Packapalooza and moving

A successful day at packing. About 90% packed up. Only those things in the kitchen, bathrooms and the ever important home theater that remain to be boxed or stacked up. Plus, clothing, which can go into the back seat of the car for a quick trip.

Barney has nearly completely fallen apart physically. He's barely able to walk, he's started drooling, and he's in obvious discomfort, as opposed to his previous interest, curiousity and openess. John has agreed to take him to the SPCA on Monday to be put down.

Had Babs over today to help pack - she hadn't been here in about six months. I was very glad to have her help.

Tomorrow, after church, it's clean-up packing. The last few things to be ready to put everything on the truck. Which truck I haven't yet arranged for....

So many things to be done yet. Call all the utility companies, all the mail forwarding and address changes. Oof.

I think I'll be spending substantially all of this week doing this. Wow. Amazing how much time this is going to take. Amazing that I've been in this house for almost 11 months. Today, as Babs was here, I was reflecting on how much I've done, spent and generated in getting this house to a position that it's just as liveable as it is now.

As we sat here in the living room today eating lunch, we could hear the squirrels in the ceiling over my bathroom. Craziness.

Rescue Rangers

I'm writing this as I listen to more of Bryan's head banging music at work. Lovely.

This morning, another piece hit me in the head - standing out in front of my house (at the age of five) with no options, no facilities, no resources - my father pulled up, like a white knight (in a red Plymouth) and I was carried off.

Since then, I think I keep looking outside myself to find rescue. And, I seem to have believed that rescuing someone was a great way to show them my affection and be accepted.

I've had some rescue ranger experiences, and I've had some that were, but didn't feel or look so much like it. Jackie, for instance, was a rescue - literally from the streets. Barney was a rescue from a certain death as a litter runt. Blah, blah.

So, in trying to buy this house, I've been waiting for someone to whisk up in a red Plymouth and handle it. And, at the same time, I've been expected to handle all of it by myself. Today, I resolved to handle what there was in my power to handle and to cast aside the rest.

This has led to some very interesting conversations and realizations.

I must say that I'm not sure exactly how this is going to be resolved. However, I've declared an end to being the Rescue Ranger. People can ask me where to go to get rescued, but they won't be able to count on me to do it for them, outside of the stuff that's normal - flat tires, missed airplanes and that sort of thing.

No more "I'm out in the car - and I want you to look up such and such on the computer." No more "my life sucks - how do I fix it" and then the exact behavior over and over.

Nope. I've started getting very direct with people this week, telling them what doesn't work about their behavior. I'm going totally Lisa with it. For those of you who don't know Lisa, that would go like this .. "Oh, thanks for the offer. However, you never keep your word, so I'm going to make other arrangements." Or, "why would you tell me something like that when we both know that you're just saying it to feel good right now, and when it comes down to the doing of it, you won't come through?" Or "The reason I don't want to spend time with you or talk to you on the phone is because you only require someone to occupy space; you only require some mannequin to be there to talk AT, and it's not about me at all. Just you."

This is pretty difficult. I would like for some people in my life to step up and act in a manner consistent with what they say they want, but at the same time, I can't plan for that happening. And, I am unwilling to just absorb the falsehood of "Oh, I'll come do that with you."

Now, the world is getting back "uh, no .. you won't."

Heuristic? Yes. My choice? Yes. A big change? Definately.

Heurism defined - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristics

Monday, Monday .. rainy day version

Fun! Gave away about 1/3 of the sheet/book music to Rosita today. Rainy, nasty and wet were the operative words for the afternoon. Seems that the sheet music that I have left isn't really worth much. After calling the eBay consignment shop, their minimum price requirement has gone up to $50, which rather negates a bunch of the stuff I have to sell, I guess. I don't know.

Still a lot more packing to do. Kitchen, bedrooms, garage.

I'm finding so many things that I kept and moved into this house that I just don't think about, read, look at, whatever. It's just amazing how much CRAP I keep because it "feels" better than having nothing, or thinking that I have nothing.

Well, enough of that. I may be moving this stuff into the new place, but it's not staying.

I've fully decorated the new place in my mind. Well, as far as where the furniture and wall hangings are going to go. Paint colors have yet to be determined. I will need some drapes for the front two windows, and a blind and drapery rod for my bedroom (I'm not giving up on the red silk just yet, I don't think.)

