Seattle Weekend

My husband is a rock star at work.  Year after year he is a top performer at his company.  As a reward for his superior performance his company is sending us to Seattle for the weekend.  When I leave work today I will board a plane to fly (first class!) to Seattle where we will be staying at the Four Seasons Hotel for the weekend.

I'm looking forward to having a nice weekend with my husband!  He's not just a rock star at work- he's a rock star in life!  I'm so lucky.

Thank You Texas Exes

My husband and I both graduated from The University of Texas in Austin.  It was time for me to renew my annual membership to Texas Exes, when I noticed that I could check a box and for an additional $10 fee I could also get a membership for my spouse.   I checked the box.  Signed up my husband.  I was hoping it would work- because it would have made me furious if Texas Exes didn't accept my husband as my spouse.

Guess what?  It worked!  My heart soared when we both received our annual membership packages in the mail.  I love it when the world treats our husband/husband relationship equal to a husband/wife relationship.

Hook 'em Horns!

Protect the Pope from Gay People

The Pope was in Germany last week and several news organization reported on how he spoke out against gay marriage. (Read this article)  Shocking-- the Pope is unwilling to update his church's thinking?!

First, I'm not surprised an 84-year-old man is against equal rights for gay people.  (A person's age is a huge indicator on how they'll feel about gay marriage.)

However, I'm always surprised (I don't know why) when church leaders are against gay people.  How is my marriage going to impact the Pope's church?  I'm not Catholic.  Why does it matter to him? 

I don't get it.  Just like he, clearly, doesn't get me.

1 of 131,729

We're an emerging group.  Hooray!  There are more people like us!  According to this article; last year, 131,729 gay couples reported to the United States Census Bureau that they're married.  The article also points out that the tally of married gay couples is higher than the actual number of legal marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships...the actual number of legally recognized gay partnerships in the U.S. is around 100,000.

After our wedding in 2006, my husband and I considered ourselves married.  He is my husband.  I'm insulted when people call him "my partner."  Our relationship is not less than any other married couple despite the fact that we live in a city, county, state, nation that does not grant us equal rights.  We might not be able to "legally" get married, yet, but we count ourselves as married nonetheless. 

I think all 131,729 gay married couples in the U.S.A. should get together and hang out.  It'd be nice to know my fellow married homos.

Knowledge is Power

My husband's sister is a gifted Baron Baptiste senior certified yoga instructor.  I started having pain on the right side of my lower back; I lived with the pain for a few weeks, which was not fun.  I've never had back pain previously, but I quickly learned that back pain is highly inconvenient.  I just happened to mention to my husband's sister that my back was hurting; she asked me to describe the pain.  Instantly, she said she knew what was wrong with my back; she says it happens to some of her students.  Some bone is out of place and rubbing against a muscle.  She showed me a yoga position that will slip the bone back into place.  I did the pose and instantly the pain went away.  It was voodoo magic.  The pain vanished.

I'm so glad I married into a family with a knowledgeable yoga master!

Gay People Own Steam Vacs

Here are the highlights from a series of conversations, which made me laugh:

My aunt to my mother: "Can you ask [the homos] to bring their steam vac the next time they visit?"

My mother to me: "Can you bring your steam vac this weekend?  We want to borrow it to clean mother's house"

My father to my mother:  "Steam vac?  Isn't that an odd thing to own?  Do most people have steam vacs? I thought you just rented them..."

My mother to my father: "I think all gay people own steam vacuum cleaners..."

Wedding Weekend

Look at that groom's cake!  It looks like a UT ice bucket full of Shiner, but it's really cake!  It was delicious.  This weekend two of our friends got married at a beautiful church and had a superb country club wedding reception afterwards.  It was a lovely event.  Our assigned table was full of friends we hadn't seen in a long time, and at one point we realized that we were the only table still seated and talking- everyone else was on the dance floor!   

Yoga Day

The local Bikram studios and the Dallas Cowboys stadium hosted "Yoga Day at Cowboys Stadium" last night.  We practiced yoga on the Dallas Cowboy field and raised money for the Scottish Rite Hospital of Dallas.  It was our first time to see the new stadium, and I was very impressed with the facilities and the friendliness of the staff.  Did you know the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have their own locker rooms?  Very cool.  It's obvious on television, but I can confirm that the jumbo tron is gigantic.  Also, the field is squishy; I was surprised I didn't leave foot prints on the field, but the field bounces back.

