in the life

I really think all/most GLBT people should try to catch "In the Life" every month on PBS. This month's episode has a really powerful segment on faith and sexuality with "jesus walks" by kanye playing duing a report on the ex-gay movement -- the program flashes the names and pictures of teenagers that commited suicide because they were struggling with their sexuality.

Also, on a more pop culture note, I actually think this season's The Real World might be worth watching. Genderiffic. The self-identified straight participants are some of the most interesting -- I love the Mormon guy and the bromance.

I had an amazing conversation yesterday about the universality of powerlessness/ frustration/ burn-out among all people are low on the totem pole of their particular employment situation. I sort of love those moments when I realize I was completely wrong about something.

i'm back!!

After spending some time with JZ and AMR over break, I realized a couple of things:
1) I need to switch from hotmail to gmail
2) I need to start going to the gym
3) Blogging is still fun, and a great way to keep in touch with people beyond facebook
4) Google Reader is a more efficient way to view material on the internet
5) I want an iphone (but I really have absolutely no excuse to get one right now)

So, I'm going to pick this blogging thing back up again, at least for a while.

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Do you remember that episode of Sex & the City where Miranda buys all new bedding?

Miranda : I'm trying to change my bed karma. I figure if I can make my bed a place I really want to be, others will feel the same.
Carrie : Aah, the Field of Dreams.
Miranda : Exactly. If you build it, he will come.

I'm doing the same. I bought this today along with a new down comforter and new sheets. I normally do not spend this much money, but I'm working towards a goal of having a classy living environment instead of what I have now, which is basically a college dorm. My lease on my studio ends in July, and I hope to move into an actual one bedroom in a more expensive building.

The other big news is that I have lost five pounds since my heaviest weight. I went to Trader Joe's last Tuesday and bought $50 worth of healthy foods. Since then, I have been as happy about healthy meals as I was when I was eating delicious, but bad food.

new bar exam doc

http://www.alawyerwalksintoabar.com/

L Word

If I were a journalist who focused on queer pop culture, my headline today would be: The L Word: & You Thought the Writing/Acting/Plots Could Not Get Any Worse. There were several point last night where I was actually laughing at how horrible it was. Bringing back Marina was nice, but my first thought was, "woah, the last time she was on the show, it was actually kind of good and kind of hot." That was sad.

They are actually creating this online queer female community (ourchart.com), which is awesome, but they actually incorporated it into the show, which I found to be very, very dumb. Don't endorse your own products. Next thing you know the dialogue will be like this:
Bette: Oh Alice, I love your bracelet.
Alice: Thanks Bette! I bought it online at Love & Pride Inc, which you can actually get to by going to Showtime's website. Do you have Showtime? I love that new show on that network, The Tudors. Here, the Planet has wireless internet-- let's go to S-H-O dot com right now!

Plus, while the characters were busy hyping the new site (which is not up yet--it says it will be up in January), they mentioned that the purpose besides general social networking is to create a chart of all the women you have hooked up with. They described how women who have hooked up with 50+ girls are called hubs and create their own solar system.

Now maybe this was an exaggeration for the sake of the plotline, but if it's not, I have to wonder: who wants to make a list like that online!?!? Plus, if you have hooked up with 50+ girls, you may be a hub and you may have your own solar system, but you are also kind of gross. And of course the L Word character was all out to find the girl who slept with 1300 women, when all I can think is-- I'd like to steer clear of that walking STD.

I've been saying forever that Fun Home by Alison Bechdel is the best book ever-- Time magazine agrees!

quiverfull

i am fascinated by the whole quiverfull movement, as evidenced by my obsession with the Duggar family. They are the subjects of several TLC one hour specials like "Fourteen Children and Pregnant Again!" and "On the Road with Sixteen Children." Not only is it creepy to have so many children, the whole uber-religious homeschooling is just so interesting.

best thing ever

so funny.

So... circumcision may reduce the incidence of HIV in Africa, but articles like this totally ignore the fact that the practice has so many downsides. I wish articles like this would still ask the question, is it worth it?


And finals are over, so now i can blog all day!

three

Dinner: H went to Five Guys in Georgetown and brought me a cheeseburger... so nice. I love having dinner delivered during finals.

Didn't set off Apt Building-wide Fire Alarm: everytime I move into a new apt, the previous tenant cleans the over with a product that makes the oven smoke the next time it is used. Like clockwork, I used my oven last night for the first time (yes, I have lived here for a month and it was the first time). The smoke alarm went off while the oven was heating up, the cats panicked, I opened the window and fanned the air by the alarm with a pillow and it finally shut off. Crisis averted, thankfully.

