adam lambert adds some well-needed raunch to rock again November 23, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in My opinion - and my opinion counts.add a comment
I don’t care if you like his voice, really I don’t. I’ll be the first to admit he’s not my all-time favorite singer. But he’s a performer. And he’s a rocker. And he fucks with sexuality, he blurs lines, and I will applaud him for that till my hands hurt. So here’s Adam Lambert’s performance from the AMA’s. Freakin HOT! Men on leashes, face in crotch, overt sexuality, vagi-gi grabbing, tonguing a straight guitarist. Damn, that’s rock!
Governor Patterson interviewed by The Advocate November 17, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in My opinion - and my opinion counts, do some good, headlines, specifically gotham.add a comment
Governor Patterson gets a lot of slack. Mostly because he doesn’t like to play political games, and has a quiet (in terms of those holding major political offices) voice. Yet he likes to get things done. And he is an advocate for the LGBTQ community. It’s a shame we’re not giving him more of a chance. Here’s an excerpt from the interview in The Advocate by Kerry Eleveld – maybe this will bring up his ‘numbers’? It certainly changed my thoughts on our Governor.
Why is LGBT equality so personal for you? When I was a young person watching the civil rights demonstrations in Alabama and Georgia and Mississippi, I was always struck by the people who didn’t have to be there – the members of the clergy, the union leaders, and private citizens, who were white or Hispanic. And particularly, the whites were not targets of discrimination, but they were people who saw how it wasn’t just an issue of what was happening to black people in the South, it was what was happening to our country. And so I wanted to be someone who not only was an advocate for change within their own community but could leave that sort of bonded field and see the world in its entirety. But when I went down to Greenwich Village in 1975 when I was 21 years old with a friend of mine who was gay, and we poured cans of Florida orange juice down the sewer to send a message to Anita Bryant – this was not a popular thing to do.
What will it mean if delivering marriage equality is your biggest legacy as governor? I think it would be fine. I think it is probably the most significant human rights legislation that we’re addressing at this particular time in history.
Is there any thought that you would like to share with the LGBT community? I think as I’ve observed in the LGBT community, as I’ve observed in the African-American community, in the disabled community – both of which I’m a part of – there’s also a reaction, a reaction of perhaps not always feeling accepted even when one should be accepted. And I am hoping when marriage equality passes, that this will be the ultimate symbolic gesture that this society, at least here in New York State, accepts the mena dn the women who live in this society. But what will come after that will also have to be a culture change and an acceptance of victory. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Claim your victories.” And I’m hoping that people not only benefit from the legislation with their rights now that are brand-new that should be exercised as soon as possible but also with an enhanced spirit of recognizing that we too belong.
ink November 10, 2009
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Keith has been finding some really interesting small-budget films to watch lately. One recently was “Trick R Treat” – a great campy and scary Halloween movie. But this past weekend we watched “Ink” and I absolutely loved it. It has a fascinating other-world aspect, with hints of sci-fi and fantasy. Great visuals for such a low-budget; really interesting story; and lots of top-notch acting. Highly recommend seeking out this little film – it deserves an audience.
privileged October 29, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in Musings...yes musings, My opinion - and my opinion counts, SOOOOOOOOOOO Funny, just curious, randomality.add a comment
I could almost feel something for him, if he hadn’t been raised in one the wealthiest families in the country and been given every opportunity a rich white boy deserves. What a life – and now, concerned about dropping ratings (according to the NYTimes), Anderson Cooper has holed himself up in a $3,200-a night room with “his muscular friend, Benjamin Maisani, an owner of East Village bar Eastern Bloc” where they spent the first night in the huge bathtub “filled with bubbles and sprinkled with red rose petals”. For fuck sake, just come out already.
honey is honey, or is it? October 24, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in Going out - food from others, My opinion - and my opinion counts.add a comment
A couple of weeks ago I got some honey from the honey man at the farmer’s market. He told me that he and his son harvest all the honey, and he expertly bottles the honey according to the flowers the bees were gathering from. We had the Orchard Blossom – fantastic. He wasn’t there last week, and I needed some honey (for late night tea) so I got some at Whole Foods. Wow, just not as good. Still honey, still sweet, yet…he was back again today. Forest Flower – it’s amazing! Savory and sweet, rich and complex. Honey never tasted so sweet! (And a lovely perk is the price – also amazing!!)
