Sunday, April 6, 2025

Winter First Quarter Journal 2007 January-March President Bush

 

Journal 2007

1 January 2007 Monday

  It's 2007! Can you frigging believe it? (frigging is a mild expletive compared to fucking). Cutting down on my saying fuck so much is one of me New Year's Resolutions.

Well I slept in from staying up to see the new year in. How lame is that? But I was watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas featuring Johnny Depp as the Hunter Thompson character. Beyond buying a new mouse for the keyboard that is about as much excitement as I could muster.

I did wish Chuck Whyte and Chad Keller “Happy New Year’s” and emailed Mark Swonson a greeting.

Ben Anderson went to see Dream Girls and while he lectured me on the necessity of Gay men supporting Musical Theater he confessed that he didn't really think the movie had much pizazz! He was impressed however with Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy. I wonder if Eddie is still considered a homophobe these days from his early comedy routines.

It was a mildly inverted day but the clouds eventually burned off.

I paid $2.17 for gas yesterday. I wonder what the rollercoaster will be this year. It doesn't take a prophet to know that big oil will make a profit.

Ben Anderson came over for dinner today and I fixed scones and tuna casserole. We looked at all the bear sites on line and though there are tons of chasers in states all around us, Utah and is decidedly lacking in that department. Brainwashed RM twits.

I Overheard some gossip from a little birdie that there is going to be Trouble in River City. With a capital T and that rhymes with R.C. and that spells trouble!

Mike Romero  and I took the dogs out for a new years day ride. Yesterday Smokey was humping Buddy and I told Ben that I hope Buddy isn't becoming a Butt Boy for Smokey LOL. Smokey is definitely the daddy.

Well back to work tomorrow...Happy News Years and may it bring us good health, more wealth, true friends, and bountiful lovers.

 

2 January 2007 Tuesday

  Today was President Gerald Ford's National Day of mourning and its yadda, yadda, yadda. I think it's Bush's way to draw attention away from Iraq even for a milli-second.

Most excitement today I had was a student puking in my classroom. Yuck! I guess the stomach flu is going around and around.

Speaking of yucky the weather is abysmal with this dismal inversion. Thank Providence that there's no snow on the ground or we would really be hating life.

I fixed fried potatoes and fajitas for dinner tonight and talked to Ben Anderson whose catching a cold and then called Darren Solomon to wish him a Happy New Years.

I emailed Mark Swonson this: “Mark just wanted to say Happy New Years and how much I admire your dedication to your community. Hope you find abundant health, wealth, friends, and love in the new year. Your friend Ben”

He wrote back “Thanks so much for those kind words. Ben, you have been great wonderful friend since I came out back in 1992. May your dreams, wishes, and all come true this year. We all have the ability to have abundance, happiness, joy, and love in our lives. I'll see you in 2007!! Lets do dinner or lunch again!! Hugs, Mark.”

 

3 January 2007  Wednesday

 The Inversion is still here. The Full moon is hard to see through the haze. I had Ben Anderson over for dinner with Mike Romero and me. I Fixed Taco Soup since that sounded good for a cold winter day. I Served it with corn chips and shredded cheese. Yum.

We helped Ben down load some pictures on his Bear web site. His pixels were to big (size queens) and so I used one of my programs to reduce them to fit. Other then that nothing new.

I sent Michael Aaron a column on the murderers Lance and Kelbach since its been 40 years since their crime spree. Sorry for the boring blog

 

4 January  2007 Thursday

We had seven inches of snow! Ugh! Winter wonderland? Not if you are driving in it. There's some kind of children flu going around. I had seven kids gone today. On Days like this I just want to cuddle.

 

5 January 2007 Friday

No Entry

 

6 January  2007  Saturday

 I Spent much of the day with Ben Anderson. We went to this African Market on Redwood Road looking for ethnic clothing....okay a muumuu or a caftan but where in this land of wonder bread can one find such accoutrement's?

So we settled for watching Damn Yankees and Pajama Game. We were in a Bob Fosse mood. This morning we even watched "Norman is That You?" I swear being Nellie is a dying art form.

A year ago Larry Miller was pulling Brokeback from his theaters which created quite the uproar. This year there aren't any movies worth seeing.

Well Nancy Pelosi is now just two heart beats away from being President. Now if Cheney and Bush could just die of natural causes!

Nothing really to report. Chuck Whyte won't confirm any gossip about the court. Well time for bed. Perchance to dream

 

7 January 2007 Sunday

  Thirty years ago, when I was 25 years old, I was married in Salt Lake City by a bishop who was also owner of Juliette's Lingerie. My wife and I separated in 1986 and divorced in 1988. It seems like a different life time now. I wore a green plaid sports coat, a sea green tie to match my sea green polyester flairs, with platform shoes. It was the 70's. Today was not as special.

I cleaned pee stains from my carpet and watched the “Gay Divorcee” as a wedding anniversary tribute. When Gays are truly assimilated glamour will be gone.

 

8 January  2007 Monday

It was a long day with kids getting hyper for some reason. I've asked my principal to come in this Thursday to do an observation of a lesson plan. I will have her assess my lesson plan as part of my ESL evaluation and kill two birds with one stone. The lesson will be on Chromosomes, genes and heredity and I am having the kids build a marshmallow bug with different traits randomly chosen as an activity.

This evening I had to attend another ESL class at South Davis Junior High. Five more Mondays and I will be through hallelujah!

Martin Luther King Holiday is next Monday so I've got to get a lesson on Human Rights this week on that also. After this term ends this weekend, the year will be half over then its a down hill slide into Summer!

 

9 January  2007 Tuesday

  Happy Birthday John Francis Cunningham. How different our lives would have been if only you would have loved me as much as I loved you.

 

10 January 2007-11 January 2007

No entries

 

12 January 2007 Friday

 I took Friday off from school so I could enjoy a four day weekend but it's so Freaking Cold!.

I took Ben Anderson and his son Jared out to lunch at China Star in Bountiful. Jared is about 28 now and wanted some advice on getting into education. I told him he ought to substitute teach first to even see if he wants to be a teacher.

The QSaltLake issue came out bigger than ever, 40 pages with a different look. I Saw that Michael Aaron listed it as “issue 70” so he must be back counting it to the old Metro.

There was a brutal letter to the editor from the owner of Heads-Up, ranting against Chad Keller and Mark Thrash's New Year’s Column about the bars. I think not only was the letter unfair it was slanderous accusing Mark of being dishonest when he served as Emperor of the Royal Court.

I like the new columnist Troy Williams’ radicalism but he seemed to be using the same rhetoric of the Radical Faeries, perhaps without realizing it. Everything that is old is new again

It was 1 degree tonight! Yikes. So Ben Anderson and I decided not to play dress up for Gay Bingo because it was so damn cold but we rather wore sensible warm and fuzzy clothes although, I did don my red pill box hat with the black Vail as well as pearls. I had never been to Gay Bingo before, hosted by the CyberSluts as a monthly fund raiser.

It was the first time held at the First Baptist Church so Ben Anderson and I decided to give it a whirl. Mike Romero would never have gone with me.

The place was packed and they had to put up more tables. I'd estimate that between 150-200 people were there and the Sluts raised around $1400 for charities that night. It was an interesting crowd, totally new to me. I only recognized, Debbie Rosenberg, Becky Moss, Mark Swonson, and Michael Aaron among the crowd.

Poor Deb committed some type of party foul and had to don a pink wig and dance around the room for money! I made sure I kept my elbows off the table, my mouth shut, did not call out Bingo or anything else that might be considered a foul.

Becky Moss sure had a cute Gay cousin at her table. Speaking of Becky I had no idea that she lost her house on Commonwealth Avenue due to identity theft several years ago. I felt really awful for her.

I sliced my middle finger pretty deep upon sitting down on one of the metal chairs as I reached underneath to pull it closer to the table. Thank goodness Ben had a band-aid in his pocket.

All in all it was a nice evening and I may go back now that I know some of the ground rules. I can see that it would be a lot of fun if you had a group with you.

Ben wants to try the Monday night Bingo at The Try-angles but I have classes on Mondays

 

13 January 2007 Saturday

Mike Romero took off somewhere today and Ben Anderson's been with his son and daughter-in-law so I've spent a very quiet cold winter day alone.

I hooked up my new printer/scanner/copier but not sure if I am all that thrilled with it yet. Made some chili Verde and roasted a pork roast for the puppies. My mom said that it's been below freezing even in Vegas.

 

14 January 2007 Sunday

  Another day in the deep freezer. Brrr! Ben Anderson came over in the afternoon and we played Cantan the board game he likes and watched “Where The Boys Are.” Excitement to spare. Its just too damn cold to go out.

 

15 January 2007 Monday

 Today is Martin Luther King Day so no school, and I did absolutely nothing because of the deep freeze we are in. Ben Anderson came over for a little bit and we had homemade macaroni and cheese. That was comforting on such a chilly day.

He wanted to go to Try-Angles for the Cyber Sluts Bingo but I said NO WAY....Brrr. So I had him take the Color of Love test and he, like me, is a Maniac Erotic or hopeless romantic.

 

16 January 2007 Tuesday

It was back to work but without the students as it was a teacher’s prep day for the end of the term. I dropped my Sonoma truck off at Lodder’s garage to have the back brakes replaced. I had to walk about 1/2 mile in 4 degree weather to get back to school. Brrr.

Nothing exciting at work just finished up grades and other mundane tasks. The truck wasn't ready until 4:30 and the temps were dipping again as I walked back to retrieve my vehicle. It was only $132 for the brake job.

 

17 January 2007 Wednesday

The kids are back and it's officially the beginning of the third term. School is now officially half over.

18 January 2007 Thursday

After school I bought my hounds a ton of treats, chicken strips, dog biscuits and that kind of thing. I was finally able to make it to the Pharmacy to pick up my medicine. It's gone up to $72 a month now! Yikes! Lipitor alone is 40 dollars which is a $1 a pill. And that's with insurance.

I watched the first season of the Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970. I guess, like she, I'm going to make it after all.

 

19 January  2007 Friday

Today is my father's birthday. He died the day after Christmas 2003. He would have been 82 today.

My nephew's wife is expecting their baby any minute now. I was hoping he would have been born on dad's birthday but I guess not now.

