2011

$$ Gay Money $$

Monday, June 27th, 2011

The Gay Money Bank finally has enough gay money in it to matter — now gay people can begin to attain rights based not on their matching genitalia but on how much money they have in the bank.  To contribute.  To political campaigns. 

Everyone understands money.    

For what it’s worth, I happen to approve of this political path to equality.   

HILLQUEST, 2011 EDITION

Sunday, June 26th, 2011

arrived this morning into the hands of Ann Garwood and Nancy Moors, the Hillcrest artists who create and publish HILLQUEST every year.  It is currently being distributed all over town.   

I enjoyed telling the story of Filbert’s Tree and calling up my memories of Leonard Matlovich. 

Now deal the cards. . . 

“Bed Fellers”

Friday, June 24th, 2011

It happened. New York state legalized a union between couples of the same sex today. This is great news. The first thought that came to my mind is the following:

When my grandfather, Papa, my mother’s father, found out I had bought a house with Luke on Vashon Island, he called me on the phone.

“I hear you have yourself a bed feller,” Papa said.

I was speechless, a rarity for me.

“Feller needs to stay warm at night,” he said.

He was right. Love is about staying warm at night. What does that have to do with gender?

Michael Connelly

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

I’ve been reading Michael Connelly for months now.  I know his character, Detective Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch, better than I know some of my friends — that’s because I don’t get to sit in on my friends’ therapy sessions.

Anyway, Connelly’s books are a surprising accompaniment to the new book I’m working on. It’s my life story. Detective Bosch has taught me how to walk into a crime scene and make sense of it.

The truth and nothing but.

~~ Imagine Louis Armstrong Singing ~~

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

I see trees of green ~~ Red Roses, too ~~ I see them bloom ~~ For me and you ~~ And I think to myself ~~ What a wonderful world ~~ 

I see skies of blue ~~ And clouds of white ~~ The bright blessed day ~~ The dark sacred night ~~ And I think to myself ~~ What a wonderful world ~~

Obama and Libya

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

Okay, Mr. President.  I do not understand your reluctance around Libya.  If you have a brilliant or even a not so brilliant reason for your stance, then tell us — perhaps tomorrow night in your speech about Afghanistan. 

If you don’t defend your position soon then you’ve lost me.  

You are the candidate I voted against. 

MISSISSIPPI GAY GODDAM

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU TRACY MORGAN, TALKING ABOUT KILLING YOUR KID IF HE WAS GAY AND YOU OTHER HOMOPHOBIC SELF-HATING SO-CALLED COMEDIANS ALL COMFORTABLE IN YOUR LACK OF ANYTHING RESEMBLING A SENSE OF HUMOR AND YOU, THE POLITICIANS, WHO WANT GAY PEOPLE MADE FUN OF AND OSTRACIZED WHILE YOU SUCK AT THE TROUGH OF “RELIGIOUS” PEOPLE AND THEIR MONEY SO YOU CAN CAPTURE THE VOTE OF THE “RELIGIOUS” ONES WHO WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO SEE GAY PEOPLE BURNED ALIVE, SMOTHERED AND BANISHED.  I DON’T GET IT!

I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE A YEAR, ONE FULL YEAR IN AMERICA WHERE I WAS BORN WITHOUT HEARING SOME PUBLIC FIGURE WISHING ME DEAD.  IS THAT TOO MUCH TO FUCKING ASK FOR BEFORE I DIE?

GAY MISSISSIPPI GODDAM. 

MISSISSIPPI GODDAM GAY.

“Prop. 8 was declared unconstitutional because it is unconstitutional — not because the judge is gay.” - Peter Renn, Lambda Legal Attorney

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

In response to Judge James Ware’s decision on Prop. 8 today, I post the above quote because no way could I say it better than that.

R.I.P. Edna Earle

Thursday, June 9th, 2011

Oh, Edna Earle.  I liked you and you liked me.  We shared a sense of humor.  Remember that time when our lives came together?  That time was important to me. 

Rest in peace, dear lady. 

BEND, pages 1-2 (WGAW#: 1390004/1462693, copyright 2011)

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

FADE IN:

EXT. MT. BACHELOR - BEND, OREGON - MORNING

TED ALEXANDER plays to the crowd as he snow boards down the

side of the mountain, cocky and self-assured.

WE HEAR a HISS and SPRAY of SNOW.

SNOW BOARDER 1

Ted, you go man!

SNOW BOARDER 2

You’re looking hot, dude!

TED zigs and zags, big smile on his face, mirrored sunglasses.

SNOW BOARDER 3

Meet me later, sexy!

Ted pivots, comes to an instant stop so he can see the woman

who called out. She’s wearing black sunglasses and a black

leather jacket with a white fur collar.

CUT TO:

EXT. DOWNTOWN BEND - TED’S FITNESS CENTER - LATER THAT

MORNING

TED jumps out of his jeep. In his 30s, his hair is thick

and blond, his eyes appear to be lit from behind.

MAN ACROSS THE STREET

Congratulations on the gym, Ted.

We follow Ted’s gaze as he looks up at the new sign,

TED’S FITNESS CENTER.

CUT TO:

INT. TED’S FITNESS CENTER - CONTINUOUS

Ted kicks snow off his boots.

TED

Rhonda, how’s my best trainer?

RHONDA

The phone’s been ringing off the

hook.

Rhonda has zero body fat and a bouncy ponytail.

2.

TED

Any new memberships?

RHONDA

Close to twenty.

TED

Did you tell that husband of yours

he can join for free?

RHONDA

He’s embarrassed about his fat gut.

TED

Remind him he’s the sheriff!

RHONDA

Your new client’s here.

TED

Ms. Hayes?

RHONDA

Summer, she insists.

TED

I better get back there.

RHONDA

I can tell that girl is highmaintenance.

Ted places his forefinger over his mouth.

TED

She’s a model. For Nike.

CUT TO:

INT. TED AND BECKY’S BEDROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT

BECKY, Ted’s wife, sits on the edge of the bed towel-drying

her hair. She has high cheekbones and cedar-tinged dark

hair. She’s a descendent of the Chickasaw Indian tribe.

BECKY

I’m proud of you, Ted.

TED

Thanks, Becks.

Ted walks in from the shower, dripping water.