I have decided that the front formal living room is going to have the small curio case - maybe another one curio case eventually. Glass front antique book case. Two black leather arm chairs. Big curio case. The two big Continental airlines posters. It's going to be the airline memorabilia room. In the great room, the piano, the stereo/home theater, and all the movie posters. The kitchen is going to have clear counters, I've decided. Only the coffee maker and the knife rack are going to be "out."

I had lunch today with John (Big John, not John too) at Baba Yega, and we sat right outside the patio. I was looking out the windows at the lavish riot of plants and thought "that's how I want my patio to look."

It's going to require some work, but I want to be able to look out through that patio window and see plants, leaves, flowers, flowing water ... yup.

The stairwell is two stories tall, and has three great walls for hanging "stuff." So, I've decided to finally have all of my 1938 20th Century Limited stuff framed, and hang the "trains," as my Dutch Auntie called them in the stairwell, and hang the other curio (the one with the 1938 20th Century stuff in it) at the top of the stairwell hallway. I'll get Matticia to put in some recessed cans that will highlight each of the framed, hanging prints and the curio.

Still waiting on the final word for loan approval. I am withholding shaking the money tree until I know what's what.

Thinking of going to bed, even though it's only 9:30. I have a headache, and am feeling like being horizontal.

The first day of Packapalooza

Bram went out last night and picked up a swarm of boxes. I've been through the kitchen once, and have pulled out all of the stuff that's going to the church garage sale; a few more things to put in there. Rosita and Lisa are coming over at 11ish, and I have to run pick up Babs.

My friend Brian, whom I've not met in person but talk to nearly every day and think of as a confidante, has been writing in his own blog about men and .. well, how they suck. He's posted some very witty, urbane, articulate thoughts of late, and they've been making me feel plagiaristic. Rather than steal his work, I just linked you to it for your enjoyment.

I'm feeling much better about the house thing. I talked to Rosita yesterday (finally) and felt like I was reminded about what was not working for me - I was focusing on the WRONG THING. Duh. This morning, I spent some time focusing on the RIGHT thing, which makes a huge difference.

I feel like playing Bugs Bunny cartoons. Both roomies had overnight guests .. so, I pop out of bed at 0600, and they're both still engaged in sexual gymnastics from the night before. Uh .. yeah. Maybe they'll be up in time for Packapalooza.

Naw. Well, the one has to be at work before 10. We'll see.

I think Sondra is coming by this morning to get her taxes did. I have to work on a thing for PJ, so I'll get to doing that instead of calling my dad, which was what I was THINKING of doing.

I'm actively engaging in refraining from contact with people that aren't such a good thing for me.

A note from my aunt Marie Antoinette Schwarts, follwed by a comment from me

My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed.
Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict.

This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and
Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this.

You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch you're precious Benzes, Bimmers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York!

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something with your oil.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA Treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America.

It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup
Soccer from America. To the nations on List 1, A final thought.

Thanks guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night.

My reply (to my father..)

The first thing about this idea is - we give VERY little foreign aid to anyone. A myth, just like the welfare mothers in Cadillacs (that probably also upsets the writer.) The vast bulk of our foreign aid (in directly contributions or "loans" to buy stuff from us - giveaways) is to Israel and Egypt.

The idea that France or Germany bear reason to suffer because of our invading a sovereign nation without their help and assistance is ludicrous. Severing diplomatic ties over their unwillingness to support what now, in anyone's eyes, was an unjustified attack based on fabricated imaginings indicates that the writer of this screed has very little understanding about the legal relationships between countries. Severing diplomatic ties is, in essence, a declaration of war.

Next, the idea that the president can "instruct" the Mayor of New York to do ANYTHING is so patently absurd and contrary to the "Republican" core value of having local government make their own decisions, I don't even know where to go with it.

The cars that have accumulated these tickets have done so on the basis of diplomatic immunity. This international accommodation is well-set into law, and taking any action of this nature would be tantamount to our abrogating hundreds of years of international law, and would open up the entire question of diplomatic immunity, negatively affecting our own diplomats abroad, and hampering our efforts to accomplish ANYTHING.

Of course, these idiots would think that's just fine.

President Fox of Mexico has already had his replacement elected, although that election is contested. Apparently, the writer of this screed isn't up to date on foreign affairs, but that's no surprise.

