It's been months since I last blogged. I wanted to do this enough to be journalistic but it quickly fell by the wayside with so many other things in my life competing for my attention.
This year I have had an opportunity to grow and pay attention to the red flags in my life that mean I need to be careful about a person or situation. So that's a big improvement for me. I'm also learning to stand up for myself which is better late than never. I have some new year's resolutions I want to jot down and hopefully I will keep at least some of them.
I used to have this nightmare about my favorite record store, Paul's CDs in Bloomfield closing. And then it was announced that it was going to happen. The great news is that one of his employees is going to keep it open and going strong with more of an emphasis on vinyl records. Which really is an example of everything old is new again -- when I was younger vinyl records were all we had!! Luckily for me I have a record player so it might be nice to get back to listening to real records again. Plus I got a rad shirt for Xmas that says, "I buy vinyl."
Borders books in the North Hills where I spent a lot of my pre-relationship days closed. Before I found Paul's CDS I would go there to buy my music. I also used to go there just to sit and read and be around other people. Now all we have left is Barnes and Noble. I like book stores although I have to confess I have not bought very many books lately. The Kindle and its ilk intrigue me. Although I still like to hold a book in my hands just like I like to hold a record/CD in my hands.
Things in life come and go. My tabby cat who I had since 1993 died this year. Boris and Natasha who I've had since 1997 are getting older. The last vestiges of my former life. But that's what New Years is for, for reflecting on things. But, its also a time for looking ahead to a new year and maybe some great possibilities. You just never know.
So Auld Lang Syne!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
My visit to the Greater Pittsburgh Foodbank
I am not a food blogger nor even a foodie although I love food and one of my co-workers said I was a food snob. One of the things about my childhood that I will say was good fortune was that I grew up in the country where my maternal grandparents had a huge garden. My grandpa McCullough grew corn, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, peas, green beans, strawberries, basically you name it. We used to pick peas right off the vine and eat them. My grandma made the absolute best peach pie and apple pie. We got our meat from local farmers. We ate well.
I am still lucky in that I have a job that permits me to visit the farmer's market where I can buy vegetables and fresh fruit Many people in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas are not so fortunate. On Thursday, September 8, 2011 I was invited to a blogmob (actually Sue set it up) at the Foodbank. I witnessed a Produce to the People distribution. That night the Foodbank would serve 300 plus families providing them with produce as well as canned goods. The Foodbank had a pretty impressive setup. People came into the front, signed in and waited in line for food. We were there to promote the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project which aims to provide Foodbank consumers with tote bags they can use to carry their food.
The Foodbank building is an impressive structure that houses enormous freezers as well as huge rooms where food is stacked floor to ceiling. The Foodbank receives food from stores such as Giant Eagle, directly from producers, from local farms, the US government and also purchases about 40% of their food. The Foodbank serves 120,000 people a month throughout eleven counties. The number is growing thanks to a poor economy and a relentless push by the right-wing Republicans to eradicate anything resembling a middle class. The Pittsburgh Foundation was there and they interviewed me to ask me what could be done to reduce hunger. Being the leftist pinko that I am, I said more better paying jobs where people can actually make a living. Jesus said the poor will always be with us but there is no excuse for thousands of people -- including a fair amount of children (30% ) -- to go hungry. Can you imagine what that must be like? And in the "greatest country in the world?"
I am, we all are (unless you're Donald Trump or Jay Z) a disaster away from a visit to the Foodbank. Something to remember. Many of the people receiving food from the Foodbank are working either full or part time. So much for the conceit that only lazy people who don't want to work get their food from the Foodbank. Lyndon Johnson tried to address poverty and hunger with his War on Poverty in the 1960"s. Despite his efforts, forty years later, unfortunately, the poor are still with us and growing.
I am still lucky in that I have a job that permits me to visit the farmer's market where I can buy vegetables and fresh fruit Many people in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas are not so fortunate. On Thursday, September 8, 2011 I was invited to a blogmob (actually Sue set it up) at the Foodbank. I witnessed a Produce to the People distribution. That night the Foodbank would serve 300 plus families providing them with produce as well as canned goods. The Foodbank had a pretty impressive setup. People came into the front, signed in and waited in line for food. We were there to promote the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project which aims to provide Foodbank consumers with tote bags they can use to carry their food.
The Foodbank building is an impressive structure that houses enormous freezers as well as huge rooms where food is stacked floor to ceiling. The Foodbank receives food from stores such as Giant Eagle, directly from producers, from local farms, the US government and also purchases about 40% of their food. The Foodbank serves 120,000 people a month throughout eleven counties. The number is growing thanks to a poor economy and a relentless push by the right-wing Republicans to eradicate anything resembling a middle class. The Pittsburgh Foundation was there and they interviewed me to ask me what could be done to reduce hunger. Being the leftist pinko that I am, I said more better paying jobs where people can actually make a living. Jesus said the poor will always be with us but there is no excuse for thousands of people -- including a fair amount of children (30% ) -- to go hungry. Can you imagine what that must be like? And in the "greatest country in the world?"
I am, we all are (unless you're Donald Trump or Jay Z) a disaster away from a visit to the Foodbank. Something to remember. Many of the people receiving food from the Foodbank are working either full or part time. So much for the conceit that only lazy people who don't want to work get their food from the Foodbank. Lyndon Johnson tried to address poverty and hunger with his War on Poverty in the 1960"s. Despite his efforts, forty years later, unfortunately, the poor are still with us and growing.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Goodbye summer of 2011
It's a Saturday night, the last one before Labor Day. I am sitting here listening to a stream of Wilco's new album/CD (yes, they are making albums again). The album is called "The Whole Love." I discovered Wilco quite some time ago, probably through WYEP and I like them. Their last few albums haven't been critic darlings but I bought them and enjoy listening to them. When I find a group I like I can be loyal to a fault although some of the CDs/albums the critics have hated have been some of my favorite ones. Having said that, I will probably pass on the new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD because no one seems to think it is any good and ocassionally listening to crtics can be a smart thing to do.
Sue and I saw The Debt with Helen Mirren tonight and it was great. Very suspenseful. The critic at the Post-Gazette didn't like the ending, but again, I diverge from a critic because I liked the ending. A movie very much worth seeing although sixty some years after the end of World War II I wonder how much more mileage they are going to be able to get from the Nazis. A lot I guess.
This summer I had to put my Tabby cat, named Tabby, to sleep because she stopped eating. She was 19. Guess my blog isn't really properly named now. I am losing my beloved pets from my past life, post law school, pre city of pittsburgh. It's like losing a part of your past. I miss her and now I have a little bag of ashes in my dresser drawer next to Ming, my first cat.
I haven't blogged in awhile. I guess this summer has kept me busy and yet I'm not sure where it went. Technically we have two or three more weeks of summer left, but Labor Day always seems like the end of summer to me. And it got hot again and I'm storing up the heat because I like to be hot and I know the freezing cold is coming.
Tonight was my high school class reunion of thirty years. Doesn't seem possible but I'm a few years shy of 50, the "mid point" of your life, although not really. Unless I live to be 100 which I'm not counting on and don't know that I would want to. I watched my grandparents decline and it wasn't pretty. But getting back to the reunion. Obviously I didn't go. I wasn't sure I wanted to see most of the people that would be there. I have connected on Facebook with some of my former classmates. I think that's enough, although I did ask myself if holding grudges and ill feelings for thirty years is really productive. And the answer is no. At some point we all have to let go of the past and our grudges and ill feelings. A very hard lesson to learn but I'm trying. Maybe I'll go to the thirty-fifth if I'm still around.
Not sure what this fall will bring me. Last fall was pretty rocky. Although I usually like the fall. So hopefully it will be better. There are a lot of good albums coming out after what seemed like a long summer drought. And tv is coming back with some promising shows. Some good movies coming out too. So guess I will kiss summer goodbye and try to embrace the new season. And football is back and Penn State won. (I also have to admit that I do like professional football and watch it despite the violence and homophobia).
This new Wilco album sounds good. I have only heard it through once but I liked what I heard. Maybe I can be a rock musician in my next life.
Well, it's 1230 am. New day. New possibilities. Time to go to bed.
Sue and I saw The Debt with Helen Mirren tonight and it was great. Very suspenseful. The critic at the Post-Gazette didn't like the ending, but again, I diverge from a critic because I liked the ending. A movie very much worth seeing although sixty some years after the end of World War II I wonder how much more mileage they are going to be able to get from the Nazis. A lot I guess.
This summer I had to put my Tabby cat, named Tabby, to sleep because she stopped eating. She was 19. Guess my blog isn't really properly named now. I am losing my beloved pets from my past life, post law school, pre city of pittsburgh. It's like losing a part of your past. I miss her and now I have a little bag of ashes in my dresser drawer next to Ming, my first cat.
I haven't blogged in awhile. I guess this summer has kept me busy and yet I'm not sure where it went. Technically we have two or three more weeks of summer left, but Labor Day always seems like the end of summer to me. And it got hot again and I'm storing up the heat because I like to be hot and I know the freezing cold is coming.
Tonight was my high school class reunion of thirty years. Doesn't seem possible but I'm a few years shy of 50, the "mid point" of your life, although not really. Unless I live to be 100 which I'm not counting on and don't know that I would want to. I watched my grandparents decline and it wasn't pretty. But getting back to the reunion. Obviously I didn't go. I wasn't sure I wanted to see most of the people that would be there. I have connected on Facebook with some of my former classmates. I think that's enough, although I did ask myself if holding grudges and ill feelings for thirty years is really productive. And the answer is no. At some point we all have to let go of the past and our grudges and ill feelings. A very hard lesson to learn but I'm trying. Maybe I'll go to the thirty-fifth if I'm still around.
Not sure what this fall will bring me. Last fall was pretty rocky. Although I usually like the fall. So hopefully it will be better. There are a lot of good albums coming out after what seemed like a long summer drought. And tv is coming back with some promising shows. Some good movies coming out too. So guess I will kiss summer goodbye and try to embrace the new season. And football is back and Penn State won. (I also have to admit that I do like professional football and watch it despite the violence and homophobia).
This new Wilco album sounds good. I have only heard it through once but I liked what I heard. Maybe I can be a rock musician in my next life.
Well, it's 1230 am. New day. New possibilities. Time to go to bed.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Guns and strippers
Warren Zevon famously sang lyrics to the effect of "bring lawyers, guns and money," Several individuals in the news today had too much or too little of the above.
