Archive for the ‘Reflections’ Category
National Portrait Gallery I
This past Saturday Isaac and I found ourselves in need of a cultural outing, so we made a spontaneous visit to the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. They share the same historic building, which has been closed for several years, just reopened on 1 July. We saw many things […]
In: All, Music & Art, Reflections
Noah's Rainbow
During the most recent round of Republican gay-bashing — i.e., the national "debate" about the "gay marriage" amendment — I listened to the rehash of the usual vacuous and specious arguments about why gay people should not be allowed to participate in the institution of matrimony, and reflected on some responses. I suffer from l'éspirit […]
Beard of the Week XI
Before I forget to mention it, Isaac and I are taking a vacation in Rome starting next week, so I and Beard of the Week will be on a brief hiatus starting then, but we plan to return in a couple of weeks, perhaps with some new beards from Italy. The last time we visited […]
In: All, Beard of the Week, Reflections
Massive Election Fraud
Well, the buzz today is all about Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s piece in Rolling Stone ("Was the 2004 Election Stolen?"). Sometimes I feel like I'm just waiting for everyone to catch up to the obvious (see my "Massive Election Conspiracy Not Required"), but it is after all a rather delicate subject. Why didn't the Democrats […]
My Gay Belt
As everyone knows, gay people have "gaydar" and we can all instantly recognize each other and pass on the secret handshake. Nevertheless, as an extra aid-to-recognition, I have this belt I usually wear to hold up my trousers. It's woven in six lovely rainbow colors, the rainbow of gay pride, and it works like a […]
On Turning 50
My birthday is 30 April. This year I turned 50. It struck me that this is, for some reason, a landmark age at which one is expected to reflect and offer wisdom. I don't, however, really have any wisdom to offer. We did manage to have a busy weekend, though. My preoccupation last week was […]
Freedom & Truth
My dad has been visiting us for the last two weeks, using as his primary excuse coming to see us perform "Crazy for You" — all 5 performances and the dress rehearsal, no less. Anyway, we relaxed and entertained ourselves last night by watching "Good Night and Good Luck", which we thoroughly enjoyed and thoroughly […]
The Hysterical Fundamentalist Agenda
Some years back there used to be much more rhetoric from the fundamentalist reactionaries about the "homosexual agenda", a big part of which was that we (i.e., the perverts) were planning to take over the US government. How, I wondered at the, could anyone possibly believe that? After all, who would want the government, and […]
In: All, Reflections, The Art of Conversation
Odd Job Descriptions
Slightly related to the posting a few back about the unusual job title, this tale concerns me and an odd job description. I don't usually toy with job recruiters — at least not intentionally — but sometimes it comes out that way, although I don't talk to them all that frequently these days. More often […]
You've Mistaken Me for a Bigot
Isaac and I, when we're out [if you'll pardon the expression] in public, obviously miss some of the best, cross-cultural moments, probably because you can tell that we're two men together just by looking at us. People assume what they assume and it's mostly true, although no one can tell by looking "who's the woman" […]
Calling George Grosz
As I mentioned a few posts back, Isaac and I spent last Saturday afternoon at the National Gallery of Art celebrating a friend's birthday. After we saw the "Cézanne in Provence" exhibition, our stated goal for the afternoon, we went to the East Wing to the the Dada Exhibit. It was a good, comprehensive and […]
In: All, Plus Ca Change..., Reflections
Cézanne in Provence
This weekend Isaac and I hosted a couple of friends, one of whom was celebrating a birthday, so we had a special outing on Saturday that included a visit to the National Gallery of Art (Washington DC) and dinner at Annie's Paramount Steak House (Dupont Circle). We went to the National Gallery specifically to see […]
The Cellist in the Mall
Today, in celebration of Washington's Birthday*, we did what we frequently do on Monday holidays and went shopping at one of the larger outlet-type malls within a couple hours' drive; generally, most of them are too far away for us to go at other times. Today's adventure took us from our Maryland suburb into the […]
Leadership & Conviction
Molly Ivins is a bit ticked* off with the Democrats, but then, who isn't? What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (65 percent) of the American people want […]
Break a Leg!
Ecce homo! To my four regular readers, and to anyone else who might have noticed and wondered, I have now an explanation for my sudden and total silence in this space since 4 November. Put simply: in the late morning of that day, I slipped in our bathroom and landed on the little protuberance at […]
History Near and Far
I'm beginning to realize that I may never be an A-list blogger, and I notice that I just failed another test. Namely, I forgot to celebrate the start of my blog. It was one year ago, on 18 October 2004, that I wrote my first posting. Tsk. It's an occasion that calls for creating an […]
Two Things
I made a note this past weekend of two little things I wanted to share. One we saw when we were walking in the Annapolis Mall (which has for some time been officially called someone's "Shopping Towne" or some such, but I don't pay much attention to those details anymore. Anyway, there was this little […]
Buying Civilization
But how to "deliver a minimum level of existance to all"?* I think that's the crux, actually. I don't think that I mind people's being rich, not even fabulously wealthy — it's all part of the American dream, although most of the wealthy are euro-style old-money wealthy. But then, I don't buy into the argument […]
Dandelion Wine
A few nights ago at one of our local mega-bookstores. our interest was drawn to a table of "last chance" titles, 3 for $9.99. What a deal! I've always been fatally drawn to remaindered books — my obsession for remaindered cookbooks is legendary in some circles — so naturally this was an interesting table. We […]
In: All, Food Stuff, Reflections
A Tragic Anti-Hero
When Avedon Carol wrote If I were a kinder person, I might actually feel sorry for the boy king – he tries so hard to be better than his dad, but he either repeats his errors accidentally or, in trying to out-do him, screws up royally by deliberately departing from the old man's decisions. she […]