It still feels like we are in a deep freeze and I hear the inversion is bad but at least we don't have the nasty fog along with it.

Chad Keller texted messaged me while I was at work. I called him later as he was down in the dumps about some results of his medical tests and the flap over Mark Thrash and his New Year's Column by a certain bar owner in town.

 Ben Anderson said he stayed in bed all day watching movies. Good for him. The weather is too yucky for much else and yet I hear Moscow, Russia is having a heat wave. Crazy weather.

I watched three episodes of OZ tonight from its finally season. They sure are killing off all the characters one by one in that prison series.

The Sundance Film Festival opens tonight...Hope people are having fun.

 

20 January 2007 Saturday

  It was a very hazy winter inversion day until around 3:30 when it started to snow and cleared the gunk out of the air.

 I agreed to meet with a U of U student who is working on a history research project on Gay history in the 1970's at noon at Nostalgia coffee house on First South. I asked if Ben Anderson wanted to meet me there just in case the guy didn't show but he did.

His name is Charles Perry and while not Gay per se has a queer identity. Don't ask, it gets confusing.

Anyway we visited and visited, until Ben decided to leave and Charles and I talked more about Queer Theory, Queer History, about the lost archives, about how few Utah Gays are recording our history.

He said that he only knew of Michael Quinn, Rocky “Connell” O'Donovan, the late Jay Bell, and me. I said, well I knew of some others who are working on doctorate thesis but I said I'm the only one that I know of that is doing specifically Utah Gay history and not Gay Mormon history. They are not one and the same although the lines are really blurred.

Michael Quinn is not even doing local Gay history at all. I said that Rocky is in California now and his focus was on Mormon history as was Jay Bell who has since died. I guess that makes me the loneliest historian in Utah

 

21 January Sunday

No entry

 

22 January 2007 Monday

I am feeling blasé  about my English as a Second Language class and kind of over whelmed by it right now. I sent in my history column into the Q Salt Lake and edited a letter for Chad that he wanted sent.

 

23 January 2007 Tuesday

 I am feeling blah! Just kind of lacking in energy. Not sure whether I've picked up a bug or not.

Ben Anderson came over today and said that he's a new Cyberslut! He went to Gay Bingo last night and auditioned and he's “Bunny Hole” a kind of a trainwreck cyber slut.

I fixed Mike Romero and Ben hamburgers for supper and then Ben played Judy Garland songs from her boozy bottom basement Capitol Records period. Poor Judy. I need to hit the sack.

 

24 January 2007 Wednesday

No entry

 

25 January 2007 Thursday

Ben Anderson came over this evening to show off his Bunny accoutrement's that he purchased. I fed him and Mike Romero some Taco Soup and Cheese Nachos.

26 January 2007 Friday

  I am SOOO glad this long week is about over. I Had a lot of work and preparation work for this ESL assignment that's due Monday. It's just about wore me out and the kids have been totally wacky....hitting each other with plastic spoons and knives hard enough to raise welts, writing notes saying this girl wants to have sex with this boy, having one boy sit out in the hall and bawl. And beyond and above all this I am supposed to teach, social studies, Language Arts, math, science, reading, and computers?

At work I bitched out this passive aggressive twit that operates the after school program, after twice in front of the secretary with whom I was having a conversation, kept interjecting comments about how children should be treated with respect. I said, I get that! Are you implying something? That Shut her up.

 She's one of these Mormon twats that think that children should run everything instead of adults. I guess perhaps it’s because her brain is as underdeveloped as the kids.

After work I had my emission and safety inspection done to register my vehicle; $45 for the inspection and while waiting this hunky blue collar love machine came in to have a company truck inspected. Eye candy!!!

Funny that the tax cutting Republicans raised the tax on registering my car. Last year it was only $80 and this year its $88.

I read where Scott McCoy introduce a measure to take Sodomy off the books since it can't be enforced but not likely to happen as long as Chris Butters is horrified and disgusted with the idea of men butt fucking.

I heard that David Hurst the owner of Heads Up who lambasted Mark Thrash and Chad Keller, had his car stolen with all the tax receipts from last year. Karma?

Then, after I went to bed, Chad called me. He just needed to visit some. He said that we have to be at the Park Reservation office on March 5 to reserve Jordan Park for Gay Freedom Day.

Ben Anderson is hooked on OZ after I turned him on to it and he called me from home said he hates me because he hooked on the male nudity but also has to wade through the incredible violence. He's in love with Keller character and I said that guy is a psychopath!

 

27 January  2007 Saturday

I went with Ben Anderson to see “Children of Men” after reading that Deb Rosenberg saw it. It was pretty powerful and even choked me up; -this old cynic.

            I gave Mike Romero and Tom Folks my tickets for “A Thousand Clowns” which was being performed at the Grand Theater. Mike Romero said it was only so-so and they left after the second act.

There’s no sense asking if the air is good when it's all we have to breathe. This is Utah where the Republican patriarchs "don't question us" Mormons cut the Utah Department of Environmental Quality budget, even though the state is flushed with cash, at a time we have the worse air ever!

The Airport was shut down by the SMOG yesterday and its so thick out here by the airport you can't see across the street. Folks it’s NOT fog or haze its SMOG.

Since it was a soupy day just stayed home this evening and watched a movie. Mike Romero and I watched another Spanish black-comedy movie called the “Perfect Crime.” I have never been disappointed in Spanish films so the subtitles are worth the effort. French films are just so-so; kind of a hit and miss proposition. The Perfect Crime is about a materialistic department store manager in Madrid whose life goes to hell.

 

28 January 2007 Sunday

  The weekend went fast. The air is still bad but at least there's patches of blue. I made a lemon poppy seed pound cake today and cooked up a corned beef for sandwiches this week. Mike Romero took off with Smokey someplace and was gone all day so.

I went to the Nostalgia Coffee House to meet this guy named Troy. Ben Anderson was there already after having had a massage at the College of massage therapy. Troy thought I was hot. Why I should think that's funny?- perhaps that says something about my self confidence anymore.

Then Ben came over and I worked on his Bunny hair for the Cybersluts’ Bingo tomorrow. Wired in a stork carrying a baby. Ben said that Ruby Ridge and Chevy Suburban are taking a decidedly reduced participation in the Sluts. I am sure burn out can be a major factor and, hey none of us are getting any younger.

Ben also webbed camera some kid in Turkey. That was wild to actually be seeing some guy clear around the world. He wanted to see our bellies LOL! Just my luck I will have to go to Turkey to find someone who appreciates me being a full figure, last of the red hot mamas!

 

29 January 2007 Monday

  After my ESL class I went down to Try-angles to see Ben Anderson’s “Bunny Hole” outfit. She looked fabulous. I visited with Donald Steward while there, saying I heard he was stepping away from the Cybersluts and he said, no that he was stepping down from being the Pride Day Coordinator. The parade has grown into more then a one person position he said. We also dished the Lesbian and Youth Center as being overly demanding of the Cybersluts without giving little if any recognition for all their volunteer hours.

Chad Keller had complained about the youth center to me before saying, “It takes years but finally others are starting to see the true lesbian youth center for what it is.”

 

31 January 2007 Wednesday

  It's been a very long hard old January. It's been very frigid and the air polluted for much of the month. It's been so cold at night that it was unpleasant to go out in the chill. It snowed a little this morning and cleaned out the air somewhat but I think I’ve picked up a virus or some shit in my lungs because I have been coughing from a tickle down deep in my lungs.

I’ve been having the weirdest dreams lately; the wildest, about killer drag queens. Well so long January and good riddance. When I mentioned my dream to my friends, Chad Keller he said, “Most drag Qweens kill your Soul”  and Tony J Jones  added “or make you want to kill yourself...(hee hee).” He also commented “I didn't know Salt Lake was so polluted. I always pictured it as very pristine. Sorry to hear that you are feeling under the weather.”

 

FEBRUARY

1 February 2007 Thursday

 

No entry

 

2 February  2007 Friday

 It’s  Ground Hog Day! Candlemas! And mid-way to Spring yahoo The light snow fall today pushed the inversion out of the valley and we actually could see the Ogden Range again 35 miles to the north! The bowl we live in is beautiful when the air is stirring but when it gets stagnant yuck!

I am not sure if I have a chest cold or whether my lungs are expelling the crap its been breathing for the last three weeks.

I am planning on going to bed early and get some rest anyway. Next week is the dreaded parent teachers conference where I have to justify why little Johnny is such a turkey.

My student Dakota came to me after lunch today and said that boys in the classroom were shoving him around and threatening to beat him up if he writes down any of their names as part of his job as lunchroom monitor. Sounds like we have our own little Mafioso.

Nothing in the news except that Texan liberal Molly Ivins died. I really enjoyed her columns and her right-on commentary on George Bush she called "the Shrub."

Chad Keller sent me a copy of a commentary he wrote for the QSalt Lake and .he wants me to perhaps edit it for him but doubt if I could or would have time.

This weekend I have to get all my conferences notes ready and Monday night I have ESL Class. For the rest of the week I will be at school for 12 hours, meeting with the parents of the hooligans I am privileged to teach this year.

 

3 February  2007 Saturday

  Well a new branch on the family tree budded today. My nephew James Edgar Clark and his wife Rachel had a baby boy today. Jaidon Edgar Clark is what he'll be named.

I was only 17 when James was born and now I am 57 and he has a son of his own. Amazing that Jaidon will be my age in 2064. What will his life experiences be I wonder? I wonder if he'll even recall that he had a Gay great uncle who use to ride his daddy on his handle bars and take him to the park to swing. "Swing Uncle Junior Swing" is all he had to say and away we went. I even carried him off to college with me when I baby sat him. Now he has his own son.

It was a beautiful day along the Wasatch front. I cleaned house, went shopping, had my hair cut, and wrote my column for February 15 issue of the Q.

I Even found time to edit Chad Keller's article after listening to his plaintiff plea on my answering machine.

Mike Romero took off today to parts unknown. He's been gone almost every Saturday now, never tells me where. Maybe he's found a boyfriend.

I went over to visit with my neighbors the Giles who I haven't really seen since the New Year. I said its a sign that Spring is coming when the Ground Hog and Ben comes out of our lairs.

