Great artist - Katie Reider

Ok.......I didn't think I would get another blog post off until after I returned from vacation but I didn't want this to slip by.

I wanted to pass along some info on a great local artist - Katie Reider. Katie is local to Cincinnati but is now living with her partner in New Jersey. If you have never heard of Katie I encourage you to take a listen to a few of her songs out on her Myspace page.

http://www.myspace.com/katiereiderband

She was in town yesterday performing for a local event called "Taste of Cincinnati". She has a huge following down here because of her years in Cincy and Columbus. Her next show is at the Turning Point in Piermont NY and I would expect she will be scheduling more venues as she becomes acquainted with the area.

Check her out!

The week that was........

As we head into the Memorial Day holiday.....let's review all the fun that happened last week.

• Mary Cheney's baby - While you would think this would score one for us, it really doesn't because Mary and her partner do about as much for the gay and lesbian community as her father has in his last six years in office. They will be acutely aware of their "rights" as they continue their life in Virginia. This is one state in the Union that fails to recognize anything about gays and lesbians.........including adoptions.
• Dubya - He is now openly admitting that July/August will be a bloody month for American soliders in Iraq. This is probably the closest thing to an admission that things are just not going well period. Thanks for not continuing to sugar coat this war any longer. 604 days and counting.........
• Democrats - Yes.........they handed the money right over to him because we didn't have the votes in the House nor the Senate to vote this thing down. September is coming folks and more money will be requested. Sounds like a good time for an old fashion filabuster.
• Rosie - Her early departure from the view was probably a good idea. However, I don't think either Elizabeth or Rosie won any points in their televised battle. I thought Elizabeth looked like the second coming of Jerry Falwell.
• Jerry - buried last week.
• Al Gore - why doesn't he just run for office? He has a lot of positive vibrations going on right now and does not have to fend questions on what he did or did not vote for. Sadly...I don't think it will happen.
• And finally......what would the week be without a Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan story? Yep.........Lindsey was pulled over for a DUI yesterday on Sunset Blvd. Cocaine was found on the scene as well. Her life is truly a tragic reality TV moment. Perhaps the next Survivor series should be 'Celebrity Survivor'. Stick them all on an island for 30 days and see what happens. YIKES!

I am off for vacation tomorrow! Yes......just in time to enter a new week with new adventures!

Ciao!

All Aboard Now...

... sayeth Noah to the animals. This coming Monday, y'all can see it in all its not-quite-real-glory at the opening of Petersburg, Kentucky's newest tourist attraction -- the Creationism Museum. Luckily I'll be on my way out of town as the faithful flock to the multi-million $ production of the Answers in Genesis cult.

(sidebar -- in case you're wondering, this is TC, not Rita. she's letting me vent:)

This 'museum' sits about mid-way between our respective houses. So I've watched its evolution (ha ha). Once a non-descript metal storage type building plopped beside a busy highway loop around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, it's now downright snazzy. I can only imagine how proud the donors who paid for all that gorgeous river rock covering the sheet metal must be.

Whoever those donors are, I'm pretty sure they have some connection to the publishers of our local Gannet paper -- The Cincinnati Enquirer. There have been in-depth front page stories covering the museum's opening the past few Sundays (how appropriate) and it's one of the most-talked about op ed topics on the paper's Web site.

In case it's not clear; I'm not a fan of this effort.

Raised Southern Baptist, creationism isn't a completely foreign concept. They tried. I just couldn't believe. Years later, I actually find myself remembering some of the elementary science that led me to question it all. I vividly recall sitting in Sunday school classes each week, unable to contain the questions/challenges that came pouring out of me. By age 12 I'd escaped.

Then I moved to Cincinnati.

As you read in Rita's description of our local Pride efforts, this isn't the most, um, progressive community. But we're trying. Most of us.

Petersburg is about 20 miles from Cincinnati's riverfront. That means, if a family plans its time well, it could fit in a visit to the local museum that's telling the real story we should be learning from --The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. www.freedomcenter.org

"The View" catfight

More catfights on the View.....unfortunately..........the media made it look like it all started with Rosie attacking Elizabeth.