I hate Glee – am I still gay? October 23, 2009
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Look, it was a brilliant marketing campaign. There was a really good first episode, followed by four month break and a ceaseless onslaught of commercials, print ads, and “buzz”. So great, I was intrigued. I started up again with the second episode. I laughed. I tried to ignore the wretchedly auto-tuned voices. But after a couple more episodes I felt like I was just continuing to give it a try, and the negatives outweighed the good. And I’m not stupid, I get that they’re going for a “camp” factor. I just think they aren’t hitting that mark much at all. The story lines are so forced, and I cannot enjoy computerized voices. I’m just bored watching it. And I think the show is duping the rest of the country. So our DVR is being told to ignore Glee.
Where the Wild Things Are October 19, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in My opinion - and my opinion counts.1 comment so far
Sunday morning we met our friend Pam for brunch, then did a little shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond – and then we made our way to the movie theatre for a 4pm showing of “Where The Wild things Are.” I totally wasn’t thinking – 4pm on a Sunday, during opening weekend…kids, kids, and more kids. Now I like kids. Just not en masse. However, they made the experience even more enjoyable.
Overall, let me just say that I thought the movie was stunning, and fantastic. I adored the book as a child, and it was amazing to see how someone extrapolated so much ’story’ from a picture book. Max Records played the boy, Max. He was innocent, angry, energetic, touching, sad, and frustrated – exactly what you’d expect from a boy his age. And while I initially was skeptical about some of the voices for the Wild Things, they were perfectly cast.
The movie portrayed this emotionally tumultuous moment in Max’s life without missing a beat. It touched on the very essence of childhood emotion, and seeming chaotic nature. I was swept up with Max and all the Wild Things completely. Spike Jonze’s direction was seamless and compelling. The movie was beautiful to watch just as much as it was beautiful to experience. I was taken back to a simpler time when your emotions could control you; when the world was no bigger than your home, yet your imagination was limitless.
I loved this film, and can’t wait to own it for myself. Yet however moved I was during the film, the best moment happened just as the credits began rolling. 50 children started howling for Max, and for the Wild Things as the adults laughed and looked on. I didn’t laugh or just watch. I howled with them. As the tag line suggests “there’s one in all of us” – but not just a Wild Thing…also a Child.
Where The Wild Things Are [SOTA]
National Equality March on Washington, October 11 October 13, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in My opinion - and my opinion counts, The Husbands, do some good, just the facts, traveltraveltravel.add a comment
We got up early on Sunday and made our way to the area where the march was starting. We stood around for 2 hours before it began and watched the streets fill up with people. It was so important to us to be there for this, despite the opposition to and the criticism of the march. The point was to bring us together, create a unified voice that could loudly proclaim we aren’t content – we won’t just roll over – we want to be equal citizens. It was such a structured “march” that I found myself longing for more anger. I get pissed off thinking about it – I pay the SAME FUCKING TAXES that everyone else does, and yet I cannot legally have the same relationship. That’s why I marched.
Most amazing of all was the turnout of young people – the Queer Youth. More power to them. I was so glad they were there. Had I been able to do at 15 what they are doing now, who knows where I’d be. It was inspiring to see. And it was awesome to see some of the older generations who were passing the mantle, so to speak, to those of us there on Sunday.
The march ended on the lawn of the Capital. We hurtled the stone wall, and found a spot under a tree to watch the rally. The Washington DC Gay Men’s Chorus started out the rally, and then a multitude of speakers took the stand. And this is where things went wrong, in my opinion. This was such an amazing opportunity for the LGBTQ community – so many of us there, in one spot, for similar reasons – the speakers should have driven us crazy with ferver. We should have been chanting, yelling, singing. Instead, we listed to one politically-driven speech after another. Every speaker had their own agenda to push. Keith and I were there for our right to have a Civil Marriage. Yet here we were listening to essays on Immigration, Labor Laws, and many other issues that were muddling the focus that we desperately needed. I felt lost, and I felt like each and every speech became less and less about the issues that are important RIGHT NOW. Sadly, the crowd completely dispersed after an hour. Such a wasted opportunity.
