Brokeback Mountain or To Thine Own Self Be True

Tonight we saw one of the most talked about films of 2005, Brokeback Mountain. It opened in a limited amount of theaters several weeks ago, but now has reached our local AMC megaplex. The film is very rich in image and story. The acting is top notch all the way. My only complaint is that Heath Ledger mumbles an awful lot of his dialogue. Ledger's character is a man of few words, so when he speaks you assume it must be important. Unfortunately, some of it is unintelligible. I can't wait till the DVD version so I can turn on closed captioning!

I really felt for the women in the picture. It must be a terrible feeling when you find out that your husband prefers to be with a man over you! I kept thinking about gay marriage. If society were more accepting of homosexuals, so many men would not have been forced to "live a lie", in a loveless marriage. Society and some religious doctrine have done so much damage when they insist that homosexuality is not an intrinsic part of a person's personality. They dismiss it as sin and thus create a terrible conflict within the child or adult who faces his/her sexuality. If it is sin, then I can choose to be straight. I really wish that heterosexuals could walk in a gay person's shoes for a moment. What would happen if they were confronted with the idea that heterosexual love is wrong and they should choose not pursue it? What if the majority of people they meet were homosexual? How many healthy, happy, heterosexuals would there be? Not many, I'll bet. In contradiction to the best available scientific evidence, I am gonna go way out on a limb here and say that maybe there are some people who actually sit down and make a decision to be gay or straight. I can tell you for certain that I have never met one, and I bet that most people who tell me it is a choice haven't either. The religious right want us to change our behavior, but they can't change who we are inside. Just as in Brokeback Mountain, we can marry, have kids and avoid having sexual relations with who we really want to, but that doesn't change who we are... just our outward appearance. How does supressing the truth we know about ourselves glorify God or help the people we choose to lie too?

The biggest problem I have with the concept of "homosexuality as sin" is that it creates an atmosphere of hatred. If society believes that we are choosing to do things that are "wrong", we are looked upon as immoral or "just plain bad". We are taught from an early age that if we do bad things we will be punished. In some parts of our country, and in some parts of the world, people who do bad things are even executed! Ask yourself. Do you feel upset when a criminal goes to jail? Or a murderer is shot? If these people deserve it, then why shouldn't a Mathew Sheppard or a Teena Brandon? Unfortunately, the concept of "homosexuality as sin" has created many people who think that their deaths were justified. I mean, after all, they were bad people anyway. If we teach that homosexuality is wrong, we are teaching that homosexuals are bad and should be punished, and that it is ok to deny them the their right to happiness. It is sad that situations depicted in Brokeback Mountain actually have happend and continue to happen. Two people should never be denied to express the love they have for one another.

Brokeback Mountain may be a fictional story, but one of its lessons is true whether you are straight or gay... to thine own self be true.

Happy 82nd Birthday Mom

A true American treasure turned 82 today. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful, caring, intelligent and loving, mother.

Gay Marriage In Depth

I found this interesting ariticle on gay marriage. I think the writer has really done his homework. For a more in depth look, I really recommend Why Marriage Matters by Evan Wolfson.

Kudos: Scott Bidstrup

Gay Marriage Petition Fraud

I am so outraged! Recently I went to the website, knowthyneighbor.org ,to see which of my "friends" and neighbors had signed a petition to ban marriage and civil unions in Massachusetts. I was shocked to see that my best friend and staunch gay rights supporter had signed the petition! I called her immediately to get the full story. It turns out that the petition taker told her that the petition was in support of marriage for gays and lesbians and was presented alongside a petition to allow the sale of liquor in grocery stores. She is, of course, outraged, and is filling out a form to have her name removed. It has been reported that many signatures where obtained under false pretenses. I am in disbelief as to the magnitude of this situation. If people who are as well meaning as my friend have been duped, how many other people have been manipulated the same way? Why are there no checks and balances to prevent this from happening? I urge anyone reading this in Massachusetts to visit knowthyneighbor.org and find out if people they know have signed the list. Unfortunately, I am sure that many people have signed legitimately, but a phone call or letter to your neighbor might prove otherwise.

Kudos: knowthyneighbor.org

Dismay in December

Dismay in December
by
Betty Ann Fisher

All the rubble 'round me lies,
all shot to Heck before my eyes.
The trigger’s bent on that big gun;
he thinks I'll buy another one.
The poor stuffed dog has lost his nose,
and someone stepped on the turtle's toes.


