Ain't No Son

Two of the Dixie Chicks have created the sub-group Court Yard Hounds for this song about a son coming out to his father. I am thinking of high school student Derrick Martin who was kicked out of the family home following publicity surrounding his wish to bring a male date to his prom.

I've seen this many times in my life and it makes one wonder if these parents should have been allowed to breed in the first place.

I've got something to say
I'm scared and so afraid
Can you take me as I am
Come what may our blood is all the same
I'm still your little man

He said you ain't no son to me
You ain't no son to me
Eight pound baby boy I bounced on my knee
No, you ain't no son of mine
You ain't no son of mine
Aw, forget it girls there ain't no use in trying
Don't expect to get my love for free
And don't blame me

Well this ain't no fun for me
This ain't no fun for me
Oh boys should be boys
That's how it should be
You ain't coming home
No you ain't coming home
Til you walk the straight line
You'll be out on your own
Don't expect to save your soul for free
When you're the one who turned your back on me

Aren't you a sight to see
Yeah, you're a sight to see
What you call freedom makes you look like a freak
You must get around
Cause it sure got around
Don't you know that I can't show my face in this town
Don't think I'm gonna get you up off of me
When you're the one who turned your back on me
Stranger, stranger on the wall
When the neighbors come to call
I just don't know what to say
So I'll put you away
This time I won't leave a trace
I'll fill up the empty space
When I put you, I put you away
I put you away

He said you ain't no son to me
You ain't no son to me
Eight pound baby boy I bounced on my knee
No, you ain't no son of mine
You ain't no son of mine
Aw, forget it girls there ain't no use in trying
Don't expect to get my love for free
When you're the one who turned your back on me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
Don't blame me
Shame on you
Shame on you
Shame on you

Yes indeed, Shame on YOU parents for not loving your own child and thinking only of what neighbors may think, and of yourselves. Good luck with that. Derrick will do just fine, thank you very much. We take care of our own when the blood ties have restrictions.

And so it goes.
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About Things Out of Place

Last week a co-worker bought the living room furniture that's been in storage for almost 3 years and this evening after work he picked it up. A bit dusty but none the worse for being in total darkness all that time.  It was strange to see it go, although it was my "share" of the "settlement" from the breakup. Funny how we attach so much energy and emotion to "things"in life, isn't it.

Lots of memories attached to that stuff and now it's gone - another relic from the past out of my life - going on to make new memories for others, while I still have my own. I must say, there is a pulling at my heart this evening.  Well, that too, shall pass.

As I drove away from the storage lot I was both relieved and a little sad, but it's all for the best and I am half way closer to being free of the added expense of renting the unit. Only the bedroom set remains and I have a nibble of interest on that as well.

Now the boxes of books that were inaccessible before can be retrieved and delivered to the thrift store for sale with the money going to a good cause. People in need. What could be more appropriate right now?

As a dear old friend is fond of saying, "Joy, Anyway!"

It's turned colder and windy today, so following a festive martini Chicken and Pork Chili is the supper for tonight.

And so it goes.
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Dancin' Through Life - I Wish!

I know, I know, I haven't shared personal stuff much this week, but honestly, so much has been happening in the country that what I've been up to (or not) pales by comparison. The Healthcare bill has been the main focus from both the left and right with little sanity being shown by the latter. If the rhetoric wasn't so frightening it would be an interesting debate. It's just frightening at this point, though I hope the crazy subsides as details are released.

Work has been a delightful diversion and the weather has, for the most part, brought the healing power of the sun to everyone and making for happier moods and less stressful attitudes. Feel like dancin'!

The restaurant today was a humming, well oiled machine with a great staff and delightful diners who made the lunch shift go quickly. Everyone was up for Margaritas and buckets of beers to follow their fajitas and stonegrill meals. Things couldn't have gone more smoothly. I'd like to think I made a bit of that happen so, yes, I am proud this evening.

The bar was packed following my shift and I debated about having a shift cocktail or just heading home. One of the bosses made that decision for me and had a golden margarita waiting for me when I logged out.  I guess I did do a pretty good job in handling the dining room today.

Back at the apartment now and I have no idea what to do about supper. There is food in the freezer, but not prepared food, so it's about starting from scratch tonight, and while I am tired I think I am up to the challenge. It's all about ingredients and being crazy enough to give anything a try.  And I really feel like dancin'!

Game on!
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Super Caturday!

More later.
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The Katrina Seminar

 Wish I could be present for this one. (sigh.)

Jed Horne, distinguished visiting lecturer in the University of Southern Mississippi College of Arts and Letters, will offer The Katrina Seminar, a weeklong examination of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, during the May 17-21 mini-session.

Horne is the former metro editor of The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune, which garnered two Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

He is also the author of the critically acclaimed "Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City."