Glenda and Presley

I just discovered this photo from May of 2008.  It made me so happy to see Glenda bouncing Presley on her shoulder!  Glenda was one of my grandmother's best friends; we called them "Lucy and Ethel" when they were together.  This photo was taken less than two months before Glenda suddenly died.  I don't know if it's better to die suddenly (like Glenda) or slowly (like my grandmother) but I DO know my life was/is enriched because of Glenda and my grandmother!

It makes me smile to think of all the moments I shared with each of them.

A Terrible Situation

My grandmother's situation is terrible.  Her cancer-covered bones create a tremendous amount of pain.  Everyone connected to the situation is in some kind of pain (emotionally and/or physically).  And the only way this terrible situation- dying of painful cancer- will conclude is when my grandmother dies, which leads to another terrible situation- the death of a wife, mother, grandmother, friend. 

It saddens me to know that my grandmother's wonderful life is ending with her in an infant-like state; she's in pain and she's not self sufficient.  She relies on my grandfather, my aunt, my mother, my uncle, and nurses to take care of her every need.  At least her cancer has given us all a chance to remind her that she is loved, appreciated, and valued.

DADT

The U.S military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy ended today.  Homo soldiers no longer have to hide in the closet.  The individuals who defend our freedoms are free to serve openly-  in all their gay greatness! 

This clip of a U.S. soldier telling his father he's gay got me all teary eyed.  I can still remember in 2003 how frightened I was to tell my family I was gay.  This guy, like me, was lucky enough to have a father that said he loved him no matter what. 

1971

Our East Dallas magazine, Advocate, had a cover story called "40 Years of DISD Desegregation."  I was surprised that Dallas Independent School District forcibly desegregated its schools only nine years before my birth in 1971.  I always thought desegregation happened a long, long time ago - long before I was born.  However, in truth it happened in Dallas right before I was born- nine years is a very short period of time in the scheme of things.

This timeline gives me hope.  Being born nine years after desegregation gave me a completely different perspective; I cannot relate to a segregated society.  "One day" I hope my children won't be able to relate to society where gay people are legally "less than" their heterosexual counterparts.

Beauty School Drop Out

If we have a daughter, then I'm going to have to enroll in beauty school.  This weekend I was challenged by Presley's hair.  It was blown dry after her bath, before bed, but when she woke up it was a tangled mess. I had a hard time putting it in a pony tail.  I've never had much hair on my head; I have zero experience in hair care. 

Unless our daughter sports the buzz cut we're in trouble!

Presley Weekend

As a gift, my brother and his wife gave me a coupon, which entitled me to keep their oldest daughter for 24-hours.  This weekend we cashed in my coupon, and our little angel Presley spent the night at our house.  We went to the zoo, we ate lunch with my husband's parents, we colored My Little Pony coloring books, we played Barbie, Dora, and Tinker Belle, we read books, and we had a great time together.   

Hand Fed Princess

This is a picture of Dooley napping in my husband's lap.  You can see Trigger too.  Our dogs miss us when we're gone- we were out of town this past weekend- and they are clingy until we get back into their routine.  I don't know why Dooley missed us, because my mother claims that Dooley won't eat unless she is hand fed when she's at their house.  So my mother hand feeds Dooley.  At our house Dooley's more than capable of eating out of her bowl, but not at my parent's house; Dooley eats out of my mother's hand. 

I love that my mother cares so much about Dooley's well being!

Epic Fail

On Sunday, my husband and I stopped by my grandparents' house with intentions of brightening up my grandmother's afternoon.  Delighting the grandparents is one thing a grandchild (and their spouse) can do at any age.  My grandmother is sick with cancer.  Her body is deteriorating, but her mind is still solid enough to carry on a conversation.  Towards the end of our visit my grandfather was showing my husband and my father his coin collection.  I was sitting next to my grandmother's wheelchair, I took her hand and felt her soft skin, and then I started crying.  I tried not to cry, but that made it worse.  My grandmother saw that I was crying and she got upset.  (So much for bring her happiness.)  I couldn't talk.  I couldn't stop crying.  All I could do was try to fight back tears as I listened to my grandmother ask me why I was crying... 

My grandmother was very worried. (I failed to bring delight.)  Eventually she asked if I was crying because of her health?  I shook my head up and down slightly as I smiled at her.  She told me not to worry.  She said she had the best team of doctors and she was going to fight to get better.  I sat next to her for a bit longer as she held my hand.  I eventually regained my ability to speak and I told her I loved her.  She told me that I had been sweet my whole life, and she wondered how her grandson got to be so sweet? We laughed.  We hugged.  I started running through my life with her...

