JOURNAL 2009
1 January 2009 Thursday HAPPY NEW YEAR DAY
I have kind of decided to do a
better job this year than last year with keeping up with this journal. Not that
I have any more to say then I did last year but it does help me organize my
thoughts and reflect on where my life is presently.
The weather this
first day of 2009 is cool and breezy and much of the snow we had prior to
Christmas is starting to melt. I stayed up until midnight writing in my journal
and watching shows via my new Instant Watch Netflix box. Wow has technology
really changed. This February all analog television reception will be history
and I did buy myself a converter box but this Instant Watch thing is better than
Cable TV.
One of the
programs I watched last night was a Sundance film called A Certain Kind of
Death. The film is about how American society deals with the death of someone
with no immediate survivors. One of the deaths was that of a Gay man in his
sixties who had no living relatives. He had buried a longtime companion in 1993
that died of AIDS but he died alone in his apartment. He must have known he was
dying because the coroner office found in his kitchen table his financial
records and his pre-burial arrangements. The other cases were more transient
people who had no real assets or families.
Most of the Gay
people I knew that have died had families that disposed of the remains and the
estate but it sure got me to thinking about those who don't. The Coroner office
will put you in the county mortuary, will go through all your personal records to
fine a next of kin and will box up all your possessions to store. If no next of
kin is found or doesn't want to deal with it... then the county cremates you
and sells all your estate at a public auction. You then are buried in a county
plot with the cremains of all the other "
This Gay guy had
no nephews or nieces, evidently no cousins so his bank account of $60,000 went
to the county. But since he had prepaid for a funeral he was buried in a casket
and buried in a cemetery next to family.
It really got me
to thinking that I need to have a prepaid funeral done so that it's not left to
my nephews and nieces to dispose of me when my time is over. It also made me
realize even more that things are just things and having love in your heart and
people who care for you matter more than anything else.
I will probably
spend today alone although Mike Romero is home. I went with him when he took
the dogs for a ride this morning although he didn't ask me. However he said
that he was thinking of putting Smokey down because he thinks his pancreatitis
is back. I told him that I hadn't seen anything wrong with Smokey and I have
been home with them since the 18th of December. Makes me wonder if it's Smokey
or Mike Romero's melancholy that is putting these thoughts into his head. If
Smokey was in pain like he was last Summer I would say okay but I think Smokey
has a lot more time to be with us before he leaves the land of the living.
Well
the grim reaper didn't take me in 2008 and passed over all my friends and
family so I am grateful for that.
This post for
the beginning of a new year really should be more optimistic so I will count my
blessings... I have a warm house on
So bring it on
New Year! It's been 40 years since 1969 when I was 18 graduated from High
School and fell in love with a boy named John Cunningham. 40 years since the
Stonewall Rebellion turned being a homosexual on its head.
2 January 2009 Friday
I haven't done a damn thing today
but lay in bed and watched a
3 January 2009 Saturday
Another do nothing day but isn't
that what Saturday is for? Surprisingly Mike Romero wanted to go out for
Breakfast so we went to the Amber on 33rd South. It wasn't crowded at all like
last time. May be people are starting to watch their pennies now.
I finished
watching my
Tom Folks came
over tonight to watch a movie with Mike Romero and had pizza but I just stayed
down stairs.
Don't worry
though...the dogs got fed, the dishes done, groceries bought, and house
vacuumed.
I got a nice
letter from our former neighbors the Giles. They are in
She wrote, “ am
so glad you are all okay after the accident. Ice is one of the things that
scared me the most about winter driving. I have been watching your weather
there. It sounds like a lot of snow. I'll bet it was a beautiful Christmas,
though. It was a weird Christmas for us with these beautiful temperatures. It
was fun to all be together, but it felt like June.?.?.?.
That is so great
that Tim is home from his mission. I bet he looks so much more grown up now. It
is funny how Norma and Lynn were so anxious for their children to grow up and
leave. Then they really missed them when they were both gone.
Since
there is already a family room, do your neighbors next door need another room
as big as the garage. How many people live there?
I don't blame
you for staying home in the warmth. My mom has been telling us that it has been
20's in the morning and 40's in the afternoons in Vegas - way too cold for her
liking. And as you heard, they got snow!
I am sorry to
hear about Michael's "break up," but I am glad he is moving on.
