Skip to main content

Pre-Palm Springs Musings

I fly to the West Coast tomorrow for the Love Breaks Out event on Saturday in Palm Springs, CA (you are coming, right?)

In addition to seeing my play (and my new Japanalia tunic I just bought for the trip), this is also Leather Weekend in Palm Springs. Yummy. Yeah, not the most vegan friendly event to be sure. Someone suggested I sport rubber in protest. I think nudity is a more appropriate response in a desert climate.

Oh, and they have wild fires too! Come on, elderly men with strips of leather holding up bits of flesh, the air filled with acrid smoke AND the comic ministry of Peterson Toscano--priceless!

I will be in Palm Springs Thur morning until Monday night, so if you can't make it to the event on Saturday, we can still meet up another day (Jon, Joe G, Daniel G, Eric, Tim, Heath Ledger--let's meet up!)

I am currently blogging on my fairly new Treo™ PDA. I've actually had to replace it twice, but this one is holding up okay, and my fingers are getting used to the tiny keyboard. I have yet to devise a strategy for inputing html links other than to just type all the code. I'll work on it.

Thanks for all the amazing comments and insights into my previous post about Ted Haggard. I felt physically exhausted after writting it. Some places are so hard to visit, but essential all the same. Thanks for the affirmation.

I feel pleased about some posts I will have up over the next few days. Susanne, a woman who was married to a man who came out has given me permission to share her e-mail with you. Also, I will feature the story of Elliot, an amazing 17 year trans boi I met earlier this year at a conference.

There is a mysterious power in telling our stories, a healing power for us when we tell our stories. For those who hear our stories, who actually have ears to hear, they can grow in understanding. We give a great gift when we tell our stories with integrity and vulnerability. We give an equally great gift when we listen to another's story. You will hear lots more about this as we head into 2007.

Comments

CrackerLilo said…
Nudity as a political response! Excellent! Now I need to see that and your Japanalia tunic.

I'm vegetarian for health reasons, not ethical ones, but the more I learn about animals, the less I wear leather. I recently bought some irresistable turquoise suede sneakers with lime stripes, and I loved them, and then I felt a little sick to put them on. My non-vegan days are numbered...much to L'Ailee's dismay, but I've noticed her passing up non-animal-tested makeup, too.

Also, I just wanted to say, thank you for trying, and I think you know what I'm talking about.
11:08 PM
Peterson Toscano said…
crackerlilo, christine and I saw a precious hand carved panda bear ornament at 10,000 Villages and thought of YOU!

I started out as a dietary vegan but bit by bit the leather is gone except for one pair of shoes I use on stage. can't find a replacement for it yet.

I eill be at Ramapo College in Northern NJ on Nov 30 with my homo no mo show if you are around. would love to connect and share a vegan meal.
11:31 PM
Anonymous said…
Sweet P! How do you meet all of those interesting people? Oh yeah, here´s a thought. Maybe it is your big hearted, caring and very devoted self that makes people open up to you. Magic.
3:13 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Gay Husband--A Spouse Speaks Out

The other day I received the following e-mail from Susanne, a woman who found out her some years ago that her husband has same-sex attractions. I felt so moved by her words that I asked her permission to share them with you on the blog. I (recently) saw your Doin Time... and I was the one who asked about your wife during the discussion period that followed. I just read your thoughts on What About the Spouse ....and I can say, most women who find out their husbands are gay feel ALL of those things you wondered about....some in more degrees than others... When my husband was dragged out of the closet because of his irreverent, immoral, and amoral behavior that our, then, 14 and 16 year old sons had to find on our home computer, I went into the closet. I didn't know what to pray for.... Do I pray that this will go away? Do I pray that he could go back to the way things were in our family before we knew about him,? Do I pray that I could go back to the way things were? After all ,...
122 comments
Read more

The False Image of LIA

John Smid and me-Graduation 1998 (above) & John Smid today (left) By now many have heard that Tennessee's Department of Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities determined that the "ex-gay" program, Love in Action, is operating two “unlicensed mental health supportive living facilities”. LIA has until Friday, September 23 to respond. If LIA statements in Eartha Jane Melzer's article are indicative to how the "change" program might respond, we may see LIA change right before our eyes from a clinical mental health compound into a house of praise and worship. Gerard Wellman, business administrator for Love in Action, and a former Love in Action client, said Sept. 13 that the organization has been in contact with the state but would not comment further. “As a church, we operate under a different set of rules,” Wellman said. Curious, and what rules might these be? What is even more curious is that according to LIA's site only one staff member ...
158 comments
Read more

Puzzled

Last night I performed Transfigurations-Transgressing Gender in the Bible at Imago Dei Metropolitan Community Church in Glen Mills, PA (about 15 miles outside of Philly). I had a diverse audience of about 45 people -- college students, Quakers, straight, bi, trans and lesbian, young and old. I took my time with the piece maintaining a gentle meditative pace. For the ending when I reveal the identity of the narrator, I had instructed the light tech to dim the lights. Then as the closing music swelled, I asked her to raise the lights to their brigthest intensity. With the music playing, I exited. Always (up until last night) at this point the audience applauds, I wait 5 seconds then come out to take a bow. Last night I exited and then nothing. No one clapped. They sat quietly as the music played. I stood back stage puzzled, baffled. Now what do I do? Wait? Go out anyway? And I wondered for a moment, Did they hate it? Did I confuse them? Offend them? Bore them into a coma? After what ...
18 comments
Read more