September 11, 2006

It was five years ago this morning that the United States of America was brutally attacked on it's on soil. We will never be the same. We all know the ways that it changed us, what we loss and we will think about that today. But even with constant television coverage after the attacks and thereafter, I don't think any of us realize the depth of the immediate or subsequent affect on the people who live in New York City.
We saw, the mountains of pulverized Tower ash seeming to chase fleeing New Yorkers like in some sci-fi movie. We know of course, about the loss of business and tourism and that Broadway went dark. We know of the grief.

But, I don't think it was conveyed to us who are outside of NYC, the profound daily affect on the average New Yorker City resident or the significant consequences the attack had on neighborhoods throughout the city. I doubt that we could ever understand without being there.

The Towers suddenly being gone, must have felt to New Yorkers like the loss of a limb. The smell. The air quality. The ash. Pulverized cement, and glass and asbestos and metal, on and in everything for blocks around. Residents in buildings 10 blocks away, had to have professional restoration services try to clean every single item in their home and the furnace and drains and air ducts. Sometimes it was irreparable. Non-residential vehicular traffic was prohibited in some neighborhoods for more than a week and loss of telephone service for as long as two months. Some businesses could not recover.

It has been five years and we all feel the pain of that day. But New Yorkers, I don't think your journey was ever really articulated to us. We do know you prevailed. So today I'm not only thinking of terrorist or blame or where I was when it happened. I think of and feel love for New Yorkers.
...
where there is cold silence-
no hallelujahs, no hurrahs at all, no handshakes,
no neon red or blue, no smiling faces-
prevail.
...
It has been a
hard trudge, with fainting, bandaging and death.
There have been startling confrontations.
..
But there remains large countries in your eyes..
And you create and train your own flowers still.

Gwendolyn Brooks

Crocodile Hunter

Steve Irwin was a passionate naturalist and conservationist. He inherited this passion from his parents and has been living with and learning about animals since he was a tot. He was courageous, exuberant, joyous, and dynamically energetic.
He was a Conservation Warrior! He taught children and adults to appreciate and respect animals and their right to survive.

Since the tragic death of Steve Irwin, there has been endless discussion about whether he was reckless or brave. I have heard everything from "that's what he gets", to Germain Greers' statement that, the animal kingdom finally gets it's revenge.
That is just nasty.

I contend that what may seem reckless on the outside may actually be the nature of the business. I admit I worried about Steve getting so close to animals but I also knew this is the way he chose to get our attention. Steve loved life and didn't want to die. He knew and took all precautions. He knew and chose to take all the risks of the unexpected.
Reckless? Is a football player reckless, or a Nascar racer, or a airplane pilot, police officer, construction worker, a gymnast? They are all well trained and take every safety precaution, but they know and accept the risks. So did Steve. In some of these professions and sports, the persons who push the risk envelope are the heroes and winners. There is a risk line that shouldn't be crossed. I don't know in any of these activities where that line lies. I certainly don't think it wise for a race car driver to strap his or her six month old baby in for a 200 mph spin around the track. But, I wouldn't go for that ride myself, anymore than I'd step inside a crocodile's space.

Risky? Steve Irwin knew rivers, the ocean was not his area of expertise. He was still learning the ocean. John Stainton (Steve's friend who was on the boat at the time of the accident), had previously said, "If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean," he said. "On land he was agile, quick-thinking, quick-moving and the ocean puts another element there that you have no control over."
Exploration has it's risks.
And yet Steve's death was a freak accident, not attributed to being daring or unknowledgable at all. Death from a sting ray's barb is extremely rare.

So that brings to me the question, why. What is the purpose of taking this young man with this young family, doing such good work? The eternal question.
There are certainly lots of parents having their first talks about death with their children. I sat down with my 7 year old nephew, who is a big Irwin fan. We talked about his courage and passion and how funny he was and how he and his work will be remembered.
Good on you Steve.

Nadia meet Tatiana

Last summer, my friends Alex and Chrisanne had to put down their beautiful black cat Uhura.
Yesterday, they had to say goodbye to their calico Tatiana. I feel very sad for them. It's not only that I know they loved her and all the ways they shared their lives, but Alex's remembrances of Tatiana reminded me how our dear pets embody so much of our personal history.

They grow up with you or your children, remind you of parents or grandparents, of good times and hard times. They share your home and your house rules, know when it's time for you to get up and time you come home, the people you like and the ones you don't. They are protective and loyal and sensitive and selfish and sweet. They are completely dependent on you. That is a lot to be gone from your life.

Nadia was our last family cat. Named for the gymnast Nadia Comaneci, blond tabby Nadia was very tiny when he was given to my 3 year old nephew Nolen, so the gender was not that obvious. By the time we determined that Nadia was indeed a boy, the name was set in concrete. Too late. No problem though because Nadia was a princess. She never was a tom, always preening and posing and pampered. Everyone referred to Nadia as "she". It was only a problem when we took her to the vet and had to explain.