We miss you both
so much. I miss our casual chats, our deep talks, and just seeing you next door
every day. It was just so comforting knowing you were there. Elyse and Kayla
think of the two of you as their uncles and true friends. We all love to
reminisce about our fun times with you. I still get giggles imagining you
trying to save our tent thing in that wind storm. I picture you wind sailing in
our backyard. I also loved how you rolled home that one night when we were
drinking margaritas in the front yard with my mom. We were EWT’s (Eloquent
White Trash)!
I remember every
incredibly kind thing you have done for us and how secure we always felt
knowing you were right next door. If there was anyone that I wanted to have
influence over our girls, it was you and Mike Romero. You are both accepting,
supportive, and loving people who know the true meaning of love - that is what
you gave to us every day. We cannot begin to thank you enough.
I hope that each
time you think of us or even look at our ol' home, you feel our sincerity and
thankfulness for your true friendship. Leaving you two was the hardest part of
leaving
We have some
great news, a miracle actually! No, I am not pregnant, and neither is Elyse –
woo hoo! The news is that our house sold December 31st! It was only on the
market for a total of 52 days before it recorded into the new owner’s name –
whew! We were SOOO lucky and SOOO blessed! We lost about $40,000, but we did
not feel that was too bad considering today’s market. We are truly happy
"homeless" people - woo hoo!
We are lovin' it
here so far. The heat of July and August may have us singing a different tune,
but we are really enjoying weather in the 70's and 80's in the winter. Elyse
and Kayla are still both getting their straight A's in school. Elyse is going
to take 18 credits this semester with the goal of getting her associate’s
degree by May. Kayla has already adjusted to school here and has made friends.
She was so thankful that 6th grade is in middle school here in
Randy and I plan
to look for jobs this month. We had to work so hard to sell the house and then
move here, that it has taken a toll on our "little bit older" bodies.
We have been trying to recuperate this past week or so.
I hope you have
an absolutely fabulous New Year!
Love, Kimberlee
5 January 2009 Monday
Back to work day on this cold 17
degree morning. I had 6 kids absent so either they are still vacationing or are
sick. Actually it was good to be back in a routine even if two of Mexican kids
called the husband of a teacher here a "nigger"... school counselor
got involved and I had to stay after school to talk with parents so who was
being punished? Me and my bladder. It began to snow heavily by the time I left
and I crept home at 45 miles an hour on the freeway while SUVs tried to run me
over.
I sent a text to
Mark Andersen that I insist that he stay here if the roads home are bad
tonight. He lives 55 miles south of here. I hadn't heard anything from him
since New Year Eve when he texted me that he loved me Mama bear.
I fixed some ham
and veggies for dinner... watch a spoof called “Meet the Spartans” a takeoff on
the movie 300, watch 2 episodes of “Dead Like Me” and I was in bed by 9 when I
heard the dogs go crazy and sure enough Mark Andersen walked in through the
garage door.
I ran to give
him a hug in his cute UPS uniform and brought him upstairs where Mike Romero
greeted him and held him... not like Christmas Eve when he was so stand offish
to him.
I fixed him some
dinner of left over ham and Michael actually stayed out and talked with him. I
wanted to just hold him the whole time but controlled my instincts. It was
enough that I was feeding the kid again and he still felt like this was a home
he could turn to.
I got him some extra blankets for his bed and
told him at 10 that I was going to bed. He said he was going to take a shower
but never heard it so I don't know if Mike Romero and he stayed up talking or
what. I slept good knowing that Mark was sleeping under my roof again and I grateful
for that.
8 January 2009 Thursday
It was warm enough today to melt
a lot of the snow...yea. Today at school one of my darlings was choking the
shit out of this girl during lunch recess so I spent my planning time in the
office and discovered that the girl may have been playing "rubby-dubby"
with some 1st grade girls. Yuck!
We have a new
P.E. teacher and it’s a young man named Ladd so I’m not the only man at my
school anymore and he’s way cute probably about 21. I can lust with my eyes
can’t I?
9 January 2009 Friday
Forty years ago
Richard M Nixon became president, the age of Aquarius began, the Stonewall
Rebellion started the modern Gay Civil Rights movement, we landed on the moon,
Charles Manson perverted the image of hippies, and there was a War Moratorium
across America's campuses but of all these events of 1969 the most significant
to me was falling in love with a boy my senior year in high school. John
Cunningham.
He was born this
day in 1951 and departed this life in the merry month of May 2007. Happy
Birthday John. I still love you and always will.
