And so it goes
Hey there readers and fellow bloggers. As we are making tough decisions about where to spend our money that doesn't stretch as far these days, so too are businesses. I got word last night that freelance budgets are tightening at The S-R and this blog is one of the features that has to go.
It's been a good run, over a year's worth of interaction with all those who hang out in the blogosphere. Our conversations can certainly continue in other Spokesman-Review blogs, or perhaps I will spend some time exploring options and start a blog of my own.
Happily, the Out on the Town column is not in jeopardy. Features editor Ken Paulman reiterated his commitment to it last night. Feel free to use my email address, outonthetown7@yahoo.com, to log opinions, ask questions or give feedback on my weekly installments in 7.
I'll look forward to seeing you all around, whether in email or while out enjoying our beautiful community.
Rainbow flies at DNC
Saw the corner of a rainbow flag this evening on the prime time broadcast of the Democratic National Convention. A delegate held the small flag while listening to Michelle Obama's speech.
Made me wonder, what do Inland Northwest LGBTQ folks think of the man touted for making an historical run at the White House? Any gut feelings about who will win in November, Obama or McCain?
Time to bowl
We're off to the Bowl-o-rama in a few minutes. It means giving up watching track and the Olympics, but I'm excited to be surrounded by a whole bowling alley full of LGBTQA friends. Realized earlier today that it's been quite some months since going to an all-gay event.
I do wish we had two-toned bowling shirts, plaid capris and some cat eye glasses to enhance the bowling mood.
L Word star takes on triathlon
The weak plot lines on The L Word made it easy for me to give up watching a couple of seasons ago, nevertheless, I check in every so often to OurChart, the social networking site connected to the Showtime drama. It's there that my admiration for Jennifer Beals continues to grow.
She is currently training for an Olympic distance triathlon, awesome in itself, but what is just as impressive is her writing about the endeavor.
Potter makes diving tortuous
Home from camping, we are kickin' it on the couch watching men's diving. Out Australian Matthew Mitcham will be competing later in the week and I'm wondering now if I'll be able to take watching his 10-meter platform performance. I think I'll have to make the mute button my friend.
Cynthia Potter, one of the diving commentators for NBC, is driving me bananas. She rarely has anything kind to say about the athletes and to us fans, she explains things like how the springboard works as if we are dunces.
The only reason to keep the sound up would be to hear Potter's color man talk about Mitcham. I'm curious if he would mention anything about the young diver coming out and the subsequent international attention for the one of only 10 openly gay athletes in these Olympic Games.
Queens of softball
Bowling one weekend, softball the next. That's some good summer fun. As mentioned in a previous post, the second annual Bowl-o-rama sponsored by the local gay bowling league, benefits the league and The Inland Northwest LGBT Center. It's set for a week from tonight at North Bowl.
The next Saturday, trade the slick-bottomed bowling shoes for cleats and join the annual lesbian vs. drag queen softball game.
Are the visuals just brilliant or what? All that big queen hair running the bases.
The game is part of a community picnic sponsored by the Imperial Sovereign Court of Spokane. It starts at noon, Aug. 31, in Canon Park.
Inquiring minds
So ... I want to know. How did yesterday's INBA luncheon with Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick go? Did she takes questions or just talk?
Maddow is talk o' the town
Wow, high praise for Rachel Maddow. Can't say I've read anything as glowing about a member of the media in a long while.
An article on AlterNet touts Maddow as the breakout political pundit of this election season and reports she's seriously being considered for a show of her own on MSNBC. Maddow currently hosts a radio program on Air America.
I was feeling rather sheepish about not knowing who Maddow was or having ever caught her commentary, until I read that she and her partner of 10 years haven't owned a TV since 1990. Ah ha, see, I'm not the only way who hardly watches the tube. So, not catching Maddow as a regular panelist on Countdown with Keith Olbermann isn't so odd.
Well, I feel better. But the article does a fine job of making me curious. It's hard to resist seeking out more about the woman called a "brainy lesbian" who is a Rhodes scholar and "dresses like a first-grader."
Gay rights advocates honored in B1 story
Virginia de Leon wrote a lovely, and lengthy, piece in today's paper about Ann and Charlie Wood, founding members of Spokane's PFLAG. Ann turns 90 soon and the article is a nice tribute to her decades of volunteer work on behalf of gay rights.
