Posts Tagged ‘Same Sex Marriage’

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The Moon is Blue

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Well I certainly did expect to come home to bad news. Bad news meaning that Chris Christie has won the gubernatorial election in New Jersey. NYC was a given, Bloomfield was going to win overturning the people’s mandate for term limits. But it wasn’t the landslide he bought expected.

In Maine, it’s too close to tell. At this moment the people that want to take away civil rights granted by the legislature from same sex couples are ahead by a few percentage points. Losing elections is nothing new to me.

I hardly ever vote for the winning candidate. Obama was the biggest election that I ever voted in, and the first I ever worked for. Unfortunately I did not have the admiration for Corzine that I did for Obama and did not do anything for his campaign.

Well all I can say was New Jersey has been fucked before and I suppose New Jersey will get fucked again. Christie has said that if Same Sex marriage come to his desk he will veto it. And women better watch their bodies because he’s not for the right of a woman to choose.

I should have known, and perhaps deep down I knew that things might not go in the direction I favored.

Tonight I went to the Bronx to attend a wake for Bill’s band mate, Kirk’s father who passed away on Kirk’s 50th birthday. It was a schlep. And also an opportunity to wear a suit and tie again. Apparently I lost a couple of pound since a shirt that I bought that was a bit tight around the neck a few months ago fit nicely and was not snug at all.

Kirk was happy to see Bill and me at the sad occasion and gave us both big hugs. It was more of a service than a wake and it took place in an episcopal church somewhere in the Bronx. I remarked to Bill that if I lost him and needed to find my way home I would be screwed.

The Bronx is the great unknown to me. Brooklyn and Queens I would at least have a clue, forget about Staten Island. I go there maybe once every 15 years. Even though when I grew up my family would occasionally visit relatives in the Bronx, I never felt comfortable there.

I still feel that way.

Nothing against the Bronx per se, but I generally my best to not go there. Invited to a party in the Bronx? Excuses need to be made up. My mother grew up in the Bronx, Bill spent the first 10 years of his life in the Bronx.

The only sibling left on my mother’s side now resides in a nursing home in Mount Vernon, I think. Thanks to Bill’s direction skills it was all an easy ride. In fact we caught an express bus that got us from the middle of the Bronx to 34th Street and Fifth Avenue in 20 minutes.

Sorry but election results are grabbing my attention. New Jersey is screwed. Maine looks like it will be screwing same sex marriage. The only candidate I voted for, Dawn Zimmer for Mayor of Hoboken seems to have won.

Hoboken is a mess so it’s not going to be easy for her. The knives have been out for a while. A blog that I have in the blog roll on the right of the home page, Hoboken411 has been rabidly anti-Zimmer.

I am thinking of never voting again. If the majority of the country sees Bill and myself as second class citizens, not deserving of the same rights for marriage, workplace protections among other things, what is the fucking point?

Bronx Moon

Bronx Moon

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Bolero Sonambulo

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

It’s a Monday from what I gathered. And a nippy Monday at that. Last night was mellow. After walking back and forth through midtown, I was pretty tired. Didn’t do much of anything except sit in front of the computer while Bill watched the World Series.

The Yankees had him screaming at the TV which I learned to ignore. The game ended around a little before midnight and Bill stayed up and watched Curb Your Enthusiasm (which was OK, but predictable) and Bored to Death (which was funny).

Then Bill went to bed and I almost watched Australia again but decided not to. Nothing against Australia the country, but the movie was a bit hokey from what I have seen so far. Perhaps it gets better. I only watched about 45 minutes so far and will eventually give it another chance.

Tomorrow is election day again. Not as active as I was last year. In fact overall I am fatigued from activism. I’m sure some of you who read Facebook might beg to differ, but that is mainly sharing things that I have read elsewhere.

Mainly things that concern the election in Maine tomorrow. The legislature passed same sex marriage but outside forces, headed by the beast known as Maggie Gallagher have been fighting to have the voters overturn the measure. They cite that it would be a re-definition of marriage when it’s not that at all. It is the stripping away of civil rights, much like what happened a year ago in California.

No, these people don’t want same sex couples to have the same rights as they do. They use the bible as the basis for their inherent wrongness and also claim to love the sinner and hate the sin. The thing is, being gay is not a sin. The fact that they feel that way shows how they really feel.

There’s a segment of this population that would love a theocracy, much like Saudi Arabia or Iran, only Christian. Religious law rules over all and if you don’t subscribe to their religion, well then that is just too damn bad.