Nadia was 19 years old when we had to say goodbye. Nolen was 22 years old. We all had our own special relationship with her, it was very hard. Hard to pass the cat food aisle and remember that it seemed she could read because she only wanted a particular brand and knew, as soon as she saw the can, if you were trying to pull a switch on her. Hard to go to mom's house and not see her come to the window and meet me at the door. We still talk about how she would not eat raw fish, only cooked with bones removed, and that she wouldn't eat cat food tuna but liked Chicken of the Sea. It's so amazing to look at family pictures and see the changes of Nadia the kitten and Nolen the toddler.
So it's a lot to be gone from your life. But, it will get better my dear friends. I promise.

Stuck in a Phone Tree?

Ok, I just said these phone tree things were good, all warm and fuzzy and personal. But service industry phone trees give me the flux. Wall Street Journal recently had an article about how to get around company phone trees. You know, the endless prompts with the humanesque sounding voice telling you to "enter or say your account number....oh I'mmm sorry, I didn't get that, can you try it again?" Bug off!

I never minded automated sounding voices (accept the female voice in parking lots "please take a ticket" I hate her and I curse her out every single time) but these newer voices make too much of an attempt to sound personably like humans. That irks me. The damn prompts never get you where you need to go or answer your situation. So the Journal writes about this web site that helps get us to a real live human, www.GetHuman.com They have some valuable suggestions and a database of secret phone numbers and codes to get to humans in hundreds of companies. This is a must save site.

However, I figured this out already. I have tried my way on several different places from AT&T to UPS. It works. All you have to do when it prompts for a response from you, is just YELL at it. Then, every time I get, "hold for a customer assistant". A human being at last! Somehow yelling "I WANNA TALK TO A PERSON" or anything yelled triggers out of the prompt tree. Try it. It's worked for me and it's fun too. Yayyyyy Real People!

Phone Trees Are Good

Phone trees are like a relay message system. I like the idea of phone trees. It is especially good when you have a large network of family, friends and/or co-workers etc. involved. Phone trees can be very organized with each person assigned to call specific persons or very casual, like.. "hey, call me when you get there and I'll call Timmie and Lassie and then Lassie can take a note to grandpa up on the mountain...". Good girl.
Beware though, an organized phone tree is only as good as it's branches. One broken branch and the whole thing could end up with "nobody called me, I didn't know", or "how's Craig?.. his funeral was Tuesday, OMG!"
Oh I really hate that!

When my mom was in the hospital very sick at one point, the hospital actually suggested we organize a tree chain thingy because so many folks were calling to inquire about her the lines were jammed. She thought that was cool. omg.

But, whether pre-set or casually put together even on the spot, these trees are cool in emergencies or when people are upset, preoccupied, not thinking clearly, need help or just need to keep people informed.

So, I was just thinking with the anniversary of Katrina coming up and our current High Alert status, we tend to feel a bit not in control. I think it helps if we can feel secure that our personal connections are in tact. And we never know who can provide what when we need it. I mean a hug, a burger, a ride, a shoulder, a congratulations, a doctor, a lawyer, a cool head, just being there, a prayer, a laugh, an I love you. It's a good thing and it's reciprocal. We need that.

Military Logic?

Sargeant Bleu Copas, a decorated member of the U.S. Army, a member of the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division and a highly regarded Arabic linguist, was discharged from the U.S. Armed Services because he is gay. There was no other reason.


No, he did not dance on base in his jockey's with a feathered boa, paint his locker pink, post pics of his boyfriend above his bunk or pounce on his comrads. His fellow servicemen did not know he was gay because he carefully adhered to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell, law. He did join the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus and lost his army career due to anonymous emails sent to the choral director indicating that someone in the chorus was gay. This began the witch hunt to track down the offensive gay person and expel him from the army. This is how we fight the war on terror.

Due to the pressure to increase recruitment, the US military is however unofficially relaxing it's standards that are designed to keep racist extremists out of the armed forces. According to The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks racist and right-wing militia groups, there are currently thousands of neo-Nazis and other white supremacists on active duty.

So, If I have this right, the United States military feels that gay soldiers pose more of a threat than members of extreme anti-government groups. This is the logic used in fighting the war on terror?

Sargeant Copas enlisted after 911. He planned to make the army his career. But, he will not because while our military is willing to overlook training terroist with their own agendas, they cannot overlook something that has nothing to do with service and continue to discharge valued soldiers wanting to serve and protect this country.

The Tide Turning?

I hope so. There are several new books out, some published by Christian publishing houses, expressing disagreement with the current atmosphere in this country that to be a good Christian you must be a conservative Republican. It's like Christian=Republican. If you are a God forbid, liberal, have misgivings about the war, believe GLBT folks should have equal marriage rights, be pro-choice or have any thoughts outside the conservative box, it reflects on your Christianity. This is the agenda being encouraged by the President of the United States and many Americans are goose-stepping to it. This may seem a harsh way to put it, but that's the reality of it.