The link won't work for everyone - much of The Spokesman-Review's site is reserved for paid subscribers - but it's a story worth tracking down in the print version. Besides, seeing the full-color photo splashed across the front page of a section is always more exciting than a thumbnail-sized digital version. Find it in the Today section on page B1.
Homemade magic
A busy run up to today started mid-week for the family and I. We invited friends over for swimming and dinner one night, went to Grandma and Grandpa's for homemade apple pie the next night, spent an afternoon at the movies before watching the Olympic opening ceremonies and finally, yesterday, drove to Anacortes and back.
Today, it leaves Molly and I at home in the quiet, watching more Olympics, baking biscuits and generally relishing the beginning of a few kidless weeks. The boys are at their dad's house for the rest of the month.
I've spent much of the day trying to figure out why this time it feels so much more relaxing than other summers or Christmas breaks when the kids have been gone. Finally, I realized it's because we have absolutely nothing we have to do or anywhere we have to be.
In years past, Molly and I have gone on vacations of our own when the boys were gone. And Christmas time is full of commitments no matter whether the kids are here or not. Traveling with Molly is amazing, but there is something purely magic about being just the two of us in the house day after day.
Kirkpatrick takes another spin at listening
The next Inland Northwest Business Alliance luncheon promises to be lively one. Or should I say, the LGBT business group has invited a live one as their guest speaker?
Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick will be at Dempsey's Brass Rail for the monthly get-together. "Bring your questions as we discuss her role in the Spokane community," the invitation reads.
Kirkpatrick held a community forum last September and, as you may recall, I was not impressed with her listening skills or her answers to very specific questions. Frankly, I didn't feel like that night in a packed council chambers at City Hall, that Kirkpatrick hosted much of a discussion, it was more like her on stage doing a one-woman show.
But ... who knows ... attitudes toward the LGBTA community are growing and changing daily. Maybe next week the chief will feel more at ease about answering questions.
Contact the INBA for more information about the luncheon, scheduled for Aug. 13 at noon.
A triathlon of family entertainment
My partner and kids adore the movies. Me, I'm kind of neutral. In an effort to honor their passion, we have agreed to do dinner and a movie once a month. I'm talking out on the town, to a theater and to a sit down restaurant. Admittedly, in the summer, it's frequently more than once a month, at least for them. I can use long hours at work as an excuse for not making it to every last flick.
We all, though, are itching to see The Dark Knight and Molly's first convenient night off this week is Friday. But hold on a minute! I am passionate about the Olympics and opening ceremonies are being broadcast Friday night. The boys are going to see their dad for several weeks starting on Saturday, so we don't have much wiggle room here.
Finally, I figured a way to do both. I will take Friday afternoon off. We can hit a matinee (better on the pocketbook, though I'm pretty sure even I won't be grumbling about paying full price for The Dark Knight), have an early dinner and be home in plenty of time for the most hallowed of sporting events. A trifecta of family entertainment.
My enthusiasm for the tradition of the Olympics was heightened this morning when I read Tom Sowa's run down of web coverage planned for the Beijing Games. It's an all new medium for an ancient tradition, but in the absence of attending the Games myself, I'll take some high tech, wiz bang storytelling and event recaps.
Let the Games begin!
Repeal clears the aisle for out-of-staters to marry in MA
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill this week repealing a 1913 law that barred marriages between out-of-state couples from being performed in Massachusetts if the home state did not recognize the union. At its inception, the law was a thinly veiled attempt to keep interracial couples from being wed in the Bay State.
The effect of the repeal in 2008 is to clear the path (the aisle, if you will) for out-of-state gay couples to marry in Massachusetts. As lawmakers debated the bill, critics worried that their state would become the "Las Vegas of gay marriage."
There are so many responses to that ...
Would being like one of the biggest tourist draws in the nation really be a bad thing? Think of the millions of tax dollars pulled in every year. Heck, probably every month.
On the other hand, that's a low blow. Las Vegas weddings are notoriously suspect and accused of being without commitment. Most gay couples I know haven't just run to get married because they can (in California or British Columbia), but instead think about what doing so represents for their life as a couple as well as what it says to the larger community by exchanging vows.