Also up tomorrow is the election for Governor of New Jersey. Of course I’m voting for Jon Corzine, not that I’m a big fan. But he’s go to be better than Chris Christie. But New Jerseyans can be quite daft and I hope many other, perhaps much more people will be voting Democratic. No much info or faith in the independent candidate, Chris Daggett.

After a fun day like yesterday, today was bound to be a let down. And it was a let down. Not that I expected any different. I sent some more resumes out and surprised that emails that I’ve sent to various friends and former co-workers, merely requesting advice have gone unanswered.

I wouldn’t be put off by ‘ sorry I can’t help you’. I would rather hear that than nothing at all, but nothing at all is what I got. And when you ain’t got nothin’, you got nothin’ to lose.

I did go out for a while this afternoon, walked around Hoboken, did some grocery shopping. Sad to say, but that was the highlight of my day. I’m not complaining.

October was disappointing. I had hoped something would happen employment wise, only because I did get a good job a few years ago in October. But that was then, this is now. And that is that.

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Piggies

Monday, October 26th, 2009

It’s Monday. Back to work for some, not for me though. I wouldn’t mind working. I wouldn’t mind winning the lottery either.

Today was more resumes sent out and no replies in return. That seems to be the way things are lately. Sent a few out this weekend too. Nothing.

Instead of hanging around all day inside I decided to go out and walk around Hoboken again. On the walk I got a phone call from Casey Chasm. He’s doing well, not much has changed since I last spoke to him yesterday.

He said he was staring at his baby in wonderment. Nice to hear. He also said, what he’s said to me before, that Bill and I should have a kid. Adopt, get a surrogate. So strong is his belief that I would make a good dad that, that was the premise of his call this afternoon.

Never mind the fact that I don’t want any kids and I do not think I would be a good dad. The financial situation that I am in would make having a baby or a toddler or whatever an insane idea.

It’s nice that Casey thinks otherwise, but ultimately my take on the situation is no fucking way. That was one of the good things about being gay by the way. No getting drafted into the army, no kids, no marriage.

I can’t say that Bill and I will get married, the subject has never come up. But I do think if a same sex couple wants to tie the knot, then why not? It will have no effect whatsoever on those who are already married.

Unfortunately, enlightened thinking like that isn’t as accepted as I would have hoped.

Witness what is going on in Maine. What is going on in DC. What is going on in California. Massachusetts. How the religious right are mobilizing to fight the Iowa Supreme Court ruling that was in favor of same sex marriage.

Earlier this year, that is just what their Supreme Court ruled and not one bad thing happened. But that doesn’t stop pigs like Maggie Gallagher and her pet monkey Brian Brown from spreading lies and disinformation just so they can continue to draw a paycheck through contributions made from easily frightened and mislead people.

You know, the Fuck Snooze audience.

In Maine, catholic churches are being closed down after being open for over one hundred years. The church’s reaction? To fund the movement to revoke the rights of same sex couples with over $150,000. Some how they found the money to do that.

Benny Ratzi, aka the pope, just opened the doors of the church to disgruntled Anglicans who are upset with women priests and gay priests in the Anglican community.

Not enough hatred and loathing for you? Come to Rome, where they’ve been hating people for a long time. Married priests? Not a problem!

Perhaps it’s a good thing these catholic churches are closing. Maybe it’s just the first in the line of the domino theory coming to pass.

And they’re mobilizing to ‘protect marriage’ in NJ now as well.

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The Time is Now

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Exactly, what is it with Wednesdays? At the edge of a funk for me. And for no particular reason. Granted work wasn’t as busy today as it was yesterday.

I did want to smack Tom Chin around today. But I feel like that most days. He made me look like a moron this afternoon. He doesn’t really work as an employee of my rapidly sinking company, he’s a consultant.

I book a room then find he booked it for something else without telling me. So I switch what I booked. Right before Tom Chin’s meeting was scheduled, some of the conservatives start to use the room. I go in there and tell them they have to move.

Luckily we have three conference rooms. I poke my head in Tom Chin’s office to find out what time his meeting is supposed to start and he tells me it was moved. Nothing like some non-communication to get things going to a halt. I looked like an idiot.

Today is Earth Day. A rainy earth day at that. What have I done for earth day? Can’t really say. Can’t really say I’ve ever done anything for earth day. I was probably more inclined when living in Weehawken with William, since he had a garden in the backyard.