16 January 2009 Friday
Well the school year is
officially half over today and I am playing hooky. Monday is a holiday and
Tuesday the kids won't be there so it should be a nice restful time.
Wednesday I
wrote an article for the Q salt
Kids have calmed
down some at school and the weather has warmed to melt some of the snow
although I here that the
Haven't heard
nor seen Mark Andersen since last time on the 5th and Mike Romero says that
Mark doesn't talk to him much so I don't know what is going on with him.
I've been
watching a lot of Its Always Sunny in
Nothing new with
me... my right knee is kind of sore... old age I guess. Ricardo Montaban died
the other day... Khan for you Star Trekkies. I bet he rode to heaven in a
17 January 2009 Saturday
Today is my uncle Wallace's 82nd
birthday. He's living back in
Yesterday I went
to my masseuse and paid $70 for a massage... I have to pay these days for a man
to touch me... thank God I still have the money.
Ben Anderson
finally emailed me. He's been gone for six weeks. He wrote:
Hi Ben, How was
your Christmas and New Year’s? I spent mine with the "in-laws" having
strange but good tasting food. Spent New Year's eve with two gay friends and
their fag hag. Played charades. It was fun. Even though it wasn't always
pleasant, I'm glad I was able to come and spend some time with you. You know I
love you very much and value our friendship, and you are always welcome in our
home. I hope one day you will change your mind and come visit us here in
I wrote back:
I am glad you
have gotten settled in. Some guy came over yesterday looking for an air
compressor and I said that you guys have everything that was here and that you
have moved to
After you left
the cold weather and snow came so you were lucky that the weather was nice
while you were here. I've been shoveling snow because the blower won't start
and it's been in the teens. We are finally getting up to the 30's and some of
the snow is melting.
We were in a
minor fender bender December 20 when some Tongan made a right turn in front of
us and there was so much ice and snow or the road couldn't stop in time. No one
was hurt but Mike Romero's tail light and back fender got crunched.
Mark came over
Christmas Eve and January 5th but haven't seen him since. He hurt his back when
he slipped putting tire chains on his UPS truck. The 2nd term ended yesterday
so the school year is now half over.
Obama will
become President on Tuesday. Mike Romero wants to go to
John
Reeves wrote to tell me one of his students is organizing the
Mike Romero and
I went to
Then we went to
Sears and I bought a new vacuum cleaner for $170.
19 January 2009 Monday
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday so
no school and the full last day of the Bush presidency.
When I was
shopping at Smith's this man came up to me and asked if I taught school and I
said I did and he said that he thought I had taught one of his kids, but he
couldn't remember my name so I told him. He said that he was the father of Evan
Nielsen who is now a Junior in High School and he told me that Evan always said
I was his favorite teacher. That was nice to hear.
It was really,
really smoggy today and will be for most of the week. You can't even see the
buildings downtown let alone the mountains.
Today would have
been my dad’s 84th birthday
(1925-2003)
20 January 2009 Tuesday
Historic day today. Barrack Obama
was sworn in as the 44th President of the
I watch most of
it on my computer at school with ABC news reporter Sam Donaldson as the main
commentator. They said 1.4 million people were on the National Mall and 1/2
million more was on the
Today was a
Quality Teaching Day which means I had to be at school but not the kids.
I had a bit of
trouble getting started today when my truck died on me. I had just stopped to
get a drink for school and as I was back tracking by the house the truck just
died and the battery light came one. I was able to glide to a stop by a curb
and fortunately I had my cell phone with me so I could call AAA. They said it
would be about 30 minutes. While I was waiting I tried starting the car again
and it started up! So I canceled AAA and drove back to the house and swapped
the truck for the cruiser and made it to work by 9:00.
21 January 2009 Wednesday
Called mom yesterday before going
to bed and we had a good long visit. It sounds like she is thinking about
leaving
Went back to
school today with the kids. The smog was so bad that had the kids stay in
recesses to keep from breathing in the gunk.
I had them write
letters to President Obama about what they wished to see what would happening
during his presidency and this Polynesian Mormon girl, parenting her parents
wrote begging him not to let Gay people marry. How warped is that?
Mike Romero took
the truck today and said that it seems to be running just fine now.