How does NAFTA play into the refusal of other nations to participate in an unjustified attack on a sovereign member of the United Nations which was threatening no other country? Perhaps I'm daft, but NAFTA was a treated shoved down OUR throats by the conservative, free trade, globalize your job to Pakistan crowd - the same crowd that spawn the idiot who wrote this note.

Mexico, by the way, does do something with its oil already. They sell it to us. Nearly all of it.

And, Geo. 43 has BROKEN the Army. I doubt we could successfully invade Mexico at this point.

Perhaps the writer of this lunacy should do a little fact-based research - our Alaskan oil is mostly sold to the Japanese and the Asian market; almost none of it comes here to the US. And, those reserves are quite depleted in Alaska. Those wells are under pressured and not producing as they were in the 1970s.

Nearly half a century of screwing with other people's governments, to ensure the fair and free market for our corporations that controlled those foreign marketplaces? I can understand why this has earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. We've actively overthrown the governments of Iraq, Iran, Egypt, most of Africa, Vietnam, the Philippines, ALL of South and Central America - TWICE, virtually run Germany and Japan until recently .. and "nearly half a century?" 1947 - 2007 IS a half century.

So, in addition to taking our plastic pail and shovel and leaving the sandbox, we should kick out World Cup Soccer, a sport that was recently introduced to the US by one of the largest liquor distributors in the US, who lives here in Houston, by the way. A sport that garners fewer attendees and fans than does high school football? What would that accomplish, other than to make us look like immature, ill-bred whiners?

This, in my mind, summarized what immature bullies the Conservatives (since Reagan) are. They are nothing more than spoiled children, who, when denied the candy that they want at the check-out, start screaming that they're abused and that everything's against them. So, they'll just sit on the floor and pout and scream, thinking that it will get them what they want.

They fail to see or consider that every adult in their controlled environment just leaves. And, they don't come back.

Sometimes, you just get lucky

God, the universe, fate, whatever it is that you believe in, always provides you with just what you need when you need it.

It just is frustrating that we can't see that we really DON'T need the winning lotto numbers, we need another brick upside the head to have us learn what we're ignoring or putting up with.

Sometimes, the brick hits you with a big SPLACK. And, if you're paying attention, you've just collected a damned lucky brick.

If you're lucky enough to collect that brick, you can finally put together some things that have been bothering you for years, holding you back, keeping you from being who you could be.

So, thanks to the big lucky brick. I've been clear for a long time that I won the brick lotto, it just takes a while to connect 49 years' worth of dots once you get the brick.

Gay Rights Activists Introduce Initiative that Would Require Children in Marriages

Feb 5, 2007 04:09 PM

KENNEWICK, Wash.- A new initiative is turning heads around the state as the gay-marriage debate heats up again.

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed has accepted Iinitiative 957, a response by gay rights activists to a State Supreme Court ruling last summer.

The Washington Supreme Court ruled that the state could prevent gay and lesbian couples from marrying because the state has a legitimate interest in preserving marriage for procreation.

The Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance then filed the initiative.

I-957 has five clauses that would have to be met for a legal marriage.

It would allow only couples capable of having kids to marry, and that they file "proof of procreation" within three years of the marriage. If not, the marriage would be annulled.

Many people think the law is over the top.

Leaders at a Kennewick church with gay and lesbian members feel the same.

"There are many marriages that are not about having children. There are many couples who marry later in life, they marry for companionship, they marry because they want to create a family," said the Reverend Janet Pierce.

"They don't necessarily marry to have children," Pierce said.

I-957 would also force couples who married out of state to show the same proof of procreation or their marriage wouldn't be recognized, and it would become a criminal act for anyone in an unrecognized marriage to get marriage benefits.

To make it on the November ballot they need 224,800 signatures by July 6.

So, I think I've decided to:

Go big with Skype, and get a SkypeIN telephone number..

Get a Skype phone for use at the office, and a Skype/Analog phone for
use at home

I found a software program that has my Treo automatically forward
incoming calls to a pre-set telephone number when the Treo is in it's
cradle - I'll have it forward to the Skype In number. That will give
me clearer signal; one of my difficulties is the poor Sprint signal
when I'm in the office or at home.