I am, as are all good liberals, a believer in some type of gun control and not a fan of the wild west mentality. I understand that guns can be necessary to protect oneself and family, but I worry that they are so easy to get and to use that any idiot can (and often does) use them when anyone or anything makes them mad or gets in their way. The most obvious illustration of this is the trial we just went through with Richard Poplawski. Some people have too damn many guns and a state of mind that makes that fact very dangerous to the rest of us. Just today I read an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11194/1160036-59.stm about a gentleman Mr. Fromholz who shot another man over a television. He killed someone's husband/partner/father/brother over a damn television. Mr. Fromholz actually left the bar, retrieved his gun and then came back in to shoot the victim. Mr. Fromholz evidently had some type of major issue if he felt the need to exercise his second amendment right by shooting someone over something so inane. So, what do we as a society do to keep the weapons out of the hands of individuals like Poplawski and Fromholz? I think better screeening, education and taking a step back from the wild west mentality.
Now from the guns portion of our show to the stripper portion. On June 30, 2011, two young brothers died tragically in a fire at their apartment in North Versailles. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11194/1160107-100.stm A babysitter was blamed for leaving the two young boys home alone. Unfortunately it turns out that, just like in a deadly fire several years ago in Pittsburgh, there was no babysitter. Even though the mother in this case, Kiaira Pollard, pretended to call the babysitter when she arrived on the scene. It turns out that Ms. Pollard works evenings as a stripper and routinely left her two young boys home alone while she worked. While her duplicity at the scene of the incident is not very defendable, this case is the perfect illustration of why we as a society need affordable, available daycare/childcare for women who work, even for women who work non-traditional jobs. She had to make a living somehow. Rather than pass a Caylee's law, maybe we should make daycare affordable and available. Or help women like Ms. Pollard find better jobs where they can safely leave their children while they work. I'm not excusing Ms. Pollard, but I feel that this happens a lot more than most people realize, or want to realize.
Nightline did a story a few days ago regarding the "christian" clinic that Michelle Bachmann's husband runs that has a "cure the homos" program. Mr. Bachmann has also evidently referred to gays as barbarians that need to be educated and disciplined. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/12/whats-going-on-at-the-bachmann-clinic/#more-167117
You know what, to crib a phrase from Lady Gaga, I was born this way and I'm not a barbarian that needs to be educated and disciplined (I should point out that he was talkng about GAY KIDS!! when he made this comment.) For those who are enamored of the so-called "populist tea-party movement, this is what is being pushed by one of their leading so-called Christian candidates and her husband. All I have to say is that the queers better get out of the bars and to the polling places come time to vote for President. Because even if Ms. Bachmann is a long shot, you can best believe there are a lot of people who feel the same way about our community, and this way of thinking might find its way into the mainstream GOP message. In fact, I would bet on it.
I am, as are all good liberals, a believer in some type of gun control and not a fan of the wild west mentality. I understand that guns can be necessary to protect oneself and family, but I worry that they are so easy to get and to use that any idiot can (and often does) use them when anyone or anything makes them mad or gets in their way. The most obvious illustration of this is the trial we just went through with Richard Poplawski. Some people have too damn many guns and a state of mind that makes that fact very dangerous to the rest of us. Just today I read an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11194/1160036-59.stm about a gentleman Mr. Fromholz who shot another man over a television. He killed someone's husband/partner/father/brother over a damn television. Mr. Fromholz actually left the bar, retrieved his gun and then came back in to shoot the victim. Mr. Fromholz evidently had some type of major issue if he felt the need to exercise his second amendment right by shooting someone over something so inane. So, what do we as a society do to keep the weapons out of the hands of individuals like Poplawski and Fromholz? I think better screeening, education and taking a step back from the wild west mentality.
Now from the guns portion of our show to the stripper portion. On June 30, 2011, two young brothers died tragically in a fire at their apartment in North Versailles. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11194/1160107-100.stm A babysitter was blamed for leaving the two young boys home alone. Unfortunately it turns out that, just like in a deadly fire several years ago in Pittsburgh, there was no babysitter. Even though the mother in this case, Kiaira Pollard, pretended to call the babysitter when she arrived on the scene. It turns out that Ms. Pollard works evenings as a stripper and routinely left her two young boys home alone while she worked. While her duplicity at the scene of the incident is not very defendable, this case is the perfect illustration of why we as a society need affordable, available daycare/childcare for women who work, even for women who work non-traditional jobs. She had to make a living somehow. Rather than pass a Caylee's law, maybe we should make daycare affordable and available. Or help women like Ms. Pollard find better jobs where they can safely leave their children while they work. I'm not excusing Ms. Pollard, but I feel that this happens a lot more than most people realize, or want to realize.
Nightline did a story a few days ago regarding the "christian" clinic that Michelle Bachmann's husband runs that has a "cure the homos" program. Mr. Bachmann has also evidently referred to gays as barbarians that need to be educated and disciplined. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/12/whats-going-on-at-the-bachmann-clinic/#more-167117
You know what, to crib a phrase from Lady Gaga, I was born this way and I'm not a barbarian that needs to be educated and disciplined (I should point out that he was talkng about GAY KIDS!! when he made this comment.) For those who are enamored of the so-called "populist tea-party movement, this is what is being pushed by one of their leading so-called Christian candidates and her husband. All I have to say is that the queers better get out of the bars and to the polling places come time to vote for President. Because even if Ms. Bachmann is a long shot, you can best believe there are a lot of people who feel the same way about our community, and this way of thinking might find its way into the mainstream GOP message. In fact, I would bet on it.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Why liberals love "Big Government."
The conservative philosophy is that government should stay out of the way and let free enterprise basically have free rein. The conservatives allege that the business community will look out for our best interests in a paternalistic "pat on the head" kind of way.
However, this philosophy has been proven time and time again to be bad for the public. A recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette stated that businesses are balking on voluntary nutrional guidelines that would encourage food makers to reduce salt, added sugars and fats in foods targeted toward children. If their products did not meet certain standards, the foodmakers who follow the guidelines would refrain from advertising them to children. Some heavy hitters in the media as well as the chamber of commerce are using scare tactics such as job loss to back the government off. Nevermind that the childhood obesity rate in this country --one in three kids is obese or overweight -- is, well, obscene. Big business would rather reel in their lucrative audience and their money rather than do the right thing to curb childhood obesity. So is this really how we want our country to be run? By big corporations whose only regard is for the bottom line?
I guess this article outraged me because businesses won't, in my opinion, do the right thing when it comes time to choose health or safety over their bottom line. They will choose the bottom line every time because their business is to make money for themselves and their shareholders.
However, this philosophy has been proven time and time again to be bad for the public. A recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette stated that businesses are balking on voluntary nutrional guidelines that would encourage food makers to reduce salt, added sugars and fats in foods targeted toward children. If their products did not meet certain standards, the foodmakers who follow the guidelines would refrain from advertising them to children. Some heavy hitters in the media as well as the chamber of commerce are using scare tactics such as job loss to back the government off. Nevermind that the childhood obesity rate in this country --one in three kids is obese or overweight -- is, well, obscene. Big business would rather reel in their lucrative audience and their money rather than do the right thing to curb childhood obesity. So is this really how we want our country to be run? By big corporations whose only regard is for the bottom line?
I guess this article outraged me because businesses won't, in my opinion, do the right thing when it comes time to choose health or safety over their bottom line. They will choose the bottom line every time because their business is to make money for themselves and their shareholders.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Misbehaving as a trend
There's been some discussion lately among Sue and I as well as Facebook and CNN.com regarding bad ass kids. Sue told me that she was in a coffee house this morning where a woman allowed her toddler son to run around the small shop unattended and that he almost made it out the door several times but fortunately was stopped by other customers from getting outside. This shop is on a busy road. While the mother/guardian chatted with a friend this went on for quite some time. Sue also reported that a couple of five year-old girls danced around in a circle in the same coffee shop at the same time the toddler was running amok. The problem is that when we don't discipline our small children and let them run around and disrupt other's quiet/peaceful enjoyment of restaurants, coffee shops, etc. etc. we are teaching them that they don't have to respect others and can do whatever they want.
I'm not a parent on purpose and I realize that being a parent is difficult but parents need to set rules for their kids and make them obey them. The logical progression of this was behavior I witnessed last night at the concert I attended. I went to see a musician named Bill Callahan who sings epic songs in storyteller fashion that are meant to be listened to very carefully. The concert was sponsored by the Warhol museum and was held outside at the Carnegie Museum of Art in the sculpture garden. It was a lovely venue and a lovely summer night. I had been waiting to see Mr. Callahan ever since a show I was supposed to see got rained out in one of our monster storms we had a year or so ago. The concert was not free -- it cost $15.00 to get in.
At some point after the show started, some yinzerettes arrived behind me and began to chatter quite loudly about their banal lives. This went on for some length of time until the guy sitting near me got up and evidently asked them to keep it down. I say evidently because I didn't hear him when he spoke with them so he appeared to do so in a way that did not embarass them. They were quiet for a few song cycles and at some point when the unknown guy and his group began to cheer loudly during the encore, the yinzerettes piped up and told him he was being too loud. When he said to them words to the effect of "Really, you had to go there" one of them called him a "fucking asshole." After the show ended I thanked him, but so did quite a few other people. He, rightly so, made the comment he could have used some back up. And he was right. These little nitwits were bothering more than this gentlemen, his two friends and me. Maybe one or two of us should have gone with him, or gone to security to get them removed. We all paid to hear the show, not them. And that's the same problem with out of control kids. They bother everyone but no one has the courage to complain. Thus the bad behavior get reinforced and when they get into their twenties -- which I suspect was the age of the yinzerettes -- the entitlement and the bad behavior continues because they have learned the lesson that they can behave in public however they want without consequences.
I have been to countless shows in Pittsburgh where some one or some ones have talked through a concert. And I, to my credit, have confronted more than a few. But what I really want to know is who pays good money to attend a concert and not even listen to it? To engage in continuous chatter when you could do that for free or at least the same cost in one of Pittsburgh's many fine bars? That way you could win and I could win by not having you talk at my show.
The concert, by the way, was fantastic and worth the wait. His new album is called "Apocalypse" and from the sound of the songs he played, is fantastic. I don't have it yet but it's on the list.
I'm not a parent on purpose and I realize that being a parent is difficult but parents need to set rules for their kids and make them obey them. The logical progression of this was behavior I witnessed last night at the concert I attended. I went to see a musician named Bill Callahan who sings epic songs in storyteller fashion that are meant to be listened to very carefully. The concert was sponsored by the Warhol museum and was held outside at the Carnegie Museum of Art in the sculpture garden. It was a lovely venue and a lovely summer night. I had been waiting to see Mr. Callahan ever since a show I was supposed to see got rained out in one of our monster storms we had a year or so ago. The concert was not free -- it cost $15.00 to get in.
