We Are All the Same

Wow.  I just finished watching Part 1 and 2 of  Oprah's America's Hidden Culture.  It was an incredible two hour exploration of Brooklyn's Hasidic Jewish community.  It's obvious that Hasidic Jews are spiritual beings having a human experience.  Their culture is all about a shared set of Godly values.  It was remarkable.

You know what else is remarkable?  It became crystal clear to me that the two gay guys living life in all its glorious in Dallas, Texas have a lot in common with the Hasidic Jewish family living in Brooklyn, New York.  I too care deeply about my family, friends, and community.  I too hope my family, friends, and community leave this earth better than they found it.  I too have a loving, committed, partnership with my spouse.

I was surprised when Oprah asked "what if" they had a child that was different; what if you had a gay child?  The women couldn't even answer the question because it was so unspeakable?  However, after a bit of awkwardness, one mother said if her child was different, then she would love them the same.  

This show reminded me of one of the great lessons in life (the lesson I'm trying to communicate in this blog) that at our core all people have more in common than not in common.

So why do we focus so much time on our differences?

Randy Roberts Potts

You must read this article in Details, The Amazing Story of the Televangelist and his Gay Grandson, especially if you grew up in and around middle America.


Randy Roberts Potts is traveling around with a performance piece, and his mission is very similar to the mission of this blog:

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"The idea is to show the neutral, domestic side of gay couplehood—the 99 percent of quotidian gay life, according to Randy, that's identical to straight life. "It's a visual that people haven't ever really seen in conservative towns," he explains. "A lot of people immediately jump to images of sex or a pride parade. Well, here's another visual. This is what gay couples look like when we're together as a couple in love. There's really nothing to watch, and I want to leave people with that impression. Psychologically, visual images like that go a lot deeper."

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Who knew that Oral Roberts' grandson and I would have something in common?  Life is so unpredictable.

Activist Governor?

Governor Chris Christie vetoed a bill that would have legalized same sex marriage in New Jersey.

Republicans are on the losing side of history; they need to stop being anti-gay.  Seriously.  Am I the only one that sees this?

Doesn't anyone realize what's going on?  In California when the majority voted to not give the minority equal rights (Proposition 8); Republicans cheered.  And in California when judges determined it was illegal for the majority to take away the rights of the minority; Republicans whined about "activist judges."

This week when the New Jersey state congress passed a bill that would have given ALL of its residents equal rights to marry the person they love, which was subsequently vetoed by Gov. Christie no one whined about an "activist governor."

Gone to Grandparents House

Trigger Monkey and Sarah Dooley stayed with their Susu and Poppy (my parents) while we were skiing in Vail.  Last night we picked them up.  Trigger was beyond thrilled to see his two dads and he was determined to not let us get out of his sight again.  Dooley, on the other hand, was excited to see us but I think she would have been fine if we hadn't loaded her up in the car and brought her back to Dallas.  Dooley loves staying with my parents.  She has more land to explore, and she appears to be in-charge of the household.

Three stories from their week:

While my mother was walking on her treadmill Dooley jumped on and was immediately thrown from the treadmill.  My mother cannot tell this story without laughing.

While Trigger was sleeping on the couch his sister (Dooley) jumped on his head.  This caused a big ruckus between the two of them, and was the only "drama" reported from the week.  My mother defends Trigger's aggression, because he was sound asleep when Dooley jumped on his head.  My mother also defends Dooley's jump, because she wasn't able to see where she was jumping because she's so little.

My mother announced that she is going to have to buy a new couch.  I asked why?  She said because Trigger and Dooley spend all their time sleeping on or digging in her couch and it is destroying it.  (Of course it didn't occur to my mother that she could establish a no dogs on the couch household rule.  Isn't she a good Susu?)

Jack In the Box

Remember when I posted about how the Jack in the Box Marry Bacon ad was getting under my skin?  Apparently I'm not the only one, and a reader submitted this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Jack-in-the-Box-Marry-Bacon-is-anti-HUMAN-Rights/275634765839239

Robert Lougheed

I love art.   Looking at art relaxes my brain. Yesterday, after skiing I tooled around the art galleries in Vail all by my lonesome.  I discovered Robert Lougheed (1910-1982) at the Claggett/Rey Gallery.  This painting, Canada Geese Passing, is beautiful to see with your own eyes.  The detail is spectacular.

When I win the lottery, I'm going to buy this painting.

Two Guys on Valentine's Day

One great thing about being gay and having a husband is that we're both guys.  We think like guys.  It's hard for either one of us to take Valentine's Day seriously.  We try, but we both shrug our shoulders at the effort.  I tried to start a Valentine's Day gift exchange, but my husband (the CFO of the family) vetoed the gift exchange idea.  (I was falsely accused of scheming to just get more stuff.) 

It was sweet to see our brother-in-law give roses, chocolate covered strawberries, and a card to my husband's sister this morning.

We have plans for a fancy dinner tonight too.

And we celebrate our love for each other every day.

Happy Valentine's Day.