24 January 2009 Saturday
My friend Tony Jones from
1. Utah Mogul
Larry Miller getting his legs amputated made me take my diabetes more seriously
2. I am addicted
to Netflix Instant watch
3. I used to
collect Uncle Scrooge Comics and still have many from the 1970’s and early
80’s. Left all my huge comic book collection at home when I went off to
college. They went into the dustbin of history. I never was a fan of Marvel
Comics or Stan Lee. I liked DC Comics better with Superman,
4. I chewed
beechnut tobacco when I was 17 years old because I was in love with Buddy Husky
a 19 year old Texas Cowboy. I can count on my hands the cigarettes I have
smoked in my life. Always thought smoking was stinky.
5. The best
class I ever took in college was the History of Film at Cal State Fullerton!
College credit for watching movies! Gotta love that.
6. I was on the
Honor Roll in College until I went to BYU. I fell in love with half of the boys
on my dorm floor and I never took my finals because I was attending their
Missionary farewells and boohooing. Only reason I wasn’t kicked out was that my
grades had been so high but it was a bitch redoing 17 hours of F’s.
7. I graduated
from high school in 1969 so I am of the Class of 69! Sixty Nine So Fine was our
cheer and the school administration just had to have heartburn because they
couldn’t admit that there was a dirty connotation to 69.
8. I met Harvey
Fierstein in 1989 when he was Grand Marshal of the NYC Gay Pride Parade. He was
all by himself sitting on the back of a convertible so I approached him and
introduced myself and said how his movies are so appreciated in the hinterlands
like
9. I’ve attended
six colleges, Cypress College, Cal State Fullerton, BYU, Weber State College,
Cal State Long Beach and Santa Ana College. I have over 256 semester hours
enough for two degrees if I had been consistent in a major. I majored in
history with a minor in Political Science, and almost minors in English Lit and
Religious Studies.
10. On July 9,
1970, John Cunningham and I were at
11. After
leaving the park after it closed John and I went to an all-night donut shop and
we sat in his banana yellow Karma Ghia and talked about nothing. He could tell
that there was something wrong because I became very quiet and moody and he was
getting very impatient with me. He insisted that I tell him or he was going
home. I said I couldn’t tell him because if I told him I’d lose him. He became
irate at that and said that was a stupid thing to say. That I didn’t own him.
And I said I know I didn’t own him but rather that I loved him. He sat very
quiet and then sighed oh and then he softly said to me, “I don’t love you.”
12. There’s a
lyric from a song in Phantom of the
13. The Gay
hanky code was fast disappearing when I completely came out of the closet in
1986. However I knew that I was a dark blue hanky in the right pocket. The
terms French Passive and French Active and Greek Passive and Greek active was
quickly replacing the code. I was French Active and Greek Passive.
14. I rode the
train home in 1987 from the March on Washington Elementary and met the Washington
Elementary coordinator for the Memorial Quilt. He told me all about how it came
about and I told him I profoundly affected by seeing the Quilt there in Washington
Elementary
15. In 1974 I
was a size 28 waist, BYU cute, and had lots, lots of guys wanting to bust my
cherry but I said NO NO NO…. because I was young and dumb.
16. I have very
long canine teeth. I look like a werewolf when I smile. I love my teeth. I even
have an extra baby tooth right next to my right canine tooth. It really pisses
of my dentist because he doesn’t know how to bill it to the insurance.
17. I have
always been a great kisser with lots of lip, no teeth, and a playful tongue. I
have been told I am great so I believe it. However these days I don’t nearly
get to make out as often as I’d like.
18. I was born
political… Being a homosexual in the 20th and 21st century is a political act!
I have always voted in federal elections… I have been an openly gay delegate to
19. I missed
much of the bar scene at a time in your life it should be fun. I joined the
Mormon Church when I was 21 in part to forget John Cunningham, I married when I
was 25 in part to forget I was a homosexual, and by the time I came out at 35 I
was a bit old for the crowd scene and being an ex-Mormon I also didn’t know bar
etiquette so I did what Mormons do best. I organized. I helped form the Wasatch
Affirmation for Gay Mormons, I started Unconditional Support for Gays and
Lesbians, and I became active in community organizing.
20. There is no
one from high school whom I still really keep in touch. I had a close friend
Jerry Smith all though grade school and high school. We shared the same
birthday. He married and was swallowed up by California Sprawl and I moved off
to the
21. I am
ambivalent about internet social networking but then I graduated from college
when computer science still meant keypunching. I like Facebook because it keeps
me up to date in sound bites.
22. I've stopped
listening to new music. I am no longer a contemporary man. I can sing from
heart tunes from 50 years ago but could not tell you what’s in the top ten or
who are the hottest singers or groups. By the time they are on my radar they
are usually on their way out. I do have more music downloaded on my computer
that I could possibly want. I have them filed by years starting with some from
the 1890’s. My favorite decade for music is from 1965-1975. But then I was 14
to 24 my “wonder years”.