At some point after the show started, some yinzerettes arrived behind me and began to chatter quite loudly about their banal lives. This went on for some length of time until the guy sitting near me got up and evidently asked them to keep it down. I say evidently because I didn't hear him when he spoke with them so he appeared to do so in a way that did not embarass them. They were quiet for a few song cycles and at some point when the unknown guy and his group began to cheer loudly during the encore, the yinzerettes piped up and told him he was being too loud. When he said to them words to the effect of "Really, you had to go there" one of them called him a "fucking asshole." After the show ended I thanked him, but so did quite a few other people. He, rightly so, made the comment he could have used some back up. And he was right. These little nitwits were bothering more than this gentlemen, his two friends and me. Maybe one or two of us should have gone with him, or gone to security to get them removed. We all paid to hear the show, not them. And that's the same problem with out of control kids. They bother everyone but no one has the courage to complain. Thus the bad behavior get reinforced and when they get into their twenties -- which I suspect was the age of the yinzerettes -- the entitlement and the bad behavior continues because they have learned the lesson that they can behave in public however they want without consequences.
I have been to countless shows in Pittsburgh where some one or some ones have talked through a concert. And I, to my credit, have confronted more than a few. But what I really want to know is who pays good money to attend a concert and not even listen to it? To engage in continuous chatter when you could do that for free or at least the same cost in one of Pittsburgh's many fine bars? That way you could win and I could win by not having you talk at my show.
The concert, by the way, was fantastic and worth the wait. His new album is called "Apocalypse" and from the sound of the songs he played, is fantastic. I don't have it yet but it's on the list.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
We're a gentle angry people
The above is a title to a Unitarian Universalist hymn that the Northside church sings frequently. It's an appropriate theme for me this week. This past spring in April, a neighbor's dog - a Great Dane -- jumped up against our fence and engaged one of our dogs, injuring him. I spoke with her and attempted to get her to rectify the situaiton because we had a $700 plus vet bill because this happened on a Saturday night so we had to take him to the emergency vet. Well, she basically called me a liar and refused to do anything - she didn't even want to promise me that she would not let her dog run loose. So I called Animal Contol. We had our hearing on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 and even though she lied, I testified, my partner Sue, testified and we had a video showing her dog running loose. The judge found her guility and ordered her to pay restitution. Hopefully we/Sue will see her money. This neighbor acted like she could push me around and do whatever she wanted. I warned her, I tried to work it out but she didn't want to play ball. I was proud of myself for stepping up for myself and for Sue.
After the hearing which was surpirsingly quick, we were out of there by 930, Sue and I went to Pamela's in Millvale. We had a nice breakfast, but afterward we went down the street to Attic Records. I have lived in Pittsburgh for seventeen years and have heard about Attic, but have never been in there. Can you imagine? Man, what a place! It has so much stuff in it it is overwhelming! Along one wall of the store there were records stacked several feet deep down an entire ailse. There were CDs of every type of music imaginable both new and used, vinyl of every type, photos of bands from the 1950 and 1960s and oldies music playing in the background. We didn't stay very long, but I bought two Bruce Springsteen CDs and defintely want to go back and explore it some more. I find it funny that vinyl, or albums as I still refer to them, are making a comeback. When I was a kid up through college, vinyl was all we had, then came cassettes and then CDs and now vinyl is back. I resisted the temptation to buy a record that day ... but you never know what I might do when I make a return visit. (Oh wait, there's that poverty van down by the river problem...hmmm.)
Just read where a Catholic bishop in New York state referred to advocates for Gay marriage as North Korean leaders and some conservative columnist chimed in that gay marriage advocates were like Bull Connor the infamous racist from Alabama. Can you imagine the warped thinking behind those declarations? And from the Catholic church which routinely protected pedophiles in their midst and from right wing Republicans who cheered on and helped stir up folks like Mr. Connor. (And the ever ongoing rewriting of Ameircan history by right-wing conservatives.)
On a lighter note, Sue and I went to the Toonseum in Pittsburgh to hear a lecture of religion and comic books. The lecture was pretty good, I'm still thinking about it. The display was about Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Woman and various other super heroes. I loved Batman as a kid, the concept of someone stepping up for the powerless and abused. I had Batman and Robin dolls as a kid but they were mauled by my brother's dog, Herman. Herman also amputated the legs of Johnny and Jane West, western themed toys. Herman had no regard for super heroes. Or the wild west.
Casey Anthony confirmed our worst fears about society. You can kill someone (or be a party to it or have knowledge of it) and get away with it. Pretty chilling isn't it?
After the hearing which was surpirsingly quick, we were out of there by 930, Sue and I went to Pamela's in Millvale. We had a nice breakfast, but afterward we went down the street to Attic Records. I have lived in Pittsburgh for seventeen years and have heard about Attic, but have never been in there. Can you imagine? Man, what a place! It has so much stuff in it it is overwhelming! Along one wall of the store there were records stacked several feet deep down an entire ailse. There were CDs of every type of music imaginable both new and used, vinyl of every type, photos of bands from the 1950 and 1960s and oldies music playing in the background. We didn't stay very long, but I bought two Bruce Springsteen CDs and defintely want to go back and explore it some more. I find it funny that vinyl, or albums as I still refer to them, are making a comeback. When I was a kid up through college, vinyl was all we had, then came cassettes and then CDs and now vinyl is back. I resisted the temptation to buy a record that day ... but you never know what I might do when I make a return visit. (Oh wait, there's that poverty van down by the river problem...hmmm.)
Just read where a Catholic bishop in New York state referred to advocates for Gay marriage as North Korean leaders and some conservative columnist chimed in that gay marriage advocates were like Bull Connor the infamous racist from Alabama. Can you imagine the warped thinking behind those declarations? And from the Catholic church which routinely protected pedophiles in their midst and from right wing Republicans who cheered on and helped stir up folks like Mr. Connor. (And the ever ongoing rewriting of Ameircan history by right-wing conservatives.)
On a lighter note, Sue and I went to the Toonseum in Pittsburgh to hear a lecture of religion and comic books. The lecture was pretty good, I'm still thinking about it. The display was about Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Woman and various other super heroes. I loved Batman as a kid, the concept of someone stepping up for the powerless and abused. I had Batman and Robin dolls as a kid but they were mauled by my brother's dog, Herman. Herman also amputated the legs of Johnny and Jane West, western themed toys. Herman had no regard for super heroes. Or the wild west.
Casey Anthony confirmed our worst fears about society. You can kill someone (or be a party to it or have knowledge of it) and get away with it. Pretty chilling isn't it?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A New York state of mind
New York state just passed a law allowing gay folks to marry. Pat Robertson promptly declared this means the end of America and civilization. Personally, and my lovely partner Sue would agree with me, I think the LGBT community made a mistake in pushing for marriage equality. I think passing a law giving the LGBT community the right to work without being fired, the right to housing and other protections is more important than the right to marry. Too many members of the community live in fear of being fired, of losing housing, of suffering economic hardship if they come out. I think this needs to be corrected as much as obtaining the right to marry.
Having said this, this is still a major victory along the civil rights continuum for the LGBT community and should be celebrated. Is this an omen of the decline of America? I doubt it. The irony is that America is in decline because of the actions of wealthy white (mostly male) millionaires/billionaires who probably pal around with Robertson. The same men who began in the 1980"s to export all of our manufacturing of steel, cars, clothes, appliances overseas where they can exploit foreign labor in places like Hong Kong and Mexico while not paying fair wages and getting around environmental and safety standards. My maternal grandfather worked for a mill as a welder (and was unionized) and made a fair enough wage that he was able to purchase a car, appliances and take vacations. Not something you can do in the "service industry" making $10.00 an hour. But the rich white men who own these plants/industries know this. This is why the rich are getting richer by the minute and the middle class is fading away. This is not a very good recipe for Democracy. The Republicans blame Obama for high unemployment, but where are you supposed to get a job when we don't make anything here anymore? This has been happening long before Obama became president.
I saw an article on CNN calling Michelle Bachmann a Christian feminist? Are you kidding me? Just another way the right-wing is defining feminism and distorting it.
Well it"s time to wrap up. My lunch hour is over.
Having said this, this is still a major victory along the civil rights continuum for the LGBT community and should be celebrated. Is this an omen of the decline of America? I doubt it. The irony is that America is in decline because of the actions of wealthy white (mostly male) millionaires/billionaires who probably pal around with Robertson. The same men who began in the 1980"s to export all of our manufacturing of steel, cars, clothes, appliances overseas where they can exploit foreign labor in places like Hong Kong and Mexico while not paying fair wages and getting around environmental and safety standards. My maternal grandfather worked for a mill as a welder (and was unionized) and made a fair enough wage that he was able to purchase a car, appliances and take vacations. Not something you can do in the "service industry" making $10.00 an hour. But the rich white men who own these plants/industries know this. This is why the rich are getting richer by the minute and the middle class is fading away. This is not a very good recipe for Democracy. The Republicans blame Obama for high unemployment, but where are you supposed to get a job when we don't make anything here anymore? This has been happening long before Obama became president.
I saw an article on CNN calling Michelle Bachmann a Christian feminist? Are you kidding me? Just another way the right-wing is defining feminism and distorting it.
Well it"s time to wrap up. My lunch hour is over.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Scary strange times
I'm still here because the rapture didn't happen.
I'm sitting here in Starbucks listening to the World Cafe who has a guest named James Blake that does "soulful" electronica. His new "album" is acclaimed by all those who matter and it's pretty good. I've purchased some great music -- my definition - lately. Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Battles, Gang, Gang Dance, Lady Gaga, Bon Iver and a lesbian I really like called "Tender Forever." I saw her at the Warhol as an opening act sometime in 2006-2007.
Music is my crack addiction, my nicotine fix. I can't get enough of it. But I guess I will have to cut back -- no more Paul's CDs for me. This is because I saw my financial advisor today who cheerily informed me that I will never be able to retire and will be living in a van down by the river -- a sly SNL reference. Pretty depressing. Making more money would help -- and I will have to get a new job because I will never make a lot of money working for the city. Or get a decent part-time job which I'm loathe to do because, well, I'm lazy and I worked two jobs a long time ago when I had my law practice and it was a royal pain in the ass and was very tiring. I'm now at least ten years older than I was then. I like my down time, my me time. Sigh. But I have to do something. Sue tells me no one our age will be able to retire, that it's now a distant, fond memory of the past. She may be right. But working for the City until I keel over isn't in my list of great wishes.
The LGBT community seems to be plagued lately by well placed right wing imposters. I say this in reference to the GLAAD and AT & T scandal. I wonder if this is happening in other areas. The LGBT community, labor, women, immigrants, and the jewish comunity are all under seige. There was a fascinating, truly scary article in Rolling Stone about the founder of Fox News, Roger Ailes, who worked for Richard Nixon. Some people in California are pushing anti-circumcision laws and, conveniently, one of them published an anti-semitic comic book. Guess who was the villan??