"We're approaching the fifth anniversary of the storm (Aug. 29), and I think the seminar will have a lot of interest for our students and for other members of the public," said Denise von Herrmann, dean of the College of Arts and Letters. "Mr. Horne certainly brings an informed perspective to the seminar."

Horne plans to feature a number of guest speakers in the class, which will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 17 to 21.

Guests will include storm surge expert Ivor van Heerden, WLOX-TV news director Dave Vincent, filmmaker Lolis Elie, photojournalist Ted Jackson and Reilly Morse of the Mississippi Center for Justice along with several other experts and municipal leaders.

Read the rest at the link above.
h/t: Editilla

More later
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Patrick Kennedy Leaves Note for Dad, Teddy

This brought the tears. Simple and poignant. From the Washington Post:

The political odyssey of health care reform in many ways is the story of Ted Kennedy, and as President Obama signed the historic bill into law Tuesday, Kennedy's gravesite was a place of quiet celebration and poignant reflection.
The late senator's widow, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, spent hours Sunday at the simple white cross at Arlington National Cemetery marking where her husband was laid to rest only seven months ago. Ted Kennedy's youngest son, Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.), visited on Monday morning and left a hand-written note that read: "Dad, the unfinished business is done."
 And on a dreary Tuesday morning, dozens of school children and health care advocates paused at Kennedy's tombstone to commemorate the man who for decades made overhauling the nation's health-care system his life's mission. 

Click the link above to read the rest of this short piece.

And so it goes.
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Dan Choi, HRC, and the Direction of Our Movement

I've been thinking along the same lines lately.  Dan Choi:

Why now? Because you get tired of talking. [Over the past two years] I've done 50 live interviews, a hundred other interviews, how much more talk am I expected to produce? When I heard Kathy Griffin was going to be a spokeswoman for Don't Ask, Don't Tell, I wondered about that. I have great respect for her as an advocate. But if [the Human Rights Campaign] thinks that having a rally at Freedom Plaza with a comedienne is the right approach, I have to wonder. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not a joking matter to me. To be at Freedom Plaza and not at the White House or Congress? Who are they trying to influence? I felt like they were just trying to speak to themselves. If that's the best the lobbying groups and HRC can do, then I don't know how these powerful groups are supposed to represent our community. Kathy Griffin and [HRC president] Jay Solmonese said they would march with me to the White House but didn’t. I feel so betrayed by them.

We all know the political reality now. The only way for the repeal to go through is for the president to take leadership and put it in the Defense Authorization Bill. There's a sunset on this, and it's happening quickly. Obama told us at the HRC dinner last year, you need to put pressure on me. I was there at that dinner, in uniform. So this is my mission; the president said to pressure him and I heard that as a warning order.

Now there is this to put any doubts I had about the direction of our movement into perspective. Pam nails it for the rest of us:

I really don't know how to react to this. To me it's a sign of what "activism" has come down to in the land of TEH GAY. Isn't it an interesting juxtaposition to see that HRC's Joe Solmonese has made Washington Life Magazine's 2010 Fashion Awards ("We salute 35 men and women who bring that je ne sais quoi to the ballrooms and boardrooms of Washington").

Well, plenty of us here in flyover country have very little je ne sais quoi about fashion and more working to do as much activism on a shoestring and the kindness of those who support the work on the Blend through PayPal or ads. Taking a look in my closet, I don't see a label of note on my togs, I gather many of you don't either. The closest I get to haute couture as an advocacy journalist/commentator is watching Project Runway in my jammies. I can clean up nicely for a gala, but honest to god, I have better use for my disposable income. Guess HRC must write off Joe's togs; who knows. 

Read the rest at Pam's House Blend.

I'm no fashionista; the only designer labels I have are Levi Strauss and Jockey.

I don't know about the rest of you, but HRC is off my list for future donations.
More later.
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Discovery Interested in Palin Nature Series

 I think I'll be discovering another channel if this comes to pass. Is Discovery Network REALLY willing to pay her $1.2 Million an episode? I've already watched 8 or 10 documentaries about Alaska and can't imagine what more can be squeezed out that would be fresh and new.

Sources say Discovery Communications has edged out rival A&E Networks in the bidding for the project, titled "Sarah Palin's Alaska." An agreement could be announced in the next few days.
It's still undecided which network in the Discovery suite would air "Alaska," which is being produced by Mark Burnett Productions.
Although travelogues are on brand for the Discovery flagship, having Palin as a centerpiece also makes the show a fit for mom-friendly TLC. Clearly nature docs are still viable for the company -- Discovery's latest effort in genre, the miniseries "Life," just debuted to 11.8 million viewers on Sunday night. 

 The rest is HERE.

More later.
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Sign the Pledge!

