Summer 3rd Quarter Journal 2012 July-September

 July

1 July 2012 Sunday

I Worked all morning and got two of the three sprinklers working but the third popped off again! Dahlings I can't go on... my wig is wet my chiffon is drenched... I need a cocktail... I told Daisy "laughing at me isn't helping". 

I Went to see “Magic Mike” at the Gateway Cineplex with Charles Lynn Frost, Doug Lott and about 9 other guys. We weren't alone. I’d say Half the audience looked like Gay couples (dates) and the other half were most of the randy women in Salt Lake...I don't  know which of us was worse with all the whooping and hollering.

I Learned three things from the movie...1st Tampa is a dump and 2ndly your future as a stripper is pretty bleak once you hit 30 and 3rd don't deal drugs. It was kind of an educational film. Lol

Am I too old to eat Wonder Bread and does it still build bodies 12 ways? I want a sandwich but I don't want dry stick in your mouth, good for you, bird grain heavy bread.... So I am Having a cucumber sandwich with coleslaw and iced tea for dinner...what else on a hot 99 degree day in Salt Lake City...It’s too hot to heat up the microwave lol

 

2 July 2012 Monday

I finally got my last sprinkler head changed in the back yard this evening. I just need to replace two in the front that twist off so hopefully it will be just a two day project.

 

3 July 2012 Tuesday

I drove Greg Hardin down to Frameworks Eyewear! Alma Tufekcic  gave me a "Friend's & Family" discount when I got mine last month. God I hate the east side of the valley... It took a half hour to go down 13th east from 4200 south to 9200 south because of all the traffic and construction... The heat doesn't make it any more pleasant ugh!

Alpine, Utah county is now on fire but let’s not ban fireworks Governor Herbert.

In the news Andy Griffith died today.. Goodbye Andy rest in peace. I hope Aunt Bea has a peach cobbler waiting for you in heaven

 

4 July 2012 Wednesday

Happy Birthday America --May be this year we will get this right and that  Justice for "ALL" does not mean "some" or just the privileged, the property owners, the white, the male, the heterosexual---whether you like it or not.

To celebrate the French helping win our American revolution for us, I ate French Toast this morning! Thanks Marquis de Lafayette and you too King Louis XVI...Sorry about your head and all but you should not have been such a dick.

 

I Worked for three hours in the back yard while it was cool. Replanted the flowers and plants from the north side of the deck to the garden on the south side. There’s not much more sun but a lot more water. Then I hauled red paving stones from the south side up over the deck to the north side to enlarge the patio and move the BBQ grill. I really do enjoy watching things grow and change but now I am really pooped and sore. Who needs a gym membership when you have a yard?

Being Sixty-one isn’t the same as being 41 but my mind won't listen to the body until it just says I quit.

Okay 3 hours of writing and revising is enough. Time got away from me, and now the dogs are pawing me saying hide us from the falling bombs. So I guess we will all hide under the covers and hope the house doesn't burn down over our heads.

Happy Birthday to WE the People...it’s still our country. We have a lot to be thankful as we celebrate our nation’s birthday! Obama is in the White House, Democrats control the Senate, Affordable Care Act was upheld, Obama is in favor of Marriage Equality, Osama is dead, the Bush-Cheney Iraq War is over...the economy is not in Republican freefall, Santorum isn't a Presidential candidate and babies born today won't grow up to be as racist, sexist, or homophobic as their grandparents.

I am Having to sing Sondheim’s “Nothing Going to Harm You Not While I Am Around” to some very freaked out puppies who are trying burrow under me.

I Wrote Brandon Burt who was disappointed that I didn’t make it to his BBQ today: “-I felt bad and made some fruit salad but here in the suburbs it's like a war zone all the sires and squires are blowing up hundreds of dollars. Hope you had a nice turn out and Charles wants to get together again soon.”

 

5 July 2012 Thursday

It was drizzling in Bountiful this morning and smelt stinky because of the rain filtering through the bad air and the lake stink was being churned up. Oh well at least it's cooler... I only had 5 kids show up today so played Hearts in the afternoon ... Cheap day care with some education thrown in.

It’s so muggy because of the rain we had. It’s been 40 days since we had any rain.

I thought the hot tub would feel good so after moving some paving stones after I came home from school, I got in. But Ahhh! The Retard kids net door set off fireworks at 5 PM just to hear them pop... It scared the dogs to death and they cowered under my arms. Buddy was so scared I was afraid he would jump into the hot tub so I got out comforting them.

Idiot parents make for idiot kids Ugh Is blowing things up to make a loud noise a heterosexual thing. The teenage boys next door giggle everything something explodes! I don't get it.

 

6 July 2012 Friday

It’s Nice not having to go into work to get some things done. Stayed up way to watch a surreal movie late last night on Netflix’s instant watch called “Melancholia” about the end of the world. It was really interesting but very drawn out.

I talked to Charles Frost some this morning before he headed off to work. I guess next week they are flying to San Diego to some friend there’s birthday.

 

 Romney is way too beholden to the super rich to be a President of the people. He swings to whichever way the Koch Brothers blow and which will get him in the least trouble with the Brethren.

 

7 July 2012 Saturday

I decided to be productive before the heat hits so I went and weeded my curb and garden on the south front of my house. I have a corner lot so finally cleaned out the milk weed, morning glories, spurge myrtle and other crap that have taken over. The Middle Class may be dying but here on Fernleaf I won't go down without a fight.

 I worked from 7:30 to ten this morning and filled up a huge yard waste trash dumpster. Now I’m pooped and want breakfast.

I had a nice evening with Amy Barry and Greg Hardin at the house just noshing and drinking wine and having friendly conversations; you know, things people used to do like sit on the back porch watch the sun go down. 

In the news today, Google has announced an effort to legalize same-sex marriage across the globe. The project, called “Legalize Love,” was announced earlier today at an event in London focusing on LGBT issues in the workplace.

 

8 July 2012 Sunday

This morning at 6:30 I took Charles Lynn Frost and his hubby Doug Lott to the airport. Now I intend on having a lazy day eating watermelon but later I decided to invite people over for a movie.

So I had a great afternoon watching Torch Song Trilogy with Bill Poore and Chuck Whyte. Bill brought Pizza from the Pie, Yum, and told us about working on the Broadway production of Torch Song with Harvey Fierstein. He brought snap shots of Helen Hayes, Quinton Crisp and Harvey to show. For fun.

 

9 July 2012 Monday

After school I went to the Redwood Clinic to have blood drawn for my visit to see Dr. Stoneburner.  I hate having blood drawn ugh! I have deep veins like my mom had and they have to poke and prod and this time after two attempts I asked for someone else more skilled. I am Tired of being a pin cushion.

I had a fabulous time with my adopted family the Giles. Mike Romero and I met them at Chuck A Rama in Fashion Place for "Family Home Evening" before going to the Desert Star Playhouse in Murray to see the “Addams Family Home Evening”. Randy and Kimberlee had bought tickets for Michael Romero's birthday and it was kind of their anniversary too.

I Can't believe that Kaylah the youngest girl will be in 10th Grade this fall. I knew her since she was a baby! The play was very hokey but in a fun way....

In the good old summer time.

 

10 July 2012 Tuesday

My Grandma Johnson died 20 years ago today…Nearly forgot it. Where does the time go?

 

Hot dry winds are blowing in whipping the trees around... I hope no one is stupid enough to light fireworks because the whole place will go up.

I’ve Been baking cookies for my students since it’s my last week of Summer School.

It was 102 degrees at 5 o'clock but it’s cooled down to 95 now that it’s 9:30. You grow cotton in this weather.  Too hot to work in the yard any.

In the news,  on July 1, a Mormon Church stake president asked members of Provo’s Pleasant View First Ward during sacrament meeting to support the church’s First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in their decision to build the nine-story Missionary Training classroom building, which some neighbors had opposed because of its height. The church claimed it was an ecclesiastical issue and told members to get in line. This is how Mormonism works. To end any opposition they declare secular issues as ecclesiastical ones and then tell their members to get in line and sustain the leaders...

Do you really think Mitt Romney is any different on "ecclesiastical" issues then the brethren? He is beholden to Mormon leaders and to Billionaires....

 

11 July 2012 Wednesday

Happy Birthday Tab Hunter born July 11, 1931. I posted a lot of fun pictures on him on Face Book. I belong to a site called “Gay Sensitivity and Culture” with guys from all over the state. Kind of like having pin pals.

I remember when conservative religious nuts (so much like the conservative nuts of today) tried to say the peace sign was Satanic because it looked like an upside down broken cross... If they can scare you they can control you- The internationally recognized symbol for peace (☮) was originally designed for the British nuclear disarmament movement by Gerald Holtom in 1958.

Holtom, an artist and designer, made it for a march from Trafalgar Square, London to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in England, organized by the Direct Action Committee to take place in April and supported by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). Holtom's original design is housed in the Peace Museum in Bradford, England

 

12 July 2012 Thursday

I went to see Dr. Stoneburner after work for my appointment. At 3:14 I was still waiting to see my doctor for my 2:20 appointment... What can you do? And the joint doesn't even have magazines!!!

I gained 7 pounds since he saw me last and my blood sugars are 8 now instead of 7.1 so that is my new goal.

Today was the last real day of summer school. Tomorrow is just a field day activity. The experience wasn’t as horrible as I expected and I can surely use the money. It was that June was so hot 90 and 100 degree weather. I had 12 kids originally but at the end I only had 8 coming. I taught them how to play hearts and dominoes because children just don’t know how to play social games anymore.      

Because it was sweltering in my non air conditioned classroom I asked the custodian to turn on the sprinklers so my kids can run through them during recess…other classes joined us for a last day activity.

In the classroom sweat was dripping off my nose and the kids are all on slow roast... Tomorrow last day of summer school and my room is at 89 degrees...

 

13 July 2012 Friday

There must have been a fire in Tooele because the valley was thick with smoke in the air that is stifling. I feel like I am in East LA on a smoggy, smoggy day... Ai Caramba!

It's Friday the 13th. I am on a hot bus full of kids, mothers, and screaming babies with a Mexican bus driver who speaks broken English and doesn’t know where to go. In the high humidity what else could go wrong?

I was texting on the Bus to escape from my misery and this one jerk responded saying: “It could be worse. At least the driver is attempting to speak your language. Have you tried broken Spanish? He might be a US citizen, did you ask? If he is, then you wouldn't have to refer to him as Mexican.”

 I wrote back-“Typing on a jarring bus I barely could write Mexican let alone Mexican American...and since this isn't Arizona did not see the need to ask for citizenship papers... None of my Latino kids call themselves anything but Mexican… didn't know I was disparaging anyone by calling them Mexican and yes I speak broken Spanish. The issue was I had bus load of hot excited kids and parents sweltering while I tried to communicate directions which should not have been my responsibility whether he was Mexican or not. But it's all good now.”

The field day was held at Hill Airfield Elementary and we spent much of the dreary day watching the trashy multitude that will be voting for Romney. During our time to perform, they were so unorganized that I and another teacher sang the Hokey Pokey so the kids could dance before they got power so we could play the CD with the Bunny Hop and Chicken Polka. Even with the fiasco people joined in on the dancing.

Hot tubbing after a stressed out last day of Summer School  yay! Its only 80 today and the tub is feeling so right!

Jimmy Hamamoto came in tonight from Boston about 9:30 p.m. I straightened up the house but didn’t do any deep cleaning.

Romney is lying about his time at Bain Capital. He should be in federal prison not the White House... the GOP is probably thinking Newt Gingrich is looking better and better. Will the LDS Church pull his temple recommend for being dishonest with his fellow man?

 

14 July 2012 Saturday

I had a fun day going to breakfast at CJ’s with Jimmy Hamamoto and Chuck Whyte although getting across town was hell today. 5th South was blocked off for the LDS Youth Parade without any warning and Chuck lives right off 5th and 4th East so I sent Jimmy out to tell Chuck to walk up the street and find me...