Clarity in Paper-writing: I wrote the most challenging part of my paper yesterday and fortunately, everything just clicked. I was a paper-writing machine and I think I was fairly articulate.

three things

So late last night I was reading my friend J's blog. Apparently she read the same random article I saw a couple days ago because she made a list of three happy things-- this is supposed to make you more aware of positive life experiences and be happier in general. I don't want to use the blog function on myspace, so hence, here i am.

--Whole Foods: I went to WF yesterday because I am going to make my favorite salad. I looked around a million times and couldn't find bleu cheese crumbles... they had every other kind, but not that. So I asked a woman at the cheese counter and she said, "oh, we just got a shipment TODAY, it's in the back, just a minute." she went in the back of the store to the stockroom and was gone for like ten minutes. She came back with a big cardboard box, sliced it open, and handed me exactly what I needed. I was just so fortunate that I didn't have to walk to a different grocery store and it seemed like good luck that she knew what they had gotten that day, etc etc.

--Technology: yesterday I woke up and my new cable tv was reduced to a black screen. I called tech services, had them remotely reboot the system, no change. So I was on the phone waiting to talk to a technician (I was a little annoyed as I got a total of ten hours of working tv since it was first installed) and the automated voice said it would be 14 minutes before my call would be answered (but they appreciated my call). As I was waiting, I started searching online and figured out what was wrong and how to fix it myself. I got to hang up before I even talked to the technician. Then last night in the wee hours of the morning, my internet stopped working suddenly. I decided to just go to bed and hopefully it would be fixed today. Woke up: no internet. Again, fixed the wireless myself. Still no clue why both randomly stopped working, but both are fixed, thank goodness.

--Friendship with S: My friend S is my best straight female friend. She called me last night and we had the best conversation ever, like always. So much shouting, so much laughter. I'm really amazed how well we sustain a long distance friendship and just how wonderful she is-- it is a rare thing to have a gorgeous friend make you feel beautiful. Actual S quote: "the first time I saw you, I thought you looked exactly like my high school homecoming queen, you have that all-American midwest beauty. But then the more I was around you, I realized you have an exotic beauty too." I quote her not for the truth of her statement, but just to demonstrate the extent of her friendship generosity-- most women aren't like that, they hold their cards close. There's so many other reasons why she is wonderful, but I'll cut it off here.

This blog will be boring only for the next two and a half weeks. Then my semester is over.

In the meantime, a great girlyman article.

Normally I don't use my Ipod shuffle function because my audio files are just too diverse. It normally ends up being a broadway show tune, then David Sedaris reading a chapter, then a 30 second introduction to a song from a live folk show, then a clip from a really bad appellate hearing, followed up by a gospel tune (I sometimes like listening to songs from my childhood-- so catchy).

But yesterday the old shuffle played "By Way of Sorrow" by Cry Cry Cry then "After All" by Dar Williams-- perfect.

boring

sorry for the lack of posts-- been incredibly busy. i've been surprisingly mellow about the elections-- happy about the first female speaker of the house, excited about the impending influx of new democratic staffers, etc, but mostly just taking it in and focusing on otherwise distracting life stuff.

i apparently slept with a clenched fist-- i woke up with my right pinkie swollen and painful-- hmm.

Post-"Personal Best," (see Jespersen v. Harrah's Operating Company, 444 F.3d 1104 (9th Cir 2006)) it appears that Harrah's has had a change of heart. Once determined to enforce a grooming and appearance standard based on outdated sex stereotypes, now they apparently love the gays.

This is from the HRC mailing list:
We would like to welcome Harrah's Entertainment as a Silver-level corporate sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign. The company has made a long-term commitment to an inclusive and diverse workforce, and this year has achieved an impressive 95 percent score on HRC's Corporate Equality Index. Harrah's was also a presenting sponsor of the first-ever HRC Las Vegas Gala Dinner in September.

Harrah's has been reaching out to GLBT travelers through clever ads in GLBT publications for its Paris Las Vegas resort, and we encourage you to consider staying there the next time you head to Las Vegas. For more information on the company and its Casino Hotel locations in destinations such as Reno/Tahoe, Atlantic City, New Orleans and of course Las Vegas, visit www.harrahs.com.

