Day of Decision..

Yesterday the Supreme Court of California upheld Prop 8, taking away our rights as Gay and Lesbian people to be able to marry. This decision did not come as a big surprie to our community, but we are very saddened and angry about it. Thankfully though, those who were married during the time it was legal, will stay married. But that in itself creates two diffrent kinds of people, Gay and Lesbians who can be married, and the rest of us who can not. This is far from over. Last night, I joined around 1500 other sadden and angry Gay and Lesbian people, and our supporters, who marched in protest in Long Beach. Our friend Timmy joined me there as we marched down Broadway in protest of this ruling. In the coming months we will be working to get Prop 8 overturned at the ballot box, so stayed tuned, as I said, this is only the beginning.

The Protest...

A Little Time Away Does A Body Good.....

One day back in April, I realized I needed to take a few day off from the office and recharge my batteries so to speak. Not that I struck or screamed at any of our patient's or anything, but I had gotten off the phone with one of our patients who had called me for the third time that day about something I could to help her with, and I realized I was a little aggrivated with her, something I usually do not let happen. It was then I realized I need to step away from the office and the phones and the patients for just a few days and recharge. So that afternoon, I requested May 20,21, and 22 off , Wednesday-Friday, that would give me a nice littel get a way for 5 days, and then I realized we had Monday off too for Memorial Day so that would be 6 days!!!!! even better.

So when the time came for my time off, I really did not have any real plans of what I was going to do..and that was a good thing! Patrick did not take anytime off during this time, he is going to take a few days in June. So what did I do on my first day of my mini-vaca? slept in to close to noon!! Now for those of you who have know me for awhile, you know I never sleep in like that, but it was great, just what I needed. The rest of that day I spent going to lunch, going over to Glendale to the Brand Library/Museum (www.brandlibrary.org) and that is about it. I was home when Patrick got home and we just veged here at the house.



The next day I did the one thing I had actually planned to do on my days off...went to the Laguna Art Museum.(www.lagunaartmuseum.org) Of all the museums I like to go to, this one is by far my favorite. My favorite Artists are the early California Artist from the late 1800s to the 1960s. The Laguna Art Museum only show work from these Artist's and it is a beautiful Museum too. So I drove over and toured the Museum for several hours and then went to a park close by that over looks the ocean and ate the lunch I had brought with me. It was a spectaluar day to be in Laguna. I decided to drive Hwy 1 back home so I could stay close to the ocean and to see what it was like along the way. It was a great drive. (something to know if you go to Laguna...there are parking meter everywhere and they only take quarters. It is a dollar an hour,for those meters along Hwy 1. The meters on the side streets over looking the ocean...are $2 an hour!!)

.
I got up Sunday morning and I really did not have anything planned to do and Patrick was going to be away for the day. I knew I did not want to spend another day at home so I decided to go to see my old friend (only old in that we have know each for for a number of years!!) in Joshua Tree, Patrick #1.(Now for those of you who do not know, Patrick #1 and I were in a relationship in the early 1990's. We were actually together for about 2 years. After we ended our relationship we have always remained the best of friends. So as to distinguish between my ex and my Husband, we call the ex Patrick #1) The last time I had been out to see him I had left my somethings there so I thought it would a nice day to drive out. Before I left it was decide I would just stay over and come back the next day. Patrick #1 and I had a nice time,
he lives 17 miles outside of Joshua Tree in the middle of no where. The peace and quiet where he lives is truly wonderful. Another great thing about where he lives is all the stars you can see at night!! We ended up driving into town and having Pizza, coming back to his house and watching the movie "Latter Days". The next day I met up with my BFF, Goya,in Palms Springs for lunch before I headed back to LA.

It was really a great few days off. I got alot of rest and got to visit some of my very favorite places and hang out with some great friends. I was actually ready to head back to work, until the next time my batteries need to a recharge!!!

It Doesn't Matter...

It doesn't matter how big a ranch ya' own, or how many cattle ya' brand, the size of your funeral is still gonna depend on the weather.
Harry Truman.

Food For Thought..from Larry the Cable Guy

I totally love Larry the Cable Guy, I totally get what he says, well because that is just how it is in Texas where I come from!!! He reminds me of so many people I knew through my growing up years in Texas. So I thought I would share some words of wisdom with you...from Larry.

1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the
trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture most people have.

10. A clear consience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

13. How many of you believe in psychokinesis? Raise my hand.

14 Ok, so what's the speed of dark?

15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

17. How much deepr would the ocean be without sponges?

18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

19. What happens if you get scared half to death...twice?

20. Why do psychics have to ask your name?

21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, "What the hell
happened?"

22. Just remember--if the world didn't suck, we would fall off.

23. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.

24. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos, what
you do today, may burn your but tomorrow.

Long Beach Gay Pride 2009 part 1

One of the more important events for us in May is Long Beach Pride!! I first attended Long Beach Pride back in 1988. It was truly a life changing experience for me at the time. The year before my sister Trixie had attended, it was his first one and told me that the next year (1988) I had to go with him. So, I did.
Never in my life had I been in the presence of so many Gay and Lesbian people. I cried through most of the parade and as the end of the parade came to where we were, we joined the many hundreds of other people in the street and followed the parade to the Festival grounds. It was one of the most exciting times of my life. The parade went down Ocean Ave there in Long Beach and then turned left at Pine Ave, went down the hill to the Festival on the "island" (where the Aquarium of the Pacific is now). As the parade made left on Pine to go down the hill, along with all the people following it, I came to the corner and stopped dead in my tracks. Looking down on those thousands of Gay and Lesbian people, together in once place to celebrate who we are, was just too emotional for me, and I really started to cry. An older gentleman (well older for me at the time, he was probably the age I am now) came up to me, put his arm around my shoulder and hugged me to him for a moment and said," This is your first festival isn't it?". He told me he had a similar experience the first time he went to one. That was 1988, when it still was not a good thing to be Gay and out. It was a wonderful, wonderful time for me that day. Since that time,
I have missed very few of the Long Beach Pride Festivals. I have attended with different friends through the years and have MANY wonderful memories of things that happened in Long Beach as we got together to celebrate who we are as the LGBT community.

This year we attended a Brunch after the Parade at the home of our Wonderful friend, Phillip, who graced us all by wearing his Pride Fairy hat during the brunch!
He is a gracious host and as you can tell, everyone had a marvelous time!!
THANK YOU PHILIP!!

Long Beach Gay Pride 2009 Pics of Pride