After breakfast I took Chuck to do some shopping.  Jimmy and I looked around at Thrift Town because he wanted to buy a frilly apron for the “meet and greet” tomorrow.

Then leaving the city 4 hours later after dropping Chuck off, they had State Street blocked off for some car rally... Ugh! You have to drive miles out of your way just to cross a street!

In the evening I went to La Frontera on 4th South for dinner with Jimmy. I had a just a small combination plate.  La Frontera is a west side tradition and a well-kept secret from those on the east side who flock to Red Iguana...

Smothered chili Verde burritos with gobs of melted cheese and dice onions toasted to perfection... You can keep your mole… gimme Southwest New Mexico Green Chili Verde any day.

We ended the day by watching “Longhorns”, a Gay coming out movie that takes place in Texas in 1982. There were lots of Cute boys and full frontal nudity!

We had a good rain today finally after the miserable heat we had in June.

 

15 July 2012 Sunday

I Took Jimmy Hamamoto over to Barb Guy’s place, on 8th East near Liberty Park, for his big “Meet and Greet” with KRCL people. I made an excuse why I couldn’t stay which was partially true because I did have to pick Charles Frost at the airport, but for most of the afternoon I just unwound.

Well I did go grocery shopping for some food for the week and bought a lot of deli stuff because Jimmy doesn’t cook and can’t drink milk. I Spent about $100. I made some BBQ pork and fixed a cream cheese spread. I fixed the chopped BBQ pork sandwiches with collard greens for supper...collard greens are my new attempt at eating healthy... the BBQ pork is my way of saying I am 61 years old screw it...

I went to Lowes, pricing lumber to add to the deck railing. It Won’t be too expensive maybe another $50. I bought some Roundup to kill weeds out front by the mail box…

At Lowes, I Heard two queens talking "I can't tolerate looking out my window and not seeing flowers" as his partner was pushing a shopping cart full of flowering plants! Oh Mary it's takes a fairy to make something pretty!

I picked Doug Lott and Charles up at the airport from their trip to California about 4:30 in the afternoon.  I Didn’t visit much because I know they were anxious to get home after picking up their car from my place.

Jimmy was having his “Meet and Greet” with his KRCL friends over at Barb Guy’s house and then called me at 7:00 to ask if I was going to come and get him so I did.

I ended up spending much of the evening over at Barb Guy's house with some of the Classic KRCL's volunteers. I was surprised that some remembered me since I hadn't done a program since 1994. I used to do a weekly radio program called “Concerning Gays and Lesbians” with Becky Moss for 7 years.

As we were driving away Barb called Jimmy and said that Tony Weller had just arrived and wanted to visit with Jimmy so we turned around and went back.

Tony Weller of Weller's Bookstore had been friends with Jimmy for years and years. I listened to lots of fun stories and Jimmy and I told about our adventures with the Rainbow Family gathering from years ago.

Now I am ready for bed,  feeling really old from all the stories from long ago. It’s been a Gay Life for sure.

I Realized tonight however that Jimmy is a lot like Chuck Whyte when telling a story. They both ramble and never get to a point.

 

16 July 2012 Monday

 

I fixed breakfast of pancakes before taking Jimmy Hamamoto over to Chuck Whyte’s this morning before heading into Bountiful to clean my room now that summer school is over. I just worked until noon then came home. I need to go in tomorrow too.

In the late afternoon I went to Sears repairs to see about getting the lawn mower repaired but the cost to fix it made me go ahead and buy a new one for $180. This cute ginger boy helped me.

While leaving it started to rain and Jimmy called for me to pick him up at the Gateway. It was down pouring but just locally. Some places were getting drenched while others were not.

When I took Coco home I saw that Mike Romero’s place had a lot more rain than I did. I enjoyed the cool summer shower that poured down on us a while ago because it broke the summer heat.

I was notified that Kyle Foote was being transferred from Beaver to the State Prison in Gunnison now. He’s a prisoner of the state now so he will go where ever they want to ship him. He’s not a free man anymore. I notified Amy Barry, Greg Hardin, Dan Fahndrich, and Charles Frost about the transfer.

In the news Papa John’s Pizza made a large donation to Mitt Romney so scratch them off the list of places to eat. We can vote at the ballot box and with our pocketbooks.... it’s a two way sword with corporations...they have no morals only greed so if they think they can make more money by doing the right thing they will but if they can make more money for doing the wrong thing they will do that too.

They are not people and if they are then they are sociopathic people. If you have any human decency NEVER EVER vote Republican...

There’s this Republican bitch who compares feeding children to feeding animals. The downright mean spiritedness of these people never ceases to astound me.

Utah's Democrat Jim Matheson and the Republican scum in the House of Representatives voted to repeal OUR health care while preserving their own healthcare benefits FOR life.

             

 

17 July 2012 Tuesday

I went back to Washington Elementary this morning to throw out a lot of Sumer School files and finish cleaning my room. I decided that I was done with school because I was burning out and realized that I had not had a real break since school got out 6 weeks ago.

Charles Frost needed to use the hot tub this evening so he came over about 6 o’clock and he brought some wine and I fixed a chicken Asian salad for Jimmy Hamamoto, Charles, and myself. It was yummy and they must have liked it because they finished it all off.

I am glad Jimmy didn’t join us in the hot tub because we just needed some girl time to talk. He told me about his trip and how tired he is coming back to work. I told him how Jimmy is kind of a pill. We drank some wine and it was about 70 out so it was a great night to soak. 

In the news-Willard Romney is in Deep Mitt... I am waiting for his Stake President to call him in and ask him to be honest with his fellowman.. You'd think he'd been excommunicated or disfellowshipped at the very least for conduct unbecoming a human being. Well that's Mormons for you... screw a man you out on your ass...screw a nation and you are the "One Mighty and strong". I don't care how much you hate Obama but Romney? Really?

I posted on my FB status: “If you are even considering voting for Romney do us both a favor and delete me from your Face book Page... you are not someone I care to associate with. I am choosy that way.”

  There’s going to be a protest July 26 at 11 in the morning at the ALEC conference that is meeting at the Grand American. I think I ought to go.

 

18 July 2012 Wednesday

Today is my first real day away from school and I feel like I am on vacation finally. I Didn’t go into work and I slept in until 8:30. Part of that reason was that my stomach was upset last night and I had gotten up about 2:30 in the morning and stayed up until about 5:30 just playing on Face Book.

I also read the pet issue of the Q that just came out for August. I fixed Jimmy Hamamoto and I a breakfast of waffles and sausage. He was meeting up with some woman for lunch at Faustino’s and he took the bus into town. I didn’t offer to drive.

I am down to a quarter of a tank and I just filled it last Friday and he doesn’t offer to buy gas so I don’t offer to haul him around.

I showed him the Cosmo Jarvis’ “Gay Pirate” YouTube video this morning as well as showing him Chris Wadsworth’s band “Long Distance Operator”.  Bands are all Jimmy knows or is interested in and he rattles on in minutiae about stuff I have no interest in what so ever.

I was on the Gay Sensitivity and Culture site much of the day after he left before deciding to finally mow the front yard, spray weeds, and tear out some of the Virginia Creeper that is taking over the fence on the south side.

I watched another 3 episodes of the 4th season of True Blood in the evening until Jimmy came home.

Jimmy is getting on my nerves some only because he’s not a very good conversationalist because he doesn’t listen and because he prattles on. He is not interested in the conversation being two way. He doesn’t do the dishes either, leaves food out for me to put away and has not been a very helpful guest. Oh well.

The skin tags that Dr. Stoneburner put liquid nitrogen on are still sore and haven’t fallen off yet and it’s been almost a week.

In the news The Republicans in Tennessee officially have surpassed Utah in being Bat Shit Crazy with the Tea Party there demanding the Governor fire Muslims, Gays, and non-Christians from serving in the government.

Dan Cathy, owner of Chick-Fil-A and its president admitted to its anti-Gay policies saying flippantly  'Guilty As Charged'.

The Boy Scouts of America upheld its ban on openly Gays being leaders so Jerry Sandusky could have been a Boy Scout leader  but Anderson Cooper not so much ... I don't support the Boy Scouts any more then Hitler's Jungens.

Last week Republicans in Congress voted 33 times to repeal The Affordable Health Care Act...isn't that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?

 

Rush Limbaugh today whined about Obama having smoked pot. This coming from a felon drug abuser who had to once check himself into Rehab. 150 million Americans have also smoked pot...how many Americans have off shore tax shelters? How many Americans have lied to the SEC? Where is Rush's indignation over that?

 

19 July 2012 Thursday

I used my new lawn mower today to mow my front lawn. I also painted finally the wood trim on the outside of the kitchen door. But I didn’t have the ump to do more.

I have a growth just under the skin of my belly that is a hard knot. It doesn’t hurt but it is causing a bruise on the outside of my skin. Another sign of mortality I suppose.

I had Rocky O’Donovan over for dinner and a movie. The last time I saw him was probably 2005 with Ben Anderson at the Affirmation Reunion. Could have been 2006.

But I had a great evening with Rocky “Connell” O'Donovan and Jimmy Hamamoto, my old faerie friends from days of yore.

I fixed for dinner a salad, bread, and brown butter pasta with mushrooms and served some of Steve Brackenbury good hard goat cheese he sent me... delicious.

The Sangria got us talking of the old days and Rocky told of the book he is writing on the 3rd wife of Brigham Young...get two old historians in same room and the stories start flying...

We also watched “Were the World Mine” in the theater room as kind of a remembrance of our Sacred Faerie days.

There was about 75 years of SLC Gay history in my dining room tonight and about 160 years of life experiences.

 

20 July 2012 Friday

America woke up  to the news that there had been  another massacre shooting at a movie theater. One of the victims at the Aurora massacre was a 6 year old girl... who takes a six year old to a midnight showing of any movie when should have been safe in bed although in this world no one is safe anymore.

A 5 year old girl here in Utah was abducted from her bed while her parents were sleeping and murdered...

Jami Fultz texted me to let me know that Kyle’s parole was denied and that he will not be eligible for another hearing until December 2016. Crazy I know but after hearing that Kyle won't be up for parole for 4 1/2 years I am feeling sad for such a wasted life. I am also sad for the people he victimized. There's always consequences for life choices... life is short enough without be caged up. The wrong path begins with small steps. I am really melancholy again.

The Mayor of Boston is banning Chick-fil-A because of their anti-gay policies. Some high ranking Tea party dude from Orem is arrested for Rape!

 

21 July 2012 Saturday

People are in shock and mourning because some dweeb wanted to live out a revenge fantasy and opened fire in a midnight show of the Dark Knight Rising in Aurora Colorado killing about a dozen people and injuring even more with an assault weapon!

            The Republicans let the ban on assault weapons expire in 2005 because of the National Rifle Association’s briberies.

The world is topsy-turvy... I can't believe I spent an half hour on a "liberal" Face book discussion group defending Mormons! LOL There was such crap and downright lies being said about Mormons that I had to jump in. I mean there is so much true stuff to criticize that you don't have to make up lies.

I guess I feel that even though most people here in Salt Lake City might be Mormons,  still they're OUR Mormons and only we get to talk bad about them.

I stayed up late watching old melodramas from Netflix instant watch...”No Man of Her Own” starring Barbara Stanwyck and John Lund and the “Mating Game” featuring  Gene Tierney, John Lund, and Thelma Ritters...

Movies today can't hold a candle to the acting and storytelling of old Hollywood. I forgot how good Barbara Stanwyck was who could turn a B movie into a great movie. Then of course even character actors like Thelma Ritter could act circles around people today.

 

22 July 2012 Sunday

I took a dip in the hot tub this morning and then called Chuck Whyte to see if he wanted to go eat breakfast with Jimmy Hamamoto and me. I figured he’d want to see Jimmy before he leaves tomorrow. Of course we went to CJ’s on 39th and we had a long visit. Chuck and Jimmy had been friends since the late 1970’s.