I'll publish just one phone number, the Sprint number. If I'm at the
office, the incoming phone calls will come into the Skype line. At
home, same thing. I can make outbound calls from the Skype line.

At home, I can call TWC and tell them to either drop the price on the
phone service, or I can cut it off.

The Sprint minutes, now at 2500/month, could be dropped down to about
400, saving almost $100 a month. If I turn off the TWC digital phone
and cut the Sprint minutes in that fashion, I'd have saved about $140
a month.

I'll start encouraging people to move to Skype for telephony; it's
very big overseas. If both callers are on Skype, the calls are free.
Free free free.

Saturday sabbath

Watching season two of "Carnivale." It's just plain disturbing and weird. I love it. Bram called, wanting to talk about having dinner, and so I'm making chicken and rice and cornbread.

I exchanged a few emails with my best friend from college today. He's doing well with his new business it seems. I asked him if he'd given any consideration to traveling on the QM2 cruise that I want to go on. He said that he felt too old, out of shape and unwilling to put up with "a ship of young party animals."

I say that we'll have the run of the place from 0700 to noon, and scroom.

I had a day of rest today; Saturdays are the only day I can do that. I still have to pull together some definitions for myself for tomorrow morning.

I'm going to be glad to move to the old townhouse in a week or so. I was thinking that it is going to be a shame to have to abandon the blue leather sofa that's been in my bedroom; I just don't know that it will fit in my new bedroom.

I was going to buy two XM Innos - one for me and one for John II. I thought about it for three days - and decided that trying to please John II wasn't a good move, and that I'd just never use a portable XM radio myself. My money would be better spent on upgrading to a Treo 700p, since my Treo is half dead. There is a car mount kit that I want to put in my car that will make it easier to see and use, has a built in charger, and will allow me to use the Treo as a navigation device which is VERY cool.

I've been looking at all of the stuff that I have here in the house that hasn't been used since I've moved in here. The clearance sale is going to just get bigger. Appliances that haven't been used are going out on sale, glassware, vases, tschotkes, wall art, printed music, CDs, books, dishes, collectibles, and so on.

Some of this will be donated to the church for the garage sale, some donated to the church for use at the church, and some listed on eBay for sale. If I can find someone to help me with the digital camera work and the uploading. Other than that, it's ALL going over to the eBay consignment store. Yurg.

In my mind, I'm already moving. I'm seeing what's going where, how things go together, so on.

I think John II is going to end up moving in with his girlfriend fairly soon - by spring, anyway. He's spending 100% of his time with her.

So funny to be the one with the inside joke, and not able to say anything at all about it. The innuendo and synchroncity is sometimes exquisitely painful.

I've just found a bunch more Marvin the Martian stuff on eBay. Really fun stuff.

I'm sorry in a lot of ways to be leaving this house. I'm also not sorry; it's in need of so much attention, and there is so much about it that I don't yet know. It's expensive to keep up, and it's expensive to keep warm or cool. I'm excited about the new house in some ways, but mostly because of the stability that it will represent. I have some ideas to upgrade and improve it, but those aren't anything that must be done. I'm going to clip out a bunch of these climbing ivy plants and have them growing up the brick walls in the patio. I'm thinking that the patio can be neatly made into a lush green garden spot. I had thought about a hot tub, but I'm thinking instead of a fountain. Obviously, the coy pond won't be going in there, as I'd have to build up a pile of dirt to sink it into, and it would occupy a lot of space. The hot tub would occupy even more.

So, it's going to be a tranquil, green garden space, with seating, and green climbing the walls, hanging in baskets, and peppered with the color of flowers. I think that the hibiscus and the rubber trees will do great out there, as will all of the hanging baskets.

This buildup to breakthrough is frustrating. I feel like I should be able to process through this much more easily than I'm doing. I'm clear about the behavior patterns that are the outward manifestations of the beliefs. I'm clear about the ways that those patterns hold me back. I'm clear that this way is not how I want to continue on. I just can't get clear on it.

Perhaps the Psych-K seminar will solve some of these issues. If I like it, I'm going to get trained as a Psych-K instructor.

My next thing is to create my budget goals, and then reverse engineer the milestones to reach them.

It's clouding over. I wonder if that's related to my desire to have a big old nap.

Bitch, bitch, bitch

What is it with me making agreements that are broken? I guess, more importantly, why is it that I keep seeking out people to participate? Why do I just not push forward alone, and make it happen?