He broke the pedal of the trike;
the one I was so sure he'd like.
The new rug's all marked up with glue;
those Sparkle paints were something new.
The power saw and bench were nice,
but they're all fouled up from slicing ice.


The chemistry set was just delightful,
but the smell, my dear, was simply frightful!
The test tubes are all broken now.
There's not much left from the awful row
over who was going to eat the cake
that the small guy made with the Easy-Bake.


Santa's gone for another year.
I've had my fill of joy and cheer.
In case he plans on coming back,
he can take the things in his big pack
to someone else's sons and nieces,
or else stay around to mend the pieces.


Yes... I had an Easy-Bake oven as a child. And who says we aren't born gay? Merry Christmas!
This poem is from my mom's book, Please Delay Departure.

Late Again

Late Again
by
Betty Ann Fisher

and set beside the tree.
The greeting cards are written
with messages therein.
Haven’t missed a single soul
on my Christmas list.
I’ve called the friends and kinfolk,
invited them to feast
on turkey, ham, and goodies,
at dinner Christmas Day.
Carols in the background,
as we decorate the tree.
All rooms are clean and shining,
no clutter here in sight.
Oh, dear me, it’s all a lie,
on this year’s Christmas night.

Merry Christmas!
This poem is from my mom's book, Please Delay Departure.

Bah! Humbug or Maybe the Dickens with It

Bah! Humbug or Maybe the Dickens with It
by
Betty Ann Fisher


Though Santa’s on the rooftop
with his reindeer hitched to sleigh,
I’m convinced his trip is non-stop
and he’ll head the other way.


The stores are filled with bustle
and shoppers in a rush,
theirs is a test of muscle
and their manners make me blush.


This year’s cards all leave me cold,
show naught of Season’s meaning.
Angels in modern dress are bold,
some at a lamp post, leaning.


I long for cherubs garbed in white,
with faces which are meek,
and Wise Men of that Holy Night,
not thugs with tongue in cheek.


Where’s the heartfelt spirit told?
The joy of love and giving?
What of the shepherd tending fold?
How come these times we’re living?


It surely will be Christmas, though,
wherever stars come out
to light the way across the snow,
of that there is no doubt.

This poem is from my mom's book, Please Delay Departure.

King Kong or It's Tough To Be A Blonde

When my partner turned to me this morning and said he wanted to go see King Kong today, I let out a whiny groan. “King Kong!”, I said, “You don’t want to see that, do you?”. Well that was a stupid queston since he just asked me if I wanted to go. l could see that my whining was not going to help and given the fact that my partner almost never asks for anything… I bit my tongue and decided to look up showtimes.

All day, I dreaded the fact that I would be attending the 3rd telling of this story. Hasn’t the story been told enough? I thought to myself. Insult to injury was added when my partner volunteered that the movie was over 3 hours long! Would I be able to sit through the thing without a pee break? Would I fall asleep? Would I have enough popcorn and Milk Duds to last throughout the picture? Not only these issues dashed through my mind , I also knew that the movie was directed by Peter Jackson, director of Lord of the Rings. Let me clarify what that means to me in a few words, I call it Bored of the Rings.

Somehow I managed to get through the day without coming down with the bird flu… and before I knew it we were off to the theater. We sat down in our seats and I finished almost all my popcorn and Milk Duds (mixed together, of course) by the end of the previews. Then.. the movie began. There was no escape.

I won’t give you full review or plot synopsis (I am sure there are many people who have, and have done a far better job than I), but I will say that for all my complaining, it wasn’t that bad. The acting for the most part was first rate. I had read that most of the actors had to work with minimal sets and had to react to a whole lot of nothing. Naomi Watts does a fantastic job as the new Fay Wray. Her scenes with the giant ape are wonderful. You really feel that she has made a strong connection to this CGI character. Kyle Chandler is perfect as the dashing matinee idol, Bruce Baxter, and Adrien Brody is passable as the human who falls in love with the beauty. However Brody’s nose is just too much to take in at times on the big screen. Jack Black as Carl Denhem is the weakest of the bunch. He has toned down some of his wild-eyed mugging, but for the most part he is strictly first week at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. The ape was more believable!

