Do It with Flare

Do the Right Thing?

Yesterday I had a co-worker call because he needed help with something. I use co-worker loosely since we are all scattered around the country and only see one another once a year.

...anyway

He starts talking about the property he inspected and starts his description with, "It's in a nice neighborhood, a mostly white neighborhood. I think."

I was a stunned with this superlative irrelevant descriptor. My internal voice said, "What the f... does that have to do with anything?" "Why would you think that is okay to say to me?" My external voice, the one that really counts said nothing. I made that quick decision that this is not the time and the place.

Afterwords, I was left with, when exactly is the time and the place? I don't want to turn my work world into a socio-political platform, but by being silent I believe I did just that. My silence let him believe that I was in his ignorant racist camp. I felt shame. I still feel shame. I feel like I'm big blow hard bag of righteous indignation, but no true action.

I made a quick and probably cowardly split second decision not to say anything. Like anyone, I have some regrets here and there in my life, but the ones that cause me the continual stabs of pain are moments like these when I failed to do the right thing.

"Wisp"

This is a favorite of mine. I did a good job stopping when it was done.

It's Official

My doctor called on Friday to inform me that not only have I torn my rotator cuff, but that the tendon has torn completely from the bone. Bonus!! I do such a good job of imagining the worst case scenario that it is a special prize when things are actually worse than I thought. The surgery is scheduled and, frankly, my shoulder is so bad (I wish I were exaggerating here) that I'm actually looking forward to the surgery. Looking forward to the day (many months from now) when I can get dressed without pain.

As an aside...I'm giving serious consideration to doing a left-handed art series during my 4-6 weeks in a sling. For this to succeed, I have to let go of any perceived limitation that forces my left hand do/see what my right hand would ordinarily do/see.

What do ya think?

Foundry Man

This is a favorite photo of mine. I have not done any serious photography in some time and miss it. I miss it from the creative process side and from the fact that most of my work was done at conversation distance. It allowed me to meet all sorts of people and hear wonderful stories. There's a lot of personal back story on this particular photo, but I'm not one to talk in detail about the actual work. I prefer the viewer to have their own experience. I will say that the man in this picture was only 42 at the time.

What will We DO when No One HATES Us?

When no one hates us anymore, we GAYS will walk down the street holding OUR partner's hand without the hyper-vigilant look over OUR shoulder. OUR families won't bat an eye at the revelation. Strangers and family alike won't feel they need to "protect" their children from US. OUR lives won't be used as a political fodder. Soldiers in the armed forces will serve openly without being dishonorably discharged and will be publicly greeted with the loving arms of their partners when they return home.

OUR lives will seem mundane and normal. NO ONE comes out at work because WE just are. The stories of a sweet young man beaten and left to die on a fence in the wilderness will be a horror of a long distant past. WE will marry and adopt children if WE desire. WE will look back with nostalgia at the days when WE held Pride Parades to celebrate who WE are and combat OUR own internal hatred.

As I wake today, I am assured that events like Saturday's Kiss off which was organized in response to my fellow GAYs being harrassed and arrested in Utah and Texas for a little innocent PDA will continue. WE will need to stand in protest to fight for marriage rights, and protect OUR GAY soldiers and their invisible partners. I know that come next summer I'll attend the PRIDE events and stand with my community in all OUR collective glory and celebrate who WE are. Because today I wake to the truth that far too many still hate US.

Just Pictures

There have been a lot of words of late and no pretty pictures. I thought I would post a picture and very few words this time. You can decide if its pretty.

My Head's a Swimmin'

I feel like I should post, but have so many divergent thoughts that I seem unable to collect them in any real coherent manner. So much is going on I don't know what to pick and choose.

Euna and Laura made a short video to say thank you to all who were rallying for their release. It was very sweet of them to do so at a time that has to still be so very difficult for them. They are truly the lucky ones. So many brave journalists never make it home.

The disruptions at the townhall on meetings that have grown from disgusting to shameful to downright dangerous have me wondering if all the brains have left the Republican Party. Don't get me ranting on Sarah Palin and the "Death Panels". This is important and why some people want to disrupt the process just for "win" of an Obama failure is a sad commentary.

The left button on my mouse is malfunctioning. This is an expensive 9-Button mouse that I fear I cannot find anymore.

The Two Body Solution has managed to draw me in to the gender debate, which doesn't take much since I've been fascinated by gender politics since my late teens. Their site is well composed and thought provoking. Let's add Angry Asian Man to the mix when it comes to racial politics because I feel much the same way as I do about gender politics. I am after all a self-proclaimed gay feminist bleeding heart liberal Buddhist. What do you expect?

Aung San Suu Kyi's extended house arrest is a wound to the world's soul. The thousands in Taiwan injured, killed or still missing from the Typhoon Morakat. Their suffering is our suffering. You should care.

The protests by the people of Iran over a corrupted election is awe inspiring. They are doing everything possible to get the news out to the rest of the world. Thanks to Ann Curry for getting their message out to Twitter Land.

Michael Jackson is still not buried. The oddity of his life continues in his death.

My shoulder has made NO improvement in the last ten days...good thing I'm having surgery. I have been able to keep up my gym regimen despite the injury, and am proud of myself for that. The injury has stopped any metal work, which requires a fair amount of muscling at times. I guess I need to pull out the pastels and focus that creative energy elsewhere.

"Julie and Julia" was wonderful. I totally understand the relationship with Julia Child that comes from working your way through "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". I hear Julia's voice telling me to have confidence every time I flip my omelet.

I'm not studying enough for my licensing exam in October, nor am I able to devote the time and attention I want to my Mandarin studies.

My meditation practice is staying pretty consistent and the positives of this show up in my life in so many ways I won't attempt to list them here. After over 16 years of being a Buddhist, I feel like I'm actually beginning to "get" things now. I understood before in my mind, but now I feel it ooze from my pores. Everything makes sense from here.

There's so much more...you get the idea...who wants to read that much of almost posts?

Aung San Suu Kyi

I continue to write about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi because we should care. We should care that this courageous woman continues to held under house arrest by her government. I've written about her a couple of times before when her detention was extended in the past, and have been following her story for more than 15 years now.

I do wonder when the world will care enough for her to be free. She has courageously refused to leave Burma in the past. She stayed when the opportunities presented because she knew leaving would mean never returning...never continuing the fight for freedom for all of the citizens of Burma. While she is there even under house arrest she is a beacon of hope for the opposition, for freedom.

So you see, if Aung San Suu Kyi is truly free then so is Burma.

Scrounging

I forgot to lay out the chicken, which sent me scrounging for something to whip up. Fortunately, I had a bit of seafood mix (mussels, squid, octopus, and shrimp) that doesn't have to fully thaw to cook. A tiny bit of prep and some rice noodles and I didn't have a half bad dinner.