Check out the YouTube video on the right for how it all started. You go Joy!

Pride Festivals

So where will you celebrate Pride this year? There are a many noteworthy Pride events across the nation so if your hometown is as conservative as Cincinnati is.........you can always go to another city close by to celebrate.

For all of its conservative viewpoints, Cincinnati does put on a little Pride Festival. It is not as big as Columbus and Columbus is no where as big as Boston or San Francisco so you get an idea where Cincinnati fits in. At least we have something. We at least have a parade and a festival area where you can listen to some fairly good musicians perform.

I keep telling myself that I have to get back to San Francisco again. If you have never been, I can describe it in one word.......electric. The whole sense of camaraderie and the sense of belonging is overwhelming. I can remember the last time I was there (2001) standing in the middle of a very crowded Castro Street after the march from Delores Park. It was really something I had never felt before. I mean......San Francisco for Pride.......this is Mecca. This IS the mountain. If just for one week and weekend.......you feel like you are in the perfect world. Where everyone is accepting and no has time to judge or second guess you. It is one of the most vivid memories in my lifetime.

So...ok...Cincinnati is no San Francisco by any means but the camaraderie is there. This city may not be as liberal as most but it has its moments...........good and bad. TC and I will try to make a few of the festivals/parades in the summer and make the best of the moment.

For a list of the Pride events happening around your area, I recommend the following website: http://www.interpride.org/

Ta Ta!

609 days and counting

Yikes........it is truly unimaginable to think that we have 609 more days of this blabbering idiot. Did you see him with Tony Blair? What was that all about? "Hey Tony.....I need someone to say somethin' good about me. Why don't you come over for a sleepover and a couple press conferences?" Tony Blair is such the puppet. UK folks say that he is Dubya's poodle. I don't know which comparison is worse really - to be led around as if you are at the Westminister Dog Show or tossed around like the billy goat marionette in the Sound of Music. (laaaeee heee hooooo!)

Oh yeah.....and how about that surge in troops? Well....thank god we have them there. We need them all to search for the three soldiers who were recently kidnapped. I don't think we have seen real progress nor will we for the next 609 days. At this point, no one is interested in progress. We just want our troops home protecting our homeland.

The Republican party continues to struggle. They can't stand behind Dubya and they can't figure out anything creative to say on their own that will make people happy and interested in voting for them. Egads!

So what's poor Dubya to do with his last 609 days? Here are my suggestions:

• Spend more time at the gym
• Ask Condi if there is anything you can do to help
• Start working on the White House Christmas list
• Join the border patrol agents as a weekend volunteer
• More surprise trips to Iraq - I'm sure the troops just love that!
• Ask Laura if you can help her plan your library

Just a few suggestions Dubya to keep you busy since no one wants you to campaign for them and because you just can't seem to right any of the wrongs that have happened in the last six years.

Come on Down!

Last week Bob Barker began his slow fade into retirement by launching the first of a few prime time Price is Right specials. It seems like we have been hearing of his departure from television for some time now.

I think this is probably a prime example of someone hanging around longer than he really should have been on television. I watched part of his prime time special and the trips down "memory lane" with old photographs and video clips made me wonder if we were not currently watching a game show version of a "Weekend at Bernie's". I was looking for the hidden fish lines and wires manipulating Bob's arms and legs.

Another highlight last week was an interview with Bob where he was asked who should his replacement be? (Which is another question in itself - do we really need 3 or 30 more years of the TPIR?) His answer was - "I think it should be a man." Ok.....let's take a breath for a moment. I think this may be his opinion that it should not be the rumored Rosie O'Donnell. Lawsuits of the past indicate that Bob has had some issues with working with women and being an utmost professional so this insinuation does not surprise me. While I think a comedian should take over for Bob........Rosie isn't it.

I say.....let's allow TPIR to end its long career with Bob's departure. He did a great job with it for over 30 years and no one would ever be able to fill that role satisfactorily for the hundreds of aging Americans who have the time to watch the mid-day game show.

Last one out..............please turn off the blinking lights.