I read a copy of this month’s Q Salt Lake. Donald Steward is so funny! But I am not sure I get all the neo-post modern gender queer exposes that Troy Williams is writing about. Its Gay youth this and Gay youth that; and cyber revolution everywhere with Madonna thrown in for good measure.

Give me a good disco dancing hanky wearing bearded old Castro clone anytime over some gender tranny who can't make up their mind if they’re a boy or a girl!

 

4 February  2007 Sunday

  My aura is blue, and my Muppet personality is either Scooter or Miss Piggy depending on my mood. My cough has settled deep in my chest....poor baby.

 

5 February 2007 Monday

No entry

 

6 February 2007 Tuesday

  I finally saw a picture of baby Jaiden James Edgar Clark, my sister Charline Wachs’ grandson.

 

7 February  2007 Wednesday

  Events of the Year in which I was Born: 1951

Harry Truman is president of the US 

Julius Rosenberg and his wife Ethel are found guilty of conspiracy to commit wartime espionage 

President Truman removes General Douglas MacArthur from his command in Korea from making unauthorized policy statements 

Inauguration of transcontinental television with President Truman's address at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference 

Scientists develop UNIVAC I, the first mass produced computer

Rush Limbaugh, Tommy Hilfiger, and Orson Scott Card are born 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is published

Disc jockey Alan Freed uses the term rock and roll to describe R&B, in an effort to introduce the music to a broader white audience 

New York Yankees win the World Series Los Angeles

I Love Lucy debuts

 

 

8 February 2007 Thursday

Anna Nicole Smith who married that millionaire old guy died in Florida at age 39 of an accidental drug overdose.

 

9 February 2007-10 February 2007

No entry

 

11 February  2007 Sunday

  It's been a long week with a chest cold and parent teacher's conference every night so I took Friday off to rest. Feel so much better now but still have a residue cough. It rained for most of the day instead of snow which was really good to wash away the salt and grime.

I’ve been out of touch with people for a while. Just kind of taking care of my needs.

I did watch “Hollywoodland” about the George Reeve suicide back in 1959 and whether he was actually murdered. I really enjoyed it and they had the period down to a T.

I also watched Flags of Our Fathers which has made me really melancholy for my own dad. The movie was about the invasion of Iwo Jima and the photograph of the raising of the flag by the marines that became kind of an icon of the war.

The scenes of the invasion were horrible and left one with a sense of horror and what sacrifice our fathers went through in WWII. My dad never talked to us about the war and after watching the film I looked up the history of my dad's ship the USS Gamble and where it was during the invasion of Iwo Jima.

I assumed that it was in Saipan because that is all I ever heard my father really say. I was surprised to learn that dad was at Iwo Jima with the bombing and shelling of the island for the d-day landing which was on the 19th of February.

However on the 18th, around 9:30 at night, two Japanese bombs hit the USS Gamble's fire room killing five men and wounding 8 others. Later I learned from calling my mom that dad had just left his shift and retired to his bunk for the night when all hell broke loose. He helped with putting the fires out and with rescuing his shipmates.

The USS Gamble was a destroyer class mine layer and was so damaged that it was towed back to Saipan with its crew so dad missed the invasion of Saipan that killed 7000 American marines and sailors.

My dad never ever really talked about the war. He had just turned 20 years old a month earlier. The movie really made me miss my father and the stories he never told me his only son.

I never really knew my father nor he, I but when I think of him as a 20 year old kid going through a traumatic experience of having his buddies blown apart it makes me really sad and I wish I could just tell him that I love him even if we were strangers for most of our lives.

 

12 February 2007 Monday

  A Madman took a shot gun to Trolley Square and randomly started shooting people this evening. The world has gone mad. Never will be able to go to Spaghetti Factory again without thinking about those poor people who were at the mall just to go Valentine shopping.

That teenager shot nine people, killing five, before he is shot and killed by an off duty police officer.

 

13 February 2007 Tuesday

Six people died in Trolley Square yesterday including the 18 year old mad man. One of my students was eating at the Spaghetti Factory yesterday and left just minutes before the maniac started gunning people down.

I am still not feeling up to snuff and all this horrendous news has made me depressed.

Then I read that Fox 13 news had over 200 calls complaining of interrupting “24” with the breaking news. Are people that callous anymore?

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day maybe that will help cheer me up. Doubt it. Oh wait boys’ wrestling. That will put a smile on my face!

 

14 February 2007 Wednesday’

No entry

 

15 February 2007 Thursday

  Hope everyone had a nice VD. Today it turned damp and snowy. My furnace has been making a rattling noise for the past couple of days and after keeping me awake for much of the night by coming on and going off I broke down to day and called a repairman. The motor was going on out on it so about $950 later I have a new motor, ignition switch, inspected, cleaned and like new. That also included coming out in the Spring to check my central air.

The furnace was new with the house but that's 10 and half  years ago. Oh the joys of home owner ship. Our neighbor the Giles said that theirs is going out too and their house is only about 9 years old.

Well the boy who shot up Trolley Square turned out to be a Muslim so all the radical right is making a big deal out of that instead of his being just a fucked up kid. The kids who shot up Columbine High School sure the hell weren't Muslims.

I talked to Chad Keller tonight. He said that the QSalt Lake is out and that Heads Up, the gay bar owned by someone who trashed talked Mark Thrash and Chad has gone out of Business. Karma will get you.

 

16 February 2007 Friday

No entry

 

17 February 2007 Saturday

Chad Keller thought I was upset with him for him asking me to edit his paper for one of his business classes. He wrote me: “Perhaps you were just having a bad day yesterday. I feel  somehow I have upset you by having you proof my paper. I do appreciate the fact that you did it for me. If you aren’t angry just let me know or if I have upset you, I would love to know so I could make it right. Love ya! Chad. AGAIN--THANK YOU SO MUCH for proofing my paper--I’m sure it was like any other grand headache I can be famous for. Is it that time already, to scratch in the yard--The Taurus in me has been itching to get outside and garden. Do you think I can start planting pansies and such? --I am itching to garden. Were you still going to get rid of some perennials? If so may I have some?”

I wrote him back: “Chad I'm not upset. Why would I be? Just busy trying to get stuff done before having to go back to work. Finally got all my stones moved to where the pups destroyed the grass and it’s a muddy mess. Picking up after the children.

It's too early to do garden work except for cleaning out  beds. I have a whole bunch of day lilies and sage you can have. I tried composting once....you have to be a die hard, but you can just build a wooden frame box put all you clippings and garbage in keep it covered and stir once in a while. Easier to buy manure!

 

18 February 2007 Sunday

I wrote to Richard Butler: “I know your birthday is around this time so I thought I'd drop a line saying I am thinking of you and hope you and your family are well.

I have had a cold, occupational hazard I suppose, but am over it mostly now. My pups Daisy and Buddy are almost a year old now and have finally started to settle down leaving the puppy stage behind.

I've had to move all my paving stones from my garden to in front of the deck because they have tore up all the grass and it was getting pretty muddy.

Mike's still working for Napa at the Mountain Fuel place. He's up in Wyoming visiting his mom over the President's Day holiday.

I had to put a motor in my furnace the other day, It was making such a racket. It's ten years old already.

The Giles are fine. Randy is working for Diamond Parking now. Well really not a whole lot of news. Hope you have a wonderful birthday. Ben Williams.”

Richard Butler wrote back: “Wow! You always surprise me. Thanks for remembering number 53! (It's this coming Friday) We spent the summer going on camping trips and fixing up the house.

It took me 4-1/2 months to get the mortgage company to finish the paperwork so I could own this house. It was an assumption loan and they dragged their heels (no money in it for them). But as of January 15th 2007, I am a home owner again. Brenda's dad Norm lives in the downstairs apartment and pays us rent. So that helps us A LOT on the mortgage payments.

Our new address is 4034 Durrans Lane, West Valley City, Utah 84120  our phone number is 964-2182 I also now have a cell phone (will wonders never cease). I hardly use it but Brenda sure loves hers. (I'll get you the phone number for that also at a later date).

 We haven't seen you since the dinner at Orbits Cafe. Maybe in the near future you can stop over and visit for awhile. I still do mean BBQ! We could stop by for a visit also if that works better for you.

Desi loves dogs, puppies, and anything four legged. Austin will be graduating this year and in the fall Desi starts Jr. High School (or as they say here Middle School) Brenda is still holding her job at Majestic Elementary running the cafeteria. I'm still with Kennecott (7 years this June) Drop me a line and keep in touch.

Can you e-mail me your phone number so I can re-install in on my computer. Yes I’ll also write it down on paper. Bye for now, Richard, Brenda ,Austin & Desi

Lesbian activist Barbara Getting died today one of the founders of the Daughters of Bilitis in the 1950s. [1932-2007]

 

19 February 2007 Monday

  It's a winter wonderland after a nice spring-like weekend. I Finally did my taxes up on Saturday. Because I claim all the interest on the house and my income is not all that big I'll get a chunk of change back. It will help with the $1000 I laid out Thursday for my furnace repairs. Well its a lot but will keep it going for another 10 years.

I moved all my paving stones and slate from my garden to make a large patio behind my deck so that the pups won't track in so much mud where they have destroyed the grass. It's about an area of 600 square feet so that was a lot of work!

Mike Romero went to Rawlins for the weekend for his Mom's birthday and said he hit wind and a little bit of snow on the 300 mile trip.

Ben Anderson stopped by and said he went with the Cyber Sluts to the cheer on the QUAC team at the Ski and Swim Weekend fest. The Center's Winter Fest should be over now. I hope they had a good showing. I wasn't impressed with the venue nor the key note speakers so didn't attend.

I helped Chad Keller edit a paper he has for one of his college classes and I need to write up two lesson plans for my class. Will be glad when that is done.

