Gay penguins given own eggs to care for
Penguins caught stealing eggs from straight couples in an attempt to become fathers have been given their own to look after following protests.
Zoo keepers moved the male birds away from the rest of the penguins to avoid problems as hatching season approaches.
But angry visitors to Polar Land in China complained it was not fair for the males to stop becoming surrogate fathers.
Following the protests, zookeepers gave the pair two eggs laid by an inexperienced first-time mother.
"They've turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo," on zoo keeper said.
"We will try to arrange for them to become real parents themselves with artificial insemination."
Despite being gay, it is understood the three-year-old male birds are still driven by an urge to be fathers.
link: http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5217215/gay-penguins-given-eggs-care/
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
CNN Commentary: Why there's a 'day without gays'
In this great piece, David Craig - a film, television and Web producer, an adjunct professor at the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California, and a gay rights activist - talks about why there is a 'day without gays.' His personal story is moving: the tragic death of his partner while outside of their home state. The hospital refused to let David be by his partner's side as he passed (though he was calling out his name) because his civil union was only valid in California.
There's also a great reference to Barack Obama's support of full protections for GLBT community members who wish to marry. I think it's pretty clear that Obama is on our side, and I don't mind that he had to pay lip service to conservative America on this issue in order to get elected.
Commentary: Why there's a 'day without gays'
By David Craig
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- My battle for marriage equality began in 1990, after my partner, Brian Binder, and I had a commitment ceremony. The ceremony was held at the end of a conference for Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays and was attended by more than 300 friends and members of both our families.
(...) In addition, the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act by Congress in 1996 denies civil unions what Barack Obama's campaign described as the more than 1,100 benefits of marriage including immigration, taxation, Social Security and veteran's benefits.
(complete article)
There's also a great reference to Barack Obama's support of full protections for GLBT community members who wish to marry. I think it's pretty clear that Obama is on our side, and I don't mind that he had to pay lip service to conservative America on this issue in order to get elected.
Commentary: Why there's a 'day without gays'
By David Craig
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- My battle for marriage equality began in 1990, after my partner, Brian Binder, and I had a commitment ceremony. The ceremony was held at the end of a conference for Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays and was attended by more than 300 friends and members of both our families.
(...) In addition, the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act by Congress in 1996 denies civil unions what Barack Obama's campaign described as the more than 1,100 benefits of marriage including immigration, taxation, Social Security and veteran's benefits.
(complete article)
Newsweek: Our Mutual Joy
The following is a great article from Newsweek (Dec. 6/08, in print on Dec. 15/08) about the Biblical arguments for and against gay marriage.
Our Mutual Joy
Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side.
By Lisa Miller, NEWSWEEK
Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel—all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments—especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered. Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple—who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender equality and romantic love—turn to the Bible as a how-to script?
(complete article)
Our Mutual Joy
Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side.
By Lisa Miller, NEWSWEEK
Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel—all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments—especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered. Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple—who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender equality and romantic love—turn to the Bible as a how-to script?
(complete article)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Why Yes on 8 Lied
A friend of a friend posted this on a Facebook note. It spells out why California specifically allows for religious institutions to refuse to marry anyone, so they can't be sued for it. She goes on to explain why the legal definition of marriage and the theoretical religious definition of marriage are different and not mutually defining.
I may not be gay, but I have best friends and people I admire who are, who had weddings planned that will now not happen. They are torn apart and I'm witnessing their suffering. Civil rights are number one on my personal philanthropy list, so don't tell me to "just get over it." Everyone has their hot-button issue; this is mine.
As to your claim that religious clergy could be sued, they couldn't. They are completely protected under California law:"SEC. 7. Section 403 is added to the Family Code, to read:403. No priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination,and no official of any nonprofit religious institution authorized to solemnize marriages, shall be required to solemnize any marriage inviolation of his or her right to free exercise of religion guaranteedby the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or bySection 4 of Article I of the California Constitution."Source: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_43_bill_20070409_amended_asm_v98.html
Furthermore, the word "marriage" was taken and used by the government to describe the legal union of individuals in the eyes of the government: tax/insurance benefits, custody issues, etc. The word "marriage" has a dual meaning: it can be a religious word, and it can be a term for a function of the government. In this case, it is a purely government, not a religious ceremony. It's unfortunate that the fellas who wrote our constitution decided to use that word, but they did. By law, separate but equal is not permitted; if straight unions are called marriage, so must be gay ones. If they change them all to "civil union," so be it, provided it's equal. That's kind of the point of having constitutions in the first place..You go up to my dearest friends whose relationships have just been invalidated and tell them to "just get over it." I'd love to see their reactions. I for one will continue gathering support to see another amendment passed.
I may not be gay, but I have best friends and people I admire who are, who had weddings planned that will now not happen. They are torn apart and I'm witnessing their suffering. Civil rights are number one on my personal philanthropy list, so don't tell me to "just get over it." Everyone has their hot-button issue; this is mine.
As to your claim that religious clergy could be sued, they couldn't. They are completely protected under California law:"SEC. 7. Section 403 is added to the Family Code, to read:403. No priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination,and no official of any nonprofit religious institution authorized to solemnize marriages, shall be required to solemnize any marriage inviolation of his or her right to free exercise of religion guaranteedby the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or bySection 4 of Article I of the California Constitution."Source: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_43_bill_20070409_amended_asm_v98.html
Furthermore, the word "marriage" was taken and used by the government to describe the legal union of individuals in the eyes of the government: tax/insurance benefits, custody issues, etc. The word "marriage" has a dual meaning: it can be a religious word, and it can be a term for a function of the government. In this case, it is a purely government, not a religious ceremony. It's unfortunate that the fellas who wrote our constitution decided to use that word, but they did. By law, separate but equal is not permitted; if straight unions are called marriage, so must be gay ones. If they change them all to "civil union," so be it, provided it's equal. That's kind of the point of having constitutions in the first place..You go up to my dearest friends whose relationships have just been invalidated and tell them to "just get over it." I'd love to see their reactions. I for one will continue gathering support to see another amendment passed.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Tell your CA friends: Vote NO on 8!
