Bobservations

In addition to losing his eyesight, Carlos is also colorblind, and he recently received a new jiggy-mah-giggy—that’s what he calls electronic devices—that tells him the color of his clothing. He holds it next to a shirt or pair of pants and it says … “blue blue blue Green GREEN” … and then he knows it’s a green shirt. He calls it his Electric Valet™. He held it up to me and it said:

“Tell this story on your blog.”

And so here it is ...

From the blog, February 15, 2009:

“Carlos and I decided today would be a good day to do some deep cleaning, so we worked from one end of the house to the other with vacuums and sprays and laundry baskets and window cleaners and furniture polishes and floor cleaners.

I planned dinner. Sunday is usually Carlos' day, but I was in the mood for marinated pork loin, so there you have it. I gave Carlos a haircut. Not the pseudo-mohawk he wanted but something short so he won't have to mess with it too much.

I stripped the beds and was doing laundry and wondered where the cats had gone. All of them hide on cleaning day. I don't know if it's because they think they're getting a bath, or they simply don't like the turmoil. I discovered Tallulah napping behind the love-seat in the sunroom. MaxGoldberg hid under the guest room bed.

But Tuxedo was a harder find … until I walked in the bedroom and caught a glimpse of something cat-like.

I lay down on the bed and peered into the pile of blankets, and there he was. Hiding out because he doesn't like it when you clean; all his regular smells and places to play get cleaned up and put away.

I feel that way sometimes myself. Crawl into a hole and pull the hole in after me.”

One of my favorite things to do was walk not a room and find Tuxedo under something, inside something, on top of something, happy as can be.

The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill that will allow people to refuse to perform a marriage if they disagree with it because of their so-called faith. Tennessee law already says that religious leaders do not have to officiate weddings they object to and some say this new Hate Bill would empower county clerks to refuse to certify marriage licenses, meaning that LGBTQ, interfaith, or interracial couples could be unable to get married at all, rather than just needing to find a new officiant for their ceremony.

Hate; plain and simple.

This week, Democratic members on the House Oversight Committee asked their GOP colleagues to sign a two-sentence statement that rejects white supremacy, white nationalism, and a far-right conspiracy theory that suggests politicians … of the Democratic persuasion … are intentionally seeking to displace white Americans by loosening immigration.

Every single Republicans on the GOP-led committee have signaled that will not sign the statement, and here are those white supremacists, white nationalists and bigots:

James Comer ... Jim Jordan ... Mike Turner ... Paul Gosar ... Virginia Foxx ... Glenn Grothman ... Gary Palmer ... Clay Higgins ... Pete Sessions ...  Andy Biggs ... Nancy Mace ... Jake LaTurner ... Pat Fallon ... Byron Donalds ... Kelly Armstrong ... Scott Perry ... William Timmons ... Tim Burchett ... Marjorie Taylor Greene ... Lisa McClain ... Lauren Boebert ... Russell Fry ... Anna Paulina Luna ... Chuck Edwards ... Nick Langworthy ... Eric Burlison

On the upside, Iowans rallied this past weekend at the Iowa State Capitol to protest legislation targeting the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens. Nearly a thousand parents, students, educators, faith leaders, community organizers and elected officials attended the Rally to Resist:

“Iowans have had enough. We understand that our friends, neighbors, and family members are under attack and their rights are being stripped away. And Iowans are unified against anti-LGBTQ bills.”

Some Republican lawmakers want to change the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage because everything old, and hate-filled, appears to be new again, when the GOP is around.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Iowa since 2009 when the state became the third state to legalize marriage equality after Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

A coworker, who also does hair and makeup on the side, was telling me about a friend of his who is a hairdresser and was taking classes on how to cut hair for Black men and women, said to me:

“My friend just called me and said she had four Black men today.”

And I said:

“Lucky.”

You could have heard a pin drop in that office.