The New York Times ran an article about Rev. Greg Boyd, a senior minister at Woodland Hills Church, in Maplewood, MN near St. Paul. Woodland Hills is an evangelical megachurch with a conservative congregation and Rev. Boyd has for the most part conservative views. That's fine. But he understands the importance of separation of church and state. (It's right there amongst the U.S. history and in the Constitution George W, look it up.)

Rev. Boyd got fed up with requests from church members and visitors alike:
"Would he please announce a rally against gay marriage during services? Would he introduce a politician from the pulpit? Could members set up a table in the lobby promoting their anti-abortion work? Would the church distribute “voters’ guides” that all but endorsed Republican candidates? And with the country at war, please couldn’t the church hang an American flag in the sanctuary?"
Rev. Boyd refused each request and developed a six sermon series called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should not be in the business of politics, should stop moralizing on sexual issues, and stop glorifying American military campaigns.
Woodland lost about 1000 of it's 5000 members with many walking out during Rev. Boyd's sermons. But, he is also hearing a collective exhalation from members who have been holding their breaths afraid that if they question the war in Iraq or any conservative social stance, it means they don't love Jesus.

Randall Balmer, a religion professor at Barnard College and an evangelical, has written “Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America -- an Evangelical’s Lament.”

Brian D. McLaren, the founding pastor at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Gaithersburg, Md. is a leader in challenging the more politicized evangelical establishment.
“More and more people are saying this has gone too far -- the dominance of the evangelical identity by the religious right,” Mr. McLaren said. “You cannot say the word ‘Jesus’ in 2006 without having an awful lot of baggage going along with it. You can’t say the word ‘Christian,’ and you certainly can’t say the word ‘evangelical’ without it now raising connotations and a certain cringe factor in people.

“Because people think, ‘Oh no, what is going to come next is homosexual bashing, or pro-war rhetoric, or complaining about ‘activist judges.’ ”


Mr. Boyd has a new book out, “The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church,” which is based on his sermons.

Mr. Boyd lambasted the “hypocrisy and pettiness” of Christians who focus on “sexual issues” like homosexuality, abortion or Janet Jackson’s breast-revealing performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. He said Christians these days were constantly outraged about sex and perceived violations of their rights to display their faith in public.

“Those are the two buttons to push if you want to get Christians to act,” he said. “And those are the two buttons Jesus never pushed.”

I dashed off an e-mail to Rev. Boyd and received a reply.
Hello Rev. Boyd,
I live in Chicago IL and I just read an article about your book and sermons challenging the current religious/political bond. I want to say THANK YOU!!!!! Thank you very much. Thanks for having the courage to breakaway and say what so desperately needed to be said. Thanks for speaking what is in the hearts and minds of so many people in our country who are disturbed by the connotation that to be Christian is not only to be Republican but to be of a certain narrow, intolerant, military, America can do no wrong mind set.
I am an extremely patriotic American, I love my country deeply. But to love it means I want it to live up to it's ideals (not it's practices) of religious and personal freedoms. It does not meant love it or leave it, God is on our side no matter what we do, or that we can sit in judgement of others because they are different and then translate those judgements into laws.
I am also a Christian. I love Jesus and I know he loves me. I attend a wonderful church. It hurts me to see the attitude in America that being a Christian is not enough. You have to be a certain type of Christian. It's sad and it's dangerous and scares me.
Please continue your work. Please impress on your listeners that a single minded nation would be death of what America is supposed to be. I have always wanted Muslims, especially Muslim-Americans to speak up and let the world know that to be Muslim does not mean you are a terrorist or that you are sympathetic to terrorist. Well I hope Christians will do the same. Speak up and say we can have philosophical differences and political differences and still be Christian.
I hope our nation will come back to it's senses and heed the wisdom of the founding fathers regarding the separation of church and state.

His reply
Hi Jackie,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback. I'm receiving thousands of similar e-mails from people all over the world. People all over the place are tired of the fusion of the cross and the sword that has been taking place in American religion. I'm happy to play a small role in helping people see a beautiful alternative.

If you want to go further with this, you might enjoy Myth of a Christian Nation.

In any case, thanks for your very encouraging words.

Greg Boyd


I am sure that Rev. Boyd and I have many differences of opinion and I am sure that he agrees with me that the church has been and should be a place where social justice and change is a priority, but not a pawn for a political party or justification for military action.

Precious Moments

Maria O'Connor and Amy Entwistle skate to the theme from West Side Story.

Precious moments and memories we can not see in the regular Olympics..yet.


Aquatic group from Washington DC prepare for Pink Flamingo swim show.