Well, well, well.....

Hasn't this been an interesting day?

The reigning king of the conservative right has passed away. Who would have thought that at such a key political time in our country that Jerry Falwell would no longer be here to mimic, refute, criticize and demean the rights of all Americans? As a lesbian, I must say that I was relieved to know that I would not have to hear any more of his religious rantings. We no longer have to listen and watch him intimidate our politicians in bending toward his agenda.

And let's talk about the religious agenda. It's huge and hell bent in sending only faith-inspired, right-wing evangelists to Washington. In fact, it is so prevalent in our culture that they should be considered a lobbying group. We have allowed them to have a tax exempt status AND influence our leaders. Wow.....aren't we a generous bunch?

We have allowed a unified group of individuals force feed their agenda to us for the last 20 years without paying a dime to do so. So powerful was Jerry that people actually believed it when he said that 9/11 was caused by our own immoral values - pertaining to abortion, feminists and gay rights. If his death recalls anything, let us not forget that he is the founding father of the anti-gay industry in America.

I have often heard that too much of anything can be a bad thing. Jerry Falwell's legacy is certainly proof of that.

Gay role models

Do we really need them? Celebrity or otherwise......what's the point? Obviously there are "figureheads" in society - gay or straight - who could be selected as good, solid, golden rule, lip smackin models of society but do we as a community feel we need gay role models to survive? I am not so sure.

Look at the choices these days........Rosie......Ellen.......ummmm ummmm.....Melissa.....ummmmmm.....I'm fading fast here. Should we look up to these folks because of their privilege lives or do they really provide a solid foundation that we can say......Yes....this person has really done great things I want to emulate him/her. I think they bring attention to important causes and I acknowledge their bravery in certain situations but really.....is it any more than us normal folks go through?

I find Rosie's obnoxious monologue and belligerence humorous from time to time. I find Ellen's suave and clever sidewiding ways fascinating. And Melissa's strength during her recovery from cancer......endearing. However, I find the same characteristics in my friends every day yet I wouldn't necessarily find them nor they would find me......to be a role model. Ha! They know me too well.

And maybe that is the point. We see "snapshots" of the gay/lesbian celebrities and yet they are catapulted in representing every single gay and lesbian in America. Yikes! I don't want Rosie representing all of gay America! She is funny but please.....she is not the be-all and end-all.

Yet this is what happens. Gay Americans are tainted by the obnoxious behavior of those on television. Wow.....where are the positive reinforcements that overshadow the obnoxious and crude? We simply do not see enough of those folks.

Here's a thought...........what if someone over the top......charismatic, charming, influential, powerful and educated came out tomorrow? How would that influence the image of gay America?

What if it was Oprah?

My escape.......

begins in approximately 18 days.

Of course, I am speaking of my vacation out of the midwest. At the end of the month, TC and I are traveling as far Northeast as we can possibly go.........Maine! New England has been a peaceful escape for me for over eight years. The moment I set foot on the plane I can feel the sense of calm rush over me. By the time I get to Logan......I am asleep. Ha! Not a chance!

This is our first major trip together.....TC and I. Of course, TC has some trepidations about the trip. She expects one of us to strangle the other at some point in our travels and she is a little scared about my defensive driving skills on the Boston highways. To that I say......pfffft.......sit back, adjust your blindfold and secure your seat belt. Boston drivers can be a little nutty and reckless from time to time so I will fit right in with the crowd.

Seriously though, we have a few items on our agenda that are already inked into our schedule - day trips to Boston/Newburyport/Rockport and a nice three day visit to Bar Harbor. Other than that.....the plan is to mindlessly travel the highways and state routes through Maine and breathe in as much sea air as our lungs can hold.

Just the thought of being hundreds of miles away from my job will be extremely rewarding and rejuvenating for me. It's nice to step back and smell the chowdah......ok....drown in the chowdah......every once in a while. It will send me back to work with a refreshed perspective......a little more energy and a lot more attitude.

If you need to relax just a bit.........here's a lovely little spot in Ogunquit. http://www.barnbilly.com/webcam.htm

Ciao!