I spent the rest of the afternoon just on Face Book and lounging around while Jimmy took a nap. I have a busy week next week.

Monday I want to meet up with Samuel Holdaway for a sex. It’s been a while. In the evening I need to go over to Brandon Burt's for his BBQ.

Tuesday Bill Poore is coming over for dinner and a movie. Dan Fahndrich is coming over Wednesday to hot tub and visit and Saturday Bill Poore is getting me a ‘comp ticket’ to go see the play he’s in called “The Comedy of Errors” playing at the Babcock. Then the month of July will soon be about over..

It was on Pioneer Day last year that I discovered that Kyle Foote had betrayed my love and trust.

 

23 July 2012 Monday

I took Jimmy Hamamoto to the airport this afternoon to head back to Boston. I got him to talking about what he remembered about his time at the Gay Student Union. He sure seemed to remember a cute California surfer boy type called Brad Brewster.

For lunch I had yummy pesto and noodles for dinner... Charles Frost gave me the home made pesto from Basil he grew himself!

In the evening I went over to a BBQ at Brandon Burt's with his family and friends. It was a beautiful evening. Small world, that this guy there at the BBQ named Chuck Parson knew Jimmy Hamamoto from back in the 1970's at the U of U Asian Studies classes.

I am all alone tonight with two needy schnauzers. Sally Ride the first female astronaut died today. I heard she was a closeted Lesbian.

 

 

24 July 2012 Tuesday

It was a year ago today that my faith and trust in Kyle Foote came crashing down. It’s Funny what a difference a year can make. A year ago I was devastated to find that a person I loved and trusted stole $20,000 from me. Now it's half paid off, he's in prison and I am still in my home with my two dogs enjoying a hot tub and a deck.. He was the fool not me...

Nice dinner and conversation with Bill Poore this evening. He brought over some Navajo Tacos and I had a Margarita my first of the summer... Bill talked about the “Comedy of Errors” he's in at the U and that he's going to be teaching musical theater next fall. He said he is tired already thinking about all the prep. I feel the same way about creating all the lesson plans for the common core I have to write because we switched over this year.

But it was a lovely evening sitting on the deck that Kyle built. There was a nice summer breeze cooling the late evening air.

George Jefferson actually “Sherman Hemsley” the black Archie Bunker has passed away at the age of 74... He was so funny.

 The Aurora Colorado Massacre, no matter how horrendous, pales in comparison to the slaughter of men, women, and children in Syria and other parts of the world...but because it was in our backyard we can relate more. If you are praying for the Aurora victims pray also pray for the innocent around the world also caught up in the madness of insane men.

 

25 July 2012 Wednesday

I was hacked today on Face Book and someone sent out a message to all my FB friends that I set them a video to open up. I was just contacted by messages from FB friends about being scammed by some hackers that said I saw a video of them on Face book....Ugh! Hope no one gets harmed by it...

I also went through my FB and deleted a whole bunch.  It’s kind of a wakeup call that nothing is truly secured on our friendly world wide web. I hate the way FB allows you to see your friends’ pages...every time you message someone and then go back to the main page, they switch the order of all the pictures...

I spent almost two hours individually trying to let FB friends know I was hacked and not open anything posted on their wall page and I still missed some because of Face Books stupid shuffling of the order of your friends.

And then because I was on it so late I completely forgot that I had manually turned on one of the sprinkler systems and fell asleep with it running all night until I woke up in a panic at 5:30 and remembered to go turn it off. Unintended consequence of being old and living alone. So a section of my yard got watered for 8 hours!

I Should be a built in system that shuts off in an hour for us distracted people! well I can imagine my water bill now. Donations are gladly accepted LOL

Except for being hacked I had a really nice evening with Dan Fahndrich a friend I've known for at least 24 years. I love all my new friends but there is something about old friends that knew you back when and knows the people you are talking about when you are reminiscing.

Busy day tomorrow.. going to a history lecture presented by Rocky Connell O'Donovan at the U of U in the morning and going to lunch with Chuck Whyte in the afternoon...

 

26 July 2012 Thursday

I'm tired... but I drove up to the U of U to hear Rocky Connell O'Donovan give his talk at the Sunstone Symposium...It was excellent and he did a lot of amazing research but I am just so over Mormonism.

I left a little early because of an urgent matter then I went out to lunch with Chuck Whyte at Chuck A Rama and no they did not name it after him.

Then I made three Carrot Cakes for the Sage Pot luck at Sugar House Park tomorrow. 

Amy Barry is in Europe doing the grand tour.

Tomorrow I have another appointment to see a doctor about this almond size lump growing beneath my skin on my belly. It seems to be growing and causing a bruise on the skin over it...always something.

99 degrees today.

 

27 July 2012 Friday

I went to bed at 8:30 last night and slept 11 hours and I am still really tired. Andy Dalrymple came over after my doctor’s appointment to rescue me, well my modem at least...I lost my internet connection no emails FB Google... He's my only geek friend and with some hocus and pocus he brought me back to life...Don't worry I fed him lunch for his troubles...

The doctor gave me some antibiotics saying I may have infected cellulitis and if it doesn't clear up in 10 days I have to go under the knife for a biopsy to see if its cancerous...always something...

I went to see Dr. Stoneburner on the 12 of this month and weighing at 272 but today I am at 264. I lost 8 pounds and so I a little concern about that because I haven't been trying.

 Now off to the Sage Picnic at Liberty Park to deliver my carrot cakes but I'd really just like to stay home and sleep...Probably a bug going around.

So I Went to the Sage BBQ at Liberty Park. Estimated 140 people there. So good to see old friends like Becky Moss and make new friends like Ann Clark. Kevin Hillman David Owen Marlin Criddle was all there. It should have been called the Sage Gay Pioneer BBQ since there was a large contingency of movers and shakers from 40, 30, 20 years ago and since most people were over 50 we certainly were the pioneers.

 Communities used to have "Old Timer" Reunions and this felt very much like such a reunion for me...much more than Pride Day. Music was way too loud for a BBQ where people had to shout across the table visit... Gay Pioneers BBQ... it’s we who built the foundation of this community.

           

28 July 2012 Saturday

I took Chuck Whyte to see Bill Poore in the play “Comedy of Errors” up at the Babcock Theatre. We had the times all mixed up thinking it started at 1:00 but it started at 2:00 so we were really early.

The play was fun but I don’t think Chuck got much out of it. I saw Ross Poore, Bill’s brother there. They are having a kind of family feud, I suppose. Brothers.

Afterwards Chuck and I went to Del Taco for dinner . I really haven’t had much of an appetite lately.

In the evening this 19 year contacted me on “Daddy Hunt” and wanted me to come get him in Layton and bring him back for a massage.  So I did. We didn’t do any anything but mess around. He mainly wanted to be just held.

             

29 July 2012 Sunday

I am tired of my life feeling like a tragedy. For most of my life it’s been illegal to be Gay and I tried to play within the rules the best I could but I am so tired of trusting people and believing they are who they say they are and then them being false to me to my harm.

 I found out this morning that a kid who said he was 19 on Daddy Hunt was really not. He was not a Weber State Student as he told me, not at all. Now I am sick in my heart that it will someday be exposed that I did a massage on someone not 18. He contacted me on Daddy Hunt which he had to have lied to say he was at least 18. At 19 years old  I totally felt he was able to make decisions if he wanted to meet a “daddy”.

I could get arrested and charged if this boy becomes guilty and tells someone that he’s not of age. My life would truly then be over. I have been depressed and sick over it all day.

Charles Frost says the chances are this was just a sexual tryst for this kid, and that he’s well experienced already if he knew the lingo which is true he gave NO indication in appearance or action of not being a college age guy.

I am hoping he forgets totally about me but there’s always the chance someone might find out and there goes my career, my house, and my life. I could even go to prison in this state even though I was lied to.

I am so depressed that I am thinking again about just leaving everything behind.  I’ve tried to do some real and permanent good in this world, always been kind, and loving, and I can’t go through anything more knowing that the outcome will still be the same in the end…the Big Sleep.

I know I am done with Silver Daddies and being with anyone who isn’t at least 30. I can’t chance being deceived by a horny teenager no matter how physically mature he may appear.

 

31 July 2012 Monday

So thus ends July. I am still very, very anxious about Saturday’s unfortunate encounter with someone under 18 and I have just sworn off meeting anyone for a time. Charles Frost asked me why I take a chance with some of these guys who are under 21 and I said I think it’s because I am looking for a son. Someone to take care of. Totally crazy, I know.  And I never go looking for them they contact me. Charles called it a Santa Claus syndrome.

I Spent most of the day writing my book.

The President proposes and the Republicans opposes and disposes and blames the President for not getting America back to work... The GOP is only interested in regulating women's vaginas not helping American workers...Yes they care about the businessman but not a fig about working people because labor mean nothing to them just capital.

 

August

1 August 2012 Tuesday

I ordered checks from my Horizon Credit Union today. After all these years I am about out of them. I am down to my last 3. I doubt whether I will ever use of the one’s I am ordering because who writes checks anymore? I give one to Michael Romero for the phone bill and I pay Chevy Bolinder with one every three months for the dog grooming.

From there I went over to America First to see if they would let me have a Visa Credit Card. They said that I could have a line of credit of $6,000. I will have to go back tomorrow because I am also having my truck payments transferred over from Horizon to America First so I need to get a payoff.  I am so excited that I am going to be able to get rid of my high interest cards through Citibank and Lowe’s.

After taking care of that business, I went to Discount tires to get my tires rotated but on the passenger side front tire one of the wheel posts is broken and I have to get that fixed.

I’ve decided I’ve got to call that surgeon about biopsying whatever I have growing inside me.  It’s getting bigger and the bruise is spreading and its getting sore now.

I found out how to put money in Kyle Foote’s account at Gunnison Prison. I sent him another $30. I’ve told no one but his sister that I am doing this.

The only thing in the news is the Summer Olympics being held in London and the “Chick Fil A” idiocy.

The radical fascist Republican Right-Wing should be called the Kool-Aid Party...They want to us to drink the Jim Jones Kool-Aid and pretend that its tea... well I'm not swallowing it.

             

2 August 2012 Wednesday

I went in to my Horizon Credit Union to get the payoff on the Truck. I owe $2,700 on it still but the America First CU people said that it’s still holding it’s value of $5,500. Pretty good for it being a 1997 vehicle.

Any way America 1st was really busy so I took off to Centerville to look for clothes for this weekend. Charles Frost is taking me to the benefit “8” on Saturday and on Sunday I am going as a guest to the Sage Summer Lawn Party in Memory Grove.

Kohl was having another one of their super sales with 80 percent off some items. I bought some summer clothes and two pull over sweaters for the fall and winter. I spent about $70 and saved $230… They were practically giving them away.

Then I went to Target and bought some cute muted green shorts and a hat. So I am all set!  I haven’t bought me any clothes in nearly two years.

When I went back to the Credit Union I had them send a check to Citibank to pay off that loan and then they cut me a check to Lowes and I went across the street in Bountiful and paid that off. So officially I have paid off all the big credit card debt Kyle saddled me with which is not to say that I still don’t owe about $12,000 on credit cards to my credit unions.

My card at America First interest is 6.99 percent set and my new truck loan is at 2.99 percent.  After that I came home and called Dr. McGreavy’s office. I made an appointment for this Tuesday at 8:30 in the morning and its way down in Daybreak! Ugh.

Any ways tried to relax and after taking Coco home, I went and bought some groceries mostly fruit, cherries, grapes, and watermelon.

In the evening I watered the yard and chopped way back the forsythia bush that is by my front porch. I cut it back to the stub as it had gotten so big and I didn’t like the way it made things look shabby.

I noticed that my squash plant had a full size crook neck squash on it all ready. It being Lammas I considered it a gift from Mother Earth. Wow the farmer genetic code is still in me because it’s such a thrill to plant and see things grow and then eat them! I am definitely putting my front yard into a vegetable garden next year, tomatoes, squash, corn, peppers, cucumbers...