Haymarket Books is coming for Ron DeSantis:

“The racist governor of Florida continues to escalate his attacks on the freedom to learn and teach history. We at Haymarket stand in solidarity with all those in Florida and across the country who are organizing to resist. We know that books can be dangerous to those in power, especially when they are in the hands of folks who are organizing to fight for liberation. That’s why we publish them. That’s why they’re trying to ban them. In light of this recent round of attacks on the freedom to read, we’ve made these ebooks free for all to download. We are also connecting with folks in Florida directly to distribute radical books for free to young people.”

Read, learn, educate yourself, and vote the racist and the fascists and the bigots and the wingnuts from office.

California Governor, and Democrat, Gavin Newsom slammed Walgreens this week, saying California would no longer do business with the chain after they chose not to distribute abortion pills to 20 states. Newsom’s office released this statement:

“California is reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state. We will not pursue business with companies that cave to right wing bullies pushing their extremist agenda or companies that put politics above the health of women and girls.”

Snap.

Florida Republicans are under fire for state bill SB254, which would allow the state to seize custody of children they feel are “at risk” or “being subjected” to gender-affirming medical care, including from families where the child at question may reside outside of Florida. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and transphobic asshat, said:

“Parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit, and government intervention should be a last resort. Unfortunately, all too often we are hearing about treatments for gender dysphoria being administered to children, often very young children. That’s just wrong, and we need to step in and make sure it isn’t happening in our state.”

Let that sink in … ‘parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit’ unless the child is trans.

Ramón Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican actor known for his current role as the title character in the ABC series Will Trent.  He has the most delicious Southern drawl as droopy and sensual as Spanish Moss draping from the branches of a live oak but that’s not the issue: Would You Hit It?

I have been reinstated to Twitter this week, and instantly went to MTG’s page and told her to ‘Fuck off with her special brand of ignorance and bigotry.’ 

And I’m still on Twitter! Go figure …

It Couldn't Happen Here In America?

As I told Carlos over breakfast yesterday, I can find a showtune to fit every mood, occasion, or story, and after reading this particular news item, the song ‘Something Bad,’ from Wicked, instantly sprang to mind:

“Oh, Miss Elphaba, the things one hears these days

Dreadful things
I've heard of an Ox, a professor from Quox
No longer permitted to teach
Who has lost all powers of speech
And an owl in Munchkin Rock
A vicar with a thriving flock
Forbidden to preach
Now he only can screech
Only rumors, but still enough to give pause
To anyone with paws
Something bad is happening in Oz.”

But the something bad is happening in America …

Summer Boismier, a teacher in Norman, Oklahoma, has resigned her position after being reprimanded for placing the Brooklyn Libraries QR code in her classroom. That code allows people everywhere the ability to download and read the books banned in this country by our public school system. In addition to the QR code, Boismier placed butcher paper over her classroom bookshelves with the words "Books the state doesn't want you to read":

"I saw this as an opportunity for my kids who were seeing their stories hidden to skirt that directive. Nowhere in my directives did it say we can't put a QR code on a wall."

But a parent complained that Boismier was talking about politics in class :::gasp::: and she was reprimanded because Oklahoma's new law, House Bill 1775, says a teacher may not teach anything that makes a student feel uncomfortable on the basis of their race or sex. But Boismier was talking about books, and not even specific books, just banned books.

And in America today speaking of banned books can cause you to lose your job..

Wes Moody, a Norman Public School [NPS] spokesperson, said the issue did not center around the QR code, though he did not specify what the real issue was, though he claims Boismier made "personal political statements" and made a "political display" in the classroom. I imagine that was the "Books the state doesn't want you to read” sign  which is, in fact, the truth.

Enter State education secretary Ryan Walters, clearly a rightwingnut loon, who first said Boismier was fired—she was not—and then backtracked on that, but claimed that by sharing that QR code, Boismier provided pornographic material to her students. And for that lie, he wants her teaching certificate revoked, which the Department of Education says would be the first teaching certificate revocation of its kind in that state. But Ryan Walters wants to make sure that Summer Boismier cannot teach anywhere in this country because she gave her students access to book he deems unacceptable.