One of my blog buddies finds the most interesting list sites. Here's one for My Nine Secret Identities:

1.YOUR REAL NAME: Ben 

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 4 letters of real name plus IZZLE) Benizzle

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (fave color and fave animal) Yellow Bear

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, and childhood street) Hugh Dale

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom's maiden name) Wilbejoh

6. YOUR SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink) Blue Salty Dog 7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, any letter of your middle name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads middle name, 1st letter of a siblings first name, last letter of your moms middle name)El hojde (I substituted a g for a j)

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (grandmother/grandfather's first name) Louis

9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one your pets).Black Daisy

 

20 February 2007-21 February 2007

No entry

 

22 February  2007 Thursday,

I haven’t written much in a while but heard some news. My friend Todd Bennett was chosen Mr. International Daddy Bear 2007 at the International Bear Rendezvous about two weeks ago in San Francisco. I first met Todd when he joined the Sacred Faeries back in 1991.

            I wrote to Kathy Worthington regarding her partner Sarah Hamlin: “Just a quick note to say that as Sarah's anniversary of her passing has come and gone I am thinking of the both of you and I hope, Kathy, that you are well. Ben”

The state legislature has slapped at the Gay Straight Alliance high school clubs in Utah, making it harder to form a club.

 

23 February  2007  Friday

No entry

 

24 February  2007 Saturday

I took the pups in for  a physical and to get their rabies shots. They will be a year old in March. Buddy is right on for his weight but sister Daisy is "chunky"; 8 pounds heavier than her brother. I don't feed her any more then brother and she is as active as he is, so I don't know what the deal is.

I worked on homework assignment for my ESL class. I just have one more Monday class and I will be done with ESL.

I've spent most of the day watching the first season of HBO's Rome that's out on DVD now. I love it as a historian and a drama queen.

 

25 February  2007 Sunday

Ben Anderson and I went out for breakfast with Michael Romero because Ben wanted to come over and have me print out in color a picture of Jennifer Hudson and of the Oscar statue that she's going to paste on to stars pinned to her boobies. Ben Anderson, as Cyber Slut Bunny is attending the Utah AIDS Foundation Oscar Night tonight. The Oscars are tonight Big YAWN!

Ben said there's a series of agitated emails being zipped back and forth between the Cybersluts over their mission. I guess Ruby Ridge and the new "Madam Ada” have been going at it, tooth and nail, over what direction the fund raising group should be heading.

Later tonight I heard horribly sad news. Michael Aaron called me tonight from the Utah AIDS Foundation’s Oscars Night to tell me that Kathy Worthington had died. I immediately went to my email account and had this message from her family

“Dear Kathy’s List readers, friends, and acquaintances, We are writing to inform you all that Kathy Worthington passed away a few days ago. Kathy’s life touched many, so many that we are already overwhelmed by the number of those who looked up to, appreciated, and loved her.”

“We know that many of you will want to join us for a memorial in Kathy’s name. However, we are unable at this time to find an appropriate venue for this gathering – a gathering that we are assuming will require a large meeting center.”

“Perhaps some of you have suggestions where we all may meet to celebrate Kathy’s life. If so, please email her daughter, Lucy, at lucyfer@comcast.net <mailto:lucyfer@comcast.net> .

“Once we figure out the details of the memorial service we will send another email. Thanks to you all,  Kathy’s family.”

 I had written Kathy on the 22nd just to tell her that I was thinking of her and Sara since the 21st was the 1st anniversary of Sara's passing. I don't know any more than this.

What a blow to our community.

Ironic that a movie called ``The Departed'' won best picture at the Academy Awards.

26 February 2007 Monday

  No one is willing to tell me yet as to how Kathy Worthington died or when. I sent 40 pages of archival material to a reporter for QSL for a story on her. Hope it will help.

Tonight was my last class for ESL.....Yippee!!! Free at last -Free at last -Thank God Almighty, free at last.

Tony Jones, my Arkansas soul mate has posted another survey. I've posted my responses to the same questionnaire.

1. Do you know anyone in prison? Not anymore now that they sprung my druggie nephew

2. Have you ever logged onto a boyfriend/girlfriend/crush's myspace? I don’t do myspace just Bears411

3. When is the last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? 6 months to a year ago. Not sure why because I love PB&J

4. Do you have a desk in your room? Which room? Question is kinda vague you know. And lame.

5. Have you ever gotten naked at a party? yes- don't ask.

6. What kind of car insurance do you have? Horace Mann-Teacher's Insurance

7. Are you named after one of your parents or grandparents? yes- my dad and my two great-uncles and my great grandfather were all named Edgar and so is my nephew and his new baby son.

8. Does your first significant other still live in the same town as you? no- John Cunningham is a California Fireman on San Clemente Island. Big Sigh.

9. Do you throw up gang signs? No just hairy legs into the air

10. Have you ever broken a rib? nope but I have busted a gut

11. Would you rather be a girl or a guy? I like the feel of a kaftan but love my dick too much to depart with it...too many good times-besides why would I want lumpy globs hanging off my chest? I mean bigger ones then the man boobies I already have.

12. Who is the most spoiled person you know? All my pups

13. Would you rather have a million dollars or true love? Well, I've never had either so wish in one hand and spit in the other.

14. Have you ever had sex in church? Kinda- "As a Man Thinketh...".

15. Is your boyfriend/girlfriend a marine? No but I've swallowed a lot of seamen

16. Do you watch the Grammy's? Gawd not the music today is crap…non singable and forgettable. Give me ELO over any one today.

17. Would you ever work for the border patrol? Moi with a weapon? But you’re not serious.

18. Which one word would describe your current relationship: rigor mortis...is that one word or two?

19. Would you rather date someone 2 years older than you or 20 years older than you? Well 20 years would make him 76 years old! I think its good to be on the same time line and from the same generation. 10 years is a big enough spread either way. I'd rather be with someone who remembers where they were when Kennedy was shot not when Reagan was shot. But hey if he can keep an erection what do I care really? Still ----I am a Baby Boomer so don't fuck with us!

 20. Have you ever had an eating disorder? Yes overeaters anonymous- Whoops that was supposed to be a secret

21. Do you have a porn collection? Vintage ...I like hair and for people to look more then a manikin.

22. How many proms have you been to in your life? None although I chaperoned a Gay Prom.

23. Have you ever been in an inter-racial relationship? Does New Mexican count? I've had Chocolate flavored love but no relationships

24. Is your birthday on a holiday? No but it falls on Easter every ten years or so.

25. Are you old enough to vote? Triple times

26. Do you have any friends or family in the War right now??? Nope not since the Viet Nam War that last great protest war.

28. Do you worry about global warming? Not as long as they keep making ice for Margaritas. More concerned about pollution and transportation issues

29. Do you like polar bears? Not face to face…but I would feel that it would be strange not having them in the world. Or did you mean hairy Gay Eskimos.

30. Have you ever been cheated on? yes I've sung Your Cheating Heart more times the Hank Williams ( a distant cousin I might add)

31. What kind of birth control do you use? anal lube

32. What slang word(s) do you call marijuana? Brownies

33. Are you an atheist? No but questioning...I am a Faerie and believe in the Gay Spirit, Nature, and the Great Mother. Faeries hiss when they are happy

34. Did you lose your virginity to your neighbor? Yes- Phil Casas. I was 13. He was 15. It was an accident. Who knew that a dick could enter an asshole so easily? I certainly didn't.

35. Did or do you think your childhood dreams will come true? I had no childhood dreams we were too lower middle class.

36. Do you wear your sweetie's clothes? Nope...I don't look good in NAPA shirts.

37. What's your opinion on gold diggers? Do you mean Gold Diggers of 1937? Loved it. Busby Berkley was fabulous.

38. Are you a country or city girl/boy? I'm a city boy... although my first crush was on Buddy an 18 year old Lubbock Texas Cowboy. I was 16 and we had to share a bed because we were boys. I always slept curled up to him with my hands between his thighs. He didn't seem to mind.

39. Is your car a 2002 or higher? No 1998 GMC Sonoma truck.

40. Do you floss daily? Not my generation.. we’re doing good to brush everyday! Flossing's for sissy boys. My father fought in World War II. Do you think they flossed? Hell no! If the Greatest Generation didn't floss I'm certainly not .

 

27 February 2007 Tuesday

  This Mormon Legislature sucks...they can only find $2 million for CHIP a health program for Utah's poorest children but can forgive a $6 million St. George debt which the city had been paying off! They guarantee a $30 million sports stadium for Sandy and yet can't find enough money to end the housing waiting list for people with disabilities. They spend an inordinate amount of time tweaking a bill to slam Gay high school clubs, won't remove the penalties for consensual sodomy even though the Supreme Court has, and passes a resolution that insures everyone says "UNDER GOD" in the pledge.

Does a 'Mormon reality' create such insanity or is it a "Republican reality". Does a Republican Mormon reality create a perfect storm of insanity? Do they feed off each others lunacy? “I am a Mormon Stake President. I can't be insane. I have 12 kids and my wife is on meth but keeps a neat house. For Gosh sake we can't make torturing animals a felony. How would the poor fellow even be able to own a gun as a felon?" (Chris Butt Turds own words!)

If this is how Mormons run a state God truly help us if Mormons ever get control of the country! And don't you doubt for a minute Mitt Romney won't fill every post he can with the Brethren. Oh Brother! Can you see the country shutting down on Sunday and Family Home Evening Night! Well at least Wonder Bread's stocks are rising. Senator Hatch, who really are the nutcakes?

 

28 February  2007 Wednesday

No entry

 

MARCH

1 March  2007 Thursday

  Finally, there was an obituary for Kathy Worthington in the Salt Lake Tribune. She died on February 22 the same day I sent her a note telling her that I was thinking of her at the 1st anniversary of the death of Sara. I suppose she didn't want to live another year without her.

When my father died we were careful to be with and around mom for the entire year as much as possible because statistics show that a high percentage of people will die within a year of losing a spouse.

Anyone who has ever lost a lover through death or break up knows the toll it takes on the heart and soul. My Grandma Williams died 10 days short of the first anniversary of my Grandpa's death.

I've been reading Kathy's legacy book where people write in to give condolences and to tell how special the deceased was and I think it's a sin that more people from the Ex-Mormon community who never even knew her personally are writing tributes then there are from people from our own Utah Gay community.

The Utah's Church and State Sanhedrin finished their 45 days of mean spiritedness yesterday by Utah constitutional law. The bastards did manage, at the last minute , to find a few million dollars to spend on dental for the poor and for CHIPS but only as a one time infusion of money nothing that will be on going to really address the long term needs.