23. I spent 20
years in the same house before living home. My parents bought a four bedroom,
two bathroom, single car garage stuccoed house in 1953 for $8,500. I was born
in West Texas forty miles northwest of
24. I named my
cat Billy Bikatski after Billy Bikowski a beautiful and talented wood carver
that I love. I knew that Billy would never be my lover so when a little stray
kitten crawled in the window of my basement apartment I called him Billy. Billy
Bikowski was a stray who I fed and sheltered also for a period in my history.
Like John, I loved him while he only needed me.
25. I am the
oldest person among all my friends. There’s none that are older than me.
Sometimes this makes me feel like a dinosaur and I am only 57.
30 January 2009 Friday
Well haven't posted for a while
so here's some catching up. Learned from my principal that I will have a
student teacher starting Tuesday. She said she had a student teacher emergency
and I laughed.
Evidently Weber
State called Liz and needed a place a student who's having problems with her
mentor teacher... so Liz asked if I would take her for the next four weeks and
I said sure... this will make about 7 student teachers I have trained so far in
my career and I have another one starting next fall. I once had a professor
tell me that I should be teaching teachers how to teach and I guess in my own
way I am.
I also will have
a new student next week so I will be up to 26 but that is less than the 31 I
had last year so I can't complain. Like I told Liz I am happy to have a job.
I had Mrs. Pratt
in today to work a half day doing some testing on my students. She's 75 and I
like to give her as much work as I can scrounge up even though Liz would rather
I not use her.
I also have a
Weber Student who's about 22 who comes in just one day a week to observe. He's
a guy so that makes me happy if not downright gay.
Smokey wasn't
feeling well today ... gurgly stomach... Mike Romero thinks his pancreatic is
coming back and if it is we will put the old boy down... I don't want to even
think about that. Michael Aaron's dog Xenia Warrior Princess died last Monday.
Tuesday was
William Munk's memorial at the Trapp. I wasn't feeling up to braving the
weather to go out and I really didn't know him all that well. He died while
vacationing in
I stayed home
and wrote an article for the Q Salt Lake on Love and Medieval Troubadours.
Haven't talked
to Mom in a week so I guess they are still considering moving to
Mike Romero said
Randy Gile our old next door neighbor called him and said that Kimberlee and
Alysse are going to Las Vegas to see Gay, Kim's mother and Alysse is flying up
here to see some of her old high school friends.
I've really let
the house go lately... need to really do some house cleaning but the Siren call
from the Netflix instant watch box calls me to bed and then before I know it, I
am watching Dr. Who.
Next week is
parent teacher’s conference which I just dread.... ugh... going into school
tomorrow to get ready for it.
Darren Solomon came
over last Saturday for a little romp. Mike Romero was out with some of his
friends and Darin called to ask if he could come over. He just likes to cuddle
with me and I usually get him off then he's on his merry way.
I've had various
encounters with Darin for over 15 years. I use to be really infatuated with him
but now I just like him and like to make him happy for about a half hour then
send him on his way. He is a sweet man but incredibly shy and he never says more
than ten words to me.... the silent type.
Well I saw that
the
I created the
archives in 1988 and housed it in the center where it was stolen from me until
about 2001 when Jay Bell negotiated with the Board of the new Gay and
I am pretty
proud and I guess I have left a legacy for future historians to look back and
learn of our struggle for Civil Rights in the heart of Mormondom.
31 January 2009 Saturday
End of January 2009. Michael and I went to Amber's Restaurant for
breakfast and just had a relaxing morning. Later I finally got busy and changed
the sheets, cleaned my room and bathroom and did some laundry.
In the evening
we went to the Rose Wagner Theater to see if we could get tickets for Boys in
the Band but alas they were sold out and it closes tonight so Tom Folk came
over and we watched the movie on the big screen. Goodbye January
February
2 February 2009 Monday
Ground Hog's Day.. the most under
rated holiday! Started my Parent teacher's conferences today. Did four so 21
more to go. The new boy seems to be okay so far. When I came home I chopped up
some roasts into little bits so Mike Romero can feed the dogs for the rest of
the week. I will be working until 7 or later Tuesday through Thursday.