“There is no place for a teacher with a liberal political agenda in the classroom. Ms. Boismier’s providing access to banned and pornographic material to students is unacceptable and we must ensure she doesn’t go to another district and do the same thing.”

Now, wait a moment; doesn’t that sound political, if Walters is suggesting only rightwing conservatives teach in public schools? In America is speech only free is it fits the narrow-minded narrative of conservatives?

And while Ryan Walters is a vile human being, even more disgusting is GOP state Senator Rob Standridge, co-author of HB 1775, who says Boismier should be criminally prosecuted for sharing the QR code because book sharing is a crime in America in 2022.

The district, in its statement about Boismier's resignation, said some colleagues shared her concerns about HB 1775:

"Like many educators the teacher has concerns regarding censorship and book removal by the Oklahoma state legislature. However, as has always been our expectation, we want our classrooms to be places where ALL students feel welcome."

How are ALL students welcomed if you remove books about LGBTQ+ American? How are young people of color made to feel welcome when history is scrubbed of the indignities their ancestors suffered?

Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, says the library will continue to support teachers like Summer Boismier:

"The democratic principles on which both our nation and public libraries were founded include the right of every individual to seek information from all points of view. Brooklyn Public Library stands firmly with Summer Boismier and all who champion free expression, intellectual freedom, and the right to read."

And on the upside, a small upside, Heather Hall, owner of Green Feather Book Company in Norman, Oklahoma is stepping up by giving away free T-shirts to NPS students with the QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library's Books Unbanned Project:

"A teacher should not be held responsible for anything at a public library, even if she was the one who made the library more accessible to the students."

Hall believes the shirts don't violate Oklahoma law because students, not teachers, will be wearing them, and NPS spokesperson Wes Moody agreed that, under the school district's dress code, students will be allowed to wear the T-shirts; and Hall added:

"I really hope [the shirts empower the] administration to be brave, to stand up for education, for public education, for the open and free exchange of ideas, and for the hard conversations. As parents, we always have to have the hard conversations, and for us, with the way public education has evolved, sometimes those conversations have to happen in public schools. and as long as they're respectful of all walks of life and all views, I think that it's important to allow kids to have these conversations, particularly around literature."

It couldn't happen here in Oz America

Yahoo  NPR  KOSU

A Mixed Bag

I am the King, or perhaps the Queen, of the Dirty look in our house, but lately Carlos has been giving me a run for the money.

When we were in Greenville last week to see Audra McDonald, we'd taken our seats and the theater began to fill up.

A rather robust woman came down the aisle and plunked down next to Carlos and immediately took possession of the armrest. I turned to see him look her in the face, then look down at her arm, and then look her up and down.

I almost had to step in before a fight ensued.

I was afraid Robust would have taken Carlos in two out of three falls.

We had a nice mellow anniversary day. Just the two of us doing things we wanted to do, and then with a nice late lunch after.

Of course, there was a bit of drama, because the restaurant we first chose sat us at a table where the server was nowhere to be found; we sat ... and sat ... and then I suggested we move along somewhere else.

At the door, I handed the menus back to the hostess and said we'd waited almost ten minutes and no one came near us, and, still sitting down because her job is so taxing, she said, "Yeah, I went back and told the guy you were there."

I replied, "Maybe someone could have walked to our table and told us that 'the guy' was coming. But we're still leaving, and can I get one of the managers business cards please ... Adrienne?"

I feel a gift card coming soon ... to be used for take-out only.

And, down the street was another restaurant where, after about thirty seconds, I had my beer ordered. so, yeah, there's that, too.

I realized this week, as the nighttime temperatures have dipped into the 30s and 40s that I have a mild form of claustrophobia.

Like the "stuck in a coffin" kind, not the "trapped in an elevator" variety. I can take elevators and small rooms, but coffins ... and, No, I've never actually been inside one, at least in this lifetime ... are too confining.