Hi everyone,
Please, if you haven't already, encourage everyone you know in California to vote NO on Proposition 8 - the constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, a right that we already have in California.
This will be the first time since the internment of American Japanese (yes, Japanese in internment camps), probation of interracial marriage and refusal to allow Armenians to own homes that California will legislate discrimination.
Last night, a friend of mine was heckled by a "Yes on 8" group for being gay. While he was stopped at a red light, they yelled things like:
"Be Straight, Yes on 8"
"You're a faggot"
and,
"We don't want AIDS anymore."
This is not about a right to maintain your personal religious beliefs in civil law. This is about creating another "separate but equal" status for a group of people who are still being murdered on American soil for who they are. This is about legitimizing the lessons that closed-minded, discriminatory parents teach their kids.
It's about weather or not it was okay for that 15 year old girl last night to tell my friend that he was a faggot and that she didn't want AIDS anymore - as if it was his fault.
Please, from someone who has faced discrimination all of my life, and as someone who has pushed from an early age to change something that isn't changeable (believe me, I tried) about my identity as a human being AND an American, vote No on 8 if you live in California. If you don't, encourage your friends in California (and Arizona and Florida) to vote no on the ban on gay marriage.
I can tell you from first hand experience how being separated from everyone else by law slowly eats away at your self worth. It's not okay for ANY American to be in that position.
All we want is to be equal. We want to swim in the same marriage pools and drink from the same marriage fountains and sit in the same marriage bus seats as all of the rest of you. We want to raise happy, healthy children and visit our spouses in the hospital. We want to be able to share our lives with another person without ever having to worry that the law might prevent us from enjoying all the benefits of a healthy, happy marriage.
Don't take that away from me, or from us. Please.
With thanks,
Ryan
Please, if you haven't already, encourage everyone you know in California to vote NO on Proposition 8 - the constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, a right that we already have in California.
This will be the first time since the internment of American Japanese (yes, Japanese in internment camps), probation of interracial marriage and refusal to allow Armenians to own homes that California will legislate discrimination.
Last night, a friend of mine was heckled by a "Yes on 8" group for being gay. While he was stopped at a red light, they yelled things like:
"Be Straight, Yes on 8"
"You're a faggot"
and,
"We don't want AIDS anymore."
This is not about a right to maintain your personal religious beliefs in civil law. This is about creating another "separate but equal" status for a group of people who are still being murdered on American soil for who they are. This is about legitimizing the lessons that closed-minded, discriminatory parents teach their kids.
It's about weather or not it was okay for that 15 year old girl last night to tell my friend that he was a faggot and that she didn't want AIDS anymore - as if it was his fault.
Please, from someone who has faced discrimination all of my life, and as someone who has pushed from an early age to change something that isn't changeable (believe me, I tried) about my identity as a human being AND an American, vote No on 8 if you live in California. If you don't, encourage your friends in California (and Arizona and Florida) to vote no on the ban on gay marriage.
I can tell you from first hand experience how being separated from everyone else by law slowly eats away at your self worth. It's not okay for ANY American to be in that position.
All we want is to be equal. We want to swim in the same marriage pools and drink from the same marriage fountains and sit in the same marriage bus seats as all of the rest of you. We want to raise happy, healthy children and visit our spouses in the hospital. We want to be able to share our lives with another person without ever having to worry that the law might prevent us from enjoying all the benefits of a healthy, happy marriage.
Don't take that away from me, or from us. Please.
With thanks,
Ryan
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
New No on 8 "Mac vs. PC" spoof
Don't mess with our constitution!
"YES" tries to "ammend" the state constitution.
"YES" tries to "ammend" the state constitution.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
No on 8 - In the style of "Mac vs. PC"
This PSA is great. It features Molly Ringwald - pass it along!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Conn. court overturns same-sex marriage ban (MSNBC)
Conn. court overturns same-sex marriage ban
Court finds law discriminates by limiting marriage to heterosexual couples
HARTFORD, Connecticut - Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making that state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions.
The divided court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution, and Connecticut's civil unions law does not provide those couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Complete article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27117467/
Court finds law discriminates by limiting marriage to heterosexual couples
HARTFORD, Connecticut - Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making that state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions.
The divided court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution, and Connecticut's civil unions law does not provide those couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Complete article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27117467/
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Homer Simpson tries to vote for Obama
This is - so I hear - a leak from an upcoming episode of The Simpsons (and it's hilarious/scary).
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Palin's closest friends might not vote for her
Thanks to Jason Linkins at Huffington Post for spreading the word about this one.
On ABC's Good Morning America, some of Palin's closest friends talk about not knowing if they'll be voting for her or not:
Original post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/09/abc-interviews-palins-clo_n_125062.html
On ABC's Good Morning America, some of Palin's closest friends talk about not knowing if they'll be voting for her or not:
Original post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/09/abc-interviews-palins-clo_n_125062.html
Experts: Obama gives greater tax breaks to low and middle class
Here it is, folks. Now the experts are chiming in - people making less than $161k will get FAR greater tax breaks from Obama than McCain.