Physique, physique, physique


Ballroom Dancesport




The Ladies Dance



More Guys

Beautiful

Monica and I went to see the Gay Games VII figure skating competition. The McFetridge Center was packed. That was good. One of the ticket takers was a 50ish woman with long flowing rainbow colored hair. The other was a 50ish woman with short spiky rainbow colored hair. I liked their hair. Short spiky rainbow lady assured me I'd get cold in my shorts and short sleeves. She was right. On the way back from getting my jacket from the car, she pointed an I told you so finger at me. I told her I liked her hair and she started telling me how it was done and then shooed me into the rink because the pairs competition was starting. "You don't wanna miss any of this." Right again.

After the mixed pairs it was time for the same sex pairs. I knew it would be novel and we'd be proud but it was more than that. From the first two women who took the ice the crowd rose to support them. These were not skaters with precision double toe loops and triple jumps, awing back flips or blurringly fast spins. They were of different skating levels. Most jumps were tiny single jumplets, but you'd never know it from the crowd reaction. You would think they'd done a double toe and went right into a quad jump.

But they were good skaters. They were all very precise and in sync which is the beauty of pair skating. The choreography was fun and entertaining and varied with spins and speed and posing and drama and lifts and throws. Lots of oooo's and ahhhh's and wows! You could feel the pride and adrenalin pumping from the skaters to the crowd and from the crowd to the skaters. When the young woman from Germany lifted her partner and skated around the rink, I could feel the joy and emotion and triumph and the politics and the giant social statement being made right there at that moment. It was a familiar feeling that I've had before....like when Debbie Thomas took the ice, when Sidney Poitier won his Oscar or Harold Washington was elected mayor. It was a feeling of see, the sky didn't fall, no children were corrupted. Get over it. Society will be better.

The finale production number included all of Team 2006 skaters. They skated to Christina Aguilera's Beautiful and was dedicated to anyone who had to endure verbal abuse. Each skater wore a tee shirt with a GLBT insult. Embarrassed and afraid they covered the shirt with a jacket. A few were bold enough to throw off the jacket and skate free. Eventually more shed the jacket until they all skated free in a circle holding on to each other. All of a sudden, this rainbow ribbon appeared and encirled skaters! It was truly beautiful. Christina sang "Cause we are beautiful, no matter what they say, words won't bring us down.... "

Bright Future

Chicago is alive with not only the Gay Games sports competitions but with a festival of arts and cultural exhibits and performances as well.
Tuesday afternoon we went to the Chicago Cultural Center to see a beautiful combination of the arts and a hopeful look into the future.
The concert combined the music of the Diverse Harmony Gay/Straight Alliance Youth Chorus from Seattle, and Chicago (now Los Angeles) singer Alexandra Billings and pianist Russ Long.
The chorus members ages 13-22 are 15 of the most beautiful children I've ever seen. As they were singing I knew some were gay, lesbian, Transgendered and straight. It wasn't obvious which were which and it didn't matter. That's their beauty, and their lesson to us.

Alexandra was fantastic. This is the funniest woman in this world. Her rapport with the audience is electric and her rapid fire ad libs and facial expressions are unbelievably funny. Of course she sings. She sang Judy and Liza songs and told Judy and Liza jokes. We were in heaven.

The young chorus members watching Alex were too. It was obvious she is a role model and now a hero to these kids. They see accomplishment, strength, and hope in Alex. She has paved the way for them. In these young people, we see hope for a tolerant society where people can be accepted for who they are.

The last song was a Russ Long arrangement for Alexandra and the chorus of Carley Simon's anthem Let The River Run . If you've ever heard Miss Billings sing this song you know it belongs to her. The combination of Alex and this very special talented young choir was magical.

Pass the tissues.

I See Gay People...

I am so proud of Chicago! I am proud to live in a city that is proud and out loud about it's support of the GLBT community. I mean the mayor wants to showcase the city through us. Cool.
We attended the first official Gay Games VII event Saturday morning at 7AM.
The International Rainbow Memorial Run is the symbolic "torch" relay to bring the Rainbow Flag from San Fransico, the "Athens" of the Gay Games, around the world to Gay Games VII in Chicago. The last run event bringing the flag to the 2006 Games culminated at historic Rainbow Beach on South Shore Drive. What a beautiful and emotional morning.
I am an emotional person, what can I say.. Rainbow is a gorgeous beach, the morning was warm but not hot yet, the sun was INTENSE! OMG! BRIGHT! We had been out late over on North Halsted where the usual number of Friday night peeps were tripled, many speaking languages other than English. It is wonderful and exciting.

I am sort of an Olympic nut, so I remember each time the torch traveled through Chicago. I have actually held an Olympic torch, but the running of the Rainbow Flag has even more meaning to me. The Rainbow Run events done in conjuction with Front Runners Clubs and Names Project, raises AIDS awareness and is dedicated to the
memory of GLBT people around the world lost to AIDS with a specific remembrance of Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell.
And, on it's journey to Chicago, this Rainbow Flag was used to lead the very first Pride Parade in a Black township in Africa. 150 marchers took to the streets in Guguletu, Cape Town in what was considered as a triumphant two weeks after a 17 year old girl was beaten and stabbed to death because of her sexuality.