 Read that New Hampshire voters favor McCain and Giuliani over Romney so maybe Americans will have enough sense to kick flip flopping Romney to the curve.

I've got my chest cough back with this flip flopping weather. Pretty one day, winter wonderland the next.

I Watched "The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green" last night. Came from Netflix. It had its funny moments but favorites were the Hat Sisters...I want their fabulous frocks and hats. Their zingers at Gay Republicans were pretty funny also.

 

2 March 2007 Friday

My schnauzer puppies are almost a year old! They sure are naughty. Something outside bothered them and they went tearing outside yapping and of course Priscilla and Smokey have to join in the fray. Oh did I forget to tell you it was 4 in the morning with misty snow fall?

So here I am trying to get them back in the house and get them to shut up so as not to raise the dead. I block the doggie door after they are in ---they are wound up and jumping all over me with wet cold snow covered paws...Ugh! I Tried to go back to bed but I was up at 6 a.m.

It was a snowy commute to school so had to leave earlier than usual. Oh well, when I came home, I was filled with puppy ecstasy. They all covered me with doggy kisses.

 

3 March 2007 Saturday

  Well here its a lovely Saturday in the Rocky Mountains; No snow today and clear as a bell.

My house is a split level with a bay window that faces the Wasatch Range and my deck looks out over the Oquirrh’s (O-kers not O-queers). Funny story back in the 1970's when the communities on the western side of the valley were joining to form the second largest city in Utah, originally it was proposed to name the city Oquirrh City but some asshole yokel mayor out there said "How do you pronounce it? Oh Queer?" That one comment destined the second largest city in Utah to become West Valley City and not named for its prominent Mountain range. Homophobia at its finest folks!

I made some pecan caramel cinnamon buns this morning and I am sipping on a hot cup of Star Bucks French Roast coffee. Life is good. Now if I can just get rid of the mucus in my chest. My that was a pretty segue.

My mom must have had the need to visit because we talked on the phone for 2 hours. I guess she is helping my nephew get into a house in Orange County. The house they are Looking at is 2 years old and is a half a million dollars and is a track home! No wonder I left Orange County. No school teacher could afford a house there. I guess he and his wife are making good enough money to make monthly payments but yikes!

The QSalt Lake is out- You can get it on line for all you ex-repatriate Salt Lake City (Cross Roads of the West) people. Joselle Vanderhoof did a great tribute to Kathy Worthington and Michael Aaron's editorial piece was very moving. So much so, that I felt like I need to include my thoughts about Kathy and her dedication to our community in my next column.

International Mr. Daddy Todd's bear hug party is tonight. I'm invited but not sure if I am up for a bear rug orgy. Boy I must be getting old! The spirit sure is willing but the flesh is weak.

Chad Keller and I are supposed to be at Parks registration at 6 a.m. come Monday morning to reserve Jordan Park for Gay Freedom Day. I am getting too old for this activist shit... But who else is going to do it? Certainly not the iPod, cyber genderqueers of today.

And in reality why should they? It's their party now. I'm relegated to family reunions in the park. But you know that's okay too. Every thing in its season. Time is cylinder. Birth -death are not opposite ends of a spectrum but conjoined points on a cycle. We begin. We end. We begin We end. What we do on the rest of the cycle is our own adventure.

"We all come from the Goddess and unto her we shall return like a drop of rain flowing to the ocean."

 

4 March 2007 Sunday

  I am not a well woman. The crud in my bosom is wearing me down. I guess I will see if I can get to the doc's this Thursday. My Next door neighbor had walking pneumonia.

The weather was beautiful again and Mike Romero and I went shopping this morning before all the Mexicans get out of Church and it gets crowded. Use to be Sundays were the best time to leisurely shop because Mormons do all theirs on Saturday but now Mexicans have taken over Sundays but if you can get to the store before 11 you usually are okay after that it’s screaming kids- DeJa’Vu.

It’s not the Mexicans I mind it’s their kids running all over the place and touching everything. Mormons let their kids do it on Saturday and now Mexicans have taken over Sunday.

I guess I could always shop at 9 p.m. to have some peace and quiet in the stores.

Mike's parents are coming down from Rawlins Wyoming next weekend so I am going to let them have my room and bathroom downstairs. I wanted to buy some new linen and comforter for the bed for them.

Tonight is Kathy Worthington's memorial service and I had been looking forward to it but I really felt like my energy is gone and I really don't want to drive across downtown to the University in the cold.

I wrote a nice tribute to Kathy and if people have a problem with me not being there then that's their problem.

I Watch “20 Centimeters” this morning. It was fabulous. American movies about gay lesbian bisexual and trans issues can't hold a candle to Spain. 20 Centimeter's plot sounds absurd when you tell it but trust me...its great. There's this transgender girl who wants to have an operation to remove her 10 inch dick.

She lives with a dwarf and turns tricks to raise the money for her operation. The problem is that she has narcolepsy and when she falls asleep she dreams of herself being in musical numbers.

The hot guy who falls in love with her however loves her dick and likes getting fucked by her so there's a problem. She wants to have a pussy and he wants her to keep the 10 inch dick. The movie really has some really funny scenes. I so want to go to Spain some day.

 

5 March 2007-6 March 2007

No entries

 

7 March 2007 Wednesday

  We live in an age where a no talent media whore can call a Presidential candidate a "faggot" and get applause from the mighty and powerful.

We live in an age when the Vice President can set up his own advisor to be the stooge for revealing a CIA operative's name to the press.

We live in an age where the President says we will give our fighting men ever bit of care they deserve when they return and yet have them live in squalor hindered by a bureaucratic nightmare.

We live in a world where a conference on Global Warming has to be canceled because of the weather.

We live in a world where Brittany, Anna Nicole, and Paris are objects of national importance and concern.

We live in a world where China is killing all pet dogs because of three outbreak of rabies.

We live in a world where Exxon can rape Americans for the greatest transfer of wealth in world history and we call it Capitalism at its finest.

And yet no one has taken to the streets? What is wrong with this generation? I guess they have all "tuned in, tuned on their I-pods, and dropped out."

Apologies to Timothy Leary Oh well I won't be here in 30 years when they reap what is being sown now. Goodbye democracy - hello technological consumer driven totalitarianism.

 

8 March 2007 Thursday

I took today off from school to accomplish a lot of personal chores. First I had to take Smokey, Daisy and Buddy to the groomers. Then I went to Parks and Recreation to see if I could reserve Jordan Park for Gay Freedom day. No way. Every Sunday was taken in June through August!

So Chad called County parks and reserved Harmony Park again for Gay Freedom Day. Will be on June 30th this year. Gay Pride Day has been moved up to June 1st as not to conflict with the Arts Festival so there will be plenty of distance between Pride Day and Gay Freedom Day in the Park.

Then I started cleaning the house for Mike's parents who are coming down from Wyoming to attend a Rock and Mineral Show up in Ogden this weekend. I am letting them have downstairs and my bed so had to put on new sheets and bedding.

It cost me $150 to have the hounds groomed but after I got home saw that Buddy's eyes seemed awfully red. When Mike Romero came home from lunch had him look at it and they were even redder. Fearing that the might have had his eye cut at the groomers, I rushed him to the vet and fortunately the doctor was right between patients and could look at him.

He said that he looked like he had a concussion to the eye but it was not cut. He gave me ointment that I have to rub into his eye. He said sometimes dogs hit their head on the pole they are tethered to at the groomers. Buddy can be pretty wild. I've seen him smack his head on a wall by turning too fast because he's still a puppy. That was another 40 dollars.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning house and in the evening Mike Romero and I watched “WTC View,” a film based on a play about a Gay man who lost his roommate in 9/11 disaster and the sequential descent into madness as he interviews people wanting to rent the SoHo room. It was really powerful stuff.

 Chad Keller and Mark Thrash lost their little Sugar Glider the other day probably from old age but Mark is really sad over the loss of his little furry friend. He has such a tender good heart. I think it's a sign of how great our hearts are to be so caring for the little lives that become our responsibilities.

 

9 March 2007 Friday

Today is Daisy and Buddy's 1st Birthday. Bill and Faye Romero came in this afternoon after I was home from work. I had left school early to meet them and then we drove around to different thrift stores to go junking. I bought some more children books for school and just stuff. Buying to be buying I suppose. The weather was wonderful.

They treated Mike and I to dinner at Crown Burgers that Faye likes so much. In the evening we watched "The Guardian"; Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner macho movie about the Coast Guard on Mike's big screen. I like Ashton Kutcher but I so associate him with only being the goofball on the 70's Show that it’s hard to picture him as a romantic lead.

 

10 March 2007 Saturday

It was cold, rainy, and blustery, not at all the 55 degrees that was forecasted. We piled into the Romeros Excursion, four adults and six dogs and off to Ogden we went. The show was held at the Union Pacific Depot and it was crowded. Lots of pretty jewelry and shiny rocks but since I am not really into collecting I looked at guys instead.

I had tickets for Nunsense that is playing at the Grand Theater that I couldn't use so I called Kevin Hillman and asked if he and his hubby Ryan could use them as not to go to waste. I bought season tickets last fall.

He said he'd take them so I met up with him and we gossiped some. He said he went to Kathy Worthington's memorial which was basically divided between two camps...one, the old guard activists and the other, young Lesbian friends of Kathy's daughter who is also a Lesbian.

He said that Luci Malin spoke which was really appropriate with her being one of the last Lesbian Feminists around. She moved to Utah to fight for the ERA and was president of the Utah Chapter of NOW for years and years.

Kevin said that Kathy used her car in a closed garage to pass away the day after friends and family was with her to help her get through the 1st anniversary of Sara's death. Well they are together now.

Today is the 1st anniversary of the death of my little female Schnauzer Saffy. She passed away with Mike Romero and I holding her. My little brats Daisy and Buddy turned 1 year old on the 9th of March and it’s hard to grieve when there's so much vitality is those two. The world keeps turning and there is always a beginning for some living creature so rejoice in the new day.

 

11 March 2007 Sunday

Day Light Savings Time started today and Bill and Faye Romero left this morning to head back to Rawlins. It was a long weekend with Mike's folks here for the Ogden Rock show. They are rock hounds and now that Bill is retired he runs a rock shop in Rawlings.