I don't give many chances - when someone's agreed to participate with me, and then chooses more interesting plans without giving even lip service to the broken engagement, I just refuse to make further plans with them. And, I tell him straight to their face that I won't make further arrangements because they don't keep their agreements.

I'm wrestling with the lack of clarity in determining what is intuition, and what is expecting a repetition of previous events. Where is the line between my own thoughts creating an environment and looking outside, seeing that it's overcast, there's water dripping from the roof, and puddles outside and concluding that it's raining?

Where do you make a difference?

How do you intervene in institutionalized child abuse and the adult aftermath? How do you help someone without yourself being taken over by their need? How do you tell someone that they need professional help in such a way that they take no offense and take action?

It's so difficult to love someone who is in so deep. In observing this, it seems to me that many people who come from this background cannot be thought responsible for their own choices - behavior being so automatically programmed - that they need protection and help, not punishment and recrimination.

And yet, where is the line of personal responsibility - both mine and theirs?

The law of attraction is so clear in observation - meaning, when I am the observer. People's fears express themselves most crisply, in the face of their complete blindness.

How does one use this ability to see for good?

Thursday thoughts

Today was a pretty rugged day from the perspective of appearances.

My mortgage lender went out of business this week. So, we're starting over from scratch. I spent several hours wrestling with a collection agency on a 25 year old account that was resolved years ago. I'll have to hire Mike the lawyer AGAIN. Yurg.

Maybe this time it will ultimately not cost me a bunch of money.

I came home early today to work on some book keeping, and I didn't get a lick of it done.

So, just in case you're wondering why this blog is now invitation only, it's because my former employer MJV cannot seem to stop using the posts in my blog against me. After two such incidents in the last two weeks, I just figured .. it's time for the blog to go private.

I'm just tired. Tired and cranky, I guess. I need to make up the bed, fold up the white laundry and figure out what tomorrow is going to be about.

Tuesday that feels like Monday AGAIN

What's up with all of these holidays? We just barely got everyone back to work from Christmas, and .. poof! Another Monday off.

The weather is rolling in, though.

The desk is all whistle-y clean this afternoon. I brought in more stuff this morning, including my undergrad diploma. It's pretty cool in here in my workspace.

There's still more stuff to bring in from home.

Joshy was by this morning; he brought me some tickets to HGO tomorrow night. He's such a great guy.

About time to head for home; Bram wants to take the "family" to dinner tonight; however, the details are murky.

Pride schmide

So, after who knows how long wandering down the streets of Montrose, the Pride Committee in Houston has finally summoned up the balls to evaluate whether some progress may be appropriate.

In announcing that they were thinking of making Pride a weekend event, moving the thing to a cooler time of year, and moving it downtown, they stirred up a hornet's nest. The "community leaders," most of whom couldn't give a rat's ass about anything other than their own prejudices, have beat the jungle drums and threatened to hold a competing festival.

How Martin Luther King Day of us.

They've been screaming the loudest about how there was inadequate "community input." What community? The A&F boy whores hate the old guys, the leather guys, the bisexuals, the lesbians, and the muscle bound gym rats hate anyone with a chest narrower than 56", the meth heads think everyone's wrong that isn't smoking their brand of kool-aid, and the leather daddies hate everyone who isn't at the Ripcord watching the public displays of sex after midnight. Hate, hate, hate. There is no more fragmented and bigoted collection of self-loathing, self-righteous, opinionated shallow bastards around.

Whoops! Am I bitter again?

Anyway, a guy I know is on the executive committee of the Pride organization, and on Saturday I sent him an email after reading all of this self-aggrandizing nonsense in the Chronicle.

Here's my email:

Here are my thoughts as a member of the "community."