Our own Darryl Metcalfe is leading the charge against gay marriage and making it harder for the core constituents of the Democrat party --the poor, minorities and older folks -- to vote by proposing a law that requires ID to vote. Because you know, just like in Egypt, voter fraud is rampant in Pennsylvania.
Governor Corrbett is pushing charter schools which will bleed the public schools dry of pupils and resources and, conveniently, impact the teacher's union. Then there's Marcellus Shale allowing the drilling companies to do what they want. And the recently paased law that allows me to shoot first and ask questions later if I fear you. I wonder how that will turn out?? Then there is Poplawski. A prime case of what happens when an unbalanced individual has access to large quantities of guns and ammunition. He had 900 rounds in his house. What the f**k does one person need with that much ammo?? But the ole National Rifle Association says he can have it and should have it. God forbid we have universal health care in this country but, at least, we can have our guns and our ammo. And shoot first like in the Wild West when we feel threatened.
President Obama was in town. And the furries are in town. I missed the President and so far have missed the furries.
I am listening to Yacht's new album "Shangri-la" on NPR. Very bouncy and catchy. Too bad I can't add it to my list. You know, to avoid that van down by the river.
My mom, at age 73, is contemplating getting a computer. When she does, she can be the third follower of this little blog.
A woman attacked the McCandless Target with a baseball bat for refusing to return her merchandise. She broke the windows out of three doors. Should recruit her for the Pirates. Except that she appears to need mental health help. I hope she gets it. Good luck with that here in Pittsburgh. While every other lesbian is a therapist we seem to lack qualified psychiatrists and adequate outpatient treatment.
Speaking of unhinged individuals, the Flaming Lips, one of my favorite groups, is issuing their music on some type of flash drives imbedded in unique gummy candy containers. Like skulls, fetuses and -- vaginas. I would love to get my hands on these, but I'm quite sure they won't come to Pittsburgh. Though... I should ask Paul"s CDs. Wait, wait, the poverty thing.
Oh well, I can always dream.
I'm sitting here in Starbucks listening to the World Cafe who has a guest named James Blake that does "soulful" electronica. His new "album" is acclaimed by all those who matter and it's pretty good. I've purchased some great music -- my definition - lately. Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket, Battles, Gang, Gang Dance, Lady Gaga, Bon Iver and a lesbian I really like called "Tender Forever." I saw her at the Warhol as an opening act sometime in 2006-2007.
Music is my crack addiction, my nicotine fix. I can't get enough of it. But I guess I will have to cut back -- no more Paul's CDs for me. This is because I saw my financial advisor today who cheerily informed me that I will never be able to retire and will be living in a van down by the river -- a sly SNL reference. Pretty depressing. Making more money would help -- and I will have to get a new job because I will never make a lot of money working for the city. Or get a decent part-time job which I'm loathe to do because, well, I'm lazy and I worked two jobs a long time ago when I had my law practice and it was a royal pain in the ass and was very tiring. I'm now at least ten years older than I was then. I like my down time, my me time. Sigh. But I have to do something. Sue tells me no one our age will be able to retire, that it's now a distant, fond memory of the past. She may be right. But working for the City until I keel over isn't in my list of great wishes.
The LGBT community seems to be plagued lately by well placed right wing imposters. I say this in reference to the GLAAD and AT & T scandal. I wonder if this is happening in other areas. The LGBT community, labor, women, immigrants, and the jewish comunity are all under seige. There was a fascinating, truly scary article in Rolling Stone about the founder of Fox News, Roger Ailes, who worked for Richard Nixon. Some people in California are pushing anti-circumcision laws and, conveniently, one of them published an anti-semitic comic book. Guess who was the villan??
Our own Darryl Metcalfe is leading the charge against gay marriage and making it harder for the core constituents of the Democrat party --the poor, minorities and older folks -- to vote by proposing a law that requires ID to vote. Because you know, just like in Egypt, voter fraud is rampant in Pennsylvania.
Governor Corrbett is pushing charter schools which will bleed the public schools dry of pupils and resources and, conveniently, impact the teacher's union. Then there's Marcellus Shale allowing the drilling companies to do what they want. And the recently paased law that allows me to shoot first and ask questions later if I fear you. I wonder how that will turn out?? Then there is Poplawski. A prime case of what happens when an unbalanced individual has access to large quantities of guns and ammunition. He had 900 rounds in his house. What the f**k does one person need with that much ammo?? But the ole National Rifle Association says he can have it and should have it. God forbid we have universal health care in this country but, at least, we can have our guns and our ammo. And shoot first like in the Wild West when we feel threatened.
President Obama was in town. And the furries are in town. I missed the President and so far have missed the furries.
I am listening to Yacht's new album "Shangri-la" on NPR. Very bouncy and catchy. Too bad I can't add it to my list. You know, to avoid that van down by the river.
My mom, at age 73, is contemplating getting a computer. When she does, she can be the third follower of this little blog.
A woman attacked the McCandless Target with a baseball bat for refusing to return her merchandise. She broke the windows out of three doors. Should recruit her for the Pirates. Except that she appears to need mental health help. I hope she gets it. Good luck with that here in Pittsburgh. While every other lesbian is a therapist we seem to lack qualified psychiatrists and adequate outpatient treatment.
Speaking of unhinged individuals, the Flaming Lips, one of my favorite groups, is issuing their music on some type of flash drives imbedded in unique gummy candy containers. Like skulls, fetuses and -- vaginas. I would love to get my hands on these, but I'm quite sure they won't come to Pittsburgh. Though... I should ask Paul"s CDs. Wait, wait, the poverty thing.
Oh well, I can always dream.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Blog for Equality Day 2011
What to say about Darryl Metcalfe the esteemed representative from Cranberry?
First some background on me. I grew up in a very small town called West Middlesex located in Mercer County which is about an hour away from here. Living there was not easy, in fact, it was sheer hell. At the time I did not know I was a lesbian/gay, I just knew I was different. Very different. When the opportunity came at last to go away to college at Penn State's main campus I was ready. While at college I discovered why I was different. Now I had a name -- homosexuality -- to go with why I was different. And I was okay with it. I remember going to the student bookstore to read all I could about what it meant to be gay. I never felt morally inferior because I was gay or that I was going to hell. When I reached law school at West Virginia University I got my first taste of homophobia when I confided in someone who promptly told others. Several of my female classmates who were "friends" who sat next to me in class literally moved across the room from me. I guess being gay was like having the "cooties." It was juvenile, despicable behavior. It hurt but I never considered hiding from my true self.
When I graduated from law school my maternal grandpa wanted me to move back home and get a lawyer job in Sharon, the "big town" near West Middlesex. I decided to move and live in Pittsburgh instead where at least I knew they had a "gay" newspaper and gay bars. Occasionally as I have gotten older I have felt a pang of remorse about the decision to move away from my grandparents who I was very close to. But Darryl Metcalfe always reinforces my decision that living in the "big city" was the right choice.
I used to pass by Cranberry occasionally on my way home from Pittsburgh. Ten, twenty years ago it was nothing but fields. Now it is urban sprawl with a capital U S. It also seems as though it is a frontline on the continuing war against the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender community. Recently one of the pro-family groups had a shindig there and pro-family typically means anti-LGBT. Now I don't know if the folks who live in the Cranberry area are "bigots" but they do keep electing Mr. Metcalfe who is known for making outrageous defamatory statements about our community. I do know that Mr. Metcalfe ably demonstrates the narrowmindedness that I wanted to escape from when I left for college/left for Pittsburgh.
Amending the Pennsylvania constitution to discriminate further against a class of people who are not only citizens but TAXPAYERS (people like him seem to forget this) is nothing but pandering to base elements of society who are afraid/don't like people who are "different." Mr. Metcalfe may think of himself as some type of righteous defender against the LGBT hordes who are poised to ransack the good people of Pennsylvania with their desire to get married, but I suspect he is a typical politician who would not be doing this unless he is getting clues from his constituents that this is okay. And that's the truly scary part. I am biased of course but I fail to see how "gay" marriage would destroy heterosexual marriages and the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Heterosexuals dont't need our help in destroying their marriages, they seem to be perfectly competent doing it without our help (see Spears, Brittany) among others. To deny two people who love each other and want to have the same type of rights and priveleges as everyone else is not based on science or economics, it is based on fear. Fear fueled by religions who twist and turn the Bible into justification to hate others.
Fear is something that the right wing has been perfecting and pandering with since the dawn of the civil rights movements. Both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan were masters at it. Now Mr. Metcalfe has allies to work with and a republican governor to enable him. For the LGBT community beating back this amendment is imperative because Mr. Metcalfe and others probably won't stop once they get some successes. Contact your state legislator, write letters to the editor or blog or facebook posts. Do all that you can because the right-wing has an agenda to discriminate against our community, to take away a woman's right to choose, to eviscerate the unions, to roll back and push back the rights of anyone that they don't like. We are in the crosshairs nationally and state wide. It is 2011 and still we are discriminating based on fear and irrational hatred.
First some background on me. I grew up in a very small town called West Middlesex located in Mercer County which is about an hour away from here. Living there was not easy, in fact, it was sheer hell. At the time I did not know I was a lesbian/gay, I just knew I was different. Very different. When the opportunity came at last to go away to college at Penn State's main campus I was ready. While at college I discovered why I was different. Now I had a name -- homosexuality -- to go with why I was different. And I was okay with it. I remember going to the student bookstore to read all I could about what it meant to be gay. I never felt morally inferior because I was gay or that I was going to hell. When I reached law school at West Virginia University I got my first taste of homophobia when I confided in someone who promptly told others. Several of my female classmates who were "friends" who sat next to me in class literally moved across the room from me. I guess being gay was like having the "cooties." It was juvenile, despicable behavior. It hurt but I never considered hiding from my true self.
When I graduated from law school my maternal grandpa wanted me to move back home and get a lawyer job in Sharon, the "big town" near West Middlesex. I decided to move and live in Pittsburgh instead where at least I knew they had a "gay" newspaper and gay bars. Occasionally as I have gotten older I have felt a pang of remorse about the decision to move away from my grandparents who I was very close to. But Darryl Metcalfe always reinforces my decision that living in the "big city" was the right choice.
I used to pass by Cranberry occasionally on my way home from Pittsburgh. Ten, twenty years ago it was nothing but fields. Now it is urban sprawl with a capital U S. It also seems as though it is a frontline on the continuing war against the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender community. Recently one of the pro-family groups had a shindig there and pro-family typically means anti-LGBT. Now I don't know if the folks who live in the Cranberry area are "bigots" but they do keep electing Mr. Metcalfe who is known for making outrageous defamatory statements about our community. I do know that Mr. Metcalfe ably demonstrates the narrowmindedness that I wanted to escape from when I left for college/left for Pittsburgh.