On Face book I deleted my distant cousin John Williams from Virginia, who is a “Chicken eating Judas”... because he ate at Chick-fil-a today. It was Boycott Chick-fil-a Day and he ate there just to be willful. He is Gay but I just am done with people whose ideology doesn't include equality. If you eat there and support Gay equality better not rub it in my face...I don't care whether you are kin or not you will be history like the USSR to me.

I Sat in the hot tub this evening before going to bed.

 

3 August 2012 Thursday

Damn all this "Chick fil A" talk has gotten me the munches for a hate free chicken sandwich for lunch.. So I took a boneless chicken breast which I cut into two or three pieces… Then I pound the crap out of them until flat and the size of the palm of  my hand... The trick is to soak the pieces in pickle juice for one hour... Then dredge them in flour mixture of salt pepper paprika and ground thyme...fry in hot oil and serve on buttered toasted Nature Prides Whole Wheat bun with a dill pickle...

Screw you Dan Cathy hypocritical Bible verse choosing moralizing pork eating face shaving jackass. I guess Gov Huckabee is now calling for a Chick-fil-A appreciation day…

 

 

4 August 2012 Saturday

I just got in from a delightful evening with Charles Frost and his hubby Doug Lott. Charles invited me to see Dustin Lance Black's new work “8” about California’s Proposition Eight  which was a benefit for the American Foundation for Equal Rights. It’s a play based on the actual transcripts of the Proposition 8 court case. The stage reading was excellent but my favorite part of the evening was listening to Congressman Barney Frank who talked to the audience afterwards. He was sitting just below me in the theater and Charles took a picture of him.

 

5 August 2012 Sunday

It’s been 50 years now without Marilyn Monroe...I remember the day she died well. I was only 11 years old.

I went to Sage’s Summer Garden Party at Memory Grove and I wore a broad brim peach colored garden hat that I tied around it a long trailing sash to make it more festive. I do believe it was a sensation.

I got there a little bit early because it had been years since I have been inside the park and wanted to make sure I didn’t have to walk too far. Those days are over.

 

Out in the garden I drank a screw driver cocktail while it seemed like everyone else was having a mimosa. I had fun visiting with Marty Pollock, Doug Cartier, Becky Moss and Alan Anderson before we went inside for the speeches and the crepes. John Bennett also sat at our table with Alan, Becky and I and we just had a grand time joking.

 Charles Frost and his SAGE helpers did a wonder job with the event and I really had more fun than I expected to have.  The best talk was given by Jim Dabakis who spoke from the heart about his Gay life adventures. It truly inspired me to get back to writing the histories of our struggles.  I Just saw loads of people from the olden days and SAGE events are truly becoming like a Family Reunion for me.  It was this a beautiful day in Memory Grove.

             

6 August 2012 Monday

I took Charles Frost to lunch today for all the nice things he has included me in lately. He paid for my ticket to “8” the play about California’s Proposition 8 that was $25 and he brought me to SAGE’s Summer Garden Party which was a$40 value so I felt it was only right to treat him to lunch.

We went to the “Garage” this little bar café joint on Beck Street. I had a pulled pork sandwich and he had a chicken sandwich. It was good but I don’t think I’d eat there often because it’s sort of out of the way.

I’m Cleaning house top to bottom in case someone has to come over and take care of Buddy and Daisy tomorrow after seeing the surgeon... My mom would be mortified if I let people into a dirty house...

The doctor said they might have to cut the lump out... the outside is all dark purple now with a white crusting where the skin has broken and its very painful now...the antibiotics didn't work so I don't know. Bill Poore says I have a staph infection.. I will see tomorrow.

The thing that is most revolting about the West Baptist Church is that NO other ring wing Christian Church will denounce them... Have you heard of anything from the Conference of Southern Baptist denouncing them? Have you heard the Mormon Church denounce them? Have you heard the Roman Catholic's denounce them? Any of the Evangelicals? Of course not...they feel the same way but are too chicken shit to admit it...Unless greasy chicken chick fil lay sandwiches are involved.

 

7 August 2012 Tuesday

I’m Back home from Daybreak where Dr. McGreavy left a hole in my belly the size of 1/2 dollar cutting out the infected cellulite. He gave me a Novocain shot in the abscess and that hurt like hell...ouch but the cutting didn't hurt at all. He packed it with gaze and said to keep changing it as it drains and see him in a week if it doesn't heal... So oh joy when the Novocain wears off...

Perhaps I should have changed my gauze sooner...I wasn't expecting it to be so blood soaked...yikes and I am the squeamish type... Doctor said it would drain. I didn't expect it to pour...  I Drained the hot tub for Charles’s visit tomorrow.

 

8 August 2012 Wednesday

Charles Frost came over to visit, soak in the hot tub, and have lunch. I fixed a macaroni salad, a hate free chicken sandwiches, watermelon slices, and served a Pepperidge Farm Orange vanilla cake. I couldn’t go into the tub myself because of my wound so I just dangled my feet as we visited.

I told him how Valerie Larabee and I kind of had a moment last Sunday when I went up to her and told her I was sorry about her mother’s ill health and we talked a while about depression. I told her that I had been depressed too last year but we are both strong people and can get through most anything.

I also told Charles that I do act tough but I do understand that most people in leadership positions certainly are trying to do good for our people.

It was certainly too hot to be in the hot tub because it was noon and the sun was over head but Charles said he felt really relaxed. He also told me the gossip about why Dustin Lance Black was a no show at the Plan B performance of “8” last Saturday. Evidently a clash of ego's between Jerry Rapier and Black occurred with Dustin saying to Jerry "Fuck you I'm not coming" leaving Brandi Balkin to fill in with Barney frank on Saturday...

Sunday's tickets were $50 which a lot of mucky mucks paid with the promise of a special VIP meeting with Black and Frank...They were blown off without any explanation and no reception was held even with Barney Frank...also Rapier and Troy Williams got into it when Troy tried to schedule a special play-write meet and greet before Sunday’s performance. Rapier was furious and said no way Troy!

There's a story in there for sure I hope the people who paid $50 get some of their money back.

Bill Poore, whose sister is head of PFLAG, was one of those who went Sunday! The people were told that Dustin wasn't coming and they could have some wine or go home. What was amazing to me was that Barney Frank was told NOT to come since Black was a not show. I am sure many people would have been happy to visit with Frank all though most of the young set didn't even know who he was and was only interested in Dustin Bareback Black....

 

9 August 2012 Thursday

Today is Bobbie Smith’s birthday. I wonder how old he is now. At least in his 50’s.

I hate changing the gauze on my stomach. Yesterday Bill Poore came over for dinner and he showed me how to change my gauze properly and to pack it down into the wound. He was so worried about me not doing it right and getting a staph infection. He even went out and bought me some vinegar to mix with water to keep my wound clean. He said peroxide wasn’t as good. He just fussed over me.

Anyway we talked about his Musical theater class he is teaching in the fall at the U of U and his brother Ross Poore being upset with him over something as silly as who will get to spread his ashes when he’s gone.

The Olympics are all in the news with guys posting pictures of athletes in skin tight uniforms that show off their dicks. Times have changed.

I like the slogan “Be the Fruit Loops in a bowl of Cheerios”.

I worked almost entirely all day on my book.

 

10 August 2012 Friday

I ordered some flowers for Bill and Faye Romero’s anniversary this month. They should get them next week. The grapes are dropping faster than the birds can eat them and they are all over my deck down by the hot tub.

All I do is spend time working on the computer on the book. I guess I can’t do much else with a hole in my belly that I have to keep changing the gauze that is packed down in it.

            I watched the old 1970 MASH. Hadn’t seen it in several years. It sure made an impact on John Cunningham and me when we saw it together back when we were 19.

Romney picked Paul Ryan for his Vice President. Why don't the Republicans just admit they want to dismantle FDR's New Deal Programs and all the other social and civil rights programs? I guess they cut into corporations’ bottom line.

If you vote for Romney I don't want to ever hear it because you are voting against my equality as an American and of the people I love. I will take it very personal that your ideology is more important than I am to you.

 

11 August 2012 Saturday

After many 10 hour days of writing and proofing, I am just getting out of the 1950's with 25,500 words so far. I'll wrap up tonight and start on the 1960's which will go faster, I hope...

Is this too long of a title? "A HISTORY and CHRONOLOGY of the CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE and COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORTS of THE QUEER PEOPLES of SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: Taken from Anecdotal Observations from the Journals of Ben Williams and Other Analectic Sources"-

So I spent almost the whole day rewriting and editing and proofing the chapter on Utah’s Gay history in the 1950’s. In fact I didn’t get to bed until nearly 3 in the morning.

 I think Chuck Whyte is pissed at me for some reason. I hadn’t heard from in almost a week, so I texted him to see if he wanted to go to CJ Restaurant for breakfast. I never heard back from him although he said he called me and let it ring ten times.

 I must have been in the shower but I guess he didn’t feel like leaving a message or texting me back. I called him several times throughout the day and no response so I was getting a little worried since he lives alone, has tricks over constantly and isn’t in the best of health.

So I posted on FB if anyone had heard from Chuck…well that got a response from him and he texted me to take down my post and that he had called me. I texted back why didn’t he just text me earlier and he said the telephone is for talking not texting! What a snot!

Anyway I did get out the house at one point to get some Hot Tub chemicals. I was out of sanitizer and even though I can’t go back in the tub until my belly heals I thought I might as well take care of that too.

While in Centerville I bought another sweater for the fall and winter that was on sale 80% off at Kohl’s. I paid $9 for it instead of $45. Also bought some end of the season flowers at Home Depot to replace the calla lilies on my deck that are done for the year. I’m not dead yet so might as well enjoy the beauty of this world.

While out also went grocery shopping. Such is life.

 

12 August 2012 Sunday

 

I feel like my eyes are failing again or I have been putting too much strain on them staying up late working on my book. I finally finished the 1950’s and sent the 54 pages off to Jim Dabakis and Charles Lynn Frost who’s been in Torrey Utah for the Women’s Red Rock Festival as part of his Pride Center duties.

I think the only time I was out of the house today was to take the dogs for a ride and to go shopping for dog food.

For my Sunday dinner I had a homemade chicken sandwich, homemade coleslaw, squash from my garden, pickled beets, and a slice of cold watermelon...

I watched an old Lucille Ball and Bob Hope movie from 1960 called the “Facts of Life”. It was pretty risqué for the times. Other than that the time is slipping away  as one hot August day flows into another.

I did make a date with Sam Holdaway for Tuesday. I Went to bed finally around 10:30. The only thing in the news is Paul Ryan and the Tea Party. The only thing they have in common with the founding fathers is that they are both white.

 

13 August 2012 Monday

I had a strange brief fleeting feeling of butchness sweep over me as I got under the kitchen sink and unclogged a plugged up goose neck. It seems more natural to be over the kitchen sink than under it but evidently a Y chromosome is good for something once in a while.

 

14 August 2012  Tuesday

On my way to the doctor’s I got a speeding ticket on Bangerter HWY by a West Valley City cop! I was only about 100 yards past 6200 south where it's 55 mph but in WVC it's only 50! He cited me for going 63 in a 50 mile zone…Which is BS because I was watching my speed and I was not over 60 and I thought it was 55 all through Bangerter. I hate Bangerter with its varying speed limits of 50, 55, and 60! No wonder my blood pressure was high at the doctors!

Well Dr. McGreavy took about 5 minutes to look at the wound and said that there was no infection and looks like its healing nicely and that I could now just keep a Band-Aid over it. I like Dr. McGreavy. He has a nice personal able manner.

Anyway I weighed in expecting to have gained weight this week from the brownies I made but I was down to 261.2. So I dropped about a pound.

Since I was out in Daybreak I dropped by the Gile’s and only Kimberlee was home. Randy was on a case in Ogden.  Kimberlee was working so didn’t stay long just wanted to see the improvements they made to their house. I hadn’t been over to see them since last November.