I would contribute some banana peels for compost.

My office doesn’t do anything for earth day. We don’t recycle. Paper gets used and wasted. My desk is covered with paper that I’ve rescued to use for scrap paper, but there’s no reason to use scrap paper since there is no real work that would require it.

I spent some time today watching people debate both sides of the same sex marriage issue in Maine. It was interesting to watch.

The pro same sex marriage people speak rationally, heartfelt and with conviction citing legislation and facts. The anti same sex marriage people quote their bibles.

That’s it.

God doesn’t like it. It’s a sin. God will get angry. You will face God’s wrath.

What kind of god is named god? Would you name your son, Male? Boy? Your daughter- Female? Girl? Such a lack of imagination.

Sad to say the anti same sex marriage people seem lesser educated, but they do have their myths to back them up. A few times I heard, ‘You know, 2000 years ago….’.2000 years ago, what? What happened?

It’s basically an issue of love versus hate it seems to me. If a same sex couple that is committed wants to get married and receive all of the benefits of marriage who would get hurt?

Is it basically fear? Or finding comfort in ignorance? I don’t think marriage is for everyone. I don’t even know if it’s right for me. But I do feel that if 2 committed adults want to get married and receive all of the benefits of marriage that opposite sex couples receive, then they should be able to.

What is the big deal? Why can’t parents simply say to their kids when they ask why 2 men or 2 women are holding hands or kissing, why can’t they say, Some men like men and some women like women?

It would probably end the situation right then and there. Kids don’t really care, they just want to know.

Instead you have some young boys, trying to be good, study hard and get called Gay or Fag. So far this year 5 young boys have committed suicide because of bullying from other kids, being called those names.

Their schools failed them. Their families are left with a hole in their lives that could never be filled. Children have to be taught to hate. And it seems like they’re being taught to hate at home and in the churches.

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In Bloom

Monday, June 16th, 2008

Back to life, back to reality. Reality is not for me and it makes me laugh. One of those two lyrics sum up how my day was. Still too early to tell at 6:13PM. Last night I was still buzzing from the matinée of Sunday in the Park with George. I love having my brain stimulated. I was determined to see if I can catch the show again for free.

I explained to my sister in law Elaine that my desire to see the play again is sort of looking at the painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Just looking at it once, or watching it once you won’t get a lot from it. It requires different points of view, both physically and mentally. I was determined to see if I could pull it off.

Juan came by last night as I was watching the Tony Awards. Sunday in the Park with George didn’t win anything, South Pacific and Gypsy won most of the awards though In The Heights, a new musical about life in a Dominican neighborhood in Washington Heights won best musical, August: Osage County won best play and I want to see both.

Passing Strange, which Bill and I saw last year at the Public Theater won best book. It was fun to watch the Tony Awards, I haven’t watched them in years. Seeing the play yesterday afternoon and knowing that it was up for some awards was the reason I watched. I also want to see Xanadu which looks perfectly silly and high camp and I know a few of those songs by the Electric Light Orchestra and Olivia Newton John.

It was good to see Juan again, just hanging out talking shit and watching the awards. Bill came home midway through and he was in quite a sad state. It was his first Father’s Day without his father and I have to admit, I forgot it was Father’s Day since it’s something I hadn’t recognized in a long time. I think he was dismayed to see Juan here, so he felt he needed to keep up a front. I gave him a hug and I stroked Bill’s back, letting him cry on my shoulder.

Bill soon was able to relax and enjoy the show. Juan stayed later than Juan expected and left a little before 11:00. Bill and I watched the news and both went to bed at the same time which is something we hardly ever do. At around 6:00 this morning as Bill was getting ready to leave for the day I laid in bed telling him that there was no internet. He didn’t understand what I was saying, and neither did I.

I headed out for work, more people riding the bus since gas prices are so high. I figure these are the single passenger drivers who ride through the tunnel solo each day, and now they’re unable to afford that, gas over $4.00 and the toll is $8.00. It adds up. I’m sure NJ Transit will jack up their prices even though Hoboken gets the worst buses. No air conditioning, no overhead reading lights and undependable service.

I have to put in my vacation notice soon at work since it looks like I’ll be able to spend a few days down the shore on Long Beach Island. That’s something to look forward to, but it’s still going to be a bummer summer without the annual visit from Annemarie, Rex and Earl. Work was interesting. New people in the offices. I still have to get used to their faces. They know me and I usually just give them a blank stare for some very long seconds.

