Road Trip

Well, it's Black Friday and we're off to the ma........
Yeah, right.
We're taking a day trip to Savannah, just to stroll the historic district, take some pictures and have some lunch.
Hope you all have a great day....shopping or not shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks.
Giving. 

Giving thanks for any and all good things in life. 

It takes only a moment to reflect on the things in life that make you thankful. 

Family. Friends. Love. Peace. 

Have a fabulous day!

Architecture Wednesday: Face-Lift

Well, the last time I showcased a home in San Francisco, some of you were less than impressed. I think it was Cubby who said it looked prison-esque with it's concrete walls and such, though I liked the juxtaposition between the concrete building and the gardens beyond the window.
At any rate, now  I've found another San Francisco home, though this isn't new construction, it's old construction given an update.
The house was built in 1949, which makes it sixty-two; and she looks good for sixty-two.
It used to be a simple four-room row house on one of the steepest streets in San Francisco’s Noe Valley, but now it has been fabulously updated, face-lifted and expanded with two new floor levels. Now it houses a family of five, with ample space for guests, parties, and projects.
And it wasn't a tear-down at all. In fact, the original structure was retained, and then wrapped in a veil of cedar pickets on the front facade, that act as privacy screens, garage door and guardrail. The house was then pulled back into the hillside to add bedrooms and service areas. Above that, an open floor of living space extends through glass walls to the garden and panoramic view. Suspended overhead like the hull of a ship--and the reason the house has been nicknamed “the Vessel”--is a faceted cedar bedroom suite that 'hangs' between giant skylights that draw sunlight into the center of the home below.
The result of a tight collaboration between client and architect, the now 4,200-square-foot house.
Quite an update from a four -room row house.
And she looks good for sixty-two.

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Random Musings....A Day Early Because Of The Holiday

I'm always looking for new recipes for Thanksgiving. Some work--like Carlos' fabulous homemade Cranberry Sauce--and others fail--like my attempt at Apple Walnut Stuffing.
So, this year, I'll be attempting a Goursqumpkin pie.
It's a gourd inside of a squash inside of a pumpkin. 
It's a lot like a turducken, only more stupid.
And I'm kidding.


Speaking of Thanksgiving and turkeys....
Rick Santorum said, at the Thanksgiving Family Forum in Iowa: "...the family is the bedrock of our society, unless we protect it with the institution of marriage, our country will fall."
Wow.
Gay folks can bring about the downfall of society because we wanna say 'I do'?
Seriously, if we had that much power, we wouldn't have to fight for anything. We'd just threaten locusts and terrorism and more Kardashians.


With ratings at OWN in the toilet, and flushing fast, Oprah Winfrey has ended her ten-minute retirement from TV and will have her own show on her own network OWN. 
Meh.


We had gay bookstores everywhere I've ever lived until we got to South Carolina. It wasn't a surprise, really, but it was different. So we were happy to find an OutWrite bookstore on a trip to Atlanta, and made a point of stopping in on our visits.
Now I hear that OutWrite is closing, probably the victim of the economy, the Kindle and the Nook, I think.
Saddens me. It was a great bookstore.


I 'get' that there are gay Republicans. Well, I don't 'get' it, but I know it.
Still, how can a gay person support someone who seeks to deny them any rights whatsoever? Santorum? Bachmann?
And Rick Perry who signed the Family Leader Marriage Pledge, which means he'll do anything and everything he can to fight against marriage equality.
I know there are gay folks who don't want traditional marriage, but, seriously, would you vote for anyone who wouldn't even give you the choice?

Just For Giggles

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One Gets 21 years, While The Other Gets No More Years

Brandon McInerney [l] and Larry King [r]

Brandon McInerney, the Southern California teenager who shot Larry King, a gay classmate, twice in the back of the head, because he felt King was flirting with him, will be spending the next 21 years in prison, after reaching a plea deal that effectively ends the case.

Except that Larry King doesn't have the option of where to spend the next 21 years.

Brandon McInerney has already served nearly four years in jail and could be released by the time he is 38; Larry King will never be 38.

McInerney’s first trial ended with jurors split between convicting him of voluntary manslaughter and first-degree murder; prosecutors, in deciding to try McInerney a second time, dropped the allegation that the shooting was motivated by a hatred of homosexuals, an accusation that several jurors in the original trial said they did not believe.