 

12 March 2007 Monday

  So here I am whining, like I suppose most are, with losing an hour of sleep. Yawn!

I emailed Tim Keller in Logan that I would speak at their Gay Student Retreat at Bear Lake in April, and Reconciliation wants me to speak to their group in May.

Chad Keller has Harmony Park lined up for Gay Freedom Day and he said that the center hired someone from California to be the director of Utah's "Pride Day". You can't say the word Gay anymore as it would piss off too many Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgendered. Wonder why the Center couldn't find someone from Utah worthy to run Pride Day and get paid for it. Everything is for the money now.... what ever happened to the concept of Community Service?

 Oh yes its as old fashion as we Baby Boomers. It’s out of style among the new "Gender-queers" generation.

My Aunt Marie Williams wrote me: “How is everything going? I think you may have spring break soon. Ours is next week. The weather here is great.

I am planning to move soon; it is too expensive here in Sedona. Talked to your mom Sat and she is clunking along. Wish she could come out here. Well I am at work so got to get back to the grind. Take care...Auntie.”

 I wrote her back “Things are just plugging along here. Easter Break isn't until April. I guess Charline is still in California because of some medical tests they are running on Rachel. James and Rachel want to buy a house there in Orange County. Sounds like there's fire up in the Saddleback Mountains.

The weather is becoming more spring like here. Will be in the 60's all week. Mike's folks came down from Rawlins and spent the weekend here. They wanted to attend a Rock Show in Ogden. They are rock hounds.

Do you know yet where you want to relocate to yet? I heard that Norman Danforth is in a retirement village near Alan, I think in Fontana.

I am sure that Sedona is becoming a haven for people with more money then you or I. LOL .

Last I talked to Mom she was doing fine. I haven't heard from Stephanie in a while not since last fall. I am sure David keeps her hopping. Take Care. Love You Jr.

 

13 March 2007-14 March 2007

 

15 March 2007 Thursday

There are events in our lives that make us stop, pause, and question our sense of reality and perhaps our delusions. Kathy Worthington’s recent death has had that effect on me. When Michael Aaron called me at home with the news, he was at the UAF’s Oscar’s Banquet. The report that Kathy was no longer with us was monumental to him. I think somehow he knew that the heartrending news had to be passed along to someone, as if by saying the dreaded words, sense could be made out of it. It was however insensible that the towering strength that was Kathy had left us.

            There was a time in Salt Lake City when most everyone- who was doing anything in the Gay community, was known by everyone else. We use to be that small. Oh sure there were thousands who lived quiet lives, partied on the weekends, and thrived in the protective cocoons of their familiar cliques. However those who were out of the closet and wanting to make a social difference, in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, perhaps there were little more than two hundred people. These extraordinary queers were willing to serve in leadership positions, raise money, make their voices heard, and make a different in the bastion of rabid ultraconservatism we like to call home.

            “We are family” was not just a Pointers Sisters’ song but was a watchword for us Gays. We called each other family because we were and are. Therefore, when someone of the stature of Kathy Worthington leaves us, it’s not simply a sad event, but a sorrowful, devastating loss. There are events in our lives that make us stop, pause, and question our sense of reality and perhaps our delusions. Kathy Worthington’s recent death has had that effect on me.

When Michael Aaron called me at home with the news, he was at the UAF’s Oscar’s Banquet. The report that Kathy was no longer with us was monumental to him. I think somehow he knew that the heartrending news had to be passed along to someone, as if by saying the dreaded words, sense could be made out of it. It was however insensible that the towering strength that was Kathy had left us.

            When I first heard the horrific news I felt much the same disbelief, sorrow, and grief as when I heard that the larger than life AIDS Crisis advocate David Sharpton had died. That is how Kathy lived her life- larger than life. When people who have sustained that much vigor and vitality are taken away, it makes my own world feel smaller and diminished.

Funny, as much as that small cohort of activists fought, fumed, and fussed, (especially David Sharpton), Kathy was always above the fray. She had what appeared to me the stoic virtue of a Roman Matron. She like Caesar’s wife was beyond reproached. When she spoke at Community Council, we listened. Her words were always sound, true, and pragmatic.

At the time I hated that actually- because I was all emotion and ethereal fire and wanted to lead the Gay revolution by storming the Bastille of Homophobia. Kathy however was calming, reasonable, and down-to-earth in her approach to the struggle for our human rights and had this homey “let’s be sensible” approach in dealing with the issues of the day.

            While Kathy and I were not close friends, we were always friendly. Comrades in arms. I sent an appreciation card to Sara shortly before her death and on the day that Kathy died I had emailed her a quick note to say I was thinking of her and Sara on the anniversary of Sara’s passing. I will never know if she ever read it. The kinship I felt with Kathy was that of one comrade-in-arms towards another. Kathy, I as well as many others were fighting the same “good fight” against injustice,  bigotry, prejudice, and homophobia. I felt safe knowing that Kathy had my back. She had all of ours.

            Possibly because Kathy and I are baby boomers, travelers on the same time line I feel especially connected with Kathy. Only six months older then I, we experienced in our teens the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement and the disastrous bloody Vietnam War that lasted until our early twenties. Events like the assassinations of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy, the Kent State Massacre where the National Guard fired on college students, and Constitutional Crisis of Watergate influenced our social consciousness and our sense of social justice. For us they were not just events out of history books.

            Although we both were heterosexually married once, because of society’s pressures to conform, we still had our young adult lives affected by the Equal Rights Amendment’s struggle for Women’s Rights and the Anita Bryant National Backlash to Gay Liberation. We knew who Harvey Milk was and what he stood for. We saw “Gay Related Immune deficiency” Syndrome become AIDS and, because of Government neglect, wipe out nearly a million Gay men within a decade. Our generation.

            Kathy and I both were late bloomers in our Gay activism, I in 1986 when I was 35 years old and Kathy in 1989 when she was 39 years old. But when we came out- we were out – and we were formidable, working ferociously to make up for lost time and to construct a safer and more hospitable Utah for Gay people. We both had the honor of being recipients of the Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award for our efforts. We both ran support groups. We both started papers in Salt Lake City, Kathy for the Women’s Community, and I for the Men’s. We both wrote newspaper columns, (however she never pissed off as many people), we both did not hesitate to send letters to the editor, nor did we turn down a newspaper interview.

            My favorite memory of Kathy Worthington is rallying her circle of Lesbian friends to clean, paint and decorate the old Utah Stonewall Center at  3rd West at 770 South with rainbow curtains. She did not do it for praise. She did not do it for money. She did it because she loved Gay people. She did it because it needed to be done. She did it because she was Kathy Worthington.

            While I am incredibly sad that Kathy is gone I can’t be but grateful that because as weary as she was she now can rest forever in Sara’s arms.

  When I first heard the horrific news I felt much the same disbelief, sorrow, and grief as when I heard that the larger than life AIDS Crisis advocate David Sharpton had died. That is how Kathy lived her life- larger than life. When people who have sustained that much vigor and vitality are taken away, it makes my own world feel smaller and diminished.

Funny, as much as that small cohort of activists fought, fumed, and fussed, (especially David Sharpton), Kathy was always above the fray. She had what appeared to me the stoic virtue of a Roman Matron. She like Caesar’s wife was beyond reproached. When she spoke at Community Council, we listened. Her words were always sound, true, and pragmatic.

At the time I hated that actually- because I was all emotion and ethereal fire and wanted to lead the Gay revolution by storming the Bastille of Homophobia. Kathy however was calming, reasonable, and down-to-earth in her approach to the struggle for our human rights and had this homey “let’s be sensible” approach in dealing with the issues of the day.

            While Kathy and I were not close friends, we were always friendly. Comrades in arms. I sent an appreciation card to Sara shortly before her death and on the day that Kathy died I had emailed her a quick note to say I was thinking of her and Sara on the anniversary of Sara’s passing. I will never know if she ever read it. The kinship I felt with Kathy was that of one comrade-in-arms towards another. Kathy, I as well as many others were fighting the same “good fight” against injustice,  bigotry, prejudice, and homophobia. I felt safe knowing that Kathy had my back. She had all of ours.

            Possibly because Kathy and I are baby boomers, travelers on the same time line I feel especially connected with Kathy. Only six months older then I, we experienced in our teens the turmoil of the Civil Rights Movement and the disastrous bloody Vietnam War that lasted until our early twenties. Events like the assassinations of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy, the Kent State Massacre where the National Guard fired on college students, and Constitutional Crisis of Watergate influenced our social consciousness and our sense of social justice. For us they were not just events out of history books.

            Although we both were heterosexually married once, because of society’s pressures to conform, we still had our young adult lives affected by the Equal Rights Amendment’s struggle for Women’s Rights and the Anita Bryant National Backlash to Gay Liberation. We knew who Harvey Milk was and what he stood for. We saw “Gay Related Immune deficiency” Syndrome become AIDS and, because of Government neglect, wipe out nearly a million Gay men within a decade. Our generation.

            Kathy and I both were late bloomers in our Gay activism, I in 1986 when I was 35 years old and Kathy in 1989 when she was 39 years old. But when we came out- we were out – and we were formidable, working ferociously to make up for lost time and to construct a safer and more hospitable Utah for Gay people. We both had the honor of being recipients of the Dr. Kristen Ries Community Service Award for our efforts. We both ran support groups. We both started papers in Salt Lake City, Kathy for the Women’s Community, and I for the Men’s. We both wrote newspaper columns, (however she never pissed off as many people), we both did not hesitate to send letters to the editor, nor did we turn down a newspaper interview.

            My favorite memory of Kathy Worthington is rallying her circle of Lesbian friends to clean, paint and decorate the old Utah Stonewall Center at  3rd West at 770 South with rainbow curtains. She did not do it for praise. She did not do it for money. She did it because she loved Gay people. She did it because it needed to be done. She did it because she was Kathy Worthington.

            While I am incredibly sad that Kathy is gone I can’t be but grateful that because as weary as she was she now can rest forever in Sara’s arms.

 

16 March 2007 Friday

  I am playing hooky today to go to the doctors finally. All this week my class has been performing the Ghost of Plymouth Castle. I am about the last of the teachers who put on plays for their kids. I had three casts so it was hectic.