6 February 2009 Friday
It's been a long week with Parent
Teachers Conference until 7 or 7:30 at night. Well at least that's done for the
year. Now I am dealing with mean girls that are out to hurt each other during
recesses.
My student
teacher started this week. Her name is Debra Borsath who used to be in the
Military Police in the Army and is a divorce mother of five. I think she will
be great.
Because I get
home so late I don't do much but grab a bite to eat... watch a little telly and
then go to bed to start it all over again.
Michael Romero went
back on hourly salary at his work so he's no longer considered a manager
because Amy is a manager and they didn't want two managers at the same place.
His pay should remain the same he said.
China Delight
our fav Chinese Food take out has opened back up down on Redwood and North
Temple so we went there for supper tonight. Good as always.
Mike Romero says
that Mark Anderson might be coming over tomorrow. That would be really nice.
My article on
Gay Troubadours from the Middle Ages was in this week’s issue of the Q Salt
Lake. It's vain I know but I always enjoy seeing my work in print.
Recession is
getting worse with 600,000 laid off in January. Grateful still have a job but
teaching is kind of recession proof... might have to take a pay cut but I will
keep a roof over my head and food on the table which is lot more than some
people can say these days.
7 February 2009 Saturday
Mark Andersen came over today.
It's a happy day whenever he comes over. He's like a son to me but in a Gay
way. He calls me mama bear and Michael Papa bear. We call him the kid or the
boy.
He had to work
today near us so he drove up this morning from Payson and We went out to
breakfast at the Amber Cafe. He had a Denver Omelet; Michael had a Belgium
Waffle, and I had French Toast. Michael treated so I left a $5 tip because I
know times are tough for working people.
Michael went
with Mark to work while I went up to school to finish up some stuff I didn't
get to yesterday. I was done about the time they were done so I told Mark I
wanted to take him to the Texas Roadhouse that had just opened in
I left a $10 tip
on a $50 tab so I guess Mike Romero and I are trying to keep the economy
going.... the place was packed so people must still have some money to be
eating out.
Mark needed to
go home to his wife Tiff after we were all through so after a series of hugs
and telling him not to wait so long to come see us, he left. I gave him my old cell
phone, plug and car charger so that if he breaks his phone again he could use
that. We just love that kid.
Michael Aaron
emailed me and said that he really enjoyed my article on love that I wrote for
the Lambda Lore column and had been telling everyone to read it. A little
praise is a good thing. So all in all this was a good day.
13 February 2009 Friday
Friday the 13th but didn't seem
too unlucky today. I had Mrs. Pratt come into today so she worked with Ms. Borsath
and helped with the kids’ Valentine's Party.
I took Buddy and
Daisy to the groomers today because it's been since November. It cost $105 to
have them groomed. While they were being groomed I went to my barber and paid
$10 for a haircut and a beard trim.
Michael and I
then went out to breakfast at Ambers so it's felt like Saturday all day.
We then headed
to Sam's Club to buy Chicken Strip treats for the hounds and then Mark Andersen
called and asked to go to lunch with us. We took him to Apollo Burgers, the new
one of 17th South and 9th West and it was so good to be visiting
with him. I love feeding him.
After he went
back to work, Mike Romero and I picked up Buddy and Daisy from the groomers and
after dropping them off went to the Pharmacy to pick up my pills for the month.
Haven't felt well
today, kind of like coming down with something so didn't eat much supper
although Tom Folks came over with a Little Caesar Pizza. Mike Romero and he
watched a movie after we visited some.
I did my taxes
today and will get a refund from the feds and state. The Republicans in
Congress are trying to derail the stimulus packet but there are enough
Democrats to get it passed.
A plane crashed
near
Governor
Huntsman here in
We watched
Oliver Stone's film “W.” about George Bush... what a loser...really almost a
tragic figure.
23 February 2009 Monday
It has been awhile since
reporting in so I better begin. Mark Andersen is back in our lives big time.
Last Wednesday he came up to
However the next
day Mark went to work and found out that he had been fired for some traffic
citation from last summer that had just gotten reported.
Companies are
really looking for reasons to let people go. He was so stressed out and stayed
up here the rest of the week to try and fight to get his job back.
Friday he and I
went to Washington Elementary Mutual to open a joint checking account so he can
have some money that he doesn't have to account for every penny to his wife and
in the evening we went to Amber's Restaurant on 33rd South for dinner and there
again in the morning for breakfast.
He has to bring
some paper work in to show that the citation had been paid and it was the
courts fault for sending out a notice when it had been paid.