But I get the gist at night when Tuxedo curls up between Carlos and I while we sleep, and then MaxGoldberg settles in on the other side of me. And with Consuelo sometimes taking up residence on my feet, I tend to feel like I can't move and that's when my 'panic' sets in and suddenly I am kicking at the sheets and blankets and Consuelo is sailing off the end of the bed and MaxGoldberg is being sent to the floor. Only Tuxedo takes it all in stride, stands up, and turns around to go back to sleep.

I catch my breath and follow suit.

A week earlier we were out to dinner with the Round-The-Way Gays, David and Neal, to belatedly celebrate Neal's birthday.

I'd had my pre-meal cocktail, as I like to do, and then as dinner was served, I asked our waiter, a cute little thing with adorable blue eyes, for a glass of Albariño, to go with my meal, and off he went.

A minute or so later he walked by and said he hadn't forgotten the wine; it was coming. A few minutes later he assured me he'd be right back. 

A few minutes later he appeared with a very full glass of wine and said, as he set it down, "I asked for a generous pour since you had to wait."

As he skipped away ... okay, maybe he was just skipping in my head ... I turned to David and said, "I imagine he's been generously poured on more than one occasion."

On our anniversary, we also hit up a bookstore. Carlos was looking for a book on Nikola Tesla and I am always looking for a new book.

But as I perused the shelves, I saw Carlos wandering down an aisle with one of the store clerks leading the way. I heard her say, "Tesla ... should be right here."

And as I looked up from the next aisle, I saw a book on Tesla right in front of me, so I held it up above the shelves and looked at Carlos, and said, "Is this what you're looking for, sir?"

The clerk thanked me profusely, seemingly unaware that Carlos and I were together. Apparently she thought I was just wandering the stacks and eavesdropping on conversations.

Yeah, I was doing that ... too. Until i found a book on Zelda Fitzgerald and a book on cocktails. The Roaring Twenties and Booze? I'm in!

We're off to Pride this weekend in Columbia. South Carolina doesn't celebrate Pride during pride month possibly due to the high heat, the unbearable stupidity humidity, and the chance for showers. So, it's this weekend, which will be sunny and glorious, and about eighty degrees.

Last year we were working Pride with our marriage equality group, The Will of the People Fund, so this year it'll be nice to be there now that equality has come to South Carolina and America.

Must Have Shopping: Book Stores

I love books. And, maybe even more than books, i love bookstores. And the older, and bigger, the better, because there is so much to see and read and touch and feel, while you scour bookshelves for that perfect read.

So, imagine how it would feel to look for books in places like these:

The Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht

This 800-year-old Dominican church has had a chequered history since closing its doors to the congregation; it was derelict and overgrown at one point, and was even used for bicycle storage.

Now, thanks to a radical overhaul by Dutch architects Merkx + Girod, it could well be the most stunning bookshop in the world.  The architects have been mindful that the main feature of the bookshop is the church itself.  As a result, the minimalist interior adds a splash of twenty first century colour to this very medieval canvas, doing justice to both in the process.

It has been called “A bookshop made in heaven”.

The  El Ateneo

A downtown Buenos Aires bookshop converted from an old theatre, this imaginative reuse sees every corner of the theatre auditorium utilized, from the stalls to the circle to the balcony. The theatre boxes are now private reading rooms, while the stage serves as a cafe area complete with the original crimson curtains.  

The El Ateneo is a fine example of how an important piece of history can be preserved and repackaged for a contemporary audience.

The Livraria Lello 

It is smaller than the El Ateneo and Selexyz Dominicanen, and unlike them, it is a purpose built bookshop, a stunning contrast of dark wood and exuberant paintwork.

Livraria Lello has sold books since it was originally established in 1881 and boasts stained glass windows, wood panels and columns worthy of the finest craftmen, Livraria Lello, like its companions above, is ideal for book enthusiasts and architecture fanatics alike.