* Just which Montrose area businesses would suffer? The only Montrose area businesses that still support the parade are bars (Armstrong Omniverse, Ripcord, Rich's and BRB) Hollywood (whose business wouldn't be impeded in the slightest and that's about it. Our "gay area" has NEVER had the cohesive retail or commercial environment that has Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, DC or Dallas.
* The bulk of gay "community" members no longer live in the Montrose. They live in the Heights, in Midtown, in Westbury, all over the place.
* The largest "supporters" of the parade in the last five years have been churches (which will hunt us down no matter where we hold it,) and multi-national corporations (Countrywide, Chase, etc.) They'll follow us wherever.
* The proposal of the pride board would provide us with an even playing field for the other major festivals in town - a downtown parade, and a "fair"
* In large part, attendance at the parade in the last five years has NOT been "community" members, it has included members of the metropolitan population
* Improving the quality of the parade and festival would enhance its appeal
* Creating a fair in the manner of other metropolitan community events would create new sources of revenue for the Pride Committee
* My most important point - it has long been the "goal" of the unfocused gay "community" to be accepted and integrated into the metropolitan population. The proposal set forth by the Pride Committee, in my opinion, would put us on a footing with the other significant metropolitan celebrations. We'd be just another celebration, fully integrated and accepted by the whole. Stroller traffic would increase.
* By setting ourselves on an equal footing with other celebrations, the entire focus of the celebration would be on the content and the presentation to create its distinguishing nature. I think that is a very good thing.
* Security would be dramatically enhanced by the Committee's proposal.
* Parking would be greatly improved by the Committee's proposal.
* Attendance would increase, and out of town attendance would increase. Frankly, how the farck are we supposed to compete with Chicago, San Francisco and New York for pride on the same weekend? Dallas does VERY well with their fall Pride celebration.
* Change is ALWAYS resisted. However, the only universal non-changing constant is that everything WILL change.

I am very pleased with the committee's proposal, and I hope it is implemented without fear or concern.

My friend just wrote me that he was so thankful for my opinion. They're all wondering who dropped the poppers in the punch bowl, as it was NO SECRET AT ALL WHAT THEY WERE THINKING. Hell, I knew about it, and I'm about as disconnected with fagdom as you can get.

I'm the only Houston homo who hadn't tipped John II in his speedo, after all.

Here's the sum of the opposition's complaint:

Dear Members of the Board of Pride Houston :

I regret that a long-planned trip keeps me from being with you in person today, but I am writing to express my opposition to any proposal to move the location and date of the Houston Pride Parade. The parade was born in Montrose, has grown with Montrose, and every year explodes with pride in Montrose. Please do not risk the irreparable damage that could come from moving our parade from the one place all GLBT Houstonians can call home.

Two days ago, a group of people from our community came together at the GLBT Community Center and formed People Opposed to Moving Our Parade Out of Montrose (POMPOM). Today, you will receive a list of our points opposing the moving of our parade. Among the attendees were 8 former Pride Marshals and many leaders and representatives of local organizations and businesses. I wish you all would have been there. I cannot imagine anyone being a part of the outpouring of emotion in that packed room who would still favor moving our parade.

Montrose is where our community’s soul resides. These are the streets that nurtured us and taught us to be strong and proud even as we endured demoralizing raids and arrests and saw our loved ones perish from heinous acts of hatred or our own government’s horrid neglect. These are the streets where we first overcame the fear of performing the most mundane of acts like dining with our partners or holding their hands in public. These are the streets where our heroes, like Ray Hill, Pokey Anderson, Gary Van Ooteghem, Phyllis Randolph Frye, Jack Valinski, and so many others planned, fought, and won the battles that give us countless reasons to be proud and carry on their legacy. Despite decades of efforts to rebuild, redefine, redevelop, or redistrict the Montrose we know into oblivion, the colors of the rainbow continue to shine proudly in this resilient, remarkable neighborhood and never more so than at our parade. Pride Houston should lead the effort to embrace and reconfirm Montrose as our home, educate the world on our amazing history, and leave our parade where it belongs.

I am thankful for the job Pride Houston has done in making our parade such a success, and I know you want to fulfill your obligation to do what is best. You will do so if you vote against this ill-advised proposal to move our parade.

WMF, or for those of you who don't know the gay lingo - "Whatever, Mary Francis."

Linkage time - a fabulous discussion of why the email making the conservative rounds about what one should expect from the Democrats' possession of the House of Great Mischief and Theft (fka the United States Congress) will bring. Yes, it's long. But you can come back to it if you get that stupid email.

I so want to go on this RSVP cruise in May. SO want to go. My kingdom for a suitable companion and the cash to do it.

It's only 8:30. I've spent a fair amount of time today fiddling with NeatReceipts. It's pretty cool. I need to do some more configuration, but it's going to be awesome to be able to go paperless.