One boy found a tutu in my costume box and asked if he could wear it and a tiara. He twirled around the room and had a Gay old time. Kids don't get to play dress up and make believe anymore.

I went to doctor Stoneburner about my cough. He said that my oxygen levels were great, my blood pressure was great, and everything was great...so how come I don't feel so great?

One of the reasons is the drug Avandia which has caused me to gain nearly 20 lbs. since last Summer. It control my blood sugar levels for diabetes but the side effect is that it makes you gain weight.

 I said, look at me doctor, do I look like a man who can afford to put on more weight? I really love my doctor who I've had for nearly 15 years and he is putting me on a brand new drug, have no idea the name of it which is supposed to work like Avandia but will help takeoff weight.

Anyone up for ANOTHER survey?

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:15

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds of course (my birthstone!)

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Children of Men

4. What is your favorite TV show? Ugly Betty

5. What did you have for breakfast? Coffee and oatmeal

6. What is your middle name? Hugh

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? Anything Vinegary, Indian food, animal organs, turnips, rutabagas, Chinese corn cobs, brown rice, sweet pickles, runny eggs, hard candy, soft cookies, caviar, raw fish, most moles, game meat, duck, rabbit, cocktail shrimp, raw meat

9. Your favorite potato chip? I like Barbecue

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Haven’t bought a CD in ten years.

11. What kind of car do you drive? Sonoma GMC truck

12. Favorite sandwich? Barbecued pulled pork

13. What characteristic do you despise? Republicanism

14. What are your favorite clothes? Anything with Elastic waist bands better yet flowing nightshirt.

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would/or

wouldn't you go? Wouldn’t go to Japan Would go to Italy or Spain

16. Favorite brand of clothing? XXL

17. Where would you want to retire? In the New Mexico with no snow

18. Favorite time of day? Suppertime

19. Where were you born? Lamb County, Texas near Earth

20. What is your favorite sport to watch? I despise all commercial sports, but I usually watch some men swimming. Not really waste of time.

21. Who do you think will not send this back? Everyone

22. Person you expect to send it back first? No one

23. Pepsi or Coke? I am a bi-sodual

24. Beavers or ducks? Ducks, Beavers scare me lol.

25. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Nite owl...I HATE mornings.

26. Pedicure or manicure? Manicure, I love people messing with my feet but alas they have had 56 years worth of wear and tear and ain’t as purty was they once were.

27. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? 3rd Term of school is over!

28. What did you want to be when you were little? pretty

29. What is a childhood memory you have? Having the chickenpox on my 3rd birthday and watching the other kids enjoy my party through a window.

31. Ever been to Africa? My DNA has.

32. Ever been toilet papering? Gosh No! That’s vandalism!

33. Been in a car accident? Two minor fenderbenders over nearly 40 years of driving. Not bad.

34. Favorite day of the week? Sunday

35. Favorite restaurant? La Fronteras

36. Favorite flower? lilacs

37. Favorite ice cream? Burnt almond fudge

38. Favorite fast food restaurant? Apollo Burgers

39. How many times did you fail the driver's test? Once (backing up with out turning my head instead of just using mirrors)

40. From whom did you get your last e-mail? Utah Gay Forum

41. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Lowes

42. Bedtime? usually 9:30 school nights

43. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? I like it when people post these...they're fun

44. Last person you went to dinner with? Mike Romero and his folks

45. What are you listening to right now? Computer droning

46. What is your favorite color? periwinkle

47. How many tattoos do you have? none

48. How many people are you sending this email to? I'm posting it in my blog

49. What time did you finish this blog entry? 9:45 a.m.

50. Favorite magazine? Mad- although I never read it anymore.

 

17 March 2007 Saturday

  Kiss my Blarney Stone and Happy St. Paddy Day. I never felt any kinship with the Irish but my DNA says otherwise. My test showed that I am a direct male descendant of a 6th Century A.D. Irish King as is one out of every 8 Irishmen alive today. I always thought my deep ancestors were simply Welshmen.

Mike Romero, Ben Anderson, and I went to the St. Patrick Day Parade in Salt Lake City and there were a ton of people. It use to be a small quirky parade but now its grown so large that even the African Nairobi Church was in it, as well as Our Lady of Guadalupe. I guess what they say is true everybody is Irish on March 17th.

Mike Romero went and hooked up with Richard Packer and Steve Merrill and I stayed with Ben. We only watched the parade for about an hour and then left but left at 11:30. Mike Romero said it went on until nearly 1:30! I only went to see the men in kilts anyway.

Ben Anderson and I went out for lunch at a great little Chinese Buffet place before heading back to my place to rest up. He wants me to go with him to Spain this summer. It would certainly be a novelty for me since I have never been out of the country except to Tijuana and Vancouver.

When Mike Romero came home he said we were invited to a party to this afternoon have corned beef and cabbage. It was at some guys place that he had met at Gay Pride Day last summer.

The party was interesting but a mixed crowd of straights and Gays. Call me old fashioned but when I go to a party, its to get away from Straight people.

 But we bit the raw potato, threw back the Irish Whiskey and toasted the Green Isle of our forefathers.

Back at the hose Kimberlee Gile, my sweet next door neighbor, came over all depressed, stressed, and teary eyed so I had her come in and I just hugged her and let her cry.

Her oldest daughter Elyse is leaving home this week to move to Florida to attend college. The empty nest syndrome is just killing her, worrying about her daughter, and she's super stressed because of her job.

She's a customer supervisor for Jet Blue Airlines and upper management is dumping on its employees for mandatory overtime. She used to love Jet Blue but now with all the negative publicity the company has been receiving, she gets panic attack just answering calls. People are just getting meaner.

 So her husband Randy and she with Mike Romero and me, we went to Applebee’s in Bountiful and just had a long leisurely meal and to just commiserate about all the gunk that is going on in our lives.

It’s so good to have friends and neighbors like them. Well they are more like family. I gave  Elyse $100 for her trip, saying this is emergency money. I'm like her Gay Uncle. I've known her since she was in 4th grade.

A lot of Sunday was emailing back and forth between Stuart Merrill and me over some comments he made on my Yahoo Gay Forum site that offended some people. He's a lobbyist for the AIDS community and I think he feels like he has to defend his position to me since I am the unofficial Gay historian of Salt Lake City.

In the evening Mike Romero and I watched a Gay film “Fixing Frank” based on a stage play which was interesting, then we watched Liz Taylor in Cleopatra. Gilded to the gills in gold, riding a monumental Sphinx pulled by a hundred Nubian Slaves! FABULOUS!

 

18 March 2007 Sunday

No entry

 

19 March 2007 Monday

  Beautiful weather along the Wasatch Front. Its in the 70's and daffodils, violets, forsythias, willows are all budding and blooming. I hear a storm is heading our way on Wednesday, however.

Today is the last day of Winter. Yay! The kids had the day off so I got a lot accomplished today filing lessons back into their folders, doing grades to hand out next week etc.

I have 30 students now and they keep on coming. By the “No Child Left Behind” law our school will be judged by how well these kids do on the end of year tests even though I am only teaching some of them for just the fourth term. Oh well.

In 45 work days it will be all over. Another school year gone.

Our mayor Rocky Anderson is becoming a national spokesperson for the impeachment of George Bush. I bet that surprises a lot of people that the Mayor of Salt Lake City is calling figuratively for Bush and Cheney's heads.

 I went to the Try-Angles Bar tonight to support Ben Andersons Bunny, now one of the Cyber-Sluts. It was the last Bingo Night. I didn't play because I didn't want to stay long but just donated some money.

I saw Ron Hunt and Todd (Mr. International Daddy Bear) Bennett at the bar and sat with them a while. Didn't get to visit much because I didn't want to distract them from Bingo.

Well it’s going to be a busy week so better sign off... Goodnight Mr. and Mrs. America and all the Ships at sea. Good Night

 

20 March 2007 Tuesday

It’s the first day of Spring. I Wrote my article for the Q and sent that in. Heard that Mike Aaron was out of town so sent it to his editor.

 

21 March  2007 Wednesday

 I had a long 13 hour day. The kids were performing their I Can Do dance at West High for Ballet West and I had to be with them so after being in school all day I was at West High until 9 at night and by the time the last student was picked up by straggling parents it was nearly 10 before my day was finally over.

The school bus ride was the thing that about did me in with 60 students singing "and the wheels of the bus goes round and round" at the top of their voice.

Speaking of buses  If you have not seen SHORT BUS do yourself a favor and rent it. It's John Cameron Mitchell's (Hedwig and the Angry Itch) latest film. It is so much fun, bizarre, and helps understand the new genderqueer genre of smashing all sexuality into a single concept of a search for meaning and identity. I mean what other movie do you get to see one of the main characters masturbate upside down to cum in his own mouth? Lot's of great one liners...my favorite is "It's like the Sixties but with less hope."

 

22 March 2007 Thursday

No entry

 

23 March 2007 Friday

  It's been a busy week. My ESL endorsement came in the mail today so Yippee! I suppose. I only plan on teaching six more years at the most. In fact I met with a

Davis District financial retirement planner after school since I realized that I have only six more years to teach.

I will then be 62 years old and will have had put in 25 years. From taking to Tyler Ferguson, found out some real encouraging news from him and he was really cute so it was easy to listen to his advice.

At 62 I can retire from the district without penalty and receive my full pension which will be half of my yearly salary at retirement. The district will pay for my medical insurance until 65 when Medicaid will kick in.

I am going to collect Social Security at 62 instead of waiting until I am 66 but that with my pension and my 401Ks and my house I should be able to live comfortable for the rest of my days.

But that brings me to where do I want to live for the rest of my days? Not California. Not Texas. Not Las Vegas. Certainly not Utah but if I stay here and did not have to worry about losing my job, I will become the biggest loudest pain in the ass of the Mormon establishment but do I want to spend the rest of my life being agitated like Larry Kramer?

Mike Romero says he'll probably head to Colorado where he has family, which was just another reminder that he doesn't consider me family any more.

Oh well I have six more years to get through before having to deal with that.

Mom talked to me a good two hours tonight. She was in a mood to visit and was feeling better. Her newest great grandson is coming to visit next week so she is all jazzed.

