as a nation and a people. It means, per the dictionary:
-Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
and
-Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
So recognizing what the word means, my profile has now been changed to "Just your average, middle aged, gay, LIBERAL, recovering individual with a sense of humour and a passionate sense of politics." It's time to take the word back and use it in the proud way it should be.
Yes, I'm a Liberal!
*News item today (3/16/06) states that Clooney is disputing the blog posting with Arianna Huffington. There is no indication he retracted comments about being a liberal
Saturday, March 11, 2006
A Constitutional Right to Avoid Procreation? Maybe a Right to Keep Your Pants Zipped
The gall of some guys. This dude in Michigan got a gal pregnant and is suing contending that men have a constitutional right to "avoid procreation." His attorney states that the case is the first to assert a constitutional freedom to "choose not to be a father" under the equal protection clause. The National Center for Men apparently had been planning this kind of legal challenge for more than a dozen years and recruited this shmuck as the plaintiff. "There's such a spectrum of choice that women have--it's her body, her pregnancy," Mel Feit, the group's director, told the Associated Press. "I'm trying to find a way for a man also to have some say over decisions that affect his life profoundly." Or maybe exercise a little personal responsibility?
Now Mr. I Been Wronged states that in the fall of 2004, he had a discussion with his then-girlfriend. Stud Boy told her he wasn't ready to have kids, according to the legal complaint. That's fine; I'm infertile and I'm using birth control just in case, she allegedly responded. When the woman found herself with child, she was unwilling to terminate the pregnancy. She gave birth to a baby girl and then obtained a court order requiring Mr. Oops Now I'm a Daddy to pay $500 a month in child support. Dumb Ass thus joined the ranks of men who argue they were duped into having children they never wanted and then forced to assume financial responsibilities for which they were unprepared.
I believe the way this dude could have a say over things would be for him to have kept Mr. Winkey behind the barn door or slapped a raincoat on him when he let him out. This guy knowingly engages in mutually consensual sex with his then girlfriend, she gets pregnant, chooses to have the baby and he whines "not fair"! I think not Sir. You play, you pay dude. That baby girl has half your genetic code because you needed to have an orgasm. Expensive moment of ecstasy huh?
I hope the courts not only rule against this jack ass, I hope they order him to have a very painful vasectomy, maybe even a penectomy and fine him $100,000 for unmitigated gall and extraordinary stupidity.
Now Mr. I Been Wronged states that in the fall of 2004, he had a discussion with his then-girlfriend. Stud Boy told her he wasn't ready to have kids, according to the legal complaint. That's fine; I'm infertile and I'm using birth control just in case, she allegedly responded. When the woman found herself with child, she was unwilling to terminate the pregnancy. She gave birth to a baby girl and then obtained a court order requiring Mr. Oops Now I'm a Daddy to pay $500 a month in child support. Dumb Ass thus joined the ranks of men who argue they were duped into having children they never wanted and then forced to assume financial responsibilities for which they were unprepared.
I believe the way this dude could have a say over things would be for him to have kept Mr. Winkey behind the barn door or slapped a raincoat on him when he let him out. This guy knowingly engages in mutually consensual sex with his then girlfriend, she gets pregnant, chooses to have the baby and he whines "not fair"! I think not Sir. You play, you pay dude. That baby girl has half your genetic code because you needed to have an orgasm. Expensive moment of ecstasy huh?
I hope the courts not only rule against this jack ass, I hope they order him to have a very painful vasectomy, maybe even a penectomy and fine him $100,000 for unmitigated gall and extraordinary stupidity.
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