Went to the Galleria today. How would have guessed? Twice in one week. The traffic was crazy.

Got my latest gadget today - a USB coffee warmer plate. It's a hoot! Off to the office it goes.

We're watching "A Knight's Tale," having eaten chili and cornbread for dinner. I also watched a German movie about gay boys playing soccer. Predictable.

I had a dream about John's dog last night. He was giving me a body hug and big kisses. He's a sweet animal.

The rain has started, even though Guy said it wouldn't be until tomorrow. Good thing I didn't wax the car today. I was thinking about it.

I have been hauling stuff out of corners, closets and cabinets to list on eBay to sell. Oof. The breakfast room is filling up.

I set Tom onto creating a myspace template for Fabulair today. That should be fun.

We cleaned the house today. That was a good thing. Sondra bought me lamp oil for my Lamberge, and it FINALLY soaked the wick sufficiently to work right. That was good. I should go unload the clean dishes out of the machine and reload the dirty ones before the morrow.

Barney's just so old and feeble, but he is as perky as always. It's like his body is giving out, but he's still the needy little bastard he's always been.

I found a website tonight that has the Pontiac factory emergency kit! Not like I need it; it turns out that everything in it I already have.

There is just NOTHING like having enough RAM. Woof.

Almost time for bed. I have another big assignment in church tomorrow.

The more you assume, the less you know...

Last night, PJ was most contrite at receiving my broadside email (which I posted here for the amusement of all.) She hasn't called once today. A SHOCK.

Why is it that everyone single person who commented last night and this morning figured out just who I was writing about except ..

Hm. It was worth a good laugh this morning.

The course I wrote for the online company was APPROVED yesterday! YAY! How cool is that?

Business is pouring in today. Holy cripes. Telling all the freebie tax clients (from last year) that the free train ride was over has been beneficial.

Have to go meet a woman about a business plan in an hour; then, back here to get some more actual work done.

I'm trying to steel myself to swap out my ginormous computer monitor from home for the 19 incher that I've been using. Maybe later today.

Mister Car Wash, by the way (four Houston locations) has this awesome deal - $22.99 or $29.99 per month for unlimited washes.

Un. Limit. Ed.

I signed up yesterday. It's awesome!

NTB is going to put the chrome valve stems on for me for .. essentially free. WHOO HOO!

A note to PJ

Usually, when I have an email of this character to send, I hold onto it for some time and then reflect. However, your re-entry into today has brought with it the return of a pattern of behavior that I have been without for some years, and that I am unwilling to again engage in. So, without further editing, here we go:

Back when I worked for you full-time, you pretty much had control over access to my time and attention.

Now, things are totally different.

Rule #1 - you don't send an email and then call me to discuss it. If you send an email, it's an asynchronous communication - you WAIT until I answer it.
Rule #2 - you call repeatedly during a day, you are guaranteed to have NONE of your phone calls taken
Rule #3 - you hire me to write a $75 document, you get a $75 document. You do NOT get unlimited phone time. I will not revisit conversations. I will not re-send documents. I bill $150/hour for my time in 10 minute increments. I bill for listening to voice mails. I bill for reading emails. I bill for reading text messages.
Rule #4 - triangulation (getting someone else to call me to obtain the priority you think you're not getting) will drop you down into the basement on priority
Rule #5 - If I'm on the phone with someone else, I do not answer the phone. Ever.
Rule #6 - I don't answer the phone after 5:30 and before 9:00. Ever.
Rule #7 - If you call or email before 9:00 or after 5:30, you still get billed for my processing that communication, even if you don't talk to me.

These are for starters. I no longer provide anxiety support. I don't care about stories or who did what to whom. I am focused on business. I'm working for myself, and that means for my benefit; doing a $75/job and taking 25 phone calls reduces my hourly effective rate by more than half.

I'm being generous about the 25 phone calls.

I spent more than two hours today dealing with the matter from today, and I still don't have credit reports. Once I get credit reports, there just isn't much to talk about - there's just work to be done.

Talking may feel like it's moving something in your reality, but on my side - it's just distraction.

Normally, I'd be more diplomatic in my communication with you, but after having worked with you since 1993, I've come to realize that only blunt force will get your attention and hopefully, interrupt your aggressive pattern which disrupts everyone around you.

Will she pay attention? Stay tuned...