Was McInerney, as prosecutors portrayed him, a budding white supremacist who hated homosexuals and was enraged by Larry King's open sexuality and flirtation? Was McInerney the product of a violent and dysfunctional home who had reached an emotional breaking point in response to King's advances?

Who cares. Brandon McInerney didn't like Larry King flirting with him, so he brought a gun to school, searched out Larry King and shot him twice in the back of the head. As though they were no other options.

And that gets 21 years while Larry Kind gets a headstone.

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Really?!?? Football Trumps Child Rape!?!

So...you're raped by an older man, a man you idolize, a man in whom you put your trust. But he takes that trust, and you, into a shower and does whatever he wants to do, and you're too terrified to make it stop. But you soldier on, and, one day, you find that strength and you come forward with your story of how Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted you.
And the abuse continues.
The first alleged victim of sexual abuse at the hands of Jerry Sandusky has been forced to leave his school because his classmates were upset that his coming forward lead to the firing of Joe "Cover Up To Save My Ass" Paterno.
And no one at the school stood up to protect this young man from the people who taunted him and threatened him on a daily basis. And the boy's psychologist, Mike Gillum, said school officials did nothing to stop it.
Football. Child rape.
What is wrong with people today? How is it that football is more important than protecting children from pedophiles? Why didn't one of those bullies, or one of those school officials, stop and think of that young man, and what he'd been through and what he was going through, before they name-called, threatened, or simply stood by and watched.
Football? Really? I hope none of these bullies and school officials ever has a family member who comes forward after being raped, only to have people choose sports over the victim.
Walk a mile in the victim's shoes and see how it feels. 
Hell, walk a foot.


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Baptists Say What??!?

Up there in North Carolina, where the state legislature is trying to write discrimination into the state constitution banning marriage equality, the full congregation of Raleigh's Pullen Memorial Baptist Church voted this past Sunday to prohibit the church pastor from legally marrying anyone until she can legally marry same-sex couples under North Carolina law.

A Baptist church. And the vote was unanimous.

The congregants said in a formal statement: "As people of faith, affirming the Christian teaching that before God all people are equal, we will no longer participate in this discrimination." the church's statement says.

It all began last summer when church pastor, Nancy Petty--who is openly gay--began a discussion on same-sex marriages, telling the congregation that by signing marriage certificates to wed heterosexual couples and not be able to do so for homosexual couples, was a burden on her conscience.

And, rather than turning on her, ousting her from the pulpit, or getting the tar and feathers out, the congregation continued to simply discuss the issue, until they reached an agreement on last Sunday's statement against discrimination. The declaration was written by church deacons and then affirmed by the congregation.

Now that doesn't mean you can't get married at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church. No, in fact, marriage ceremonies will still be conducted, but they will be holy unions that "reflect the spiritual nature of the solemn commitments between two people in a loving relationship." The pastor won't sign the marriage certificate that the state requires to establish a legal marriage. Folks will have to have a civil marriage for that.

And isn't this how it should be? If marriage is a legal institution, and, let's face it, it is, then the churches should stay out of legalizing said unions. Oh, they can still have the ceremonies for folks who want that "married in the eyes of God" thing going for them, but no one, no one, is married until they obtain a legal certificate of marriage from the state.

I hate to say it, though it's true, but I never thought I'd see a Baptists church, in the Carolinas, stand up, en masse, stand up for marriage equality.

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Just For Giggles: This Is Wrong On So Many Levels

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Catholic Church Continues To Abuse Children

In Illinois, bishops in three dioceses have announced that they have dropped their lawsuit against the state, and will shut down their adoption and foster care programs, after a civil union law required them to provide their services to same-sex couples.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki, Bishop Edward Braxton of Belleville, and Bishop Daniel Conlon, all agree that the "decision not to pursue further appeals was reached with great reluctance, but was necessitated by the fact that the State of Illinois has made it financially impossible for our agencies to continue to provide these services. Since we now need to close offices and lay off employees, further appeals would be moot.”

Um, except you wouldn't have to close facilities and lay off any people if you would simply let gay people adopt of foster children. I mean, you Catholics spend so much time saying it's all about the children, and you work for the children and you want to protect the children, but then you shut down an agency that would do so because you want to punish gay people for being gay.

Which, as always, begs the question: if you're going to stop your adoption and foster services because you might have to let a child live with a gay person, or gay couple, where is this holier than thou stance when it comes to Catholic priests raping children?