Proof:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/business/2008/09/09/westhoven.ford.65.mpg.cnn
Proof:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/business/2008/09/09/westhoven.ford.65.mpg.cnn
Friday, September 5, 2008
I'm not Bristol Palin's Baby Daddy
I just want to be clear - I'm not Bristol Palin's baby daddy:
Not the daddy:
For real. I did not doodle Bristol Palin. No doodling the Bristol here.
The source:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=0&f=/n/a/2008/09/01/politics/p091657D38.DTL
Daddy:
Not the daddy:
For real. I did not doodle Bristol Palin. No doodling the Bristol here.
The source:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=0&f=/n/a/2008/09/01/politics/p091657D38.DTL
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Night My Car Was Held Hostage
Well, not just my car. It was mine, along with everyone else who parked at Hollywood & Highland last night.
They finally let us go to our cars at about 11:30.
I'll take questions at this afternoon's press conference.
Ex-convict may have brought gun to Hollywood & Highland Center
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-weapon15-2008aug15,0,4135592.story
They finally let us go to our cars at about 11:30.
I'll take questions at this afternoon's press conference.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Santa Cruz, a.k.a. The Land of Self Actualization
The rednecks I come from convened in Santa Cruz this year, after almost a decade of family reunions held somewhere in the middle of nowhere in West Virginia. My cousin, who now lives in Oakland, got married to a guy that we all love named Justin. And, most of her bridesmaids and the officiating ... non-religiously affiliated person were all gay. It was a gay old time, really. And, since everyone wanted to be there for that, we just moved the whole damn reunion to Santa Cruz.Not complaining!
One afternoon by the pool, my Aunt Lisa told me about the period of self actualization she has experienced over the past four years. She's a fascinating person, and her life experiences are pretty interesting. That phrase, "self actualization," really rang a bell with me.
I've told people several times that I'm not at all the person I was six months before my Mom died. That sucks, because most of the people I see regularly now didn't know me then. For quite some time I felt like I was operating as a shell of my former self. And, I'm sure I was. Before Mom died I knew she was in her last months. She knew, too. It was the most surreal, debilitating time of my life. The months after her death seemed so empty and so meaningless. I was in a relationship that was - in many ways - far superior to anything I'd ever experienced before. And, yet, so much was missing from my life. The life I led for the months after Mom's death was so unlike who I am and who I want to be that I don't even recognize it. Ironically, almost all the people that came into my life right after her death have phased themselves out on their own accord in parallel with a shift in my life back on track to the person I want to be. It's like a window of time where I lived someone else's life. It's not that I don't want to continue being friends with these people... but they've seen me at an absolute worst that surpasses anything I could've ever anticipated and in such a way that I've been incredibly humbled by how publicly broken I can be.
Even though I know that all of that crap was an experience that I needed to grow, it's a little difficult to not look back and cringe. I'll admit it - I'm somewhat embarrassed. I remember telling someone that I never knew what it was like for the whole of me to feel empty, insecure and purposeless before this experience. I have had a great desire to somehow be perceived by these people as the person I am without that period of my life - without the impressions I made and the persona I created with all that.... stuff.
Oh well. I'm over it, for the most part. I got over caring what people think about me and have, in large part, shed the insecurities and concern for other's judgment over me and really gotten past waiting to get it right.
Being with my family over the past week put things in perspective for me in a new way. I feel a little more outside of my own head. My focus has shifted, and I feel ready to take advantage of my potential and to do the things I really want to do. I'm not nearly as worried as I was. And, I'm happy. REALLY happy.
During that same conversation by the pool, I made an observation about the differences between the way that men and women are raised to deal with weight issues. My other anut, Murk, seemed really surprised and impressed with my comment. She asked, "where did you get that?" It was all me! haha. I realized that I really do get people. I understand how people think, and that's a gift that not everyone has. It means that I'm an actor of greater worth than I've been giving myself credit for... and, it's a bit of a wake-up call. I need to be using this gift.
Until about two weeks ago I was so overwhelmed with everything that I wanted to be doing that I was hardly making any progress. Now, for some reason, I'm not in as much of a hurry. I mean, I AM still in a hurry - but not a rush. I'm more capable of focusing on something specific and narrowing it all down to singular next steps. This is perfect, because everything seems to be taking off. The forward-looking feelings I'm getting are good ones, and I'm excited.
Change, Part 2(.0)
I started writing this on 5/29 and never finished it - mostly because I got over some of the the feelings that I was fleshing out. It meant a lot to me at the time, though, so I thought I'd clean it up and post it.
Since I discussed change in a blog over a month ago, a lot of things have... changed.
I tend to re-discover that I "wasn't getting it up until now" about every month or so. It's crazy rediculousness. The refreshing part is that I've found this to be incredibly normal among people in their teens and twenties. Turns out, I'm not nuts after all.
What changed?
I've returned to my long-time friend, Singledom.
I've recieved a petty distribution from my mom's estate (which was so weird, more on that later).
I've started a new job - which I absolutely love.
I finished shooting the short I'm producing.
I got my first (and, hopefully my last) ticket in California - not to worry, it's a fix-it.
My professional development outside of my day job has gone into high gear.
...among many other things. Needless to say, it's been amazing parade of hurt, confusion, sadness, loneliness, elation, satisfaction, joy, affirmation and growth.
My coworker and I were talking at lunch the other day about life's challenges. I told her that I believe "these things" happen because you're able to handle them and need them in order to grow. The deeper you are emotionally (which you can not avoid) and the more intelligent you are, the more likely you are to have to deal with tough hurtles. In recent months I've grown to somewhat resent people who have a general practice of avoidance when it has an effect on me for any number of reasons. Simply put - and this is from personal experience - avoidance and denial hurt you AND the ones around you.