Saturday, there was a signing of a memorial quilt and the pouring of libations for those we have loss to AIDS as my friend Carole's Drummer group accompanied in traditional African garb. NBC5's Lee Ann Trotter was the MC and Keith Boykin gave the moving keynote speech. We gave Tracy Baim (co-chair GGVII) a supportive hug because the week she's worked so hard for had begun, and talked with Lee Ann Trotter about homophobia, her public support, AIDS, and the opening ceremonies that night in which she was going to enjoy as a spectator, not as a reporter. Good to have people in the media that have your back.
Opening Ceremony Gay Games VII
First, we should have taken Metra. We thought about it but decided to drive. Wrong! The parking was $35 blankety-blank dollars at Soldier Field! Oh Well, they have to pay for that flying saucer sitting on top of this beautiful classic Greek architecture. Yuck. Surprise though, inside it is looks very, very nice. The flying saucer actually cut the sun's heat and glare and it was extrememly comfy inside. I do miss the look of the columns of the old building, but it is quite pleasant looking, comfy seats and great sight lines. Soldier Field may have lost it's landmark status since that saucer landed, but it is more user friendly. We got there early. Even though we are about five minutes from Soldier Field we didn't know what to expect traffic wise, so we had time to chill, walk around and go looking for friends.

Again, I see gay people....they came! Thousands of them. I love it.
First, acknowledgements to the Federation of Gay Games and the Chicago Board and staff and volunteers. Speeches by Keith Boykin and others and Megan Mulally introduced Mayor Daley. His speech was quite astonishing in it's passion yet his incredulous attitude reminded me of Lee Ann Trotter's that morning. He said in essence, he just can't understand what all the big deal is. These are people who are here and are going to be here. These are people we know, people in our families, people in every facet of society. So what is all the fuss about. That's his attitude. I say amen.

The athlete march began with San Franciso, followed by the nations, some in native garb. Then the announcer said "And now we have one lone athlete from Uganda." He received a standing ovation and the pride was evident in his strut and grin. It had to take courage and determination for this African man to travel here with his gay self. Next, the USA came out by States. It was interesting noting the number of athletes in certain states, especially the "red" states. Utah had a surprisingly large number and Wyoming had only one. "The great state of California" had more athletes than the entire world. Good grief! New York was well represented but last to strut out was CHICAGO. OMG! What a contingent! "And Chicago is still coming" 2500 strong! WOOHOO!
Chicago athletes enthusiastically come on the field last as the host city.


The world's athletes come to Chicago.


The rest of the evening was divided into four sections to tell the story of gay history. Exclusion, Oppression, Expression and Ignition were told via dance, songs and speakers. The GLBT community was represented by a lone man who acted out each stage.

Highlights were, Billy Porter, very funny Maragret Cho, totally rocking Andy Bell, expressing our anger was passionate cursing and I do mean cussin' Stacyann Chin. Woo! This lady's wrath woke up the house! Raising of the Gay Games flag escorted by my friend Eric, yayyyyy!! And the streaker! Of course there was a streaker, (nice butt).
Ignition, was very exciting with the GLBT guy now "out" and in silver pants doing cartwheels and dancing and running with chariots. Then tremendous fireworks and the lighting of the torch.

Monica said it was like being in her own little world. It was amazing the feelings I had. It was not like the Pride Parade that takes place on Halsted, we are allowed that. But this was huge, and OK and all over the city. It is about more than races and accuracy and faster, higher, stronger. It is about being free to be us without fear and having others, GLBT or not, want to join us. I think the Gay Games are expressing as passionately as Staceyann Chin did, our determination to not be closeted, not be restricted in who we love, where we work, if we can serve our country, teach children, and not be used as political pawns. Now I am going out there and enjoy the Gay Games in Chicago!



Athletes from New Orleans


The athletes make a rainbow.

GAY GAMES VII - CHICAGO

Saturday July 15, 2006 Chicago will welcome 12,000 athletes and participants from over 70 countries to run, cycle, swim, play ball, row, bowl, dive, lift weights, vogue muscles, throw darts, figure skate, dance, sing, cheer, golf, hockey, wrestle and sail. There will also be a week long arts festival including choral, dance, band and much more. WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!! There will be nightly medal ceremonies at Millenniun Park!

When did the Gay Games Start?: The Gay Games, previously known as San Francisco Arts & Athletics, was established on 1980 by Dr. Tom Waddell, a 1968 Olympic decathlete who later died of AIDS complications in 1987, and a group of San Francisco residents. Today, the quadrennial event is held in various cities throughout the world. The first Gay Games was held in 1982.