The special effects were great, but just as in the previous movies when the ape holds the girl in his hand in a long shot, it looks fake. The gross out was an intense scene with giant bugs! It is definitely not for children under 12. It was terrifying and disgusting. My biggest complaint (other than it being too long) was the way humans get flung around, dashed against rocks, crushed by animals, fall from great heights, and yet somehow manage to survive. This has been a trend in a lot of movies over the last ten years. Apparently Hollywood has never heard of blunt force trauma. Yes I know that I am supposed to suspend disbelief, it is a movie for crying out loud, but keep the things that are real… real. If you fall down you can get hurt. You fall hard, you will get hurt. You fall down really hard, you dead!

See it… If you must!

Kudos: Mick Lasalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Romney won't seek re-election

Well, I for one, am glad that Mitt Romney won't be seeking re-election here in Massachusetts. He has gone out of his way to try take away my marriage rights, and it has been obvious from the get-go he was just using Massachusetts as a stepping stone to the presidency.

Kudos: Yahoo! News

Millis Wonderland

Last night we visited Millis Wonderland with our friends Karen and Ron. Millis Wonderland is the brainchild of Kevin Meehan, a local Millis business owner who began putting up Christmas decorations 7 years ago to entertain his neighbors and children. If you live in the Massachusetts area I urge you to check out this award winning Christmas display. It is unbelievable!

Millis Wonderland is located at 60 Causeway Street in Millis, Massachusetts.
Directions

View some photos in my Christmas Collection on Flickr

New Treatment for Sleep Apnea

I suffer from sleep apnea and have just read there is a new treatment for this condition. I use a CPAP machine, but it would be great if this treatment would solve my problems. CPAP is like having a hair dryer blowing up your nose all evening!!

Kudos: Yahoo News

The Wizard of Oz

Tonight The Wizard of Oz was shown on TNT in High Definition. I swore I wasn't going to watch it until I got the new 3 disc set of the film for Christmas, but I couldn't resist taking a peek. I of course... was hooked instantly, and watched the entire thing! The new print is gorgeous. The colors are so rich and the images are very sharp.

As I write this I am pondering why this movie moves me so. I have seen it at least 50 times before, and it has never failed to please. I think when I was a child, I wanted to escape my world and visit my own, "Land of Oz". I was an awkward, overweight kid, who didn't fit in with his peers, and The Wizard of Oz took me away from my worries and troubles. I keenly identified with the role of Dorothy. Judy Garland's performance was so real that I became empathetic to her character. When Dorothy was terrified, I was terrified... and when she cried, I cried.

Okay, I'll admit it, I still cry... but it's different now as an adult. Now at the ripe old age of 42, I find The Wizard of Oz touches me on a different level entirely. The feeling of "I wanna go home" pulls terribly at my heartstrings. I miss my brother, who died at his own hand. I miss my father who lost a brilliant mind to Alzheimer's Disease, and then died. I miss my mother before she had a stroke. I miss the wonderfully talented, loving, friends and family who have passed away due to: aids, cancer, heart disease, and so many other illnesses. I miss the friends that fell by the wayside, but are still living. I miss the wonderful pets I've had... especially my dog Cuddles, and my very own dog named, Toto. I miss the 32 inch waist I had... for a minute! Okay I'll stop, this is starting to sound like a Gilbert O'Sullivan song. I apologize.

All I really want to say is that The Wizard of Oz has something for all of us, no matter what are age. Its lessons are as relevant today as they were 66 years ago, when the movie premiered. I am sure they will be as relevant 100 years from now.

I plan to "never go looking any further than my own backyard," and cherish each moment. I hope that you can too.

Oz Ruby Slippers Denied Insurance Claim

A pair of Judy Garland's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz that were stolen from The Judy Garland Museum have been denied their $1 million insurance claim. I think the thief will turn up eventually anyway. Witnesses say the thief was an older woman who had green skin, she can't hide for much longer.

Kudos: Deluth Tribune News

Ralphie!

One of my favorite Christmas movies is A Christmas Story. My favorite scene occurs near the end of the picture. Warning! Spoiler coming up!
On Christmas day everyone has opened their presents, wrapping paper and toys are strewn everywhere and Ralphie and his parents are sitting on the sofa. His father asks him if he "got everything he wanted, " and Ralphie says "almost," and his dad replies "Almost huh, that's life, well there's always next Christmas." Ralphie sighs and says, "yeah," and his father asks him, "what is over there behind the desk?" And there it is, the prize present Ralphie has been pining for throughout the movie, a Red Ryder BB gun. This scene grabs me every time, because when I was a child my parents would torture me in a similar way on Christmas day. I recall one year it was a bike, another year a vcr. Perhaps Dr Spock wouldn't approve, but I really appreciate all the effort my parents put forth throughout the years at Christmas. They made sure each holiday for my brothers' and me was special. Thank you Mom and Dad!