A friend of mine from high school wrote to me about change that, "shook my world, but when the pieces fell, they were in a shape I preferred." She poured it all out and told me that, "I admire you for the life that you are living. It is yours. You are a wonderful, intelligent man and you live with the strength that many only dream about."
Um, wow. I know that I can't convince everyone (or, anyone?) that I'm NOT posting that quote in service to my ego... but I'm not. haha. I can't really express how much I needed to know that someone believed in me in that moment.
I can't tell you how much it means to me to be someone who inspires someone - to live a life that someone admires. I certainly don't think about it that way, but to have someone think those things is certainly... fucking awesome. haha.
Honestly, I have never loved who I am and who I'm becoming more. It's not without lots of painful moments and decisions that were hard to make. It's certainly not without having to decide to spare myself over playing the field set by another person in my life - a practice that I previously indulged in with many. I'm still pretty raw over losses that I've incurred over the past six months, but it's not been for naught. The days and weeks at a time where I didn't know who I was, where I was going or how I was going to survive have taught me so many lessons.
Also, I think I might have a double-disc, guy-with-a-guitar album to write now.
I've spent a lot of time missing someone this year. Not just one someone - several someones. Last night, I had a dream that I was hanging out with my mom, post mortem. It was like she was all her, but not living. She was walking around and talking to people and doing things... we talked about weather or not dead people go to the bathroom and she gave me the low down on the truth about heaven and hell. She was my mom - the one I miss. She was a friend and a confidant. She was supportive and nuturing. It was just like she'd always been here, and always been her awesome self. Just, not of the living. She was everywhere I went in my dreams last night, and it was awesome to have her around, just to hang out with.
I miss my mom a lot.
That's how far I got. Almost two months later, I look back at how I felt then and I'm so glad that I've grown as much as I have since then. That point in life really fucking sucked. But, that's what life is all about! I think I'm finally in a place where I can stop looking inward so much and pay more attention to the rest of the world. Believe it or not, I'm actually becoming a little more humble. haha. :) More on that in my next post.
Thanks for reading.
Since I discussed change in a blog over a month ago, a lot of things have... changed.
I tend to re-discover that I "wasn't getting it up until now" about every month or so. It's crazy rediculousness. The refreshing part is that I've found this to be incredibly normal among people in their teens and twenties. Turns out, I'm not nuts after all.
What changed?
I've returned to my long-time friend, Singledom.
I've recieved a petty distribution from my mom's estate (which was so weird, more on that later).
I've started a new job - which I absolutely love.
I finished shooting the short I'm producing.
I got my first (and, hopefully my last) ticket in California - not to worry, it's a fix-it.
My professional development outside of my day job has gone into high gear.
...among many other things. Needless to say, it's been amazing parade of hurt, confusion, sadness, loneliness, elation, satisfaction, joy, affirmation and growth.
My coworker and I were talking at lunch the other day about life's challenges. I told her that I believe "these things" happen because you're able to handle them and need them in order to grow. The deeper you are emotionally (which you can not avoid) and the more intelligent you are, the more likely you are to have to deal with tough hurtles. In recent months I've grown to somewhat resent people who have a general practice of avoidance when it has an effect on me for any number of reasons. Simply put - and this is from personal experience - avoidance and denial hurt you AND the ones around you.
A friend of mine from high school wrote to me about change that, "shook my world, but when the pieces fell, they were in a shape I preferred." She poured it all out and told me that, "I admire you for the life that you are living. It is yours. You are a wonderful, intelligent man and you live with the strength that many only dream about."
Um, wow. I know that I can't convince everyone (or, anyone?) that I'm NOT posting that quote in service to my ego... but I'm not. haha. I can't really express how much I needed to know that someone believed in me in that moment.
I can't tell you how much it means to me to be someone who inspires someone - to live a life that someone admires. I certainly don't think about it that way, but to have someone think those things is certainly... fucking awesome. haha.
Honestly, I have never loved who I am and who I'm becoming more. It's not without lots of painful moments and decisions that were hard to make. It's certainly not without having to decide to spare myself over playing the field set by another person in my life - a practice that I previously indulged in with many. I'm still pretty raw over losses that I've incurred over the past six months, but it's not been for naught. The days and weeks at a time where I didn't know who I was, where I was going or how I was going to survive have taught me so many lessons.
Also, I think I might have a double-disc, guy-with-a-guitar album to write now.
I've spent a lot of time missing someone this year. Not just one someone - several someones. Last night, I had a dream that I was hanging out with my mom, post mortem. It was like she was all her, but not living. She was walking around and talking to people and doing things... we talked about weather or not dead people go to the bathroom and she gave me the low down on the truth about heaven and hell. She was my mom - the one I miss. She was a friend and a confidant. She was supportive and nuturing. It was just like she'd always been here, and always been her awesome self. Just, not of the living. She was everywhere I went in my dreams last night, and it was awesome to have her around, just to hang out with.
I miss my mom a lot.
That's how far I got. Almost two months later, I look back at how I felt then and I'm so glad that I've grown as much as I have since then. That point in life really fucking sucked. But, that's what life is all about! I think I'm finally in a place where I can stop looking inward so much and pay more attention to the rest of the world. Believe it or not, I'm actually becoming a little more humble. haha. :) More on that in my next post.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Once more, with feeling.
I haven't blogged since April.
Not okay.