Amending the Pennsylvania constitution to discriminate further against a class of people who are not only citizens but TAXPAYERS (people like him seem to forget this) is nothing but pandering to base elements of society who are afraid/don't like people who are "different." Mr. Metcalfe may think of himself as some type of righteous defender against the LGBT hordes who are poised to ransack the good people of Pennsylvania with their desire to get married, but I suspect he is a typical politician who would not be doing this unless he is getting clues from his constituents that this is okay. And that's the truly scary part. I am biased of course but I fail to see how "gay" marriage would destroy heterosexual marriages and the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Heterosexuals dont't need our help in destroying their marriages, they seem to be perfectly competent doing it without our help (see Spears, Brittany) among others. To deny two people who love each other and want to have the same type of rights and priveleges as everyone else is not based on science or economics, it is based on fear. Fear fueled by religions who twist and turn the Bible into justification to hate others.
Fear is something that the right wing has been perfecting and pandering with since the dawn of the civil rights movements. Both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan were masters at it. Now Mr. Metcalfe has allies to work with and a republican governor to enable him. For the LGBT community beating back this amendment is imperative because Mr. Metcalfe and others probably won't stop once they get some successes. Contact your state legislator, write letters to the editor or blog or facebook posts. Do all that you can because the right-wing has an agenda to discriminate against our community, to take away a woman's right to choose, to eviscerate the unions, to roll back and push back the rights of anyone that they don't like. We are in the crosshairs nationally and state wide. It is 2011 and still we are discriminating based on fear and irrational hatred.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Victoria Jackson and rap
Wow, I can't believe it's been since March 4 that I last blogged. Where have I been? I promised myself that I would do this every day but when I get home at night, other stuff beckons like feeding the small herd of cats.
Anyway there's a lot to discuss. Victoria Jackson a former SNL performer has been all over the news lately. First she went to the conservative shindig and complained about how hard it is for Christians to get parts in Holloywood because of discrimination. Funny, I didn't think right-wing Christians had a sense of humor. She has also apparently called President Obama a muslim and/or communist. Then this week she popped up on CNN.com again to complain about the gay kiss on Glee and the fact that gays and secular humanism were destroying America. She rambled on about the persecution of Christians and held up her Bible. She appeared to be under the influence of something -- perhaps Jesus juice? She was out there, man. She also said the gay Glee kiss was harming gay youth. The host of the program -- one of those Insider types actually challenged her. Sue and I discussed whether she is for real or just gaming us -- like some extended SNL skit. I hear she has a blog -- who among us doesn't these days -- and that it's something to behold. I think I may google it and check it out.
Now for the rap portion of our programming. I read a blog called Metacritic.com on a daily basis. Today they were featuring the top "albums" of the spring. One of the featured albums was the new one by Pittsburgh rapper Whiz Khalifa. I am not usually a rap fan. For a lot of reasons. But I clicked on the song and, if you can get past the constant references to "bitches," it's a rather catchy song. I don't think I would go out and buy it, but you never know. He's getting a lot of love in the national media including my favorite music blog, Pitchforkmedia.com. He was also on the cover of Rolling Stone. Speaking of Roling Stone, I read somewhere about the fact that certain people are questioning it's relevancy. I am a faithful subscriber and have noticed that they are covering a lot of the newer artisits. They need to put some of them on the cover instead of Snooki but nonetheless they are trying. But, I would subscribe just for the articles on politics by Matt Taibbi. I just read his latest article on Wall Street (I am behind in my reading too) and it was a brillant article.
Musically, I have been listening to concerts on NPRmusic.org from South by Southwest music festival. My wish is to go there someday. Guess it's on my bucket list. There is so much great music out there and I want to go to Paul's and buy it all. I may have to break down and buy an Itunes card so I can download some of it to my MP3 player.
Japan, Libya, a lot going on there. Of course the usual right-wing nuts have said the tsunami in Japan is the coming of the Apocalypse. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. What it is, however, is a damn shame and a terrible thing for that country to go through. And we don't need the so called Christians nammering on about the end of the world. Use your money and influence for good.
That's all folks.
Anyway there's a lot to discuss. Victoria Jackson a former SNL performer has been all over the news lately. First she went to the conservative shindig and complained about how hard it is for Christians to get parts in Holloywood because of discrimination. Funny, I didn't think right-wing Christians had a sense of humor. She has also apparently called President Obama a muslim and/or communist. Then this week she popped up on CNN.com again to complain about the gay kiss on Glee and the fact that gays and secular humanism were destroying America. She rambled on about the persecution of Christians and held up her Bible. She appeared to be under the influence of something -- perhaps Jesus juice? She was out there, man. She also said the gay Glee kiss was harming gay youth. The host of the program -- one of those Insider types actually challenged her. Sue and I discussed whether she is for real or just gaming us -- like some extended SNL skit. I hear she has a blog -- who among us doesn't these days -- and that it's something to behold. I think I may google it and check it out.
Now for the rap portion of our programming. I read a blog called Metacritic.com on a daily basis. Today they were featuring the top "albums" of the spring. One of the featured albums was the new one by Pittsburgh rapper Whiz Khalifa. I am not usually a rap fan. For a lot of reasons. But I clicked on the song and, if you can get past the constant references to "bitches," it's a rather catchy song. I don't think I would go out and buy it, but you never know. He's getting a lot of love in the national media including my favorite music blog, Pitchforkmedia.com. He was also on the cover of Rolling Stone. Speaking of Roling Stone, I read somewhere about the fact that certain people are questioning it's relevancy. I am a faithful subscriber and have noticed that they are covering a lot of the newer artisits. They need to put some of them on the cover instead of Snooki but nonetheless they are trying. But, I would subscribe just for the articles on politics by Matt Taibbi. I just read his latest article on Wall Street (I am behind in my reading too) and it was a brillant article.
Musically, I have been listening to concerts on NPRmusic.org from South by Southwest music festival. My wish is to go there someday. Guess it's on my bucket list. There is so much great music out there and I want to go to Paul's and buy it all. I may have to break down and buy an Itunes card so I can download some of it to my MP3 player.
Japan, Libya, a lot going on there. Of course the usual right-wing nuts have said the tsunami in Japan is the coming of the Apocalypse. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. What it is, however, is a damn shame and a terrible thing for that country to go through. And we don't need the so called Christians nammering on about the end of the world. Use your money and influence for good.
That's all folks.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Friday night bowling
Tonight we stayed in and had leftovers. Then we did Wii bowling. I got beat but held my own. I'm writing this while I listen to a World Cafe session on Iron and Wine, a favorite group of mine. This week I have been listening to the steaming of the new "albums" by REM, Kurt Vile and the Mountain Goats. So far, I like all of them. The Kurt Vile record I like a lot. He is coming to the Warhol so I might see if I can get a ticket and go see him. I like to see shows at the Warhol. They bring in great artists in an intimate atmosphere with a great sound system.
I loved REM when I discovered them in college/law school. I saw my one and only REM concert when I was at WVU law school. The Indigo Girls opened up for them!! Unfortunately I have not cared for their last few albums. Many of the critics/talking heads are saying this new release is their best since their work in the 80's. I have listened to it several times and I am slowly liking it. I would like to listen to it a few more times but several of the songs do sound like the vintage 80's stuff.
As for the Mountain Goats, I discovered them awhile ago -- I can't really remember when but I probably read about them on Pitchforkmedia. I love their music -- I say "their" loosely because they are the work of one main man, John Darnielle (sp?). He is a very literate song writer and his themes are about broken down people and other heavy subjects. I really like this new "album." His last one was good but was very bleak and a little depressing.
I have to give thanks to NPR. I know the right wingers want to cut the funding but I so love their website because I have been able to preview a lot of great stuff before it comes out so I can decide what to spend my money on. In addition, I get to hear all kinds of new music by artists I have read about or never heard but get to discover. Music, for me, is life.
I meant to write this post last night when I discovered that all of my favorite shows were re-runs. Thursday nights are my night for TV. Three of my favorite shows are on that night -- the show about the little nerds (Big Bang Theory); old school CSI (the original Las Vegas edition) and the Mentalist. Unfortunately two shows I also really like -- Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock are on opposite my favorite CBS shows and we don't have cable and/or a DVR so if I don't remember to watch online I'm out of luck. Unfortunately those shows weren't on last night so I read my book on the introduction to the Universalist Unitarian religion instead of watching TV or blogging.
The UU religion is fascinating to me. I was raised Presbyterian but never quite believed everything I was taught or read -- such as all homos are going to hell -- and that there is a hell and an afterlife or that Christ was resurrected, etc. etc. But UU doesn't say it's important to beleive all that and that what's important is the way you live your life and your deeds which I always thought was the way to go. So even though I am only part way through the book and have been to two adult education classes and five Sundays it is very appealing to me --what I'm hearing and reading so far.
I loved REM when I discovered them in college/law school. I saw my one and only REM concert when I was at WVU law school. The Indigo Girls opened up for them!! Unfortunately I have not cared for their last few albums. Many of the critics/talking heads are saying this new release is their best since their work in the 80's. I have listened to it several times and I am slowly liking it. I would like to listen to it a few more times but several of the songs do sound like the vintage 80's stuff.
As for the Mountain Goats, I discovered them awhile ago -- I can't really remember when but I probably read about them on Pitchforkmedia. I love their music -- I say "their" loosely because they are the work of one main man, John Darnielle (sp?). He is a very literate song writer and his themes are about broken down people and other heavy subjects. I really like this new "album." His last one was good but was very bleak and a little depressing.
I have to give thanks to NPR. I know the right wingers want to cut the funding but I so love their website because I have been able to preview a lot of great stuff before it comes out so I can decide what to spend my money on. In addition, I get to hear all kinds of new music by artists I have read about or never heard but get to discover. Music, for me, is life.
I meant to write this post last night when I discovered that all of my favorite shows were re-runs. Thursday nights are my night for TV. Three of my favorite shows are on that night -- the show about the little nerds (Big Bang Theory); old school CSI (the original Las Vegas edition) and the Mentalist. Unfortunately two shows I also really like -- Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock are on opposite my favorite CBS shows and we don't have cable and/or a DVR so if I don't remember to watch online I'm out of luck. Unfortunately those shows weren't on last night so I read my book on the introduction to the Universalist Unitarian religion instead of watching TV or blogging.