Why the Gay Games?: The Gay Games were established to provide a competitive sporting environment where anyone is free to express themselves and "experience camaraderie and validation through sport and culture," as the Federation of Gay Games promises.

Of course, there are some present and former Olympic athletes that are openly gay and many more that aren't out. The Gay Games weren't established to replace the Olympics, only offer a forum for athletes to focus on personal performance without worry of exclusion or discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, physical challenge, health status or athletic/artistic ability.

All that being said. Let the Games begin. I wish luck and fun to all athletes and participants,. I welcome all visitors and hope we all have a memorable week in Chicago.


Thanks to the Staff and Board of Gay Games VII for their tireless work to make this happen.

Seussical Quest

Since Seussical the Musical is in Chitown and in honor of my favorite a-Mayzing peacock I thought I'd post this Dr. Seussical confusical, I saw in the Trib.
I call it a Quest because it's as long as a Test but counts as a Quiz or is as easy as a quiz but counts as a Test. QUEST! Get it? Ok, ok shoot me.

Test your memory for the chanting rhymes and crazy characters that come to life in Dr. Seuss' more than 40 children's books. Answers are in comments. Cheaters.

As Dr. Seuss himself once put it: "Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won."

1. What is Dr. Seuss' real name?

2. Which of Dr. Seuss' books was published first?

A. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

B. "The Cat in the Hat"

C. "Green Eggs and Ham"

D. "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street"

3. Fill in the blank in these Seuss rhymes:

A. "Oh, the things they will bump!

Oh, the things they [two words]!

Oh, I do not like it! Not one little bit!"

B. "You've nothing to do and I do [three words].

Would you like to sit on the egg in my nest?"

C. "A zoo should have bugs, so I'll capture a Thwerll

Whose legs are snarled up in a [two words]."

D. "I'll just have to save him.

Because, after all, A person's a person, no matter [two words]."

E. "Unless someone like you

cares a whole awful lot,

nothing is going to get better. [Two words]."

4. Identify the speaker in each of the above quotations.

5. Dr. Seuss won three Academy awards. What did he earn his Oscars for?

A. "Hitler Lives"

B. "Gerald McBoing-Boing"

C. "Design for Death"

D. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

6. In what book did a young narrator find a ghair beneath the stairs or a bofa on the sofa?

A. "And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street"

B. "The Butter Battle Book"

C. "There's a Wocket in my Pocket"

7. What moral lesson do the Star-Belly Sneetches and Plain-Belly Sneetches teach?

A. Pitfalls of prejudice

B. Effect of materialist society on natural world

C. Ideology of nuclear armament

8. Who was Thidwick?

A. The Birthday Honk-Honker

B. Curious Crandall

C. The Big-Hearted Moose

9. In what year did the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" first air on TV?

A. 1970

B. 1966

C. 1971

10. Match the quirky location with the book.

1. Who-ville

2. Foona-Lagoona

3. Official Katroo Birthday Sounding Off Place

4. River Roover

A. "The Sneetches and Other Stories"

B. "Happy Birthday to You!"

C. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

D. "Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book"

11. What was the Grinch's problem?

A. He did not like feasting.

B. His heart was two sizes too small.

C. He did not like noise.

D. He loathed singing.

12. What was the Grinch's dog's name?

A. Max

B. Ali

C. Mr. Bix

D. Rolf

My Seussical the Musical Reviewsical

I was never into Dr. Seuss, for his books I had no use,
though mother read to me a lot, (one of my Best remembers as a tot).
She read me rhymes, the nursery kinds
and fairy's tells from all the tellers, and Brer Rabbit and his trickster fellers
then classic poetry and prose, like All of Edgar Allen Poe's.
But no Seuss!

OK OK I got that out of my system.
I saw Seussical the Musical at the Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier here in Chicago and it's hard to stop the rhymical thinks. But it is true, I could as a very young child and probably still can quote Poe's The Raven by heart, but It was not until I met Monica that I was introduced to Dr. Seuss and his characters.

Seussical the Musical is a clever combination of Dr. Seuss' books and characters. The sweet and loyal Horton the Elephant who lives in the Jungle of Nool along with Gertude McFuzz, Mayzie La Bird and the Bird Girls, the Wickersham's (monkeys), and the Sour Kangaroo. The Who's, who live on the itty-bitty planet of Whoville, include the mayor and his wife and their son JoJo.

It is a story about the power of imagination, the dangers of stifling it and about how everyone is important no matter who (pardon the pun) or how small or plain.
The staging is simple yet so creative it will wake up the sleeping imagination of even the most stodgy adult. I liked especially the bath tub scene with JoJo and the fish in the ocean.

The Cat in the Hat is the narrator played hysterically funny by E. Faye Butler complete with an Oprahish bit and many funny asides to the actors and audience. We were in the front row center(although there are really no bad seats at Shakespeare) so did not miss a single tease. This woman is good!