Diverse workforce? Here is what they required for female employees, including Darlene Jespersen, an openly gay model employee with 20 years experience. They fired her for not wearing makeup:

Females:
. Hair must be teased, curled, or styled every day you work. Hair must be worn down at all times, no exceptions.
. Stockings are to be of nude or natural color consistent with employee's skin tone. No runs.
. Nail polish can be clear, white, pink or red color only. No exotic nail art or length.
. Shoes will be solid black leather or leather type with rubber (non skid) soles.
. Make up (face powder, blush and mascara) must be worn and applied neatly in complimentary colors. Lip color must be worn at all times.

RIP housing search

I am cleaning out my email and found this-- it was the response I received when I asked a realtor if the property he advertised allowed pets:

Laura,

Cats can be the worst pet nightmare. I don't understand the technical
jargon of cats spayed etc., but I do know that I have seen many homes where it was impossible to get cat urine smell out of the house and
particularly on rugs. On the other hand, I am sure that if one
properly cares for cats, one never even notices that they were in a
house. Can you tell me more about the ages of the cats etc? Also if
I visit where you are living now, and there is no damage from cats,
that would also be very helpful. Thanks, Howard

I found it a little creepy-- it's nice he is trying to be flexible, but I don't usually invite strangers to my house.

survey of potential virginia voters

The Washington Post did an interesting poll:

12. Amendment One on the November ballot would add to the state's Constitution a definition of marriage as being ONLY the union of one man and one woman.

It would also keep Virginia from creating or recognizing any legal status for relationships of unmarried persons that assign the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities or effects of marriage.

If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Amendment One?

Yes No No opinion
10/12/06 LV 53 43 4

13. (Supporters say the measure would mean that same-sex marriages would never be approved or recognized in the Commonwealth of Virginia.) (Opponents say the proposed language is too broad, and would endanger contracts made between unmarried heterosexual couples.)

With these arguments in mind, if the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Amendment One?

Yes No No opinion
10/12/06 LV 48 47 5

14. Do you think homosexual couples should or should not be allowed to form legally recognized civil unions, giving them the legal rights of married couples in areas such as health insurance, inheritance and pension coverage?

Should Should not No opinion
10/12/06 LV 48 47 5

hypocrites

How do the American Family Association and the Concerned Women for America like them now???

As First Lady Laura Bush stood behind her, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice administered the oath of office on Oct. 10 to gay physician Mark Dybul as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, a post that has the rank of ambassador.

In a ceremony held at the State Department's historic Benjamin Franklin Room, Dybul placed his hand on a bible held by his domestic partner, Jason Claire. Dybul's parents and Claire's mother stood nearby as Dybul became the nation's third openly gay ambassador.

"I am truly honored and delighted to have the opportunity to swear in Mark Dybul as our next Global AIDS Coordinator," Rice said. "I am pleased to do that in the presence of Mark's parents, Claire and Richard, his partner, Jason, and his mother-in-law, Marilyn," she said.

"You have a wonderful family to support you, Mark, and I know that's always important to us. Welcome," Rice said.

from: here.

I have always said that I don't think the highest members of the Bush administration are actually homophobic. But I don't know if that makes it better or worse.

Another article that basically says the same thing: here

crime

this is the most interesting thing ever.

Apartment hunting has its own joys. For example:

$450 Young Christian Professionals looking to fill 3rd Bedroom in DC
We are two young christian females seeking the same to fill the third bedroom in our NW DC rowhouse (It is actually pretty much right North of the Capitol, so barely NW). [...] We have excellent landlords and love our house, but want potential roomates to know that it is in a very transitional neighborhood. Although we have been fine living here, there is still crime and drug activity that you will find in any inner-city. We like to think of it as Jesus' neighborhood.

I am not making this up! (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/roo/216402003.html)

Closeted gay republicans are gross.

In response to the recent Mark Foley (R-FL) resignation scandal, the mainstream media has only provided an email that he allegedly sent to an underage male page. The email seems fairly ambiguous and tame, so I was questioning why he was so quick to resign.

The gay press has more, including a graphic IM conversation. This explains a lot.

I wasn't going to post this link because a.) it's just too disgusting and b.) it doesn't explain how they got access to it, so I questioned its authenticity. BUT I sent the link to a gay friend, who called a former Foley intern, who confirmed that the screen name listed on the webpage is one that Foley used to keep in touch with him (but the friend of a friend says Foley was never stupid enough to have conversations like that with him).

I wish there was a way the gay community could banish closet case politicians who resort to inapropriate interactions with underage males. We need a system like the Mormon church-- excommunicate them!!!