And finally, how could Massachusetts (or California) ever become the Las Vegas of gay weddings when the marriage would mean absolutely nothing upon returning home? The couples who get hitched in the real Las Vegas, despite the stereotype, are actually entering into a legal agreement that they are bound by in no matter what state they reside.
But really, the best response of all was ignoring the specious argument and signing the bill into law.
SAN site fully functional
Thanks to all the readers who posted about the Spokane AIDS Network's temporary absence from the web. Their firsthand experience with nonprofit work and how keeping up with web site management can surely fall through the cracks seems to be just what happened with SAN.
Though I never did hear back from the organization, a check this evening of the site shows all pages available and in working order again. Executive Director Susan Fabrikant mentioned the site is in the midst of redesign, so we ought to check back frequently to see what's in store.
Sons in search of our history
There is a Radio Flyer wagon in our living room. It came with me when we combined houses. I've used it to carry groceries home from the store, to transport my headboard and footboard when I changed apartments within the same complex. At one time it was a book shelf in my writing studio. And now, it holds plants and the books each of us in the family are currently reading.
Moments ago, our youngest son scooted under the wagon, between the two wheel axles, and began his upgrades. Held in place by magnets, two plastic Slinkies became shock absorbers. I'm certain his inspiration came from watching Grease last night; he woke up singing "Greased Lightening," after all. It was the first time he had seen the movie, a favorite of both Molly and I from the days we were just about his age.
It wasn't the first time we've shared something old school with our kids, but tonight was the first time I realized that they aren't laughing at us. They don't think the movies we cherish are lame or scoff at the music that transports us back to high school.
Earlier this weekend we crowded in front of the computer screen with our teenager and searched '80s rock videos. He was a bit perplexed by some of the fashion, but in retrospect, so were we. Mostly, what he wanted to know was what were we doing when we listened to certain songs, did we ever wear clothes like that, did we like the clothes at the time?
Both boys like to hear stories. But it feels like more than that. When I tell them things about myself, they are amassing my history. Especially with our oldest, I can tell he's trying to get a fuller sense of who I was before becoming a part of his family.
I like it. And now that I get it, I'll try to be more detailed for them. What I ought to do next is pull out some photo albums.
Then again, that might be just the thing to start them laughing!
Can you spare a Saturday night for bowling?
Summer weekends fill up fast with so much fun to be had in warm temperatures and long days, which is why I write now, a full month ahead, about the second annual Bowl-o-rama. The Inland Northwest Gay Bowling League is sponsoring the benefit event, that this year features the entire North Bowl and all its lanes reserved for the occasion.
Bowl as an individual for $20 ($25 at the door) or build a team of five and play for $75.
You knew this was coming, right? Brainstorming names for a team. I'm sure you remember how I love to come up with catchy names for all sorts of events or teams or businesses.
How about Les Bowl? The King Pins. Strike Three, Yer Out!
OK, back to business. The Bowl-o-rama is set for Aug. 23, 7-10 p.m. and will include prizes, entertainment, and yes, cosmic bowling. Far out, man. Funds raised will go to both the gay bowling league and The Inland Northwest LGBT Center. For more information, contact Mark at 879-8747 or Leslie at 389-0930.
SAN site goes AWOL
What the heck happened? I just went to the Spokane AIDS Network web site and was met with this message: "spokaneaidsnetwork.org expired on 7/14/2008 and is pending renewal or deletion."
At first, I thought the site had been redesigned to a nice clean look with subtle colors and intuitive organization, but then I noticed all the text was generic. Perhaps it's a simple oversight, someone forgot to pay the fee to keep the domain name and web hosting services current? Maybe SAN is switching providers and in the changeover is temporarily offline?
I hope it's not something worse, like they've lost funding for a web site. Anyone out there know the story? If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll call and see what kind of information I can collect.
Bye Bye Bijou
What a pleasure late this afternoon to sit a spell with Kevan Gardner in a downtown coffee bar and talk of his 10 years as regional program director for Pride Foundation. Gardner is leaving Spokane, moving, pulling up stakes ... but only sort of. Read more about the longtime activist, his drag queen persona, his college years at BYU and his wiccan beliefs in this Friday's column.