So, where the hell have I been? Oh, you know, here and there. Just, living life. I've noticed that when I blog I tend to recap my life in generalizations. So, I thought I would wait to blog until something specific happened. I'm beginning to realize that it doesn't work that way.
I'm watching the Harry Potter marathon on ABC Family and recovering from yesterday. Several friends and grilled on the beach all day and enjoyed around six firework shows across the south bay. It was ridiculous. We beached just under the LAX landing pattern, and huge jets were taking off right above us all day. It was awesome. Seriously, the best 4th of July ever.
My little brother gets here on Tuesday and I'm stoked. A week after he gets here we're taking the PCH up to Los Gatos for our family reunion/our cousin's wedding. I'm really, really excited to get out of LA for a little bit and be surrounded by people who have known me and loved me since I was born. It'll be awesome... even if it is in the mountains. haha.
Tonight, I'm going out with Chris and his boyfriend who's visiting from New York. Ah, the irony of life.
See you crazy cats later. :P
Ryan
Not okay.
So, where the hell have I been? Oh, you know, here and there. Just, living life. I've noticed that when I blog I tend to recap my life in generalizations. So, I thought I would wait to blog until something specific happened. I'm beginning to realize that it doesn't work that way.
I'm watching the Harry Potter marathon on ABC Family and recovering from yesterday. Several friends and grilled on the beach all day and enjoyed around six firework shows across the south bay. It was ridiculous. We beached just under the LAX landing pattern, and huge jets were taking off right above us all day. It was awesome. Seriously, the best 4th of July ever.
My little brother gets here on Tuesday and I'm stoked. A week after he gets here we're taking the PCH up to Los Gatos for our family reunion/our cousin's wedding. I'm really, really excited to get out of LA for a little bit and be surrounded by people who have known me and loved me since I was born. It'll be awesome... even if it is in the mountains. haha.
Tonight, I'm going out with Chris and his boyfriend who's visiting from New York. Ah, the irony of life.
See you crazy cats later. :P
Ryan
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
An IM Conversation
Adam
LOL!
you can't pimp out my cuddleacity.
Ryan
haha
I believe that if I'm doing something for you, aka providing for you, that makes me your pimp
Adam
LOL
damnit.
Ryan
haha
love it. you know you want too.
Adam
i don't know what i feel!
LOL!
you can't pimp out my cuddleacity.
Ryan
haha
I believe that if I'm doing something for you, aka providing for you, that makes me your pimp
Adam
LOL
damnit.
Ryan
haha
love it. you know you want too.
Adam
i don't know what i feel!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Change
In the browser window on the left of my screen, I'm looking at the website of the company that I've been temping for over the past month and a half. On the right, I'm browsing through the website of the company that I'll go to work for next Tuesday.
Change is tough. Even though the road at this temp job hasn't been perfect, It's been interesting and - at some points - fun. My new job is a far better fit, but I'm still having a little impending separation anxiety. What can I say, I get attached easily!
Things around me have changed consistently and drastically for several years. My friend Nick Carter (no, not that one) and I were talking recently, and realized that we'd known each other for over ten years. In that time, I've seen so many things just happen. Divorce, death, change in social groups, one hit after another in school, disappointment, failure, embarrassment... all things that just happened to me and to the people around me.
Now, all sorts of awesome and positive things have happened, too. I moved to Los Angeles, I ended unhealthy relationships, my dad finally found a life that he could be happy in, my remaining family has grown much stronger and I've started to become the person I've always wanted to be.
The difference? The shitty things just happened. The good things have almost always been as a result of a deliberate choice on some one's part to make things better. In essence: shit happens, and you only get out of life exactly what you put in. You have to make things better. You can't just bitch, moan and pray about it.
Since my mom died last November, things have changed more rapidly than they ever have. A lot of these changes have been really amazing and have happened without a direct effort on my part. I've only made a much more concerted effort go get the best out of life. Watching my mom drink herself to death over several years opened my eyes to how quickly everything can go south, and how you have to make an effort on your own to live a healthy and prosperous live. Ultimately, my mom died because she was unhappy. She didn't love herself, and she let herself be defeated by fear instead of going after the things she really wanted in life. Behaviors that I struggle with all the time.
I have to work hard to feel lovable and, ultimately, to love myself. My first responsibility in life is to go after the things I really want and to experience all of the best things I can. The lesson of my mother's death is this: don't let this happen to you. Don't let your dreams die under the pressure of fear. Don't let self doubt and a struggle to feel worthwhile prevent you from assuming the best about yourself and expecting the best out of life and from those you're close too.
You deserve no less.
Change is tough. Even though the road at this temp job hasn't been perfect, It's been interesting and - at some points - fun. My new job is a far better fit, but I'm still having a little impending separation anxiety. What can I say, I get attached easily!
Things around me have changed consistently and drastically for several years. My friend Nick Carter (no, not that one) and I were talking recently, and realized that we'd known each other for over ten years. In that time, I've seen so many things just happen. Divorce, death, change in social groups, one hit after another in school, disappointment, failure, embarrassment... all things that just happened to me and to the people around me.
Now, all sorts of awesome and positive things have happened, too. I moved to Los Angeles, I ended unhealthy relationships, my dad finally found a life that he could be happy in, my remaining family has grown much stronger and I've started to become the person I've always wanted to be.
The difference? The shitty things just happened. The good things have almost always been as a result of a deliberate choice on some one's part to make things better. In essence: shit happens, and you only get out of life exactly what you put in. You have to make things better. You can't just bitch, moan and pray about it.