For a new twist on A Christmas Story, an ad agency has created a new trailer for the movie, A Christmas Gory !

Kudos: Biz Stone

Don't Lose Your Car at Disneyworld

Disneyland and Walt Disney World are truly the happiest places on earth, but they certainly can be tiring. There is nothing more disconcerting than after a long day at the park not being able to locate your car. On a recent family reunion to Disneyworld, my sister-in-law came up with a great idea. Use your digital camera to take a picture of the row you parked your car in! Since it is digital, you can just delete it once you get back to your car. It's a true f00t saver!

The Un-American Family Association Wins Boycott Against Ford

God, yes I said God, I hate this group. They are the biggest bunch of hypocrites on the planet. I have come to the conclusion that any group with the name family in their title is really the Anti-Christ! The American Family Association goes out of their way to destroy gay and lesbian families. They, and many other groups like them, keep stating that homosexuality is somehow against families. Gay people love families! We have them, we come from them, and we are them. The AFA is now hot on the tail of companies that advertise in gay publications. They are now not only against a certain segment of the population, but against companies trying to make a buck. Can you say unamerican? These groups have done so much damage to people looking for a kind and just God. Hypocrites... all of them.

Another company in the crosshairs of an anti-gay group is Ford, which was threatened with a boycott from the American Family Association last spring due to its pro-gay policies. The American Family Association suspended the boycott when Ford engaged the group in discussions in June, and last week lifted the boycott completely -- just after Ford decided not to renew advertising campaigns for its Jaguar and Land Rover brands in gay publications, including the Advocate and Out magazines. Full Story

And another thing! Shame on Ford for cow-towing to the demands of this group. I am glad that I dumped their recall ridden Escape, and bought my Toyota Prius.

Kudos: PlanetOut

Time is Running Out Georgie

I saw this on another site and just had to have one for my blog! George Bush has got to go down in history as the worst president we have ever had. I still can't get over the fact that the man cannot, and will not, say NUCLEAR correctly. And he has command of the largest nuclear arsenal on the planet! Sheer stupidity and arrogance.



Kudos: Jewggle and Backwardsbush

The new "A Bear's Life" is out.

The new A Bear's Life is out. You can read about it in their newest newsletter. This is a great magazine that all bears and cubs should subscribe to!




Kudos: A Bears Life

Penny Robinson... a lesbian?

As many of you know I am a big fan of the old TV Show Lost in Space. I even built my own robot from the show! For once someone has come up with a gay twist other than the requisite Dr. Smith!

Kudos: Robocub

Rudolph the Young-Gay Reindeer

Ok, admit it. Every year you watch the Rankin/Bass version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and so do I. It is one of those classic Christmas flicks that we watch every year along with A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. One thing that probably didn't occur to you though, was that Rudolph was gay.

As a child growing up I identified with little gay Rudolph. I knew I was different from the other children at a young age, just like Rudolph. I was awkward at sports, kids "called me names" and did not want me to play in their "reindeer games". I had a gal pal, like Clarice-still do today, and I had my share of other misfit friends like Hermy. While my father was alway supportive of me, Rudolph's father is ashamed of him and even tries to "cover up" his flamboyant tendencies. Even Santa in the beginning of the story is not supportive of poor Rudolph. Santa could be thought to represent the government, the religious right, or even mainstream society. One might even make the case that Yukon Cornelius would be known in gay culture as a "bear". Bears are hairy, husky, usually bearded, gay men. Just as Rudolph, I have hung out with my share of Yukons.

Do I think that the creators really meant to portray Rudolph as a gay youth? Probably not, but I can assure you that the experiences and feelings that this character suffered have been felt by many a gay child. All children... whatever their difference... should be encouraged to "take flight" and express their natural "glow".

New Disney Quiz

I found this on another blog site.

Here are my results:


Mickey Mouse


Which DISNEY character are you most like?
brought to you by Quizilla