The UU religion is fascinating to me. I was raised Presbyterian but never quite believed everything I was taught or read -- such as all homos are going to hell -- and that there is a hell and an afterlife or that Christ was resurrected, etc. etc. But UU doesn't say it's important to beleive all that and that what's important is the way you live your life and your deeds which I always thought was the way to go. So even though I am only part way through the book and have been to two adult education classes and five Sundays it is very appealing to me --what I'm hearing and reading so far.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The last gasp of February 2011
Tonight is the final Saturday night of February. My psychological yardstick for survivng winter is that once we get into March, and specifically once we get past Saint Patrick's day, I know we're in the home stretch and spring is finally coming. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind winter and this winter, for me, has been bearable because at least it has snowed instead of that awful winter rain we have gotten in the past. I'll take snow anyday. Although I have to admit that, unlike Philadelphia and some of the other East Coast cities, we really haven't been hit hard by tons of snow. At least not yet because you never know what March will bring. According to the weather, Monday is supposed to be close to 60 degrees and the weather is supposed to be a doozy with a lot of rain and severe weather. We'll see what happens. Being a weather forecaster is one of the few jobs you can have where you can get paid well for being wrong a large part of the time. That we all should be so lucky.
This week has brought some interesting news with the true nature of the Tea Party/Republican right wing coming into focus. According to a transcript of a conversation that a liberal blog -- masquerading as a Koch brother, a secretive extreme right-wing corporate head -- had with the Republican governor of Wisconsin the true motive is to break the unions because, well, for extremely rich, corporate people, unions are a thorn in their side because they demand that their employees be treated fairly. It seems that the Koch brothers and their ilk want to take us back to the good old days of the 1800's when the rich could do whatever they damn well pleased and the workers had to take the bread crumbs given to them. You only need to look at former Massey coal head Don Blankenship to see the example of what this might look like for America. The individuals behind the Tea Party are not lowly working men and women. They are rich, white fucks like Dick Armey and Karl Rove. They created this so called "populist" movement to do their bidding which is to stomp on the unions, in particular the teacher's unions, call their employees "greedy," God I love the hypocrisy in that charge, and make it so that their corporate brethen can do whatever they damn well choose in the name of profits. You see this in the desire to roll back all the environmental and food safety laws and their condescending pats on the head to us with the admonition that the corporations don't need regulations and that they will do what's best for us. What's fascinating for me is how willingly "regular" Americans are to go along with this charade and cut their own throats. What's also interesting is that many of the so-called anti-government tea baggers don't hesitate to take federal beneifts. I just read an article tonight on CNN about the god-mother of the Tea Party movement who, surprise, surpirse, decries big government but is on Medicare for her hips. For more examples of this look no further than a great article that Matt Taibbi wrote for that liberal, pinko rag Rolling Stone on the Tea Party movement. And, in Pittsburgh, the woman who runs the tea party here is a rich, white woman who lives in one of the rich suburbs of Pittsburgh. Yes, Virginia, these people are working for your rights (not).
It's scary. The rich folks exported all of our good paying jobs overseas and left us with an economy based on jobs at Walmart. And none of the so-called service jobs pay enough for their workers to buy a house, a car, or any of the other trappings of the elusive middle class life. Meanwhile executives at the large corporations are being paid millions of dollars A YEAR to run their corporations. Who is worth 5 million dollars? That's just obscene. And the tea partiers are complaining about teachers and public sector workers being greedy?? I work as a public employee for the City and I can guarantee you that I am not getting wealthy. And I have a law degree. Yes, it was my choice to work for the City instead of chasing people for money all the time and worrying if I would make enough each month to pay the bills. But don't demonize me because I'm a public sector employee. I heard that the FOP joined in on the protests in the Capital in Wisconsin. Wonder what political motive they had for doing this? The FOP here in Pittsburgh goes on about other unions being bad, liberals being evil, etc. etc. but they have one of the strongest unions in the country along with the firefighters and they are usually backing Republicans. So wonder what's going on with them in Wisconsin.
The fight to crush the unions is coming here to Pennsylvania. Corbett is already for "school choice" which is the right-wing code word for breaking the teacher's union. Of course this is all done in the name of protecting poor black students. Meanwhile guess which social service programs that benefit these same students are being cut??
In today's issue of the Post-Gazette a straight, presumably white woman wrote an article about who is advocating for people like her who are normal and not freaks (her words). She then spends a great portion of her article talking about how all the gay/lesbian individuals have people like Lady Gaga speaking out for them when her kind of people don't. Well, I agree to a point. Women in general in this society don't have people standing up for them -- witness the recent wars on abortion -- but the freaks and not normal individuals have been demonized, denied the right to marry, until recently the right to serve in the military, denied employment and other various types of civil rights while she at least can enjoy some of these rights. Just stay away from Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Sheen.
Oh, and by the way, I listened to the new Radiohead "album" tonight that is streaming on Rollingstone.com. Several commentators have said it's their most divisive album. Well, I did listen to it only once and on my computer, but, it sounded like just another Radiohead album to me. Which by that I mean I didn't notice a big difference between this album and their last few albums.
This week has brought some interesting news with the true nature of the Tea Party/Republican right wing coming into focus. According to a transcript of a conversation that a liberal blog -- masquerading as a Koch brother, a secretive extreme right-wing corporate head -- had with the Republican governor of Wisconsin the true motive is to break the unions because, well, for extremely rich, corporate people, unions are a thorn in their side because they demand that their employees be treated fairly. It seems that the Koch brothers and their ilk want to take us back to the good old days of the 1800's when the rich could do whatever they damn well pleased and the workers had to take the bread crumbs given to them. You only need to look at former Massey coal head Don Blankenship to see the example of what this might look like for America. The individuals behind the Tea Party are not lowly working men and women. They are rich, white fucks like Dick Armey and Karl Rove. They created this so called "populist" movement to do their bidding which is to stomp on the unions, in particular the teacher's unions, call their employees "greedy," God I love the hypocrisy in that charge, and make it so that their corporate brethen can do whatever they damn well choose in the name of profits. You see this in the desire to roll back all the environmental and food safety laws and their condescending pats on the head to us with the admonition that the corporations don't need regulations and that they will do what's best for us. What's fascinating for me is how willingly "regular" Americans are to go along with this charade and cut their own throats. What's also interesting is that many of the so-called anti-government tea baggers don't hesitate to take federal beneifts. I just read an article tonight on CNN about the god-mother of the Tea Party movement who, surprise, surpirse, decries big government but is on Medicare for her hips. For more examples of this look no further than a great article that Matt Taibbi wrote for that liberal, pinko rag Rolling Stone on the Tea Party movement. And, in Pittsburgh, the woman who runs the tea party here is a rich, white woman who lives in one of the rich suburbs of Pittsburgh. Yes, Virginia, these people are working for your rights (not).
It's scary. The rich folks exported all of our good paying jobs overseas and left us with an economy based on jobs at Walmart. And none of the so-called service jobs pay enough for their workers to buy a house, a car, or any of the other trappings of the elusive middle class life. Meanwhile executives at the large corporations are being paid millions of dollars A YEAR to run their corporations. Who is worth 5 million dollars? That's just obscene. And the tea partiers are complaining about teachers and public sector workers being greedy?? I work as a public employee for the City and I can guarantee you that I am not getting wealthy. And I have a law degree. Yes, it was my choice to work for the City instead of chasing people for money all the time and worrying if I would make enough each month to pay the bills. But don't demonize me because I'm a public sector employee. I heard that the FOP joined in on the protests in the Capital in Wisconsin. Wonder what political motive they had for doing this? The FOP here in Pittsburgh goes on about other unions being bad, liberals being evil, etc. etc. but they have one of the strongest unions in the country along with the firefighters and they are usually backing Republicans. So wonder what's going on with them in Wisconsin.
The fight to crush the unions is coming here to Pennsylvania. Corbett is already for "school choice" which is the right-wing code word for breaking the teacher's union. Of course this is all done in the name of protecting poor black students. Meanwhile guess which social service programs that benefit these same students are being cut??
In today's issue of the Post-Gazette a straight, presumably white woman wrote an article about who is advocating for people like her who are normal and not freaks (her words). She then spends a great portion of her article talking about how all the gay/lesbian individuals have people like Lady Gaga speaking out for them when her kind of people don't. Well, I agree to a point. Women in general in this society don't have people standing up for them -- witness the recent wars on abortion -- but the freaks and not normal individuals have been demonized, denied the right to marry, until recently the right to serve in the military, denied employment and other various types of civil rights while she at least can enjoy some of these rights. Just stay away from Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Sheen.
Oh, and by the way, I listened to the new Radiohead "album" tonight that is streaming on Rollingstone.com. Several commentators have said it's their most divisive album. Well, I did listen to it only once and on my computer, but, it sounded like just another Radiohead album to me. Which by that I mean I didn't notice a big difference between this album and their last few albums.
Last dregs of February
It;s a Saturday night and I am sitting at Cafe Mocha in Squirrel Hill watching people stream up the street carrying pizza from Mineos at 9 o'clock at night. Ah, back in the day when I could eat pizza late.
I forgot to mention in my last post regarding things changing that Hoi Polloi one of our favorite coffee houses/restaurants closed. The food was the best and they made the best smoothies in Pittsburgh. I really miss being able to go there.
My mood is a little better this week. I'm settling into my new office and beginning to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Had a great night last night out with some friends, a nice dinner tonight with friends and am looking forward to watching the Oscars tomorrow night with our friend Kerry. All in all it's been a good weekend.
I forgot to mention in my last post regarding things changing that Hoi Polloi one of our favorite coffee houses/restaurants closed. The food was the best and they made the best smoothies in Pittsburgh. I really miss being able to go there.
My mood is a little better this week. I'm settling into my new office and beginning to enjoy the peace and quiet.
Had a great night last night out with some friends, a nice dinner tonight with friends and am looking forward to watching the Oscars tomorrow night with our friend Kerry. All in all it's been a good weekend.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Things that are gone
For some reason lately I have been very melancholy -- you know, the fancified word for sad. I feel like a lot of things in my life have been turned upside down. I am settled into a new office at work but at the expense of my former colleague who sued the city and finally got her settlement this week. She is now off to greener pastures for awhile until she can figure out what's next. Another co-worker of mine left this past fall to work at an insurance company. Both of my former colleagues have moved on, but I wonder if I'm stuck. This time last year I was working with a job coach who I thought would help me decide whether I should stay or go, but that didn't work out quite the way I thought it would/hoped it would. I was full of hope and optimism this time last year but I'm not now. I know that's the way life goes, but it can be sad sometimes.
This summer they started tearing down the old Animal Friends building where I first adopted my beloved cats Boris and Natasha. The building is now totally down and the lot full of rubble.
I've mentioned the loss of my Friday night routine with the cancellation of two of my favorite TV shows.
