I'm SO gay this week

I know, "as opposed to any other week." This week I have a total of 4 panels for classes, with another one on Monday. Women's Studies x3 and a Nurse Practitioner class, then Counselor Ed on Monday. My boss makes it very difficult to be out of the office this much, and it means I work straight (har har) through lunch. Or rather, I use my lunch hour to go be the token homo. On the one hand, this is a raging pain in the ass and reminds me why I am so disgusted with my job these days. Sometimes you just don't feel like walking into a room full of strangers and telling them your deepest darkest secrets and how tough it was growing up queer. Tired of being on display.

And yet, there's the other hand - the reason I will ALWAYS do the panels. I've already had a few people come up to me and thank me (and the other panelists too) for sharing our stories. Some of them have looked at things in a new way. Some of them now understand better what happened to Matt, despite the lies running through the local rumor mill and 20/20. There have also been one or two students in the classes who I caught averting their eyes at just the right moment, and I know they are the student I was as a freshman: the scared, closeted person aching to come out but not yet ready to make that terrifying first step.

And that's what it's all about for me. Making the world a safer place for my fellow queers. For those who can't fight the fight yet. For those who've lost the fight along the way. For the junior high student in California shot in the head because he started wearing makeup and dressing more effeminately. For his parents, who this week decided to donate his organs so that others might live where hate ended his life too soon. Nobody should have to make that decision because of hate.

I speak out because I can. It's safe for me to do so. Or rather, it's safeR for me to do so. I'm 6'4" and too many pounds, and no longer have to fear losing family or friends or jobs if I shoot my mouth off. There's still danger, as I paint a target on myself by telling a room full of strangers I like the boys! But it's a risk I take, because someone must.

Today's lesson: speak up or out about something if you can. Make the world a better place for someone else, just because it's the right thing to do. Create change. Open minds... even if it's your own.

The scariest man running...

"I believe it is a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change to the word of the living God, and that’s what we need to do is to amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than change God’s standards." – Mike Huckabee - January 14, 2008

Apparently, Huckabee has decided not to campaign on the "Separation of Church and State" platform. I know, not really news, but this is one of the most frightening things I have ever heard a politician say publicly. Perhaps what is so frightening is that there is a large percentage of the U.S. population who not only agree, but would see nothing wrong with the statement.

Folks, if we follow the last 8 years of blunders, lies, and hatred with this nimrod, I'm burning down the house, quitting my job, and selling my car to buy a ticket to Holland. I'll live on my sister's couch before I go through this guy. I suppose I could live with McCain. I don't know that I care if it's Hillary or Obama, as long as we're done with Republican asshats. (Please note I am not stating all Republicans are asshats.)

Today's lesson: I will come and personally kick the ass of any of my friends who don't VOTE this year. I don't care who it's for, just flipping VOTE!

PS...did I mention I'll be wearing my size 14, 6-inch high heels when I kick your ass?

I laughed so hard a little pee came out...

(2 points if you can tell me where the title comes from.)

I don't often post videos, but these gems are too good to pass up. Thanks to my office aide Janet for letting me know about the hi-larious bits of The Colbert Report I had missed. I watch The Daily Show on Comedy Central religiously, but only catch Colbert once in a while. I missed gay gold, kiddies! The first segments of his new bit "Better Know a Lobbyist" focused on the Executive Director of the Human Rights Campaign.

They are the largest GLBT political action committee in the country. While I don't always agree with their methods, philosophies, or strategies, I believe they do good work and accomplish a lot of good things. And their ED hit this interview out of the park. It does a GREAT job of showing just how ridiculous some anti-gay arguments have been in recent times. Tip of the hat to Colbert, as well!

It's 2 parts, and they're both worth it. I've embedded them below and hope you enjoy! (If YouTube pulls these specific links/uploads, just search for "Colbert" and "Lobbyist.")

It's official...

...I think I might live. The new super-antibiotic seems to be kicking in nicely. I figured it would, since it involves taking one pill a day for only 7 days. Beefy, no? The steroid is also doing its job, as I'm not nearly as vertigo-y as I was. Sorry Uncle Freddy, this here homo isn't hell-bound just yet. ;) In other news...

• I have a hawt date tonight with the Squid. Dinner and a movie, since theater tickets didn't pan out.
• Tomorrow we're celebrating Maggie's birthday. There are rumors of sushi. I think by then all my taste buds and olfactory receptors will be functioning, and it will be a happy celebration of her aging and my recovery. She reportedly reads my blog, but is a dirty lurker. So I'm calling her out publicly. Heh.
• I filed my taxes today, and 5 hours later got an email that Uncle Sam accepted my demands...er...paperwork. The refund should allow me to pay off the last of the medical bills...and hopefully fix the hot tub!
• The Matthew Shepard Foundation's annual "Bear to Make A Difference" Dinner is coming up at the end of March. I've volunteered as a table captain again this year (as has Cory!), and my table is filling up nicely. Squidly and the O'Malleys will be with me, as will Jerry! Scotty and Craig are rumored to be interested in coming again this year too, so it should be quite the table of hooligans. If you're interested in coming, let me know. Tickets are $175, though $150 of that is tax deductible. :)
• I've burned through too much sick leave in the last month to be able to deliver flowers on Villain-tine's Day this year. This saddens me greatly, but I'm gonna help out down at the shop after hours whenever I can. I still want to be able to claim being a gay florist one day out of the year!

That's about it for the Rainbow Kingdom update. Join us again soon for my next FAB-ulous rant or rave. Or both. ;)

Things I've learned while being sick

It is true, the Squid is a carrier of plague. I don't hold it against her, though. ;) Here are some things I've learned while I was sick:

• There are 6 episodes of Murder She Wrote on each weekday. I can watch 5 of them.
• Cough syrup with codeine is a happy thing.
• It doesn't take long before you've consumed enough orange juice that you don't ever want to drink it again. I reached that point after 1 gallon. I am almost done with gallon #4.
• I am not a fan of the blanket NyQuil throws over my brain. I am a fan of the sleep I can get thanks to the Big Q.
• My muscles ACHE from all the coughing.
• I miss being able taste things.
• It doesn't take long before you're tired of sitting upright so that you can breathe. Sleeping in this position is equally tiresome.

I am, however, getting better and expect to be at work tomorrow. And I still love the Squid. :) Thanks to all who have sent good wishes, delivered dinner (heart you Jess, get better soon!), or otherwise made me smile since contracting the plague. It means a lot!