However there were two people that managed to inspire. Cynthia Nixon took the stage (VERY briefly) and reminded us that this is an issue that is personal to all of us. Love is love. Give me the same rights as my neighbor. And shortly after Cynthia Nixon, Lady Gaga took the stage. She spoke from the heart – about her friends, her family. She screamed “ARE YOU LISTENING?” to Obama. That’s what I wanted!! We didn’t come here to be quiet – we didn’t come here to ask, we came here to fucking DEMAND!!!!!
So while I was outstandingly proud of us for attending, I can only hope that a good message was delivered. But this was a start, and it needs to continue. Bring the fight back to your home towns, bring the fight to your neighborhoods and cities. We cannot back down. We cannot relax. I want to marry my husband – I will not be content with a CIVIL UNION any longer.
Okay, stepping down off my soap box now. Time to share the photos from the march – and take note of the fantastic signs that people were carrying!!
National Equality March, Saturday, October 11 – Washington, DC October 9, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in My opinion - and my opinion counts, The Husbands, do some good.1 comment so far
This October 11, tens of thousands will take to the streets in DC with one simple demand: equal protection for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. Now.
Check out this site about the National Equality March, and please sign up to get involved with Equality Across America.
You can also sign their pledge for full equality and join the grassroots network that’s making it happen: Equality Across America.
This march is just the beginning. After October, we have work to do back home until everyone has equal protection under the law. For more information about organizing in your Congressional District
On a personal note:
I call us “The Husbands” – yet Keith and I have a very tenuous legal union. A Civil Union in New Jersey is nothing – it’s separate and unequal. Our Civil Union is not even recognized by other states that recognize gay marriage – because it isn’t marriage. But we wanted a union, and this was the best that was available to us at the time. But now we want to be married – fully. How is it possible in this day and age, and in this great country, that the two of us are not equal citizens? How is it that I pay just as many taxes, obey just as many laws, vote just as many times as my straight counter-parts and yet I’m not allowed to have the same rights? How is it that MY LOVE IS LESS THAN SOMEONE ELSE’S? How dare anyone judge me based on their faith? How dare a government that was created to work for the people, work against them?
I am marching on Sunday because I love Keith with every ounce of who I am. I am marching on Sunday because I deserve the right to have the same rights as everyone else in this country. I am marching on Sunday because we deserve to be married. I am marching on Sunday because there are generations behind me that might not have to march if I do. So come join us on Sunday if you can. If you can’t, sign up with the march in support of those of us that are going to be there. Sign up and attach your name to the Civil Rights battle of this generation. Stand up with me and shout until your hoarse. Stand up with me and DEMAND equal rights for everyone.
mental map October 7, 2009
Posted by onemonkeyshow in Inwood, My opinion - and my opinion counts, just me, randomality, specifically gotham.1 comment so far
Miligram defined the idea of a mental map of a city. He suggests that every inhabitant of a city has a different view/map of the city. He would have people draw a city from their memory. An example compared two women – one from Jersey City, and one from the upper west side of Manhattan, and they both drew Manhattan. The one from Jersey City showed detail and many more things (locations, stores, restaurants, etc.) in midtown as she frequently comes in to see a show. While the second woman’s map showed great detail on the UWS, and very little in midtown or downtown. So I decided to draw my own mental map of NYC. It’s very interesting, and you can certainly see where I spend my time. Inwood (where I live) is very detailed – and even includes two locations in the Bronx (Target and Planet Fitness…so true). Other than that, there is detail in the UWS where we do a lot of shopping & eating, some detail in Chelsea, and more detail in the area where I work. But according to my map, there is nothing on the east side of Manhattan. Pretty interesting view of the city. Try it for your city – I’d be very interested to see some other mental maps!