::::::cricket:::::

That's the Catholic church, protecting children from gay people, but not from pedophile priests.

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George Clayton Comes Out?

George Clayton is a Texan and a Republican, He's a member of the State Board of Education. And, apparently, he's gay.

It seems that George Clayton sent out an email in response to an apparent whisper campaign about his sexual orientation:

“It has come to my attention that one of my opponents in my bid for reelection to the State Board of Education and certain member(s) of the Golden Corridor Republican Women’s Club are questioning my sexual orientation. So as to avoid the tyranny of misinformation and innuendo in this political race, I wish to say that I, in fact, do have a male partner who lives with me in my home in Richardson, Texas. I hope this frank announcement satisfies Tincy Miller and the ladies associate with the Golden Corridor organization. All of us can now move on with discussions concerning education instead of being overly occupied with my personal life.”

Suh-nap!

Now Tincy Miller says that she isn't the one who started the scurrilous rumours--she just spread 'em--but she notes that "others" have. But the Texas Freedom Network says that Susan Fletcher, president of the Golden Corridor Women’s Club, suggested in an email  that Clayton’s personal life “needs to be investigated.”

His "personal" life? Hmmm, maybe someone oughta investigate Tincy and Susan's personal life, if that's what matters to Texans.

Sad to say, though, that George Clayton’s email confirming that he’s gay has already prompted one right-winger, Donna Garner of Wacko, er, Waco, to withdraw her endorsement: “If Clayton is indeed a homosexual, then we as voters must be concerned about re-electing him to the SBOE since the Board will soon begin the process of writing and adopting Health curriculum requirements for all Texas public school students.”

Cuz school boards hate fags? I'm guessing.

Clayton, who would be the first known openly gay Republican elected official in Texas history--let's reiterate: the first known openly gay Republican elected official in Texas HISTORY--could not immediately be reached for comment.

Still, George, welcome out.

The kind folks at Homo HQ will be winging to you a copy of The Gay Agenda and the obligatory Welcome Out Toaster Oven.

And Tincy and Susie and Donna can just crawl back under the Bigot Rocks from whence they came and eff off.

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Outstanding Guest Comment Of The Week: And It's A Three-way!!!!

Yes, tis true, it's time once again to award the coveted....coveted?....ISBL Outstanding Guest Comment Of The Week award. It was a week of some lovely news, some not so nice viewpoints, and some chuckles, and, week, the chuckles won out.
Let's rip.....

Some folks just don't get it; you can't use an anti-big business, anti-corporate greed protest, to line your own pockets. But what else can we expect from Jay-Z when He Is The 1%:

twunty mcslore said...
Wow, I thought they were supposed to be marketing geniuses. Talk about not know or caring about your target audience!

I love when people who are not known for their brilliance speak out against gay people, especially people who have spent their lives being back-up singers for their more popular brother and sister, and prove that Homophobia Is An Osmond Family Value:

Mitch Block said...
Love the pic. Caught in a very natural pose. What awful people.

Ozzo was happy this week, as was his favorite of his two dad's Carlos, when he appeared in Drama Queen, Doggy-Style:

Sam said...
Careful Bob, posting of this nature have been known to get a blogger one of those fancy content warning pages for graphic photos. Xoxo
P.S. Maxine gives two paws up for the pose!!

It seems like every couple of weeks, and sometimes every couple of days, that someone well-known comes out as gay or lesbian, in every field from the arts to sports to politics, and I say Keep This Streak Going:

Kevin said...
I love this post.
Sometimes, it's not enough to say "LGBT people are your friends, family, co-workers..."
Sometimes there is more impact with "LGBT people are your ice skating champions, sports heroes, Heroes and Enterprisers, news anchors, childhood idols, tough rugby dudes, soldiers and so on..."

It didn't take too long, but Michigan finally came to it's senses about bullying, and They Took The Baby Jeebus Exemption Out Of The Law:

S'A said...
They do it because they think they can. I believe they know exactly what they are doing and they just hope it will fall through the cracks, that no one will notice. Thank goodness this one got noticed!