Since my mom died last November, things have changed more rapidly than they ever have. A lot of these changes have been really amazing and have happened without a direct effort on my part. I've only made a much more concerted effort go get the best out of life. Watching my mom drink herself to death over several years opened my eyes to how quickly everything can go south, and how you have to make an effort on your own to live a healthy and prosperous live. Ultimately, my mom died because she was unhappy. She didn't love herself, and she let herself be defeated by fear instead of going after the things she really wanted in life. Behaviors that I struggle with all the time.
I have to work hard to feel lovable and, ultimately, to love myself. My first responsibility in life is to go after the things I really want and to experience all of the best things I can. The lesson of my mother's death is this: don't let this happen to you. Don't let your dreams die under the pressure of fear. Don't let self doubt and a struggle to feel worthwhile prevent you from assuming the best about yourself and expecting the best out of life and from those you're close too.
You deserve no less.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A great America Ferrera article.
I just came across a great article on America Ferrera that I found very inspiring. This is a great read, in the Los Angeles Daily Times/LA.com, for anybody who aspires to make it in the biz.
Enjoy:
http://www.la.com/celebs_and_gossip/profiles/Beyond_Betty.html
Enjoy:
http://www.la.com/celebs_and_gossip/profiles/Beyond_Betty.html
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Revisited: A Note on ZIP Codes
I recently posted a blog about ZIP codes where I pointed out that one of the ZIP codes in West Hollywood ends with the number, "69."
This, to date, is the only blog that I've gotten a comment on. Just one, and it was this one.
I wonder - did this person put "69" in the search field and stumble across my blog?
At least I'm getting traffic.
This, to date, is the only blog that I've gotten a comment on. Just one, and it was this one.
I wonder - did this person put "69" in the search field and stumble across my blog?
At least I'm getting traffic.
5 Words: A Writing Exercise
I've been assigned 5 words upon which I must create a blog! They are: 1. beam; 2. stack; 3. obtuse; 4. strike; 5. depth.
Here it goes!
There is a kind of depth that you experience when you're standing in the middle of Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, looking up. It's not necessarily just what you can measure with your eyes. The beams of some of the West Side's tallest buildings shoot up into the air between window panes and panels of facade made from some form of grout. So many of them have touches of architectural design, yet none of the accents differ from the basic form more than an obtuse edge here and there. As Wilshire Boulevard winds gradually over a slightly graded hill, these buildings - in a stack so close together they're like dominoes that you fully intend to knock down later - grow drastically from the flat national cemetery to heights of 40 stories or more. As quickly as they grow, they fall back down again. You find yourself on a street lined with trees on either side that leads you to Beverly Hills. The experience is so grand and so brief that it might strike you as a dream. But it wasn't! After spending thirty minutes trying to figure out where to turn around, you do it again.
Here it goes!
There is a kind of depth that you experience when you're standing in the middle of Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, looking up. It's not necessarily just what you can measure with your eyes. The beams of some of the West Side's tallest buildings shoot up into the air between window panes and panels of facade made from some form of grout. So many of them have touches of architectural design, yet none of the accents differ from the basic form more than an obtuse edge here and there. As Wilshire Boulevard winds gradually over a slightly graded hill, these buildings - in a stack so close together they're like dominoes that you fully intend to knock down later - grow drastically from the flat national cemetery to heights of 40 stories or more. As quickly as they grow, they fall back down again. You find yourself on a street lined with trees on either side that leads you to Beverly Hills. The experience is so grand and so brief that it might strike you as a dream. But it wasn't! After spending thirty minutes trying to figure out where to turn around, you do it again.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
A Letter on Same Sex Marriage, With Thanks
At my current temp job I filter through all of the major and not-as-major papers in California. This morning, I came across a fantastic column from a staff member at the San Francisco Chronicle.
The column is titled, "Everyday life best argument for gay marriage." C.W. Nevius, the writer, is a heterosexual father of a gay 20-something year old man.
It's one thing for a well-spoken (or well-written) homosexual to stand on behalf of the gay community. It's another thing all together when a successful, family-oriented heterosexual man makes that stand.
Homosexuals have, generally speaking, been well organized for the past several years. As a community, gays and lesbians (and other groups that are generally lumped in) have sounded their voices clearly.
Since 2000, more and more heterosexuals, both prominent and ordinary, have begun to step up and show support for their friends and family in the gay community. It's a risk - many of them face opposition that could be detrimental to their livelihoods. That's why I'm so damn thankful that this writer made the bold choice to speak out in support during a time when the state of California is re-visiting gay marriage legislation on the state Supreme Court level.
Here's my message to him:
"A quick thank you for your fantastic piece in the Chronicle this morning. I monitor the papers in California for my company, and happened upon your article. I am a 22 year old independent film/television producer, director, writer, and actor in Los Angeles (this newspaper monitoring thing is a temp job I happen to really enjoy). I moved here a little over a year ago from Northeast Tennessee. Oh! And, I'm gay. I'm lucky, too - my parents have always been supportive. The community I grew up in was split somewhere, but I wouldn't say down the middle. It was small enough and my mom was prominent enough in the community that everyone knew who I was and that I was gay. I spent my teens worrying that being myself openly would ruin my dad's business or my mom's chances in local public office. As it happens, my dad's business is still doing very well. Were my mom still alive, a second or third run at public office would likely have been successful.
Okay, this isn't as quick as I had anticipated. I'll say this: It's heartwarming to read a heterosexual father of a gay son - a father who is obviously successful professionally and thereby can't be inept or excused as atypical - show such open support for not only his son, but his son's community. So many people have no opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians but don't say anything. It's like that story about the Protestant minister during the Holocaust who didn't speak up when his neighbors were taken away one-by-one for different parts of their identity, only to be left helpless when they came for him. On the other hand, the vocal minority has a fervent passion for exclusion and "correction" of "behaviors."