And it will come as no surprise to some that the impressive steps shown above have been described as a “stairway to heaven”. 

via Urban Ghosts

Random Musings

Top Chef Pee Wee.
"I have to say this is the best pancake I've ever tasted."
I didn't like the winner. Lindsey.  I don't like the winner.
I was sad to see the Grayson go, and even sadder to watch chubby mean girl Sarah and her phony acting skills put to the test as she said good-bye to Grayson.
Bitch.
Both of 'em.
The only saving grace is that, fingers crossed, Bev comes back next week and kicks both of their asses. Literally.

It's a bloodbath at The X Factor.
Or so I've heard because I don't watch it. 
I mean, isn't it just an American Idol knock-off, which, in itself, was a knock-off of Pop Idol? 
I mean, X Factor, Idol, The Voice, America's Got Talent. Really, who cares?
Simon Cowell, apparently.
As producer of The X Factor he fired pretty boy, but empty-headed, host Steve Jones, and dumped argumentative Nicole Scherzinger. He's even :::gasp::: fired best buddy, Paul Abdul.
Simon apparently has said he wants to take the show in a different direction.
Like toward being a hit?

So. last Friday was my birthday, but because of things like work :::bleeech::: and stuff, we decided to celebrate on Saturday. Naturally, I assumed this would mean dinner out with friend, though Carlos wasn't saying. 
He spent the day puttering around the house, doing little projects, so I decided to tackle one of my own. I ripped chair rail out of the hallway in preparation to paint and turn it into a gallery of sorts for pictures taken on our vacations and so on. 
I busily pried and screwed and hammered that chair rail down, and as I was about halfway though, Carlos looked at me, shocked, and asked what I was doing.
The hallway was a wreck. But, I said, I'll patch the holes, sand and prime, and then paint.
Carlos, "I invited the guys here for dinner tonight for your birthday."
Oops.

File this under creepy.
It seems that Mitt Romney converted his father-in-law to Mormonism; after the man had died.
Edward Davies, Ann Romney's father, was an atheist who insisted that his family be raised without participating in an organized religion, so it must have come as a shock when his daughter took up with Mittsy, and soon converted to Mormonism herself.  
And the conversions continued. Mittsy and his father, George, convinced Ann's younger brother to become a Mormon, then went after her older brother, who also converted. Ann's mother converted to Mormonism following the death of her husband in 1992.
And, because Mormons believe that families will be reunited in eternity after death, Ann and Mittsy posthumously....POSTHUMOUSLY....converted her atheist father to Mormonism, having him baptized as a Mormon at a "special family meeting" more than a year after his death.
I guess to the Romney's, Edward Davies' personal beliefs don't matter as much as theirs.

Sad news. the Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse in Atlanta is now closed. And there is no new location picked out.
This truly saddens me because it was one place we visited whenever we went to Atlanta, and there really is no such thing as an LGBT bookstore near Smallville, or maybe even in the entire state.
Sad news.

After declaring that the masses should vote on equality, New Jersey Governor Chris "Krispy Kreme" Christie also faced criticism over remarks  in which he suggested African-Americans pursuing their civil rights would have wanted a voter referendum, too.
He has since been schooled. And by that, I mean someone told him he's a dumb fuck. And he apologized: “Anybody who was offended by what I said...I apologize for that. I didn’t mean to offend anybody, and if I did I’m sorry....I also recognize that my job...is to clearly communicate to people what I’m thinking, every time I open my mouth. And I try to be very good about being very direct about what I say so that there’s no ambiguity but obviously when I was talking last week at the town hall meeting about the civil rights movement in the South, I wasn’t clear enough...And what I did was, by saying those things, I left them open to misinterpretation and...I apologize for that."
Let's dissect. 
He's sorry we're offended, not that he's an idiot.
It's not his fault because he left his words open for misinterpretation, not that he's an idiot.
He wasn't clear, because he's an idiot.
Good? Now we know all we need: Chris Christie is a big fat idiot.

Mittsy?
Stop singing. 
It's enough already.
I'm actually sick of America the Beautiful because of you.