Meanwhile, mark your calendars for Auntie Bijou's goodbye performance Saturday, July 26, 8 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Gardner's well-known alter ego Auntie Bijou will perform fan favorites as a thank you to the community that has so long supported her. The show will include Abby Crawford, the Drag Kings and the Giant Ass Drum Corps. Admission is free, with an opportunity to make a donation to Pride Foundation.
Seeing HIV travel ban through Sullivan's eyes
The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would lift the ban on HIV positive travelers from entering the country, as well as providing up to $48 billion in AIDS funding for a foreign public health initiative. "Barring some unforeseen event, the HIV Travel Ban - a relic of the days when HIV was a source of fear and stigma and terror - is finally over," writes Andrew Sullivan on his blog, The Daily Dish.
I sometimes forget that Sullivan, a well-known journalist and author, is both HIV positive and a native of England. His blog post on the day the bill was passed is a worthwhile read for its heartwarming sincerity and bubbling enthusiasm. I didn't know whether to cry or whoop it up in celebration.
I now announce you
The ink is likely still damp on the morning papers being prepped for delivery, but it's in there, waiting for all of us to wake up and read it.
Spokane's first ever same-sex wedding announcement.
Check out tomorrow's paper and let me know what you think. What was your first reaction?
Mickey D's latest victim of boycott ... hardly
When I read on the American Family Association's web site about the most recent call to boycott, I wondered, "Is this really still working?" The right-wing (to put it mildly) group is currently up in arms about $20,000 that McDonald's donated to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and is calling on the homo-hating public to boycott the fast food giant.
Until recently, the AFA made splashy headlines when other boycotts were initiated against corporate icons like Target, IKEA and Proctor and Gamble. Not this time. Which is why I smiled and thought, "The boycott won't work. No one cares any more. The incessant ranting about filthy homosexuals is losing its cred."
Chris Kelly of The Huffington Post said it best, and most hilariously, of the bloggers out there who have also noticed the ineffectiveness of AFA boycotts.
High above Liberty Lake
The welt on my right ankle is a testament to our glorious day. I'm just perplexed that a skeeter wiggled its way inside my sock. It found me somewhere above Liberty Lake on an eight-mile hike Molly, the boys and I took.
I've heard of the trail for years, but until today had never explored it in person. Gorgeous. Shady. The scent of jasmine following us much of the way.
But by far the biggest pleasure was how low-key and steady-moving the kids were. Minimal complaining, with lots of imagining what it would be like to take this corner or that downhill straightaway on a sled.
Today was one of those days when being a parent felt like the coolest thing in the world. I'll remember it when I doubt my ability to stay patient through one more request to brush teeth or pick up clothes. Through the school year when friends feel so much more important to our teenager than homework.
Candidates for commish dish over lunch
Candidates running for county commissioner will meet with business folk tomorrow at the monthly Inland Northwest Business Alliance luncheon. Brian Sayrs, Dr. Kim Thorburn, Todd Mielke and Mark Richards will discuss their platforms and answer questions specific to the LGBT community.
The INBA meets the second Wednesday of each month, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. July's lunch is at the Steam Plant Grill.
Plan ahead now for next month when Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick attends the Aug. 13 luncheon, also at the Steam Plant Grill.
Luscious arms
Little did I know this long holiday weekend would be epic for gawking over muscled bodies of so many athletes. I hadn't looked ahead to just all that would be televised these three days when I wrote of needing to spend more time relaxing and, yes, drooling over cute girls. I couldn't help but notice a boy or two, also.
The men's draw of Wimbledon proved luscious. Rafael Nadal, the Spaniard who won the tennis championship today, has beautiful arms. Just the right amount of muscle bulk versus tone.
The U.S. Olympic trials were a delight, with six-pack abs flashing across the screen and women gliding around the track like they wore skates instead of running shoes.
Not just because of all the sports on TV, but certainly with their help, I've had one of the most relaxing weekends I've had in a long time. Strawberry picking and skateboarding with my two boys helped a ton, too.
Probably not the first homosexual in Olympics
Here's a beauty sent from a reader: "Christian Site's Ban on 'G' Word Sends Homosexual to Olympics."
I'd love to know how Tyson Gay himself reacted to seeing this story.
It also brings up a fascinating conversation. Why does the American Family Association so adamantly avoid the word gay? Is it too friendly? Homosexual does have a sort of edge to it, a harshness.