Kimberlee said that she understood why I didn’t follow Randy and Mike Romero’s advice about turning Kyle in Last Year. She said she knew it was something I would have had a hard time living with. I am glad she understood.

Well I came home and worked a little on the 1960’s histories before going down to Murray for my date with Sam Holdaway.  It was really warm today and about 2:00 in the afternoon the power went off in the house and so I decided to pick some squash and bring some down to Charles Frost  at the Pride Center but he was at a meeting so I just took my time getting to my fuck date at 3:30.

 

Sam was a nice guy but I don’t think he is any more interested in me than a fuck buddy. That’s okay after all, at my age beggars can’t be choosey. However when I did get home I could tell my back was getting sore…Probably because I hadn’t been in some of those positions before in a long time.

You know me I hate to get political but I love this Republican song by the great William Finn sang by Joe D’Angelio..."We're in a world surrounded by Republicans and I'm thinking maybe this proves God is dead." LOL

 

15 August 2012 Wednesday

I was in pure misery last night. I have a weak lower back anyway and it was strained yesterday from my antics more than I thought. I Slept with a heating pad but was so stiff I could hardly move when I got out of bed. It damn near killed me just to change the dogs water bowl. I couldn’t bend over of anything so I just go down on the floor and then lifted myself up.

I finally took some pain medicine and slept until almost noon. Chuck Whyte called me so I guess his boredom is more than his being mad at me.  He did say Bruce Barton is back in the hospital from suffering another heart attack. I wonder how long it will be before we hear sad news from California.

Only time I got out of the house today was to take Coco home. I’ve Been watching a lot of Netflix because there’s little else I can do. I watched “Adopt A Sailor” which was pretty good except that I really don’t like Peter Coyote that much as an actor. I watched “Toast” a BBC production about the memoirs of this Gay chef in UK.  I quite enjoyed it. Especially Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Potter.

 

16 August 2012 Thursday

My back is still pretty sore and I use a cold pack and a heating pad. I needed to get out of the house and felt like I’d stop in at Desert Industries and have a bit of a look around. I'm such a kitchen queen I bought Glass bake 9" pie dish vintage 1950 for 75 cents sales on eBay for$9, a vintage a Fire King 8" cake dish for 75 cents sold one bay for$8 and some metal measuring spoons all at a thrift store cool! All set for casseroles this fall and winter

America is quickly turning into an Era of Robber Barons, Monopolist Tycoons, and Conscienceless Capitalists. It's America's second "Gilded Age"... They are shooting strikers in South Africa ...who's to stop it from happening here? Occupiers are jailed and Wall Street Bankers walk. James Dimon of JP Morgan Chase can lose $5 billion dollars and the Republican Congress says to him "Tough luck" ...Who went to prison there? Who went to Prison for the 40 percent drop in the value of your home? The Supreme Court says money is free speech... when is enough, enough?

 

17 August 2012 Friday

I took Chuck Whyte out to breakfast this morning and went to CJ's in Murray and had a nice $3.99 breakfast... 2 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon, hash browns and a biscuit w/milk gravy...Yum...I am getting tired of it being like living in L.A. Smog here in SLC... It's been almost two weeks without a storm or winds to scour out the pollution... We are in a basin surrounded by beautiful mountains when you can see them LOL

 

I Went to the library and checked out two Janet Evanovich novels. Reading Smokin’ Seventeen in the Stephanie Plum series.

 

18 August 2012 Saturday

It’s Saturday house cleaning...I think I will clean out the liquor cabinet and see how far I get from there.

I finally feel like I can move about again all though the back is still stiff. I went to “Walking Crane” in Sugar House  and bought some scarves to hang around the deck for more privacy. I mostly read a lot from Smokin’ Seventeen. I just felt like reading.

 

19 August 2012 Sunday

I Went to Jordan Park's Peoples Farmer Market with Charles Lynn Frost and bought some home grown tomatoes, a fresh cantaloupe, and some Vosen's Cranberry-Walnut loaf bread. I gave him some crooked neck yellow squash and green scallop squash from my garden. It's gonna get warm today. I can already tell.

I Checked out Smokin' Seventeen on Friday finished it today by reading all morning. I've read every one of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Love them. Now I got to read Explosive 18!

Decided to finally to work on the deck project before I go back to school next week. So I went to Centerville and bought some school supplies but also some lumber at Lowes and hardware to brace the deck lattice between the posts.

What some guys can get done in 1/2 hour it takes me two hours and it’s still not done. All I wanted to do is move the curtain rods around my hot tub up higher and after losing about 30 screws, up and down the ladder 20 times, almost dropping a hammer on my toe, having to hack saw off a tip of a rod, getting stung on my flipping finger by a wasp, I managed to move two out of the four I have to do. I am exhausted!

Tomorrow I hopefully will finish the other two and get out a buzz saw to cut some lumber...that might not be pretty but I do have 911 on speed dial.

 

20 August 2012 Monday

I am Proud to say I am almost done with my deck project for the summer. All the curtains are draped at the proper height and two of the cross beams to secure the lattice is completed all with a minimum of swearing; only one wasp sting, and a smashed finger but I have all my digits even though it took me a while to figure out how to turn on the power saw and when it sprung to life it startled me so that I dropped it but it missed my toes... Whew being butch is exhausting!

Stephen Schroeck wrote me: Hey Ben! It's been a long time. What's the latest? Any updates on you, Kyle, and your money? I've heard some updates, like his transfers to different facilities, and his parole denial. Hope you're well! Steve.”

In the news Phyllis Diller died this morning at 95 years. She’s all over Face Book as that lots of people thought she was great! Me included.

             

21 August 2012 Tuesday

            I got up early to finish working on the deck around the hot tub. I had 4 post hangers to put up and cut two boards. I started about 10:30 and was done by 12:00 so made better progress than yesterday. I added some new chemicals to the spa so the  last of my summer projects is finished. 

I then went out to start the PT Cruiser to go to the SAGE Salon to hear Rocky O'Donovan speak but the battery went clunk! Ugh! So I called Mike Romero to order me a new battery but it won't be here until tomorrow.

I have my truck so I’m not completely without wheels but so glad it died in the garage than out in a parking lot somewhere...life's little inconveniences... grateful I have a car that even needs a battery.

I have AAA.  I wonder if they will come change my battery out or if they just do jumps? Mike said the Napa batteries  weren’t that good. So he came over to pick up Coco and I stayed home in the evening watching Netflix and working on the 1960’s.

I hate car troubles.

In the news Canada and Mexico both recognize Gay marriage... what is wrong with America? Oh yeah we are the clutches of Bible Fundamentalists

 

22 August 2012 Wednesday

I called AAA this morning and they said they could send a man out to put a new battery in for me. All I had to pay for was the battery! Whoohoo. I was worried that I would have to take it to Lodders in Bountiful. So the PT Cruiser is back in business.

This Mexican guy named Victor came by and asked if I had any yard work to do, I said yes so he's going to take out 4 old fruit trees that are past their prime tomorrow. So good bye, my Apricot, Nectarine, and Peach trees. The Cherry tree never did much anyway....I will have to haul the branches to the dump though.

On Days like this I miss Kyle Foote. He and I were always heading out to the dump.

Charles Frost invited me over for dinner so I made a Cheesecake to bring. It was a wonderful dinner prepared by Charles. We ate on his lovely patio with him and his hubby Doug Lott...

Before going home Charles checked the bottom of my foot because I didn’t know whether I had a splinter or a small cut in it and my eyes aren’t good enough to tell.

It was a Beautiful late August evening and I had a lovely evening there and stayed until about 9:00 and then came home to hit the sack.

I was thinking about Jean Horan today because her birthday is about this time of month and checking on Ancestry.com , I found that she had passed away a year ago on 8 August 2011 just ten days shy of her 91st birthday.  It was strange feeling knowing that she had been dead a year before learning about her passing.

 However I knew that Jean’s kids would not know how to get a hold of any of us or probably even thought at all to tell us about Jean’s passing.

 I messengered my sister Charline Wachs the news saying: “Did you know Jean Horan died last August in 2011... I saw it in social security index?”

She wrote back: “No I did not know. I often wonder about her. I bet her and Mom talk up a storm. I know Mom missed her phone calls to Jean.”

I said, “I am sure Carol and Patty had no way to let us know... Jean died 10 days short of her 91st birthday... She died just a little less than 3 months after mom did... Mom always said Jean was the sister she never had.”

 

Charline responded: I know mom thought the world of Jean. She was a great person and I am sure she is missed by her family. I always think of her and Tom living across the street from us. She was good to us all. I loved her like an aunt. She was an original.”

I agreed saying: “ I always thought of Jean as a 2nd mom when we lived on Dale.”

 

23 August 2012 Thursday

This morning about 8 Victor Perez and his wife Veronica came over to chopped my trees down. Well goodbye Apricot, Nectarine, Peach and Cherry trees. I Had them all chopped down this morning. The apricot was cut down but Victor’s chain saw couldn't cut it into pieces so he's coming back tomorrow.

The guy was here with his wife and kids so I gave them some squash and all the nectarines we could get off the tree. I also let them have my electric chainsaw and gas power trimmer and hedger. I'll never use them and I am sure he will.

Then Chuck Whyte and I went to the dump and I only fell down once but landed in the shrubbery so Chuck helped me up. It’s a bitch being 61 years old LOL..

So then we went to Panda’s Chinese Buffet on North Temple and had a nice lunch. I treated since I know Chuck is getting low on funds.

In the late afternoon as the day was cooling off I worked in the front yard pulling up weeds and stuff around the mail box and the little section between my neighbors and me that I had gotten to all summer because it was too hot.

Amy Barry came over in the evening because she was going to borrow the truck but then decided it wasn’t necessary. She brought me some peaches, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

So the days are getting shorter and this is the last week of my summer vacation.

 

24 August 20132 Friday

Victor Perez came over this morning at 8 and finished cutting up the Apricot and Cherry tree.  So now I have plenty of wood to burn in the fire pit this fall and winter.

So last Tuesday I get this speeding ticket on Bangerter going to the doctors in Daybreak and I'm thinking its 55 mph but I was 100 yards from where it goes from 50 to 55 and this cop pulls me over and says I was doing 63 but I know that's a crock but I also know you don't argue... The liar said he reduced the ticket to 5 miles over so when I call to find out the fine it's $90! Just 3 blocks down the street it's 60 mph. What a racket! It's a HWY not a side street!

I took a nap this afternoon after spray painting the wicker baskets that I have had for 24 Years. They use to belong to Ken Francis but he gave them to me when he moved to San Francisco in 1988. I’ve had them all these years mostly hanging on the fence in the yard but I decided to spruce them up and hang on the deck. I painted them Marigold yellow so now all my summer projects are done.

 I took a nap this afternoon but then went out on the deck about 6 to read. So enjoying this pleasant August evening lounging on the deck drinking an ice cold diet coke, reading Janet Evanovich's Wicked Appetite, and listening to the Beatles.

About 8 Charles Frost called and asked if I still wanted to go to Club Jam for the Bear Jam. I did so I said I’d meet him there at 9.

Charles Frost and I sat the entire timeout on the patio. I just had a diet Coke while Charles had some beer and tequila shots. I think he had a good time teasing one of the servers names Todd who was shirtless and a cutie. We saw Matthew Lyon and Fernando Noriega there too. Fernando runs the Gay Hot Spot Web Site and Matt is a friend of Charles who seems fun.

It was just a lovely August night. John Bennett and some of his friends also joined us and it was my last summer fling before going back to work on Monday. I even saw an old friend, Jim Dunker, who I hadn't seen in probably 10 years or more. I met Michael Romero at a party at Jim Dunker’s way back in 1993. He asked about Mike and I told him we broke up three years ago this month.

