A Matter of Life & Death

Late posting tonight. Just got back a little while ago from a demonstration showing the NYC area disappointment of the California State Supreme Court and their upholding of Prop h8. The demonstration was planned if it went either way. If the court overruled, then it would have been a celebration.

But they didn’t and there we were, Bill and I and hundreds of LGBT people and our straight allies shouting and chanting from Sheridan Square, across the street from the Stonewall riots 40 years ago and the start of gay liberation, all the way to Union Square.

The police did an excellent job, keeping traffic away from the marchers as we walked on the side lanes

I also saw the wonderful Andres again, he of the blog, Blabbeando and finally got a chance to meet Joe Jervis from the blog, JoeMyGod. He’s a nice guy.

Andres was busy snapping photos and I was surprised to see him, even though I knew he would be around, I forgot to take his picture.

Still, he posted his pics on Facebook and he will probably post onto Blabbeando. Joe Jervis will probably do the same and so will I. It was great marching side by side with Bill. We were in our suits which probably made other people think we were conservatives. If they only knew.

I just think Democrats and Liberals dress a bit shabby and we’re doing our bit to change that. We were also interviewed in Union Square for Our Scene Networks, an online broadcasting channel by 2 guys named Matt.

They asked us how we felt about the California decision and we told them, and also mentioned that a march on Washington should be in the works since the White House had no comment on the decision today.

The LGBT people are a bit upset with Obama dragging his feel on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell as well as the Defense of Marriage act, both which were instituted by that Bill Clinton guy. And a march on Washington is planned for either Columbus Day weekend or in November.

Bill and I plan to be there.

I marched on Washington in 1993 when Clinton was in the White House, which should go to show that just because a sitting President was someone I voted for, does not exempt them from scorn or criticism.

Last night, Bill and I watched A matter of Life and Death, starring David Niven and Kim Hunter. I had never seen it from start to finish but oddly enough the timing seemed apt since it was Memorial Day and this was a movie that takes place during World War II and made in 1946.

Lot’s of extras in the cast that were actually in uniform and active service people. It really is a good movie and definitely worth checking out.

I enjoyed it so much that I moved Black Narcissus to the top of my Netflix queue. I also have another Powell & Pressburger film nearby, from 1969- Age of Consent which stars James Mason and features Helen Mirren in her first major screen role.

Work was actually OK today. I hope and I think I have a handle on things. Perhaps having 4 days off in a row was what was needed.

I had a talk with Vivek and Sanjay. I told them that things were stressing me out and they were somewhat reassuring. I mentioned that I would like to be able to leave at 5 or 6 each day and they were fine with that.

I also brought up the fact that my sister was coming to town in July and I would like some time to spend with her and that was OK by them. So, so far so good. Of course we will have to see what happens come July. But for now it’s good, and that’s the name of that tune.

And congratulations to Judge Sotomayor! Good luck!

And here are some pictures from this evening’s demonstration.

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Straight supporters

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..our constitution expands liberties, they don't contract them.

Me & Joe Jervis of Joe.My.God.

OK, so I only stretched before cycling yesterday, not so much afterwards but climbing 5 flights of stairs makes for some stretching doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? I was pretty tired though. Casey Chasm called while I was showering. He and the missus were going to Margarita’s for dinner but I was too tired to make it.

Plus I had food here that I had bought that needed to be cooked and eaten before it all started to go bad.

I was content with a few hot dogs last night and I settled in and watched Tennessee Williams ‘Suddenly Last Summer’ starring Maggie Smith, Natasha Richardson and Rob Lowe. It was a BBC production from the 1990’s I believe.

I had it in my Netflix queue, added it when I was mourning Natasha Richardson’s untimely death.

It was good, Maggie Smith and Natasha Richardson were excellent. Rob Lowe was passable as Dr. Sugar. No flashbacks like in the Joseph Mankewicz version with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. I suspect Tennessee would have been happy with this classy version.

After that I forget what I watched. I do have A Matter of Life and Death by Michael Powell on DVD via Netflix and threw that in the player but I wanted Bill to see it too and since he was doing a reading at the Theater for the New City last night I decided to hold off. I was a zombie anyhow and staying awake to watch the whole thing would have been a bit of a chore.

I did toy with the idea of a trip to the supermarket but it looked like it was about to start pouring any minute. By the time I figured out that it wasn’t going to rain it was too late, the supermarket was closed.

Asleep in bed by midnight. Bill was with his theater friends and didn’t get home until 3:00 in the morning.

I woke up around 8:00 this morning, glad not to have to go to work again. I roused myself from bed and shuffled about doing those morning things that I do most mornings when I don’t have to work.

Still plenty of parking spaces in Hoboken and it should be like this until Labor Day so come on down to Hoboken on weekends and park wherever you damn well please. I got some bagels for myself as well as Julio & Stine.

Donuts for Bill and the newspapers which weren’t as depressing as yesterday. Or maybe they were as depressing as yesterday but my outlook had improved so the stories didn’t affect me as much.

I planned to take a walk around Hoboken early this afternoon when Bill had awoken. He wanted to come but only after the Lawn hors d’œuvre SUV episode had finished. Oddly enough it was an episode that neither of us had seen before, from the early years with Olivia having a short spiky haircut.

The other night was a good one with Alan Dale who plays Charles Widmore on Lost as well as the late Meade patriarch on Ugly Betty. This time he played a judge who’s young son was murdered years before. A few twists that were too convoluted to write about here, but it was one of the best episodes of Lawn hors d’œuvre SUV that I had seen in a while. Bill missed it since he was tired and went to bed before it was broadcast.

So this afternoon after Lawn hors d’œuvre SUV we headed out. I arranged to meet Mr & Mrs Chasm outside their building and the four of us walked up to 14th street and proceeded to walk down the riverside, enjoying each others company as well as the sunshine and a lot of sunbathers. I applied sunblock again and I was quite glad that I did.

We walked over to Pier A and found a bench where we sat for an hour in the shade chatting each other up. We parted ways, Bill and I off to CVS and the Mr & Mrs off to wherever it was they were headed off to.

Bill and I ran into Roger Johansen and his wife Dina. on Washington Street. Always good to see Roger, he’s a prince. It was also the first time I had met Dina and she seemed really nice. Bill and I egged her on to get her MBA and perhaps she heeded our advice, that having an MBA would be a leg up in the search for a good job.

He invited us to his new place in Weehawken which is near his old place. He always had the best houses. I told him that Bill and I would love to visit, all he needed to do is let us know when.

Bill and I came home. He cooked for himself, I napped. Nothing like an afternoon nap. More people should do it. We can call them Siestas. I think it would catch on.

As I drifted off to sleep I remembered a nap that I took about 35 years ago in Framingham MA. Then I thought it odd that I was thinking about a nap from so long ago. It was a comfortable nap back then and I slept wearing my glasses. Then I drifted off to sleep in this day and age.

Woke up made dinner and now Bill naps.

I told him that when I wake him up at 9:00 we’re watching A Matter of Life & Death starring David Niven and Kim Hunter. It used to be titled Stairway to Heaven in this country, now it’s back to it’s original title.

Here’s some snappy snaps from this afternoon.