My "family" has also gone through some changes. My partner's life has taken an unexpected new direction. My mother is getting ready to tear down my maternal grandparent's house. I have an emotional attachment to this house. It has sat empty since my grandmother died in 2008. My mom essentially stripped the house of all of the fixtures, doors, windows, etc. I haven't been in it for quite awhile. I just can't bear to go in since I have such fond memories of that house. It was a safe refuge for me as a kid who grew up in a pretty bad family. My grandparents had an above the ground swimming pool that we use to swim in pratically day and night. I remember coming in for a break and my grandmother would serve me the ham or roast beef leftovers as sandwiches slathered in mayonaise on white bread. She would sit and talk with me about all kinds of things. She would take a break from watching her "stories." I really miss her and my grandpa. They both lived very long, full lives and I was lucky to have them both living well into my forties although the light went out of my grandmother's eyes when she got into her mid eighties and all of her friends started to die. When the house gets torn down it will be so weird to see the gaping space where it used to be.
I got a new sponsor in Alanon after my former sponsor had a health issue.
And I am lonely at work and in my personal life -- I have lost some friends over the past few years and I need to start making new friends which is daunting for me because I assume people won't like me. But, with the help of Alanon I am slowly overcoming some of this fear. And I do have some good friends, my friend James in West Virgina has been such a wonderful, great friend, Lisel and Joe, the Sarahs. So I have to be thankful for these people in my life.
The one constant in my life that always brings me joy is music. Sue and I went to Cleveland several summers ago to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A fantastic place for music lovers! During the trip Sue indulged my wish to visit a local Indie music store. We went to a small store called Music Saves. And that about sums it up for me, all through my life, I have always loved and had music. From records, to cassettes to CDs to mp3s I have always surrounded myself with music. It's a great passion for me. Too bad I can't figure out how to make a career out of it. When I was a kid I wanted to be a rock star. And I would have been a great rock star except for the small problem that I can neither sing nor play an instrument. Minor detail in the punk community but I was more of a classic girl.
Speaking of music, there is a new Bright Eyes CD out which I want to get. The critics haven't liked it, but they didn't like the last CD called Cassadaga and I really liked it so this time I won't pay attention to the critics. And if there are still tickets left to see the Decemberists next week, when I get paid, I just might buy a ticket and go. And I may go this weekend to my favorite religious place, Paul's CDs in Bloomfield. I have a recurring nightmare that Paul's closes and I surely don't want that to happen and be another change in my life!
This summer they started tearing down the old Animal Friends building where I first adopted my beloved cats Boris and Natasha. The building is now totally down and the lot full of rubble.
I've mentioned the loss of my Friday night routine with the cancellation of two of my favorite TV shows.
My "family" has also gone through some changes. My partner's life has taken an unexpected new direction. My mother is getting ready to tear down my maternal grandparent's house. I have an emotional attachment to this house. It has sat empty since my grandmother died in 2008. My mom essentially stripped the house of all of the fixtures, doors, windows, etc. I haven't been in it for quite awhile. I just can't bear to go in since I have such fond memories of that house. It was a safe refuge for me as a kid who grew up in a pretty bad family. My grandparents had an above the ground swimming pool that we use to swim in pratically day and night. I remember coming in for a break and my grandmother would serve me the ham or roast beef leftovers as sandwiches slathered in mayonaise on white bread. She would sit and talk with me about all kinds of things. She would take a break from watching her "stories." I really miss her and my grandpa. They both lived very long, full lives and I was lucky to have them both living well into my forties although the light went out of my grandmother's eyes when she got into her mid eighties and all of her friends started to die. When the house gets torn down it will be so weird to see the gaping space where it used to be.
I got a new sponsor in Alanon after my former sponsor had a health issue.
And I am lonely at work and in my personal life -- I have lost some friends over the past few years and I need to start making new friends which is daunting for me because I assume people won't like me. But, with the help of Alanon I am slowly overcoming some of this fear. And I do have some good friends, my friend James in West Virgina has been such a wonderful, great friend, Lisel and Joe, the Sarahs. So I have to be thankful for these people in my life.
The one constant in my life that always brings me joy is music. Sue and I went to Cleveland several summers ago to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A fantastic place for music lovers! During the trip Sue indulged my wish to visit a local Indie music store. We went to a small store called Music Saves. And that about sums it up for me, all through my life, I have always loved and had music. From records, to cassettes to CDs to mp3s I have always surrounded myself with music. It's a great passion for me. Too bad I can't figure out how to make a career out of it. When I was a kid I wanted to be a rock star. And I would have been a great rock star except for the small problem that I can neither sing nor play an instrument. Minor detail in the punk community but I was more of a classic girl.
Speaking of music, there is a new Bright Eyes CD out which I want to get. The critics haven't liked it, but they didn't like the last CD called Cassadaga and I really liked it so this time I won't pay attention to the critics. And if there are still tickets left to see the Decemberists next week, when I get paid, I just might buy a ticket and go. And I may go this weekend to my favorite religious place, Paul's CDs in Bloomfield. I have a recurring nightmare that Paul's closes and I surely don't want that to happen and be another change in my life!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Winter Blues.
Sue and I are here at Crazy Mocha on a cold winter's Friday night. She treated me to a hot chai latte which I really like. Back when it was in the beautiful 90's this summer I used to get it iced. But spring is around the corner, the groundhog said so.
Because of fiscal austerity measures I didn't get tickets to the Decemberists concert. I did see them on their last tour so I can't complain too much. And we are going to see U2 this summer.
Today I moved into my new office at work. I now have an entire office to myself complete with a big picture window. I have spent the entire time at work since we moved to a building in the strip district 7 years ago in a cubicle in a large room that was too cold in winter and too hot in summer with four other people. And no privacy. So now I have privacy and a door I can shut and everything. It is somewhat bittersweet though as I am taking over the office from a former co-worker who was a friend and who I miss. I am the lone "man" out AKA odd duck at work. And I'm not sure why. When I first came to OMI I had a bunch of friends and we all had lunch together and ran around. When they left I didn't seem to click with the other people who replaced them -- or they didn't click with me. Nonetheless is it rather lonely at work especially in the winter when I can't get out and walk as much. But, I am employed so I can't say too much. And I got the office because of my senority.
I miss the routine we had on Friday nights last year. We watched Ghost Whisperer, Medium and Numbers and I looked forward to coming home and hanging out with Sue upstairs while we watched TV in bed. Now all three shows are gone and have not been replaced with anything interesting. It seems as though Friday night has become a wasteland for TV. And we don't have cable so we are stuck with network tv and we only get channels 2 and 11 and 53 LOL so we're really stuck. Anyway, maybe something good will come on mid season.
I read recently that Snooki and crew are going to Italy. It amazes me how mediocrity can be rewarded. See Tony Norman's column today in the Post-Gazette. And Lindsay Lohan just stole a $2000 something necklace. Just goes to show fame and money can't make you happy or well adjusted.
Well, I've emptied my brain.
Because of fiscal austerity measures I didn't get tickets to the Decemberists concert. I did see them on their last tour so I can't complain too much. And we are going to see U2 this summer.
Today I moved into my new office at work. I now have an entire office to myself complete with a big picture window. I have spent the entire time at work since we moved to a building in the strip district 7 years ago in a cubicle in a large room that was too cold in winter and too hot in summer with four other people. And no privacy. So now I have privacy and a door I can shut and everything. It is somewhat bittersweet though as I am taking over the office from a former co-worker who was a friend and who I miss. I am the lone "man" out AKA odd duck at work. And I'm not sure why. When I first came to OMI I had a bunch of friends and we all had lunch together and ran around. When they left I didn't seem to click with the other people who replaced them -- or they didn't click with me. Nonetheless is it rather lonely at work especially in the winter when I can't get out and walk as much. But, I am employed so I can't say too much. And I got the office because of my senority.
I miss the routine we had on Friday nights last year. We watched Ghost Whisperer, Medium and Numbers and I looked forward to coming home and hanging out with Sue upstairs while we watched TV in bed. Now all three shows are gone and have not been replaced with anything interesting. It seems as though Friday night has become a wasteland for TV. And we don't have cable so we are stuck with network tv and we only get channels 2 and 11 and 53 LOL so we're really stuck. Anyway, maybe something good will come on mid season.
I read recently that Snooki and crew are going to Italy. It amazes me how mediocrity can be rewarded. See Tony Norman's column today in the Post-Gazette. And Lindsay Lohan just stole a $2000 something necklace. Just goes to show fame and money can't make you happy or well adjusted.
Well, I've emptied my brain.
Monday, February 7, 2011
February is here
Today everyone had the blues about the Steelers loss except, well, me. I'm sorry that they lost but I do wonder if their success on the field is proportionately tied to all the hype done by the local news. I'm sure Green Bay had their over the top excesses too, but the local news became a little much.I'm glad the whole damn thing is over! Now we can get onto the important things like the shootings and mayhem.
The right wing launched an Acorn like video sneak attack on Planned Parenthood. From what I'm guessing the video was of course heavily edited to make Planned Parenthood look in the least favorable light as possible. And now some gay activists are worried we will be targeted too. So a note of common sense advice. If a woman or man comes into your office(s) and says they are a pimp looking for any kind of services for their underage prostitutes, be very, very careful.
The right wing launched an Acorn like video sneak attack on Planned Parenthood. From what I'm guessing the video was of course heavily edited to make Planned Parenthood look in the least favorable light as possible. And now some gay activists are worried we will be targeted too. So a note of common sense advice. If a woman or man comes into your office(s) and says they are a pimp looking for any kind of services for their underage prostitutes, be very, very careful.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Some things to ponder
Several days ago Joel Olsteen, that smarmy television preacher, announced that homosexuality was a sin. This from a gentleman whose entire ministry can be basically boiled down to getting as much cash through Jesus as you can grab. Now I'm no biblical scholar, but I seem to remember that the Bible has more references to greed being a sin and a generally bad thing than being a homo. Just saying.
I didn't watch the State of the Union address last night, but I have read excerpts of it. There seems to be a move afoot to stop some of the environmental regulations to appease the chamber of commerce. I know President Obama wants to get re-elected and all, but this still distresses me. There was a letter in the Post Gazette yesterday from a man from Hermitage who still buys the corporate, right-wing swill that climate change is a hoax. Sorry buddy but at age 47 I can tell you how different the winters are than how they were when I was a kid. And this has been one of the snowier ones we have had in quite awhile and still not nearly enough on a consistent basis to sled ride. So I really hope they keep up with the environmental regulations so my niece and nephew have a planet to live on when they reach my age.
As I write this I am having to fend off two pissed off cats who want in my lap. I'm sure they will take revenge on me sometime later, oh, say, around 2-3 am.