So it was a fun night except I am not as sophisticated as Charles and was only drinking diet cokes LOL. Told Charles that from now on I will drive him to the bars if we go out again because I don’t drink and he can then have as much fun as he wants.   

 

25 August 2013 Saturday

            I Went to the Murray Park Farmer's market with Charles Frost and bought tomatoes and fresh picked corn. Charles bought potatoes, onions, and cherry tomatoes. Everywhere there were peaches, squash, tomatoes, and great prices. Nothing like a vine ripen tomato.

Then we went to the Busy Bee Tavern on State Street for Garlic Burgers and we had a great time relaxing and visiting. Charles gave me home made pesto to take with me...what a nice afternoon. 

In the late afternoon, I soaked in the hot tub after cleaning up the side yard between the Gile’s old place and my driveway. It was much cooler today in the mid 80’s.

 In the news Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died at the age of 82.

 

26 August 2012 Sunday

One of those nasty nights when at least one pesky mosquito got into my bedroom and decides to feed on me all night... The Worse were the bites on my feet and hands just as I was falling asleep. I was again up all night putting on itching lotion...

         It’s my Last day of my summer vacation. I got all most all the chores I wanted done... I know it’s time to go back when you start dreaming about reporting in to the principal like I did last night LOL.

         I worked in the backyard some cleaning up some of the tree debris and Mowing the backyard when I strained my back again. Oh great just in time for school to begin tomorrow.

         In 1971 Congress established this day as Women's Equality Day because women were granted the right to vote on this day in 1920. Congresswoman Bella Abzug introduced the resolution to honor this day. It was also to honor the 1970 National Women's Strike for Equality that was held in 90 cities ... It makes me wonder why women are so complacent these days with the GOP's war on women. Why isn't NOW organizing and protesting?

 

27 August 2012 Monday

I Started off my new school year by having a strained back so I was hobbled today. We were in a meeting until 11:00 talking about the new programs, one of which is this Student Engagement observation we have to do once a month on top of everything else. Oh well happy I have a job and well enough to work. I did get my class schedule done in the afternoon in the hot, hot room.

        After work, I bought a few groceries at Smith and pulled out some money to give to David van Patten, who asked for some financial help. So after taking Coco home, I went into the city and met  him on the corner of 4th and Main. He lives at the New Grand Hotel and there I gave him $25.

        After that just came home and rested my back for the evening watching old episodes of Frasier on Netflix. Buddy has started this dumb game where he goes out the doggie door in the kitchen then comes along the deck to the bedroom door and stares at me through the glass door to let him in... Then when I let him in he goes back out the kitchen doggie door and does the whole routine again and I have to get up let him in...I am sure in his doggie brain he thinks it’s hilarious.

        Then as I am getting ready for bed I go into the bathroom to pee and there's Daisy sleeping in the bathtub... My dogs are weird!

        So I get up at 12:30 in the morning and Daisy is still sprawled out in the tub so I get down with my sore back and help my big 50 lb. girl get out of the tub so she doesn't get stiff sleeping on porcelain all night...

 

28 August 2012 Tuesday

I worked until 2:30 this afternoon in my classroom getting the desks all in place but it was sweltering without air condition so I left.  The car said the temperature from being on the asphalt was 101 degrees and that was radiant heat which keeps our classrooms hot. I was Kind of frustrated by all work I have to do with the New Core. I feel like a new teacher. I am getting tired of all the constant changes but that’s just because I am getting older too.

 

29 August 2012 Wednesday

It was another hot day in the classroom. My vision was screwy today like it  was weaker.

I  am going to have to do something about it. I Worked on lesson plans for most of the day and stayed until 3:30 in the afternoon. I returned the music launch pad back to Smith’s and got a refund of $20 so I bought dog food with the money.

            After taking Coco home, I had a dinner of luncheon meat and cheese because of it being so warm.  I Took a dip in the hot tub and my back is getting better not so stiff.

There’s Not much else to write about now back at work. I was In bed by 9:00 p.m. to get my rest.

 

30 August 2012 Thursday

I dreamed of Kyle Foote last night that I had visited him in prison and he had stabbed someone to keep from being raped. Weird dream because at another point I am just holding him and running my hands through his hair trying to comfort the both of us. I guess he is still deep in my psyche.

            It’s turned a little cooler today so maybe the summer heat wave has finally passed. I hope so.

            I was at school at 8 this morning for another meeting; about Language Arts this time. Yesterday it was Math. But we were able to get into our rooms by 10:00 to get some things done.

            I stayed until three then rushed home to feed the dogs and then get the house straightened for company. Brandon Burt and Charles Frost came over for a “Kiki”. It’s a new word meaning gossip party although we didn’t really gossip too much about people.

            They brought all the food and wine so we had a lovely pesto pasta salad that Charles made. They had wine and I had a pina colada and when a brief shower came through... the evening was heavenly.

            We hot tubbed until about 8:30 and the visited until the mosquitoes came out about 8:45. I was dessert for the mosquitoes...no one else was bitten but I was devoured... but worth a pleasant evening after a hard day of school work.

            In the news, it’s official, cold caffeine Mormons can come out of the closet now  and drink their cokes.

            Ever notice how Republicans believe that as soon as semen enters a vagina, a woman's uterus becomes public property for the state to tell her what she can do and can't do with it?

 

31 August 2012 Friday

82 year old Clint Eastwood spoke at the Republican Convention and I guess he was bat shit crazy talking to an empty chair like it was Obama. Paul Ryan was caught in so many lies during his speech that it set a new high for “inaccurate facts”.

     I didn’t get to sleep last night until midnight because of the itching from the bites so I didn’t make it into work until 9:30 but got a lot accomplished anyway.. I heard that our librarian’s husband died yesterday. He had been sick all last year.

            I am coming in tomorrow to finish off what I left.

            When I left school at 3:30 I was surprised to find it was down pouring! A really good rain. The first real rain all of the month of August. At home it was thundering so I just took Coco home because no one would eat too nervous. It was a good soaking rain!

            I picked some squash that was starting to over grow and had corn on the cob, Squash, tomatoes, and BBQ pork for dinner.

            Since it’s the end of the month its pay day so  I sent money to Kyle Foote this evening. I sent him $50 this time. I still love him I suppose or at least the part of him that was good to me.

            Well it’s the last of the moth and it’s a Blue Moon. I tried seeing it but the clouds kept hiding it. Once I got a peek at it I went to bed.

            I watch Pirates of Penzance from 1983 on YouTube. It still isn’t out on DVD. Had to watch it in bits but it still was a lot of fun especially watching Rex Smith in his sprayed on pirate pants that showed the cleavage in his cute butt.

 

September

1 September 2012 Saturday

I went up to Washington Elementary school and worked 6 hours today and when I left it finally rained!

 

            I have not heard back from Chevy Bolinder about cutting the dog’s hair. He’s the worst about getting back to you and I read reports from others on his Back Porch Grooming website that they too have a hard time with him getting back to them.

            So I may have to invest in some professional grooming kits and go back to cutting the dog hair again.

            The sky is a golden color while there's thunder rumbling all around.

            Hal David the great composer died at age 91. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. My favorite song is the Carpenter’s version of "(They Long to Be) Close to You" which is how I felt about John Cunningham.

 

2 September 2012 Sunday

I did some shopping for back to school today. I really needed a new electric pencil sharpener and I also bought some new dress shoes. However the sales guy showed me some shoe wax that really brought the color back to my Doc Martins like a miracle! It Extended the life of my shoes by far! Other than that didn’t do a whole lot but hot tub and do some genealogy.

         Dan Fahndrich invited to his Labor day party at 3508 South and 335 East. I declined however and wrote: “Dan I am sorry to bail again...I promise I will come out some time. Going back to school is like started the first day of a new job every year... I do appreciate the invite and that you think of me... love Ben.”

 

3 September 2012 Monday Labor Day

About the only thing I did today is really clean house, relax, and then go over to Charles Frost to have dinner with them at 6 in the evening. I was invited to several BBQ’s but going to Charles was the most relaxing.

        I took a sip of a Martini that Charles was drinking and it was ghastly LOL. I am sure it was great if you liked gin but ugh!

        I stayed until about 8:00 and it was already getting dark already. Summer is almost gone again. It’s been a super-hot one. 

        In the news The Moonies are sad today...the dear leader didn't live forever. Rev. Moon died at 92 years.

        Later Charles Frost wrote me: “Are you still up? I am awake at 1 a.m. Insomnia. Horrible. Saw that you were online chat. So I thought I would say hi. Sorry I have been MIA the last couple of days. I unfriended Chuck Whyte, then he was right back with a friend request, then he posted something offensive on Dottie's page. I Don't know about that one. He may have to be without CLF in his life. Hope you are well.”

        I wrote back much later; “Sometimes my computer stays on when I am off it... Sorry about insomnia what is going on? I went to bed at midnight I think and the night before at 2:30 in the morning. Stupid me I started doing genealogy and I get so addicted... I decided to do the genealogy of my best friend in California when we're boys His name is Jerry Smith and we share the same birthday. His parents both died when he was young in his early 20's. I haven't seen him in 35 years... So I was thinking about him and got on a toot to do his genealogy lol. We went through grade school through college together.

 

          I knew you would be busy with Chris Wixom. I hope you aren't wearing yourself out being the hostess with the mostest... I’ve Been cleaning house this morning and going up to school for a while. I need a hair trim but I think all the shops are closed today... Hope you have a fun Labor Day. I had breakfast on the porch and it was really pleasant...

 

4 September 2012 Tuesday

I had a very lonesome dream about mom last night. It was really kind of bizarre. I dreamt that I dreamed that mom was dead and I was so upset that when I saw Mom I hugged her and cried and when she asked what was wrong I told her I dreamed that that she had died and I just held her and told her I loved her…then I woke up and realized that mom was indeed dead. The first deep dream I’ve had about my mom.

         I got up at 5:30 this morning to go into work early for the first day of school. I was there at 7 to get last minute things ready before the kids arrive. It was not so blame hot but it was still warm in the classroom.

         I think they will be a nice class even if they seem lower in skills than last year’s crop.  It was an early out day thank goodness and I was pooped by 3:00 so came home to take a nap.

         I love starting school in September rather in August...Classrooms are cooler and kids are ready to start back. I have a good group this year I hope but it’s also good for me to go back to work and have some structure again. School Days School Days dear old Golden Rule Days

         This kid named Robert never came over at 6 for a fuck which is just as well because I just wanted to relax. I Did some genealogy on my boyhood friend Jerry Smith’s line and then went to bed by 10:30.

         Attorney Brian Barnard the Utah Civil Rights champion died today at  the age of 67. He was a good guy.

 

5 September 2012 Wednesday

I woke up from another strange dream but this time it was about both mom and Dad. Dad was helping me build some stuff. Weird that I am dreaming these things.

            I am so glad we started school this year in September and not in August as at least the rooms are not as hot. I am Starting to size up my kids. Not so good but with only 20 pupils I will be okay.

            The Democrats are in North Carolina holding their Convention. I Didn’t get to hear Michelle Obama but I did hear President Clinton who is my favorite President. Since I was born, the Democratic Presidents were Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.  All a damn site better than any of those Republicans except for perhaps Eisenhower.

 

6 September 2012 Thursday

Only one nose bleed so far this year in class today but there’s lots of droopy flowers in my garden… poor kids.

            It was a long day for me today and I had to have Michael Romero come feed the dogs because of Back to School Night. Whoo-hoo 8 parents showed up.  ... So glad I've been here for 12 hours now in a very warm classroom for only 8 parents to bother to show up...   With only 8 parents out of 20 attending I know how much support I am going to get this year but I came home in time to hear Joe Biden and President Obama give their nominating and acceptance speeches.

            I made an appointment to see Dr. Stoneburner for October 18 at 8 O’clock in the morning and to do my labs the Monday before. I also contacted Hoopes vision to see if I can make an appointment for an examination to see about my eyes and cataracts surgery.