If you are a serious teabagger, this is for you:

I do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:
I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights
I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.
I will foreswear the time-honored principles of fairness, decency, and respect by screaming unintelligible platitudes regarding tyranny, Nazi-ism, and socialism at public town halls. Also, I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life.
I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

• Social Security
• Medicare/Medicaid
• State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
• Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
• US Postal Service
• Roads and Highways
• Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
• The US Railway System
• Public Subways and Metro Systems
• Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
• Rest Areas on Highways
• Sidewalks
• All Government-Funded Local/State Projects
• Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
• Public and State Universities and Colleges
• Public Primary and Secondary Schools
• Sesame Street
• Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children
• Public Museums
• Libraries
• Public Parks and Beaches
• State and National Parks
• Public Zoos
• Unemployment Insurance
• Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services
• Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)
• Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)
• Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
• Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD’s ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking
• Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies
• Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies

If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care
I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:

• Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
• The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments
• The government-operated Statue of Liberty
• The Grand Canyon
• The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials
• The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery
• All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC

I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.
I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.
I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.
I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.
Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.
Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.
SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF __________ IN THE YEAR ___.
_____________ _________________________
Signed Printed Name/Town and State

 Going viral - h/t LOKI

More later.
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Ten Immediate Benefits of the Health Reform Bill.

It's far from perfect (and the Republicans are already vowing to repeal many of these benefits) and will have to be tweaked as time goes by, but it's a real beginning. From C & L:

Here are ten benefits which come online within six months of the President's signature on the health care bill:

1. Adult children may remain as dependents on their parents’ policy until their 27th birthday
2. Children under age 19 may not be excluded for pre-existing conditions
3. No more lifetime or annual caps on coverage
4. Free preventative care for all
5. Adults with pre-existing conditions may buy into a national high-risk pool until the exchanges come online. While these will not be cheap, they’re still better than total exclusion and get some benefit from a wider pool of insureds.
6. Small businesses will be entitled to a tax credit for 2009 and 2010, which could be as much as 50% of what they pay for employees’ health insurance.
7. The “donut hole” closes for Medicare patients, making prescription medications more affordable for seniors.
8. Requirement that all insurers must post their balance sheets on the Internet and fully disclose administrative costs, executive compensation packages, and benefit payments.
9. Authorizes early funding of community health centers in all 50 states (Bernie Sanders’ amendment). Community health centers provide primary, dental and vision services to people in the community, based on a sliding scale for payment according to ability to pay.
10. AND no more rescissions. Effective immediately, you can't lose your insurance because you get sick.

I'm sure the GOP (the party of NO!) will continue to make fools of themselves in their feeble attempts to scare people, but I hope we're smarter than they think we are.  I doubt I'll benefit from much of this, but so many millions of Americans will, and that's a good thing.

Finally, some much needed change has come to this country.

And so it goes.
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Bad, Good and Ugly

Yes, in that order.

After a hectic day at the restaurant yesterday I arrived at the apartment/house to find a "FOR SALE" sign in place. WTF?
There was an email from the landlady explaining the situation - that her ex was putting the screws to her for a lump settlement and that she's discovered that the place is high maintenance, and it is -
reassuring me that she's not optimistic about getting her price so "please don't panic."

Haven't been able to have a face-to-face with her, but will sometime this week. Don't panic, indeed.

Work has been wonderful and busy, working with a terrific staff and learning new bits from the boss to make me run things more smoothly as the season approaches.  Due to the bright sun and warmer than normal temps the restaurant has been jumpin' and the town packed with folks celebrating what they hope is the end of a nightmarish winter. In fact, yesterday's numbers broke a record for the date - with over a thousand customers served between lunch and dinner.  No small feat, that.

Today was much the same for lunch, which helped take my mind off that damned SIGN on the street in front of the house.

I heard more ugly rumors being spread around town regarding my previous life; they make me angry and sad at the same time. It's frustrating to have the truth on your side, but no way to fight allegations by a person no one is willing to name. Four years ago I was given advice to just keep being me and do what I've always done, and sooner or later people would catch on and know the truth. So, why does this keep becoming an issue and why would anyone care about me anyway? Everything taken for granted for 30 years was lost in a flash. The worst damage has already been done, there is nothing more to squeeze out of me, so why bother? I mean, what is to be gained? My total destruction?  Maybe that's it.

That's what makes these rumors so insidious, there is no one to confront - although I have a good idea who is behind them, there's no proving my suspicions - so it becomes a classic case of "they said-I said".  And that just doesn't cut it. It drives me nuts, but I'll stick to "keep on keepin' on" and those who believe the rumours will believe what they want to believe and there's nothing to be done about it.  That's the hard part.


Time for a cocktail, a light dinner and settle in to watch the first two episodes of LIFE.

And so it goes.
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Skeptical Caturday

More later.
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