So, thank you. Thank you for speaking up. Thank you for lending your name, your credibility, and your position to those of us who need people outside of the community almost more than we need each other in order to come out of this truly equal.
You're a hero in my book."
The column is titled, "Everyday life best argument for gay marriage." C.W. Nevius, the writer, is a heterosexual father of a gay 20-something year old man.
It's one thing for a well-spoken (or well-written) homosexual to stand on behalf of the gay community. It's another thing all together when a successful, family-oriented heterosexual man makes that stand.
Homosexuals have, generally speaking, been well organized for the past several years. As a community, gays and lesbians (and other groups that are generally lumped in) have sounded their voices clearly.
Since 2000, more and more heterosexuals, both prominent and ordinary, have begun to step up and show support for their friends and family in the gay community. It's a risk - many of them face opposition that could be detrimental to their livelihoods. That's why I'm so damn thankful that this writer made the bold choice to speak out in support during a time when the state of California is re-visiting gay marriage legislation on the state Supreme Court level.
Here's my message to him:
"A quick thank you for your fantastic piece in the Chronicle this morning. I monitor the papers in California for my company, and happened upon your article. I am a 22 year old independent film/television producer, director, writer, and actor in Los Angeles (this newspaper monitoring thing is a temp job I happen to really enjoy). I moved here a little over a year ago from Northeast Tennessee. Oh! And, I'm gay. I'm lucky, too - my parents have always been supportive. The community I grew up in was split somewhere, but I wouldn't say down the middle. It was small enough and my mom was prominent enough in the community that everyone knew who I was and that I was gay. I spent my teens worrying that being myself openly would ruin my dad's business or my mom's chances in local public office. As it happens, my dad's business is still doing very well. Were my mom still alive, a second or third run at public office would likely have been successful.
Okay, this isn't as quick as I had anticipated. I'll say this: It's heartwarming to read a heterosexual father of a gay son - a father who is obviously successful professionally and thereby can't be inept or excused as atypical - show such open support for not only his son, but his son's community. So many people have no opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians but don't say anything. It's like that story about the Protestant minister during the Holocaust who didn't speak up when his neighbors were taken away one-by-one for different parts of their identity, only to be left helpless when they came for him. On the other hand, the vocal minority has a fervent passion for exclusion and "correction" of "behaviors."
So, thank you. Thank you for speaking up. Thank you for lending your name, your credibility, and your position to those of us who need people outside of the community almost more than we need each other in order to come out of this truly equal.
You're a hero in my book."
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Note on ZIP Codes
In Los Angeles, you can often tell a lot about someone by the ZIP code in which they reside and/or work. We place a lot of importance on this - postal codes are now an extension of vanity and status.
For instance: the most widely recognized LA-area ZIP code is 90210. Known most for the television show, "Beverly Hills, 90210," it's synonymous with wealth. Oh, the plight of rich teenagers!
Far fewer people, however, know that one of the ZIP codes in West Hollywood is 90069.
69!
That's funny. I feel strongly that the connection commonly made between homosexuality and sexual activity is inappropriate and unacceptable. But, 69? That's just damn funny.
For instance: the most widely recognized LA-area ZIP code is 90210. Known most for the television show, "Beverly Hills, 90210," it's synonymous with wealth. Oh, the plight of rich teenagers!
Far fewer people, however, know that one of the ZIP codes in West Hollywood is 90069.
69!
That's funny. I feel strongly that the connection commonly made between homosexuality and sexual activity is inappropriate and unacceptable. But, 69? That's just damn funny.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
The Obama Revolution
I'm not the type to get sold.
Having said that, I love Barack Obama.
Not in the, play-with-my-ass-while-I-bake-you-a-cake way. Rather, I'm enthralled by his candidacy, his vision, and his promise of change that I actually believe in.
I really believe that Hilary, Mke, John and the rest of the gang all mean well. The ones that really concerned me have, for the most part, dropped out. I think to be in at this point either means that you're doing really well, or you're aspiring to something other than a reasonable investment in your own future. Having said that, CNN reports that Obama is the least wealthy of all the candidates that have at some point been major party nominees. He has never been at the helm of a large corporation, and he's never been a wealthy lawyer. He just hasn't.
Barack Obama gives speeches that make people who don't cry weep. He elicits feelings in people that haven't been felt about the hope of America in a time longer than I can remember. The President is, in some ways, a figurehead who works at the head of a vast team of experts. America needs a president who can lead and inspire - he doesn't have to be old, and he doesn't have to know everything.
Hilary Clinton is getting old, and she might know a lot of things. She'll be a great Secretary of the Treasury.
More thoughts on this topic will come as the election develops. However, I will leave you with this thought:
Ron Paul has found massive support in youth who were previously too young to understand or to apathetic to pay attention. They make signs at home and put them everywhere. In Los Angeles, we've been looking at these signs on the freeways for months. Paul, however, isn't the only one who puts a fire on people with plenty of passion to spare. The attached is a homegrown sign that reads, "OBAMA IS HOPE."
Hope, indeed.
A Note on Prosperity in Los Angeles
Those of us who have specific career goals often have what seem to be insurmountable obstacles in the lack of support and understanding from our friends and loved ones. Few people are able to see outside of the bounds of what has always been known and understood by their lineage or community. The ability to do so can be a blessing or a curse. To add insult to injury, doing big things is hard to do… and even harder to do alone.