Do you remember when I walked to your classroom after school?

Do you remember when you were my 4th grade English teacher?

Do you remember all those trips to the museums?

Do you remember Sunday lunches? Your dinner rolls?

Do you remember the cabin in the country? The tornado?

Do you remember, do you remember, do you remember...

By the end of our conversation, I hope, she had forgotten that I was the crying mess she was trying to comfort.   We ended my visit with "I love yous," and she wanted to know, specifically, when I'd be back to visit.  

Bad Dog

Trigger is one half Dachshund and one half Boxer, and he is a very talented sniffer.  His nose is more powerful than his eyes.  Last week I discovered a torn up box of Hershey's cocoa powder in our back yard.  I must have left the cabinet door ajar and Trigger must have robbed the cabinet of this box of Hershey's, carried it outside, and opened it.  It appeared to me uneaten.  Do you think he was disappointed that he got a hold of the unsweetened powder?  I had to relocate our brown sugar because he likes to steal the brown sugar and eat it.  Trigger has a sweet tooth- he gets that from me. 

Killed Because They Might Have Been Gay

I'm gay.  My husband is gay.  We were born that way.  If we were born in Iran, if we lived in Iran, then we could be executed for being gay.  I'm just catching up on my news, and The Guardian reported on Wednesday that three Iranian men were executed because they were accused of being gay.  According to the article the news source is unsure if it was proven that they were gay.

This is terrible news, and the picture is horrible, I know.  When I read something like this it makes me both thankful (that I live in the USA) and frustrated (that being gay is an issue, still).

I Heart ATX

The fountain of youth does exist.  I volunteer on an alumni board for The University of Texas, and on Friday I spent the day on campus.  I'm seven years older than when I took my last class on campus, but the students on campus remain the same age.  UT is the fountain of youth!  This youthful energy rejuvenates me.  I always leave the campus feeling more energized about life.

Other highlights include:

• Eating with the human Dooley at Hula Hut and then meeting her house full of dogs.
• Seeing Cousin Kate and her crew
• Spending time with old college friends
• Touring the New University of Texas Student Activity Center ("NUTSAC"). See photos.
• Spending three nights in Austin, Texas with my husband

"I love you more than you will ever know"

This is a photo of my grandmother and me playing Christmas songs on the piano together- this photo was taken maybe 20 years ago?  Today, my grandmother is dying of cancer.  The doctors have put us on notice; "if you want quality time with her you better come see her soon."  Hospice will start coming to her house.

I saw my grandmother a few days ago, when she could still walk, and when I was helping her walk to the restroom I told her that I loved her.  She stopped, and looked at me and said she loved me more than I would ever know.  I left her house and went back to my parents house and cried.

How do I communicate all my love and appreciation to my grandmother without being sad? 

Where's Presley?

Presley likes to hide from us.  Can you find Presley in this photo?  When we arrived at my brother's house she was in the backyard playing with her mother and sister; she saw us and hid from us! 

Santa Barbara

We spent our Labor Day weekend in Santa Barbara, California visiting our nephew Owen and his parents.

Highlights included:

• Building sand castles on the beach
• Taking Owen to the toy store
• Playing with Owen's new airport toy
• Jumping on the trampoline with Owen
• Double Date Nights with Owen's parents
• Dancing in the kitchen
• Santa Barbara weather; sleeping with the windows open!

Texas?

Texas is that you?  When our plane landed on Sunday it was 85 degrees in Texas.  I didn't recognize a cool state.  It was so nice.  After a long hot summer, I'm glad fall is on the horizon.

Happy Labor Day Weekend

The new superman, Henry Cavill, wants you to have a great holiday weekend.  Happy Labor Day!

Customs

I just read this post about how same-sex married couples cannot go through U.S. Customs together.  This was one of the things that annoyed me last spring.  I want equal rights!

Open Letter

Dear Little Lizards,

If I find you in our house I catch you and return you to the backyard.  However, if Dooley finds you in our house she catches you and kills you.  (I discovered Dooley hunting a little lizard in our bathroom.  She was like a cat.  She stayed crouched until the lizard started moving, and then she pounced on it.  I was proud of her.)

Little lizards our house is no longer a safe refuge from the heat.  Stay away.  A killer lives here.

Sincerely,

Me