Good news out of Oklahoma City this week, as the OKC Votes For Nondiscrimination Policy That Includes Sexual Orientation....even though some rabid asshats lied and preached against it, in 

diatribesandovations.com said...
Great post! (I love it when you get riled up!!)
The legislature of metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee, voted in favor of a similar law only to have it struck down on a state-wide level.
Unfortunately, throughout our country pockets of fair-minded citizens are surrounded by ignorant, backward-thinking lemmings that do/say/think only what they're taught on Sunday mornings.
Let's hope the law in OKC sticks, that the good people of Oklahoma oust that shrew, Sally Kern, and join the rest of us in modern civilization.

Personally, I love Architecture Wednesday because I love architecture, but I also love everyone's reactions to the places I find.....

mistress maddie said...
What the hell? I just don't know about this one. Where would one keep wigs and gowns?

Stephen said...
It looks like the Napa Valley of China... I love this house!

Lotsa gay folks coming out lately, and the newest is Salon editor, Steve Kornacki Comes Out, which may cause a stir in the home appliance business, at least that's what....

froggy said...
You know this might be the beginning of a shortage of toaster ovens.

While sharing some Random Musings, I had some thoughts on Bill O'Reilly and his "book" and so did:

Joy said...
Bill O says he used to TEACH history! Education's gain = TV audience's loss.

This weeks I Didn't Say It.... featured a couple of my favorite hotties, one who was voted Sexiest Man Alive, and one who has been, and still is, the Sexiest Man Alive"

Sean said...
BC's modesty, real or false, is part of what makes him so sexy. Also, RG is too young to be THe sexiest man - almost all of the past title holders have been closer to or over 40 than 30.
For the record, Brad is still and will always be my man - he's the complete package: looks, brains, personality and is a compassionate human being who uses his fame and money to help others.

This story just keeps going and going. But now The ACLU Stands Up For Zachary Huston:

DeepBlue said...
You got that one right. 
Adults are always to me the bigger culprit in all this. I'm more angry at my teachers for not doing anything back in the 80's when I was taunted and verbally abused then the bullies themselves.

One of the more disturbing posts this week was about the teacher, who, um, you know, while he was lecturing, in Those Who Can, Do:

mistress maddie said...
Oh dear he must have grabbed the wrong microphone! Couldn't he have at least waited till break, and taken it to the restroom at least?

But the winner, er. winners, of the ISBL OGCOTW award are a few of the Blogging Comedians, who are always good for a chuckle, chortle, snort, guffaw or belly laugh. One such winner loved the picture in Just For Giggle, of the woman with the h=odd way of holding her hands.....

Princess said...

..."and my Vajayjay is shaped like this"....

And then there was these, is response to Ah....I'm Ready To Conquer The Weekend:

David Dust said...

Welcome to the (furry) Gun Show.

designing wally said...

It's a good day, I feel just like Sigourney Weaver!

Thanks to our Tied Trio Of Funny for making me laugh.

Hey Monday? Bite Me

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Three At Last! Three At Last!! Thanks Blogger Almighty, I'm Three At Last!!!

Who'da thunk it?
Three years ago today I started ISBL.......and I haven't shut up since!
It's been a blast and I want to thank all of you who stop by here every day, to leave a comment. I would also thank you all for your blogs--especially La Grande Duchess of Dust Bunnies, Her Royal Highness, David Dust, who, after visiting his delicious site, inspired me to give this bloggery thing a try--because I find such great stories, pictures, jokes, inspiration, conversations, factoids, and trivia in all your blogiverses.
And so, in honor of this :::cough cough:::: momentous occasion, here is a repeat of that very first thought-provoking, hysterically funny, pensive, erudite, cogent, concise post.....such as it was:

I'm new to this blog thing, but I do love to talk and I do have an opinion--hell I have thousands of opinions--so I guess that's as good a place to start. Let's talk about.........Me!

I am a happily-partnered gay male, and I have been with the love of my life for the last eight years. We met online in an AOL chatroom--no, not THAT kind of chatroom--and became IM friends, and then email friends, and then phone friends and then friends across the country and then I went from California to Miami to meet him, and that was that. A few months later I'd left California and settled in Miami--talk about culture shock!

We stayed in Miami for about six years until Carlos--the aforementioned partner--accepted a job in Smallville, South Carolina, and we loaded up the truck and moved to....well, not Beverly Hills, but Smallville. A small town. A cute town. A town full of nice people who didn't seem at all peeved that the newest arrivals were a couple of mo's from Miami. That's a start, I think. More to come.....I hope.