In fact this morning, one of the new guys, Patrick Quinn was out on the street having locked himself out of the office. He saw me first and waved. I probably gave him the ‘what do you want from me?’ look. Had a slight chip on my shoulder since they raised the price of a buttered bagel to over a dollar now. I figured out who Pat Quinn was and got him access to the office again.

No one seemed to care that I wasn’t in the office on Friday though I certainly sweated it. I was busy but still found time to talk to my brother Frank on the phone and exchange emails with Annemarie. I was also able to call the Roundabout Theater Company and get information on their volunteer usher program. They still have it and I just have to go to the box office and put my name in. I’m aiming for Friday night. And maybe another performance next week if I’m lucky.

Today was the first day that same sex couples are able to get married in San Francisco and maybe California as a whole. Gavin Newsom, the SF Mayor should have married Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin by now. Phyllis and Del have been together for about 700 years and they want to be legal. They were scheduled to be the first gay couple to be legally married today. You couldn’t tell it was such a big day at least if you watched NBC Nightly News tonight. Tim Russert was a super guy, they’ll tell you all about that though.

See you later agitators.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist one more.

Happy Bloom’s day

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Be My Girl – Sally

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

I saw Allison Lee with her lovely son Hank. Allison I’ve known for years, she’s also born on September 12. Hank has sprouted up. Last I saw he was just crawling. They grow up so fast. It’s true. I know most of you don’t know who Allison Lee is, she’s a sweetheart and that is basically all you need to know. She’s also married or perhaps partnered with Pat Longo, who is also a sweetheart and he’s a friend of my brother Frank. McSwells peripheral people.

Also got a YouTube link from Cheryl Walsh. Cheryl used to live around the block from me in Weehawken with her late husband Don Brody and their 2 kids Perry and Molly. I knew Don Brody when my ex roommate, Jimmy Lee (no relation to Allison) played guitar in Don’s band, Cryin’ Out Loud. They were a Beat N’ Path band, not up to snuff at McSwells as a band but Don was always welcomed. I babysat for the kids once and was declared to be ‘Cooler than Coolio’. High praise indeed.

Perry has been taking piano classes at the Guitar Bar owned by Jim Mastro and Fred Smith. He’s gotten to be quite a handsome lad and has a great voice which you’ll see in the clip at the bottom. I bet the girls are all over him. He’s a big Beatles fan and you know that can’t be bad. Last night I finally watched Lars and the Real Girl. Very low key, but worth a look. Good acting all around.

I don’t believe I’ve seen Ryan Gosling in anything before, but for a former Mouseketeer he’s pretty good. Hard to describe the movie properly, a lonely guy gets an inflatable doll and falls in love with it. With her. But it’s more than that and not what you would expect I think. I showed Bill the clip of Fred Schneider of the B-52′s on the Daily Show which was pretty funny. Fred seemed a bit timid but I guess that may have been part of the act.

Work was ok, though waking up was a drag. Busy at work, making me happy. Helped a former employee clean out her office and that was sad. She was let go at the end of April and it’s taken her this long to get her things in order. Bill stopped by the office. I’m trying to sell 5 portable air conditioners on Craigslist. Actually I’ve been trying since April and started at $300 for each unit, now it’s $175 or best offer.

Vivek said I could have one if I wanted but I offered it to Bill for his mother’s apartment in Stuyvesant Town. If you get a window unit they jack up the rent so a portable unit should go unnoticed. I introduced Bill to Greg Stevens and his wife Leslie who runs a Foundation in one of our offices. Greg was super nice and gave Bill a hearty handshake as did Leslie. Vivek was gregarious and mentioned that he’d seen Bill’s picture on my desk.

I showed Bill the unit that I was going to give him and urged him to research it, find out if there are problems that people may have posted online and maybe find a download of a manual since I don’t have one.

And also in the news, related to the end of last night’s posting, Opponents of the historic decision to make same-sex marriage legal in California failed to derail the June 17 start date when their petition to delay was rejected So if you have a same sex partner in California you can get married starting then. Should these douche bags vote against it in November it will be a mess. Between June 17 and election day in November, perhaps if many people get married they will learn that the sky will not be falling and then wake up to learn that there is absolutely nothing to fear at all.

And now, here’s Perry. I was gobsmacked when I first saw it. Still quite good.

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