And now a few words about Music. According to Pitchforkmusic.com the CD by The Decemberists is the number one album in the U.S.selling 96,567 copies and holding the top spot on the billboard top 200. I got turned onto them by listening to WYEP and have acquired most of their albums/CDs. I like a band who is literate and I love the new CD "The King is Dead." Sue and I saw them in concert a few years ago when they toured behind their Hazards of Love CD. It was one of the best concerts I have seen in a long time. And, even though the critics didn't like that CD, I liked it. So there.
Speaking of WYEP, I am really digging their new "bloc party" format on the weeknights between 8 pm and midnight. They are finally, finally playing some great new music mixed in with some great old music. I just think it's a great thing for the station and the listeners. I may even renew my membership. Although I am fast approaching the big 50 and geezerdom, I'm not one of those people stuck in the 70s and 80s and who will only listen to Barry Manilow and Foreigner (mind you I love some of the stuff from the 70s and 80s--Rolling Stones, Prince come to mind) but I also think there is some great music being made in this decade too. And now with WYEPs new format I can get to listen to some of it. Animal Collective, Outkast, The Thermals, just some of the newer bands they are playing.
I am also a big fan of the website Pitchforkmedia.com. They can be a bit precious and hipstery, but their reviews are excellent and I have found a lot of great music by reading their website/blog.
I listened to Iron and Wine in concert on nprmusic.org and heard them play their new CD "Kiss Each Other Clean." I liked it and Pitchfork gave the CD a respectable rating of 7.7 out of 10. The sound on the album is fuller but I felt like the songs were still the same as far as the quality of the story telling. I also listened to a new CD by a "band" called Destroyer, which is really Dan Bejar a member of The New Pornographers (another great, favorite band). Destroyer's new CD is called "Kaputt" and Pitchfork gave it an 8.8 rating. I liked it--the songs are very long and involved and he's another literate storyteller. I first heard about Destroyer by reading one of Post Gazette columnist Tony Norman's year end music lists a few years ago. Intrigued I bought the CD "Rubies" and became a fan. Tony frequents my favorite record store Paul's CDS in Bloomfield and I ocassionally run into him. By the way, I don't think Tony did a year end music list this year?
Okay, I covered all the bases, religion, politics, music.
I didn't watch the State of the Union address last night, but I have read excerpts of it. There seems to be a move afoot to stop some of the environmental regulations to appease the chamber of commerce. I know President Obama wants to get re-elected and all, but this still distresses me. There was a letter in the Post Gazette yesterday from a man from Hermitage who still buys the corporate, right-wing swill that climate change is a hoax. Sorry buddy but at age 47 I can tell you how different the winters are than how they were when I was a kid. And this has been one of the snowier ones we have had in quite awhile and still not nearly enough on a consistent basis to sled ride. So I really hope they keep up with the environmental regulations so my niece and nephew have a planet to live on when they reach my age.
As I write this I am having to fend off two pissed off cats who want in my lap. I'm sure they will take revenge on me sometime later, oh, say, around 2-3 am.
And now a few words about Music. According to Pitchforkmusic.com the CD by The Decemberists is the number one album in the U.S.selling 96,567 copies and holding the top spot on the billboard top 200. I got turned onto them by listening to WYEP and have acquired most of their albums/CDs. I like a band who is literate and I love the new CD "The King is Dead." Sue and I saw them in concert a few years ago when they toured behind their Hazards of Love CD. It was one of the best concerts I have seen in a long time. And, even though the critics didn't like that CD, I liked it. So there.
Speaking of WYEP, I am really digging their new "bloc party" format on the weeknights between 8 pm and midnight. They are finally, finally playing some great new music mixed in with some great old music. I just think it's a great thing for the station and the listeners. I may even renew my membership. Although I am fast approaching the big 50 and geezerdom, I'm not one of those people stuck in the 70s and 80s and who will only listen to Barry Manilow and Foreigner (mind you I love some of the stuff from the 70s and 80s--Rolling Stones, Prince come to mind) but I also think there is some great music being made in this decade too. And now with WYEPs new format I can get to listen to some of it. Animal Collective, Outkast, The Thermals, just some of the newer bands they are playing.
I am also a big fan of the website Pitchforkmedia.com. They can be a bit precious and hipstery, but their reviews are excellent and I have found a lot of great music by reading their website/blog.
I listened to Iron and Wine in concert on nprmusic.org and heard them play their new CD "Kiss Each Other Clean." I liked it and Pitchfork gave the CD a respectable rating of 7.7 out of 10. The sound on the album is fuller but I felt like the songs were still the same as far as the quality of the story telling. I also listened to a new CD by a "band" called Destroyer, which is really Dan Bejar a member of The New Pornographers (another great, favorite band). Destroyer's new CD is called "Kaputt" and Pitchfork gave it an 8.8 rating. I liked it--the songs are very long and involved and he's another literate storyteller. I first heard about Destroyer by reading one of Post Gazette columnist Tony Norman's year end music lists a few years ago. Intrigued I bought the CD "Rubies" and became a fan. Tony frequents my favorite record store Paul's CDS in Bloomfield and I ocassionally run into him. By the way, I don't think Tony did a year end music list this year?
Okay, I covered all the bases, religion, politics, music.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sunday Already Part Two
This past Monday I went to my home town to take my mom for a medical test. I grew up in a tiny town called West Middlesex which is an hour and fifteen minutes away from Pittsburgh, my current home town. Things are very different in West Middlesex. The hospital, which is actually located outside West Middlesex in Farrell is two levels. There is a big parking lot where you can park for free. I could have lived there, my maternal grandfather really wanted me to live there after I graduated from law school. I did not. I knew I was gay in college and wanted to live some place where I could be out and safe. I didn't feel my home town/Mercer County was the place. But I sometimes regret not living there because I was close to my grandparents (my grandfather died in 2007 and my grandmother in 2008) and I feel guilty for not living closer to them and seeing them more.
Despite these feelings, I decided to move to Pittsburgh. So I'm here living in a 1870's row house in Manchester with my partner and asssorted cats and dogs. And I'm happy here. I like Pittsburgh because there are many cultural things to do here, great parks, a decent music scene (hopefully with the new American Eagle venue there will be more concerts coming to town) a great "record" store in Bloomfield and many other things to do. Back in my hometown, not so much. I have also seen a big change in the LGBT community here in Pittsburgh since I moved here in 1991. People are more out and visible, we have a gay councilman in Bruce Kraus, county human rights benefits and gay youth, especially in the African-American community are showing up at more events and making our community more diverse than when I first came here.
I got the new Decemberists CD on Saturday and listened to it several times yesterday. It's closer to their earlier work like the Crane Wife with a little bit of country twang to it. I'm also trying to get the new CD by a young band called the Smith Westerns, And next week the new CD by Iron and Wine comes out. Lot of good music coming out to look forward to. With this long cold winter, I need things to look forward to.
Tonight my partner and I are watching the Steelers play the Jets to see who gets into the superbowl. I'm more of a college/Penn State football fan, but I hope the Steelers win.
Despite these feelings, I decided to move to Pittsburgh. So I'm here living in a 1870's row house in Manchester with my partner and asssorted cats and dogs. And I'm happy here. I like Pittsburgh because there are many cultural things to do here, great parks, a decent music scene (hopefully with the new American Eagle venue there will be more concerts coming to town) a great "record" store in Bloomfield and many other things to do. Back in my hometown, not so much. I have also seen a big change in the LGBT community here in Pittsburgh since I moved here in 1991. People are more out and visible, we have a gay councilman in Bruce Kraus, county human rights benefits and gay youth, especially in the African-American community are showing up at more events and making our community more diverse than when I first came here.
I got the new Decemberists CD on Saturday and listened to it several times yesterday. It's closer to their earlier work like the Crane Wife with a little bit of country twang to it. I'm also trying to get the new CD by a young band called the Smith Westerns, And next week the new CD by Iron and Wine comes out. Lot of good music coming out to look forward to. With this long cold winter, I need things to look forward to.
Tonight my partner and I are watching the Steelers play the Jets to see who gets into the superbowl. I'm more of a college/Penn State football fan, but I hope the Steelers win.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sunday already
As I write this my cat, Boris, keeps attempting to climb onto my lap which contains my laptop. I am watching the Golden Globes. I love award shows and am looking forward to the Grammy's. They are even going to have some decent bands play at the Grammys this year, such as Arcade Fire which, so far, has not graced Pittsburgh with its presence. Chris Colfert (sp?) just won for Glee and made a great shout out to all of us who are misfits in our own socieites.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I am taking my mom to get a test done and have to leave the warmth of my house at 6 am in order to drive to Mercer County to get here there in time for a 9 am test. Oh, well, I think of it as doing service.
I am looking forward this week to some great music releases. The new CD by the Decemberists -- which I have heard a preview of on NPR -- is coming out on Tuesday along with a new CD by a young band called the Smith Westerns. I also heard a preview of their new CD on NPR. NPRmusic is a great website to hear new music, read reviews, etc. A great site for music lovers.
Is it only 8:33 p.m.? It seems like it should be later. Time for me to sign off and turn all of my attention to watching the Golden Globes.
Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I am taking my mom to get a test done and have to leave the warmth of my house at 6 am in order to drive to Mercer County to get here there in time for a 9 am test. Oh, well, I think of it as doing service.
I am looking forward this week to some great music releases. The new CD by the Decemberists -- which I have heard a preview of on NPR -- is coming out on Tuesday along with a new CD by a young band called the Smith Westerns. I also heard a preview of their new CD on NPR. NPRmusic is a great website to hear new music, read reviews, etc. A great site for music lovers.
Is it only 8:33 p.m.? It seems like it should be later. Time for me to sign off and turn all of my attention to watching the Golden Globes.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Hello hello
When I was a child, I printed a newspaper. I can't remember the name but it was made on an old mimeograph machine and I was the writer, editor and publisher. It was a lot of fun. Now as an adult I wanted and needed to have a space to sound off again on topics that I find interesting. Music, politics, current events. Sarah Palin. So this is the first step.
By the way, I'm watching some program called the Defenders which is pretty awful. I hate it when they glamorize the lawyer profession. Lawyers, of which I was once one, rarely are glamorous. And, why is there nothing but crappy re-runs on television on Saturday nights? Do they expect everyone to be out drinking on Saturday nights?
Well, that's all for now folks.
By the way, I'm watching some program called the Defenders which is pretty awful. I hate it when they glamorize the lawyer profession. Lawyers, of which I was once one, rarely are glamorous. And, why is there nothing but crappy re-runs on television on Saturday nights? Do they expect everyone to be out drinking on Saturday nights?
Well, that's all for now folks.
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