If my father had his way, I'd be finishing my undergrad degree, with grad school in mind and prospects in senior management at a lucrative company thereafter. We don't always get our druthers. I moved to Los Angeles over a year ago after dropping out of college to pursue my fortune in entertainment. Entertainment! A volatile industry that most people don't understand. Much to his chagrin, I'm still doing it.
I had an amazing job in retail not too long ago. This time last year, I was about to get promoted to an incredibly lucrative management position after having worked in that division of the company for less than three months. I was soon to be giving blockbuster presentations to members of senior management who could've easily become my peers, given enough time. In September, I quit. I gave up thousands a year and all sorts of amenities. IT WAS AMAZING.
Fast-forward almost five months. My entire life has changed. Instead of having more money than I know what do with, I've accumulated debt and have been what some would call, "broke as fuck." When I got back from Tennessee (funeral, Christmas, etc), I was in a rut. I hated my new job selling cable door-to-door, and I felt like my hopes and dreams had been squandered by the system and my poor choices that set me up to fail long before I left my job in retail. I hated life a little (but, only a little).
Recently, however, inspiration has found me taking action. And I'm working my ass off. I finally have clarity (and some help). I can actually see my future unfolding before my eyes.
Today - and this was the entire reason why I gave you the previous several paragraphs of set up - I'm getting paid to sit at the administrative desk at a company that produces trailers for movies. As we speak, I'm listening to one of those voice over guys do a voice over. In another room, the same 5 seconds from one of this season's biggest action blockbusters is playing over and over and over (and over).
This is magic. This is the stuff that people like me dream about. People who make decisions at major studios are calling in, and I'm talking to them. This, my friends, is the shit.
Chin up, out of work writers. My friends in this industry who struggle, look forward with positive thoughts and progress under your wings. This job for me is fleeting, and not exactly what I want to do, but it's a move in the right direction. I can't complain, either. I've worked all week, and I'm working tomorrow. I have an ongoing temp assignment starting on Monday. It's refreshing, to say the least. And it's about damn time. Prosperity comes to those who don’t give up.
Don’t give up.
If my father had his way, I'd be finishing my undergrad degree, with grad school in mind and prospects in senior management at a lucrative company thereafter. We don't always get our druthers. I moved to Los Angeles over a year ago after dropping out of college to pursue my fortune in entertainment. Entertainment! A volatile industry that most people don't understand. Much to his chagrin, I'm still doing it.
I had an amazing job in retail not too long ago. This time last year, I was about to get promoted to an incredibly lucrative management position after having worked in that division of the company for less than three months. I was soon to be giving blockbuster presentations to members of senior management who could've easily become my peers, given enough time. In September, I quit. I gave up thousands a year and all sorts of amenities. IT WAS AMAZING.
Fast-forward almost five months. My entire life has changed. Instead of having more money than I know what do with, I've accumulated debt and have been what some would call, "broke as fuck." When I got back from Tennessee (funeral, Christmas, etc), I was in a rut. I hated my new job selling cable door-to-door, and I felt like my hopes and dreams had been squandered by the system and my poor choices that set me up to fail long before I left my job in retail. I hated life a little (but, only a little).
Recently, however, inspiration has found me taking action. And I'm working my ass off. I finally have clarity (and some help). I can actually see my future unfolding before my eyes.
Today - and this was the entire reason why I gave you the previous several paragraphs of set up - I'm getting paid to sit at the administrative desk at a company that produces trailers for movies. As we speak, I'm listening to one of those voice over guys do a voice over. In another room, the same 5 seconds from one of this season's biggest action blockbusters is playing over and over and over (and over).
This is magic. This is the stuff that people like me dream about. People who make decisions at major studios are calling in, and I'm talking to them. This, my friends, is the shit.
Chin up, out of work writers. My friends in this industry who struggle, look forward with positive thoughts and progress under your wings. This job for me is fleeting, and not exactly what I want to do, but it's a move in the right direction. I can't complain, either. I've worked all week, and I'm working tomorrow. I have an ongoing temp assignment starting on Monday. It's refreshing, to say the least. And it's about damn time. Prosperity comes to those who don’t give up.
Don’t give up.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
A Note on Blogging
So, here it is. My first blog on blogspot.
I intended to blog for a long time. My Grandmother says that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. So, I'm either now in Hell, or home free. Someone will have to clarify that one for me.
I have to give credit - while many have encouraged me to write, I had to be given a good nudge (or, several good ones) in the right direction by someone who has my ear long enough to hold me accountable. I'm now beginning to wonder if all of this encouragement was just an effort to give me a new outlet so I would shut up. I'm totally feeling the love. (Thanks!)
Those of you reading can expect notes on all sorts of subjects, full of my opinions and sound (sound!) arguments. You'll also find an occasional essay on a variety of topics, the first being on Homosexuality, which I wrote in college and still use in conversation today.
To you, the reader - the 5 or 7 people who happened across this blog - thanks for reading. It's always better to have an audience.
Ryan
I intended to blog for a long time. My Grandmother says that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. So, I'm either now in Hell, or home free. Someone will have to clarify that one for me.
I have to give credit - while many have encouraged me to write, I had to be given a good nudge (or, several good ones) in the right direction by someone who has my ear long enough to hold me accountable. I'm now beginning to wonder if all of this encouragement was just an effort to give me a new outlet so I would shut up. I'm totally feeling the love. (Thanks!)
Those of you reading can expect notes on all sorts of subjects, full of my opinions and sound (sound!) arguments. You'll also find an occasional essay on a variety of topics, the first being on Homosexuality, which I wrote in college and still use in conversation today.
To you, the reader - the 5 or 7 people who happened across this blog - thanks for reading. It's always better to have an audience.
Ryan
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