She said that she and my uncle are selling the farm in Texas. Some Mexican rancher wants to run cattle on it and the farm does have a natural pond on it. He's offering $450 an acre for the 160 acre place. That's $72,000. JW wants $80,000 but mom said to accept the 72 grand if that's all we can get because it will be one other thing that we cousins won’t have to deal with.

Strange to think that my house in worth twice what a 160 acre farm is worth in west Texas.

My share of the inheritance from Grandma and grandpa Johnson will be about $12,000 if I get any. I've never really cared about money or material goods. Just wanted to be comfortable and not have to eat cat food in my old age.

Really have no real desire to travel anymore. An expensive car doesn't feed my ego. When you die you leave it all behind and only take your memories if that.

Mike Romero and I watched a good movie that made me readjust my thinking somewhat on the Mexican migration to the United States. Its called Los Jornaleros which is about three cousins who enter the United States illegally from Mexico. They stay with an uncle and work as day laborers trying to make a better life. The cousins soon splinter into different directions. One becomes involved in the drug underworld, another finds himself caught between being a gigolo and a husband, and the third has on a relationship with a Gay white West Hollywood gallery owner. The movie really made me start to look at the whole Mexican issue as a labor issue. And isn't that the purpose of real art? To move us.

My neighbor Randy Gile dropped a bomb shell saying that he may accept a position in Anchorage Alaska and will find out in a couple of days if he'll take it. If they offer it I am pretty sure they will go because Kimberlee and he have talked about Alaska before, and if the company will pay for their move and sell their house they are out of Utah. I think the Universe is turning for them and it will be a good opportunity for them but a sorrow for me.

 

24 March 2007 Saturday

I put some bark down in the backyard between the paving stones but Sutherlands still haven't gotten any wood mulch in which I really want. They didn't have any bedding plants either. No wonder Home Depot and Lowes are taking their business.

I drove into Bountiful and bought some pansies and prim roses to plant in my pots on my back deck. After this long dreary winter I need some color.

Kimberlee Gile and her daughter Elyse were packing the truck they bought from Michael Romero a few years ago. They were supposed to leave by noon but they left at Giles time- 5 o'clock. lol

It was hard to see Elyse leave. She was bawling and saying good bye to her childhood essentially. And her sister Kayla who is only in 4th grades, said with tears streaming down her face, "I'll always remember you". Well Florida is not the same as living across town.

So glad that Kimberley is going with her daughter, kind of a mother-daughter road trip. I gave them $100 for extra money and Mike Romero gave them a card and some money too. The Wheel of Life is turning.

I made a chicken and stuffing and gravy casserole for the Spicy Dinner Group tonight that Ben Anderson wanted to go to. I also made some cornbread.

The location was at this guy’s house just west of 13th East and had a fantastic view of the valley. About thirty people came. Perhaps more.

My first observation was that no one cooks anymore. Almost everything was either packaged or store bought. I think only one other entree besides mine was home made. Everything else was either a salad or something from Costco or Sam's Club. Needless to say my chicken casserole was the first thing gone. Ben didn't even get a taste.

 I didn't care what I ate because I just wanted to socialize but there were quite a few people there who were piling on the food like they never get a good meal. Perhaps they don't.

Most of the men there were in their mid-thirties to mid-forties and with a few exceptions I didn't know anyone. Made me think that perhaps Salt Lake City isn't home anymore but just another city full of strangers.

One of my main impressions was that the gathering had all the same trappings of being in a bar except without the smoke. Ben Anderson and I tried to be friendly but after it was clear that most wanted the familiar, rather than make new friends, we just sat in these chrome chairs that kind of rocked and just people watched.

We left about 9 and doubt if our leaving even caused a ripple in the party's conscientiousness. At home Mike Romero and I played Short Bus for Ben but he didn't enjoy it. He said he liked more traditional Boy meets boy and lives happily ever after.

The Gile’s oldest daughter left today for Florida to go to college. Kimberlee hates her job now at Jet Blue, and since the family isn't Mormon they really have never made friends with anyone other then the two old queens who live next door.

We’ve been neighbors for nearly 10 years and the only ones we became like family. But time stops for no man and you can't stop progress nor should you want to. It's just another chapter of my life that is receding into my past.

 

25 March 2007 Sunday

Sunday was more calm than yesterday, just chores, grocery shopping, making some pasta salad for next week.

I told Chad Keller that I would edit his term paper for his philosophy class because he was all stressed over it. He was doing it on Nietzsche yikes! So I helped him put in a better opening paragraph, condensed some superfluous information and two hours later I was done.

By that time I just wanted to relax and do something mindless like watch Sunday Fox TV.

I had a message on my answering machine, I hadn't noticed before and it was from a long lost friend Mike Pipkin who I bet I haven't seen in 15 years. He used to be my roommate in the early 90's and his Faerie name was Puck. I haven't called him back yet.

 

26 March  2007 Monday

  It can't be Monday again! I didn't get nearly anything accomplished that I wanted to do. Friday night my mom had a marathon phone call for two hours. She just needed to visit so we did and I went to bed at 9:30 after that.

Today on the way to work my engine service light came on for the first time so I called my mechanic and asked if I could drop the truck off in the morning. They have to use sensors to diagnose why the light came on before they can even fix it. Mike Romero thinks it might be an emission thing because I have 85,000 miles on the truck and its 10 years old.

Michael Aaron's new editor is really starting to annoy me with all her questions about my column. I dare say I put more time and effort into my columns with the research I have gathered over the year and yet she nitpicks them about inconsequential details while ignoring the broader theme of the column.

I am getting tired of it, of having to document to her satisfaction. I am not writing a term paper nor do I ask for any type of financial remuneration. Neither do I get a thanks and, worse, the respect that I feel I have earned from my labors over the years to become an elder or senior in the community.

Well old faggots just fade away once the glitter and glamour has turned dull and tarnished. Zeus consumed his father and it has been that way from time memorial. You have your day in the sun and then it’s time to let the new puppies play.

 

27 March  2007 Tuesday

  I was up early this morning to take my car down to my mechanic to see why the engine light came on. Let this be a lesson. Tighten your gas cap! The sensors in the car computer noticed a change in the air pressure in the tank....and 60 dollars later I learned a valuable lesson.

It was down pouring in Bountiful when I got off work and its raining heavy now in SALT LAKE. Its suppose to turn to snow tomorrow. My poor apricot tree. How the fruit buds don't freeze.

Big Dick Cheney is coming to BYU. Is there any other sign bigger than that, that the LDS Church has sold its soul to the devil?

 

28 March 2007 Wednesday

No Entry

 

29 March 2007 Thursday,

I am sick with the flu. I Came home yesterday at 4:30 and slept 13 hours until this morning. I am going to have to drag myself to work to make lesson plans for a substitute but just really want to just go back to bed. I am still feverous and wouldn't want others you to catch it either.

.

30 March 2007 Friday

  Well I am feeling better now. I went to bed Tuesday will a chest cough and progressively throughout the day it became worse and deeper. Wednesday I was supposed to stay at work until 6:30 for Parent Teachers Conference but I was fading fast and by 4:00 so just left for home. I barely made it home and was able to throw myself into bed before the chills hit. I had the flu.

 I managed to gag down some codeine for the cough and Excedrin PM to help sleep and I was knocked out until the next morning. I was out for 13 hours.

I had to go into work having no lesson plans made, so aching and tired made it through another day.

Thursday night I was feeling somewhat better and watched “Children of Men” with Michael Romero and that night my fever broke soaking my pillows and sheets. It was a fast moving flu, hit hard and then moved on.

I had a flu shot last October but sure it had worn off by now. I had kids absent all week and today four were gone so it must be making the rounds. I had really wanted to hear this Yale professor of Gay history who was speaking at the U yesterday but even though I was feeling better I was not up to racing across town and being out in the weather. We had rain, snow, hail, all in the past few days.

With this pet food crisis I have stopped feeding my dogs dog food all together. I feed them a roasted chicken and corn bread. I put vitamins in the corn bread and they like it better. I can get a roasted chicken for $4.50 and with four dogs to feed that's just a buck a day per dog. It's really plenty of meat and most of the fat has already been roasted off.

Every time I use spell checker it pulls up “somersaults” for Cybersluts. Hmmm. There's got to be a good joke in there somewhere.

I guess the Living Planet Aquarium, (an aquarium in the desert?) board of directors are leaving like rats from a sinking ship. Plenty of drama there.

It's LDS conference weekend don ‘cha know? The Gay bars will be packed with those out of town Elders singing "Her light shall there attract the Gays of all the world in Latter-days"

 

31 March  2007 Saturday

  Last day of the month and for most of the day it was gorgeous. Trees are wearing their flowery blossoms of pink, white, and lavender. In fact it was nice out I worked in the yard cleaning out flower beds putting down weed and feed all those spring time chores.

Of course I over did it and was stiff and sore later on. Plus I am getting a fever blister on my upper lip. Ouch. But the worse of the flu is over and feel almost normal again.

This morning I stumbled onto a web site called “Sparks-notes” which offer all different types of tests that millions of others have taken. One is what gender are you and the result of my answers said that I was female. LOL. No I have not gone genderqueer. I just wonder if being Gay made me answer questions differently then hetero-men.

I took an IQ test that took me nearly an hour and it said my IQ was 128 with 100 being average. So I am bright but not genius.

I also took a test on when I would die based on life style and health. It said I would die in 2016...July 6th to be exact so I suppose its a good thing I am retiring at 62! I guess anything after that is borrowed time!

I have been updating my Utah Stonewall Historical Society 360 Blog putting as much of my research out there as possible. Mike Romero and I took the dogs for a drive down to Iceberg Drive-In that makes the best shakes in Utah. I had red raspberry. If I am going to be dead in 9 years I might as well live it up! You go girl. Mother of Mercy is this the end to Rico? You want me, you're going to have to come and get me! (Big kiss to who can tell me what famous movie these lines are from?)

Ben Anderson wanted me to go out clubbing but I wrote him saying, “I have been working in my yard all day cleaning out flower beds and pulling weeds and I over did it. I also have a horrible fever blister emerging on my top lip so now I think I am going slicker myself up with Ben-Gay and call it a night. Not up for a crowded bar scene so if you decide to go to the Bear thing have fun. Ben

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