 

7 September 2012 Friday

Well the first week of school is over and I got in trouble with the lunch lady because the kids were acting up and I wasn’t there to lay the hammer down. I think it’s going to be a challenging year because the kids are very immature and low compared to last year.

            I came home worn out and just worked on Genealogy before going to bed.

            I talked to Charles and we will go to the Murray Farmers market tomorrow instead of the Sugar House we are both too tired to head across town. He is on this weight loss program where he takes injections.

            I think I lost about 20 lbs. since July.

 

8 September 2012 Saturday

Being back to work makes for a busy Saturday, unlike the Romney’s, I know what a weekend is...lol.

             I mowed the lawn this morning while waiting for Charles Frost  to come over and when he did he brought his clippers and gave me a beard trim. We then went to the farmers market in Murray where I bought some apples and green beans. The place was super crowded and peaches are everywhere but alas I don’t like a peach unless it’s in a pie.

            Charles looked at almost everything he said he can’t eat on his new diet. He had lost 6 lbs. in a week with it. After we were done, I came back home and decided to go to Deseret Industries at Welfare Square to look for bargains. I bought a really nice vase that sold for $18 for $2 and the bought an ice cream scoop, a cork opener, a bean pot, and a few other stuff.

            Then I had to go grocery shopping for the dogs and me. I spent way too much but it was mostly staples and not junk.!

            I called Hoopes Vision to make an appointment for an examination...I might as well see about it while I am still a working girl.

            The rest of the day I made some chicken fajitas, worked on Genealogy, and watched “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” featuring Charles Laughton. The ending always makes me cry when he says why wasn’t I made of stone like thee while hugging a gargoyle.

            I think I am beginning to get an ear infection in my right ear. It aches and I have been using peroxide on it.

            On YOUTUBE I saw a clip of “Some of My Best Friends Are” with Fannie Flagg in it. When I was 20 years old and barely trying to come out I went with some Gay friends to Hollywood to see a double feature of Gay movies at an “art” house.

            Gay Deceivers had been out for a while but Some of My Best Friends was just released. It was a small film not widely distributed about a Gay Bar in Manhattan on Christmas Eve. At the time I didn’t recognize any of the actors but Rue McClanahan, Fanny Flagg, Gary Sandy, Carleton Carpenter, and Candy Darling were all in it. If you don’t know Rue, your Gay card is automatically revoked.

            Fanny Flagg wrote Fried Green Tomatoes and was lovers with Rita Mae Brown who wrote the lesbian novel Ruby Fruit Jungle.

            Gary Sandy went on to be in WKRP in Cincinnati and Carleton was an old time Gay Hollywood actor who’s duet of "Aba Daba Honeymoon" with Debbie Reynolds from their film "Two Weeks With Love," was the very first soundtrack recording to become a No. 1 gold record.

            Candy Darling was one of Warhol’s troop of actors. After seeing this film I went back in the closet if this was want it was to be Gay.

 

9 September 2012 Sunday

Today was Salt Lake City’s 2nd “Undies Run” where hundreds run down State Street only in their underwear.  We broke our world record from last year.. We have some of the coolest people on the planet that is why I love Salt lake City! Even runners had little dogs in underwear pants in the Undies Run from the city Library to the State Capital .... This is why the rest of the state gets pissed off with us Salt Lakers. We are different. LOL.

         I didn’t go to church today but someone posted on YouTube some kid fire juggling in church at the 1st Baptists. I bet you don't have fire jugglers at your church...that's why I love the First Baptists...

         Now that church is back at 11 in the morning, I guess I better get my butt back... I guess the lesson was on the burning bush today!

         I took Chuck White to Chuck A Rama for lunch today to feed him. At buffets he can eat as much as he wants.

 

10 September 2012 Monday

I don't know why fall-like weather makes me want to bake...but as soon as I came home I made zucchini bread from the zucchini Mrs. Jasperson, at work, gave me... I don't like zucchini so I throw it in bread... The house smells so good. I gave Mike Romero a half a loaf. I made an appointment for a cataract eye examination at Hoopes Vision for October 18th at 1:15 in the afternoon.

 

11 September 2012 Tuesday

Am I the only that found it strange that three buildings at the World Trade Center  collapsed but only two were hit by planes? The only thing on Face Book was remembrances of 9/11 and conspiracy theories.

 

12 September 2012 Wednesday

I went to the faculty meeting this morning at 7:30. It just drained me for the rest of the day.

            Charles Frost won the Salt Lake City Weekly’s  ARTY award for original play for his “Dottie: The Sister Lives On!”’ He wrote it with, Christopher R. Wixom and performed it at the Salt Lake Acting Company.

            Our Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens is an American Hero. He died 11 September 2012 a casualty of religious fanaticism, both Christian and Muslim. I Don't hate all Libyans for the acts of a few religious fanatics...America has plenty of our own that I don't want America to be judged by.

 

 

13 September 2012 Thursday

This new program for Title One Schools I have to do is called “Student Engagement” and I had to go to a two hour meeting to see how it’s done.  It’s just another layer of crap on an already crazy year.

            There’s only a week left of summer and I am so ready for fall...Squash plants are over...the sun is going down earlier and earlier and it’s actually cool in the mornings. Daisy loves the cooler weather and hangs out on the porch now instead of the bathtub. She loves it cooling down and so do I,  even though it means I have to put more clothes on. The hot tub is more and more inviting.

            Kyle Foote is on my mind so much lately more than usual…not a day goes by that I don’t think of him and miss him. His birthday is coming up in October and it’s the time of year that we had the most traumatic breakup last year coming so I guess I am being overly sensitive.

 

14 September 2012 Friday

This is the second night in a row that at 4 in the morning my desk computer speaker comes on with a commercial for biofuel...it wakes me up out of a sound sleep.            Yesterday I thought I was dreaming today I got up and listened...my computer is powered down but not off... but nothing is on the screen...I guess I will have to shut the computer off completely before going to bed. Is this happening to anyone else? Never has happened before but

 it sure makes for a tiring day being woken up so early. Why biofuel and why at 4 a.m. With all the dead relatives coming to me in dreams I wonder if my time is about up? Even two dogs I had put to sleep in 1986 were with me and we were wandering thru some mountain town and I was carrying little Toby while Sam was by my side. We were trying to get home.

Then Aunt Marie criticized how my back yard was looking, Mom and Dad went to my neighbors to tell them to stop throwing trash in my yard, and grandpa Johnson was trying to cheer me up by doing the little hillbilly dance he use to do...

I was so tired today but at least it’s Friday. I managed to get all my grades in and plan a little for next week before living at 4:00.

I made a zucchini enchilada pie for dinner. It was vegetarian and not too bad. Had it with the rice I made the other day.  After taking the dogs for a ride and Coco home I went and laid down on the bed and that is the last thing I remembered.

 

15 September 2012 Saturday

School is kicking my ass this year...I laid down at 7 last night to close my eyes and I just woke up at 6:30 this morning...

            Utah has adopted an entirely new curriculum, so everything I had used before is no longer applicable. Because Utah is at the bottom of all states in funding education I have no math books, no science Books, no spelling, language, health, or social studies books...

            We teacher are now held accountable for how much progress our kids are making instead of the kids being held accountable. Every day is a scramble to create lesson plans from thin air, motivate the kids, and keep on top of grading which parents now can look on line everyday...this on top of data meetings, in service meetings for the new core, and now this training for Student Engagement to power teach the students and oh yes I have a fourth of my kids diagnosed as hyper attention deficit with only one on medication because A. parents can't afford it B. They don't like the reaction...

            Oh well grateful to have a job if it doesn't kill me.

            After getting up I did the dishes in the kitchen, mopped the floors, vacuumed the front room and bed room, cleaned the bathroom, changed bed linens on my bed all while listening to Holly Near, Deidra McCalla, Meg Christensen, and Chris Williamson...The years at KRCL hosting “Concerning Gays and Lesbians” made me love Womyn Music and Olivia Records...

            At 10:00 I spent some time at Murray Farmer Market with Charles Frost and his friend Alexander Smith who is up from California. He’s living in Huntington Beach off of Beach Blvd and Garfield so we had fun talking about how California use to be.

            I didn’t buy anything at the farmers market. I really didn’t need anything I have so much food still in the refrig but it was fun looking at the peaches and apples everywhere! Fun to look at the produce and the cute daddies.

            I thought Charles and Alex were going to hot tub which was one of the reasons I scrubbed the house but they didn’t. So in the afternoon I did some shopping. I bought a new water filter for the refrig $45.00! Then went to Wal-Mart which I don’t like to do but I need some Dr. Scholl’s diabetic socks and they are the only place I know that carries them. $16 for 4 pairs of socks.

            Then I called Chuck Whyte up to see if he had lunch yet because I know he’s low on funds, so I took him to Panda Buffet on North Temple and 10th West. Big mistake! Because of the state fair the 10th west entrance was blocked off and I had to go all the way almost to Redwood before I could turn around and because of the traffic it took 15 minutes just to get back to Panda Buffet..

            I ate a lot of fried shrimp but otherwise the stuff was pretty bland but Chuck was really hungry and ate about 4 plates heaped high with chicken and other stuff… I mostly ate fish.

            After taking him home I went and got gas which has gone sky high again! $3.80 a gallon. Fifty cents more than it was a few weeks ago. But I filled the tank for $42. After getting my medicine from Rose Park’s Smith’s, I didn’t go out the rest of the day. Just worked on Ancestry.com on the Patton side of the family. I have a lot of Scot ancestry, Johnsons, Pattons, McLeods, McPhails.

 

16 September 2012 Sunday

There is little or no music and art in school these days unless your child gets an old style teacher like me...younger teachers are all trained to maximize math and reading skills... there are no music assembly or plays... I am the only teacher at my school that does art weekly, sing daily, and still puts on plays and skits...but it gets harder and harder to find the time with all the new emphasis on math and language art skills...

         When I retire there will be no male teacher at my school and no one teaching creative arts...I can see the results already...kids don't have the imagination they use to have.

 

         BYU lost to the U in their annual football rivalry. Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Provo — mighty BYU has struck out.

         Happy Rosh Hashanah to my Jewish friends that means you Deb Rosenberg!

         I shared a video on YouTube of Ron Romanovsky singing The Day the Homos Disappeared. I think Ron really gotten in tune with his Jewish heritage while making this song. He's older now but I bet he's still a great kisser like 20 years ago. No I won't go into details on how I know.

 

17 September 2012 Monday

At a millionaire fundraiser, Mitt Romney unaware he is being recorded tells these rich cats that he doesn't care about the 47 percent of Americans who are in his words only voting for Obama to get an entitlement and who don't pay taxes....He is just an awful, awful person... All people pay taxes whether its sales tax state tax payroll taxes.

 

18 September 2012 Tuesday

My dogs have totally gone insane I knew Daisy liked the tub now Buddy is jumping in too! Maybe they are looking forward to their haircuts tomorrow from Chevy.

         Here come the dead relatives again...and the dreams are getting weirder... I dreamt I was back home in Texas on my grandparents farm...there Grandpa brought this man home who started wisecracking about me being Gay and Grandpa started ribbing me and teasing me too and then I took Grandma to Littlefield to mail a letter and there was a Gay Pride celebration in the park with a dog jumping rope so I took grandma over to pride day...I could tell she was okay with me being gay just didn't want me talk to her about it or tell any of her 9 sisters....lol

         Going to bed is really becoming entertaining. Tomorrow is Grandpa Johnson’s 111 birthday.

 

19 September 2012 Wednesday

Chevy Bolinder came over to groom the dogs finally. My next appoint is for November 20th a Tuesday at 4 pm. Then we scheduled out to January 25th a Friday at 3 pm.

            You know the music is too loud when everyone at an event congregates to the back of the room to visit. It was great to see Charles Frost and Brandon Burt at the City Weekly’s Artsy but with my ear infection the acoustics was giving me a major head ache so I left but said muy bueno congrats to Mr. Frost for his award for best original play...He looked so dapper and even I thought even Mr. Burt shines up well.