He came up today I guess this morning and Mike
Romero took off a half day to be with him and I took them to dinner at
Applebee's in Bountiful because Mark was really hungry.
So happy to have
our son back with us even if it's under these circumstances. He's really
stressed out but says being with us relieves his tension.
I've had a
student teacher all this month Mrs. Borsath who is wonderful and reminds me an
awful lot of my former wife. She's quite capable so I just let her run things
so she can get as much experience as she can. I will lose her after this week.
In the news
Chris Buttars a Utah State Senator was recorded in a video interview saying
that Gay People are like Muslim Terrorists and we are the greatest threat to America
and we like to have pig sex. He was censored by the GOP wing of the Senate not
for what he said but because he broke an agreement with his colleagues not to
talk about Gay issues but Sen. Leader Waddoup and Sen. Stephenson came out and
said that they agreed with Buttars sentiments.
Every Gay Rights
Bill presented by Equality Utah as part of a Common Ground packet was shot
down. Equality
Obama got his
Stimulus Bill passed at $700 billion dollars to help with our broken economy
that was looted by the Christian Right GOP.
I sent Faye
Romero a card for her birthday and called her on the 19th. They seem to be
doing okay.
Mom said our old
neighbor in Garden Grove Madelyn Battreal died . Her son Danny Battreal was
only a year older than me and my playmate for much of my childhood. When he became
a teenager I had a crush on him.
I've been on Facebook
a lot hooking up with friends and family.
March
14 March 2009 Saturday
I went to the Genealogy Library
today to work on the Morgan line some more. Really didn't find much but wanted
to look any way.
15 March 2009 Sunday
Feeling kind of down all day so I
stayed in bed and watched movie after movie. Felt lethargic like I am getting
sick. My bowels are loose and don't feel like eating anything.
16 March 2009 Monday
I woke up feeling miserable but
had not prepared anything for school so I dragged myself in. I was so achy and
tired I knew I must have had the stomach flu. The other 5th grade teacher said
that her husband had the flu. During lunch I laid down on the floor behind my
desk to rest. Couldn't eat a think my stomach was so queasy.
17 March 2009 Tuesday
Mark Anderson dropped by this
morning before I headed off to work. He was surprised to see me still not
dressed. I told him I was sick and just running slow. I had diarrhea all night.
Mark said that
UPS put him on part time and he won't work any this week and just about 3 hours
a day next week. He was feeling discouraged but still grateful to have his job
at UPS
19 March 2009 Thursday
Had a sad email from Leann Unger
today saying LuAnn Neilsen my old friend from Orchard had passed away. I taught
her son Jeremy way back in 1994 I think. She was funny and a hoot. She made
working at Orchard a joy.
I brought a
Pizza home for dinner tonight for Mark Anderson and Mike Romero but I don't
think Mike Romero ate a bit of it. My appetite is slowly coming back.
Blew up at my
kids at school. They deserved it but a lot of it is that I am still worn out.
20 March 2009 Friday
Went into school although my
stomach seemed more upset today than usual. I have been taking Imodium for my
diarrhea all week. My energy is back but my stomach is still out of sorts.
Mark Andersen came in this morning as I was
getting ready to go to work. I said make yourself at home and told him I tried
to be home by 2.
School went by
fast enough and glad I didn't take off because all the 5th grade teachers but
me were gone today.
I left right
after school was out and was pleasantly surprised that Mark had raked up all
the branches and leaves that had fallen from the Globe Willows. He said he
wanted to do yard work to help out since I had helped him out so much.
I changed
clothes myself and helped some and we drove out to the dump in
I transferred
$200 into our Washington Elementary Mutual Account to pay him for all his hard
work and when Mike Romero came home we went out to dinner and to Sam's Club.
Needed to get some treats for the dogs and for us.
We went to Texas
Roadhouse for dinner and it was really good. I paid for dinner $65 but needed
to celebrate the first day of Spring anyway.
After eating came
home and Mark wanted to get his wife a digital camera from RC Wiley where he
has an account but the only store that had it was in
It was 8:30 when
we zoomed up there and they were locking the door as we arrived but we told
them that we had called in advanced and was picking up a camera so we barely
squeaked in.
Mark was going
to put in on his card but I went ahead and paid for it saying that he can pay
me back my doing yard work this summer.
When we got home
finally which nearly 10 pm Mark said, “Let’s watch King Kong the 1933 version
because I had been badgering him to see it and I know he wanted to please me so
it was nearly midnight before we all went to bed.