Horton the Elephant played with such sincerity by Bernie Yvon, rescues the Who's on their tiny planet and drops them on a clover leaf. The Jungle of Nool folks like the Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers think Horton is daft for talking to a speck. Well um.... I see their point.

In Whoville, Mr. and Mrs. Mayor are trying to decide what to do about their son JoJo who keeps getting in trouble because of his extraordinary thinks. ( I love that, being a person of extraordinary thinks myself.)

Meanwhile, back in the jungle:
Gertrude McFuzz played by Brandy McClendon has a thing for Horton but she feels she is not going to be able to catch his eye because she has only one pitiful tail feather. Enter the beautiful Miss Mayzie La Bird. Mayzie tells Gertrude that she once was a plain Jane type too until she went to the doctor for some special tail growing pills. They work really well. Mayzie La Bird, who is played to the hilt by Alexandra Billings, is quite a colorful, peacock with a fannietastic tail, and she works it honey!
Brandy and Alexandra are both brilliant comediennes. It's so much fun seeing the difference between Brandy's sexually repressed, bespectacled, kinetic, small birdlike Gertrude energy and Alex's big, sashaying, party over here, sexy, saucy Mayzie energy. This really works!

The Wickersham's steal the clover leaf from Horton and drop it in a huge clover field! I remember Wickersham Travis Turner from Princess and the Pea at Shakespeare and fondly remember Berwick Haynes from Diva Diaries at Lake Shore Theater. These guys along with Devin DeSantis have some great dance numbers, cudos to the choreographer! The kids in the audience especially liked the Wickersham's.

Mayzie who is reluctantly sitting on a nearby nest, (after a one night stand that left her holding the egg) convinces the ever loyal Horton to sit for her while she takes a little vacation. Months go by and Mayzie does not come back.

Monica plays organ music here..........
Will Gertrude finally confess her love for Horton? Does she get that sexy tail? Will Horton even notice? Does Horton save the Who's? Is Mayzie the babymamma? And what about JoJo?
Find out right here! www.chicagoshakes.com

Seussical The Musical is wonderful theater for children because it moves along quickly with the story in rhyme and lots of dancing and good messages. For adults, it is also cleverly risque but don't worry it's daring will sail harmlessly over the little ones heads.
Congrats to everyone in this company!

After the show Monica and I waited for Alexandra. She and two other cast members signed autographs and posed for pictures for the kids. Alex is amazing with children and they love her. She is very animated and funny and gives such attention to each one, asking great kid questions especially to the shy kids. During the first week of Suessical previews, Alex had a young boy in her autograph line named Charlie. Charlie is Transgendered and his parents wisely brought him to see and meet Alex. During the show watching Alex I was thinking how proud and calming it must have been for this child and his parents to see this amazing artist. How hopeful and encouraged they must have felt after talking with her.
For us, it's always good to see Alex. We are always happy she is in town. But, to see Alex sitting on a nest....that is Priceless!

Most Excellent!

Our church represented in the Gay Pride Parade this year. Here they are carrying our banner, supporting and welcoming GLBT people to our church.
I love these people!

I believe in Rainbows

Monica and I went way down state almost to Kentucky, to visit two dear friends for a few days. It is about a five hour drive if you don't stop for a snack or the bathroom or to stretch. Going straight through is faster but I like rest stops. I like to see the people who are traveling on the same road. I like to see Americans. I know I see them everyday, but they're all from here, they all have the same flavor so to speak, you know. Airports of course are a good place to see a variety of Americans, but airports to me have become a place of frustration and annoyances. I don't really enjoy airports. I just want to get where I'm going.
Rest stops and highway oasis' are different. I have good childhood memories of those oasis type places when my family would go to Alabama in the summer. But now, you can buy a DVD-VCR combo in an oasis! Weird!

Our friends Russ and Dan cooked for us and pampered us and we were able to unwind and relax after a tough year. We talked a lot and got to know each other and had big fun. They have a fabulously beautiful home with a pool. I am not that much of a swimmer so Dan and I went skimming. I am a great skimmer.


Russ came back with us to Chicago and Monica did all the driving. We ran into a couple of storms that we could see off to the west. It was weird to see the streaks coming from the huge dark cloud that was actually moving taking the rain with it, while all around the cloud was sunny. The cloud with rain, moving along like in a cartoon. When the cloud reached us it was torrential. At one point Russ pointed out that the northbound side of the highway was being drenched while the southbound side was dry. Nature is amazing.

We were chatting about Gay Pride Day in Chicago and wondering if it rained on the festivities. Then, as if on cue, a beautiful rainbow formed off to the east of the highway. Acknowledgement and support from the heavens!
We clapped and cheered and believed it was so.