Charles said poor Doug Lott was stranded on a mountain side for most of the day with two flat tires.

I wonder what's good for an ear infection. Peroxide just bubbles up but doesn't seem to help...I was up all night ugh.

David Kelly wrote me: “Don't use peroxide, it kills bacteria but also healthy tissue. Go to your “doc in a box” and get an antibiotic. Also covering a heating pad in a towel and resting that ear as well as the side of your neck will increase blood flow and assist lymph drainage thus refusing pain. If there is pain use ibuprofen as that will also reduce swelling thus reliving the pain.”

 

20 September 2012 Thursday

I went to the doctors and got some Z antibiotics and some drops for the ear infection. My heart just goes out for people without insurance who just have to suffer.

            I hope everyone is enjoying the last full day of summer... I did... with Charles Lynn Frost coming over for a dip in the hot tub and relaxing.

            The dogs look so pretty with their new hair-dos that Chevy Stephen Bolinder did yesterday... Life is good, even with an ear infection but I have my medicine so I am set and good to go.

            I want to tell Mr. Romney that I am not of the 47 percent.  I will never vote for him. I pay close to 20 percent of my income in Income Tax … more if you count social security and Medicare. On top of that I pay 7 percent of my income to the state of Utah and on top of that I pay property taxes city taxes and sales taxes. It’s part of my dues for belonging to the greatest country on earth which he are trying to ruin.

            Unlike Romney I keep my money in America. Unlike Romney I find time to bake for my friends, provide community service, pay off the debts I have accepted, and I have never made money off the misery of my fellow man. That is why I will never vote for  him.

            I certainly would like to know how many of the 40 Republican Senators who voted against a job bill for Veterans had EVER served in the military or have EVER put themselves in harm’s way for the American people?

            I know Hatch and Lee have NEVER served and while they can vote for billions for tax breaks for oil, billions for bail out of Wall Street, and vote to go to war they can't seem to find any money to help these young people who fought in the Bush-Cheney’s Oil Wars.

            How can anyone who say they support the troops and then still vote Republican can still call themselves a patriot is beyond me. Well it takes the clueless and heartless to vote for the clueless and heartless.

 

21 September 2012 Friday

            Back to work but at least the day was over early….so far I don’t much like the kids this year. They are really kind of dumb and unanimated. This one kid was cheating on his vocabulary quiz according to the sub and today he got a zero on math quiz. A zero on a ten problem quiz on place values!

            Then on Wednesday a boy peed his pants ten minutes after recess because he didn’t go then. The only kid I like so far is the daughter of the student I had 20 years ago.

            Well after feeding the dogs and taking Coco home I went and picked up Charles to go to the Third Friday Bingo with the Matrons of Mayhem. The fund raiser was for Michael Aaron and the Q and at the end of the night we raised $1,200 for him.

            Charles and I sat with Bob Henline and his wife even though I don’t think Charles really wanted to but Bob was so eager for us to sit with him that it was hard not to. Right off the bat Charles party fouls us by accident and we all had to get up wear turbans and purses and working the room for tips. I was tired and a little ornery but I have to say it was rather fun. Bob Henline paid to have me wear this huge Flamingo hat that Courtney Moser made. I had to pay $5 to get it off. Came home about 10:00 and stayed up a bit too late.

 

22 September 2012 Saturday

I went out for breakfast with Michael Romero and met Kim and Randy Gile at Mimi’s in Murray there.  We had a nice time catching up with each other…then we went over to the farmer’s market in Murray Park because they had not been there before. I didn’t buy anything but the Giles got some corn, squash, and peaches and tomatoes. The Murray Farmers Market as very busy...people realizing that summer is over.

            Around 4 in the afternoon, I dug out my pink-dot shirt for the Pink Dot Event at Jordan Park. I went last year. Salt Lake City is the first city outside of Singapore to hold a Pink Dot event.  It seemed like a lot less people than last year at the Pink Dot event at Jordan Park..

            The event was too long from 2-6. Two hours would have been plenty which it was last year. It was great to see so many Mormon friends of Gay people there...All the speakers talked on Mormon Gay issues...which was a little tiresome for old timers who are so over that.

            James Dabakis introduced Scott Howell to me well actually me to Scott Howell who is running for US Senator. I thought that was funny so Howell asked my name again like I must have been important LOL.

            I hugged Deb Rosenberg and Valarie Larabee snapped a picture of us together. I also saw Michael Aaron, Alexis Baige, Michael Ferguson, and J Seth Anderson his boyfriend.

            Michael Ferguson wanted to know what happened with Kyle Foote so that made me a little nostalgic. Okay a lot for my boy Kyle. Seth is into history so I told I’d send him a copy of my work. I also talked to Brian Williams and his boyfriend Chris. He’s still out of work…I tried being friends with him but he didn’t seem to want to be friends with me so we didn’t have much to say.

            It was a lovely day for the event that the Pride Center hosts but tries to act as if it’s an independent group of Gay friend people.  The groups picture was taken late in the event when we all grouped in a circle to form a Pink Dot/

             I learned today that Mitt Romney’s son Tagg has twins using a surrogate mother and KSL pulls the show “The New Normal” because a Gay couple uses a surrogate mother to have a child...does anyone but me,  find this incredibly hypocritical?

            I am sure the Romney’s are a loving couple so why aren't Gay loving couples allowed the same experience? Religious bigotry that is why...

            Everyone is talking about the secret taping of a speech that Mitt Romney made saying that he doesn’t care about 47 per cent of Americans because they are freeloaders.

            Jimmy Carter’s grandson was the one that released the tape to the media. Carter was a good president but inherited Nixon's Viet Nam War debt and Gerald Ford's inflation... He was thoughtful and not trigger happy and the radical right has vilified him ever since and NO president probably has been such a humanitarian than this peanut farmer.

 

23 September 2012 Sunday

I took Chuck Whyte to CJ's for breakfast because he just doesn’t get out much and can’t afford to eat out much so we had a nice visit…It is kind of my duty to Chuck for his past good deeds.   Then I came home and made some corn chowder. The weather is changing and soup is starting to sound good...

 

I hope the wind that is blowing in the clouds will blow the smoke out of the valley. The fires in Idaho have made the valley hazy and smoky for weeks.

I am going to do my damnest not to post on Face Book any more Romney rants. People certainly know my opinions by now and if they haven't been persuaded by me that Romney cares nothing for the working middle class and will be in debt to the Billionaire PAC that is funding his campaign, nothing I can post will change their minds.

 To my friends who hoped to see a Mormon President you can do better...Jon Huntsman or Harry Reid come to mind or even Ben McAdams...what a terrific President he would make...He’s the son of a school teacher who raised a family of 5 on a school teacher's salary. He knows the working class.

Now I will still post against the GOP...they have sold their sold to the Koch Brothers and need to disappear... Time to bring back the party of Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower... you know presidents that loved the American people even the 47 percent.

I Didn’t do much today but take a dip in the hot tub and ate my sugar free homemade chocolate pie. Because it’s now getting dark a little after 7 now, Buddy is saying it’s dark out,  shouldn't we be in bed? Soon Buddy soon.

Good Night all. Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep if I should die before I wake someone come feed my dogs

 

24 September 2012 Monday

I came Home from being an angel of mercy after a long day at school. David Van Patten this mentally challenged man that Kyle Foote counseled at NAMI called me and said he ran out of money and was hungry so I took $25 to him and dropped him off at Smith’s before getting home about 6. Then Charles Frost called and said that his battery was dead at the center and needed some help. I said I have triple A and I came down to keep him company while his roadside service came by. Doug Lott was in Idaho so he was kind of stranded and I think needed my moral support more than anything. It gave us a good chance to visit anyway. So I didn’t get home until after 7:15  It made for a long day...so glad that I am able at this point in my life to help...Lord knows I needed angels at times too.

 

25 September 2012 Tuesday

It finally rained today and we needed it… Buddy is a wet dog from going outside in the rain and now wants to cuddle... ugh!

      At school, two of my boys were involved with throwing a used condom they found in the park, at another boy this morning...It’s gonna be a long year... Things like this isn’t supposed to happen in Bountiful…After all…who wears a condom in Bountiful?

 

26 September 2012 Wednesday

I got some really good news during a very long stressful day dealing with a girl pulling her pants down in front of a boy during recess and attending a data meeting after school because it’s all about gathering “data” now.

            My financial planner Tyler Ferguson came by at lunch and told me the good news. I found out that I could retire any time after this year because the state would only reduce my pension by 3% for each year I retire early and because I have worked so long for my district they would cover my insurance for three years so I wouldn’t have a break between an early retirement and Medicare kicking in... so I can be one of Romney’s 47 percent sooner than I thought!

            This is very important to me because if my eye sight or health continues to fail, I don’t have to be in a classroom. Also my teaching certificate expires in 2015 and I’d have to renew it again.

            Are all Republicans liars or just delusional? Mia Love, Utah’s token Black, admitted in a “miracle story” to the Deseret News in 2010 she was an “anchor baby” and that her miraculous birth allowed her siblings left behind in Haiti to come to America.

             This and the $10 in her parents pockets are a fictional narrative that makes for a great “Fireside” LDS talk but it’s still bullshit...

            Sen. Matheson is Republican enough ... We don’t need a tea party liar representing us...Don’t we have enough liars with Lee and Chaffetz both who are ready to tear the country down if they don’t get their way?

 

27 September 2012 Thursday

I got invited to the Equality Utah Allies banquet by Josh Jones of the SLQ but I turned it down...They are honoring Jon Huntsman, a Republican... the party of the oppressor, which blocked every attempt at anti-discrimination bills in the 70’s, funding AIDS research in the 80’s, allowing Gays in the military in the 90’s, and Gay marriage in the 2000’s.

            I will honor Huntsman when he has the courage to leave the party of Nixon, Reagan, Jesse Helms, the Bushes, the Tea Party...Santorum, Gingrich, Perry, Bachmann, Palin, Ryan, Boehnner… you are known by the company you keep.

I had to drain the hot tub because some snail decided to commit suicide...It was no accident...how does a snail crawl up onto the deck, crawl under the cover, and plunge to bottom of my 104 degree hot tub? If he wanted to die there were a lot easier ways.

 

28 September 2012 Friday

Today is Billy Bikowski’s 51st birthday. Would I still be in love with him if I saw him today? Everyone at work is really grousing about having to do this Student Engagement this year.

            When I came home, cleaned out the hot tub and refilled it so its fresh and new. Blew the leaves off the deck. Put out my fall decoration....and making Chili Verde for the weekend... now to finish a project for Coming Out Day...

Mrs. Jasperson bless her heart  gave me another damn zucchini so I guess I’ll make bread tomorrow... Spent some of the evening working on a time line for Coming Out Day and also watched Glee. Are we supposed to still like Glee?

 

29 September 2012 Saturday

There are more good people in this world then there are sociopaths. Unfortunately the sociopaths are rich and run everything mostly...but we can still do good.

            I filled the hot tub back up and strung some rope lights around the hot tub deck. It’s getting darker sooner and sooner.

            I went shopping at D.I. again and found some more China platters, bowls, and a really pretty glass flower vase. All the old ladies must be dying off and since no one cooks anymore I am finding lots of fun stuff that will all go back to Deseret Industries after I die.

 

30 September 2012 Sunday

It was a Lazy day but I still got a lot done… go figure... Only sometimes living alone has its downside.  After filling the hot tub up yesterday I didn’t secure the tap good enough so the water all leaked out of the tub during the night so when Charles Lynn Frost and Doug Lott came over they didn’t get a soaking... I swear sometimes I need a handler...

         To make amends, I sent some zucchini bread home with Doug...

         I spent the rest of the day compiling some history for the Pride Center that Jon Jepsen had asked for…now it’s time for bed…

         I saw on Face Book this, “Always keep “get well” cards on your mantle that way if unexpected guest show up they will think you have been sick and unable to clean