21 March 2009 Saturday
What a nice day. I crawled in bed
with Mark Andersen this morning to snuggle and give him a hand massage since I
knew his hands would be sore from all the raking her did yesterday.
When everyone
was up we went to
After breakfast
we went to Sears where I bought a new Sears Craftsman lawn mower and a trimmer/
edger that Mark said he wanted to make the yard easier for him. I Spent about
$450 on the both of them.
He wanted to try
out his new toys so when we got home he put them together and used them. Mike
Romero took pictures of him with while they were still shiny and new.
The back yard
was awfully dusty and dry.
Later afternoon,
Mike Romero and Mark wanted to go to the Hill Air force Museum up in Clearfield
and Mark wanted me to go with them so I went. The museum is free and really
interesting but not that much for me but I was seeing them through Mark's eyes.
We were there for a couple of hours before we headed home.
We stopped in
We went to the
park at Sunset to eat and although it was quite windy it was a nice day. Could
tell that a storm was coming in though. Typical Spring time weather in the
Mark left about
four to go home to Payson. Hated to see him go but he's on a time share with us
and we had a really good time.
After he left I
watched Netflix Instant Watch for the rest of the evening although Tom Folk came
over to watch MILK with Michael. It was a nice day to remember.
22 March 2009 Sunday-
Slept in late until about 9. May
have been the cold medicine I took last night so I could sleep better. Did some
grocery shopping this morning and as the day progress it got colder and colder.
I wrote my next article for
27 March 2009 Friday
I was the only 5th grade teacher
that came in to work today and I've had stomach cramps all day from the flu. I
told Ms. Beck that I was a trooper.
I saw Mark
Andersen a little bit before he went
into work at 4:30. He's picking up his daughter after he gets off work and will
have her all week.
At 6 pm I did a
program for KRCL Radioactive Program. Troy Williams who produces the show asked
if I would come in and give a historical perspective on Queer Nation. Curtis
Jensen was on line from
Troy Williams is
a cutie and I was very very impressed with his professionalism and energy. It
was good to see Matt again. Funny these Queer Nation folks are now as old as I
was when I was involved nominally with Queer Nation.
29 March 2009 Sunday
I took an eye color personality
test from Face Book and this is what it said: Your eyes reflect the color
30 March 2009 Monday
Mark Anderson was up again today
and didn't bring Tiff's car up like he planned. He said he wasn't feeling well
so called sick into UPS and spent the evening with us. He said he missed
spending time with us.
I had a pot-roast
going for dinner and we ate that and learned that he doesn't like carrots much.
He's a meat and potato kind of guy. I was planning on turning in about 7:30
when he wanted me to watch Quantum Solace the most recent James Bond movie,
with him and Mike Romero. The way he asked by saying please come watch it with
us made me not able to refuse. He lay on the floor for much of it while he
rested his feet on the futon where I was so I could rub his feet. He's so
spoiled.
31 March 2009 Tuesday-
Today is my grandma Williams
107th birthday and I miss her so much. She died 30 years ago last January.
Mark Andersen stayed
at the house all day saying that he didn't feel well so he called in sick at
UPS again. One of the reasons I think he's not feeling well is because he's
staying up all hours.
I have ants up
in the cupboard so asked him to clean out the pantry and wipe it down to the
kill the ants.
I had to stay
late tonight for our 3rd Parent Teachers conference but no one showed. I didn't
get home until about 6:30 and then spent about 1/2 hour putting things back in
the pantry.
Kind of pissed
me off that both Mike Romero and Mark were playing on the computer when the
dogs hadn't been fed or watered. SO I fixed the dogs their dinner first then
Mark came in with his puppy eyes and I said “are you hungry and he said a
little bit so I fixed him two hamburgers that he ate with the potato salad I made yesterday
and Mike Romero finished up the Chili Verde I made last Saturday.
I asked Mark why
he didn’t fix himself something to eat because there was so much left over in
the refrig and he says he was waiting for his favorite cook to get home. He
sure knows how to pile on the bs but I love it.
In Mike Romero's
room we watched BOLT the animated story about a dog that thinks he has super
powers. Made Mark get off the computer and come lay with us in bed. He lay on
his stomach with his feet on my belly and I rubbed his feet while the hounds
all piled around us. The movie was fun but loved all three of us in bed
together. I guess old Huntsman signed the bill doing away with private club
memberships.
No comments:
Post a Comment