I Love These People

Monica and I belong to University Church which is located on the University of Chicago campus in Chicago. A couple years ago we went shopping for a church because we felt we needed to receive and give to a church community. We are not churchy, religious types but we are believers and spiritual people. So, we visited several churches. University church flies the GLBT rainbow flag, but many Hyde Park churches do. However, I felt I was Home at University as soon as I saw the huge AIDS ribbon in the sanctuary, and the pleasant surprise that the director of music was my high school music teacher and that his wife was in the choir.

Monica loved the calm the services brought her after a week with school kids and we both liked the two ministers, the people and the United Church of Christ's (UCC) philosophy of being anti-racist, open and affirming and belief that God Is Still Speaking. Our friends James and Marilyn recently joined and our friends Gene and Gordon have also joined.
I just love all of these people. Good people, genuinely open and supportive people.



I Like these pictures of our dance choir.

BLUES CHICAGO

I am eclectic when it comes to the arts. Music especially is a passion with me. I like some of everything. I do. But the genre I love most is Blues. Downhome, urban, country, traditional, modern, or rhythm and...
Yeah the, my baby done left me, my dog done died, nobody loves me but my mother and she could be lying too, blues

I love them all, from the work songs of the slaves to Robert Johnson out on that Crossroads, Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson.. to Bessie Smith, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, BB King and Jimi Hendrix..to Bobby Blue Bland, Koko Taylor and Tyrone Davis.. to Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, Bonnie Raite, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Robert Cray. I love me some Blues.
So, here are two of my favorites. Others will be stoppin' by from time to time.

Jimi Hendrix played great blues, acoustic or electric. Although he was not known as a blues artist, that's where he first drew his inspiration and it was the base of his rock playing. You only had to hear Electric Church Red House or the raunchy, nasty Little Wing to know this was true. Yes, he was the master of lightning fast riffs, distortion, fuzz, and feedback but he could also play a clear sweet acoustic Red House or Muddy Waters' classic Mannish Boy. My cousins, Lavern, Suzan, Kenneth and I share Jimi's November 27th birthday. That is a slammin' date.



Robert Johnson went out on that old crossroads and made a pact with the devil for the guitar talent to take him to fame and fortune. He wrote and recorded 29 songs, and then ole satan came and got him. That's the deal. He didn't realize that he already had the talent or when you make a pact with a cunning entity, you have to pay attention to detail and the fine print. Robert Johnson is famous and would have had fortune had he specified he wanted these things during his lifetime.
His songs raunchy and sexual and clever, have been recorded by the Rolling Stones and especially by Eric Clapton. There have been movies and documentaries and papers and books examining his music and his short life and tragic death at age 27.
His music, clearly classic blues progressions, but his playing was intricate and inventive and definitly a transition to the future electric blues of Muddy Waters and B B King, and influencial to the music of Led Zepplin's Jimmy Page and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Eric Clapton.

Too bad you had those Hellhounds On Your Trail Robert.


But I am grateful for the 29, and thanks for Sweet Home Chicago.

SNL Legends

Maya Rudolph is a brilliant comic on Saturday Night Live. Check out her take off as Oprah at the Legends Ball. Hilarious!

Yayyy Broadway!!!!

Variety reports that Broadway is back in a big way!
Fueled by holdover hits and a terrific selection of new shows, the 2005-06 season grossed a record $861.6 million, up 12% from the previous season.

Paid attendance broke the 12 million barrier for the first time, hitting 12,003,148 ticket buyers.

Top earners were "Wicked," with $68.1 million; "The Lion King," at $59.3 million; "Monty Python's Spamalot," $53.6 million; "Mamma Mia!" with $48.9 million; and "The Producers" with $40.2 million.

Of the new shows this season, biggest hits were "Jersey Boys," "The Color Purple" and "The Odd Couple."


The percentage of seats filled also hit an all-time record: 81.6%. The number of playing weeks -- sum total of the number of weeks played by each show -- was 1,501, up from 1,494 the prior season but not quite as high as the 2002-03 season, when playing weeks rose to 1,544.


Figures mark a big bounce-back for Broadway, which was hard hit by 9/11. Attendance hadn't neared 12 million since the 2000-01 season, which logged 11.89 million theatergoers.

Season attendance for 2004-05 was 11.53 million, earning $768.5 million.


WOW! That's Terrific! It makes me happy! One reason noted for this is the increase in domestic and foreign tourism in New York City.

NYC IS BACK! Big Apple 1 Terrorist Zilch!

Ticket sales were even strong for hot shows like Julia Robert's "Three Days of Rain" that upped tix prices to $110.

Another indicator of Broadway's robust health is all four of last year's Tony-nominated shows -- "Monty Python's Spamalot," "The Light in the Piazza," "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" -- are still running.


Hot shows, Revivals, Long Runners and New Shows all doing well! That makes me smile to know that people still enjoy drama and song and dance with melodic lyrics with a live orchestra.
I just read President Bush's address from yesterday. He is an evil man. I needed to smile.