Odds and Sods...from an official non-loser!

Yes, that's right! I'm no loser! I have proof!

I would counsel that the test is somewhat culturally biased, with obvious extra points going to tattoos and piercings.

I am introducing a new feature here at Dead Air HQ, titled ODDS AND SODS. If I had that Twitter thing happening, I might try that, but I'm afraid it will be too complicated for my tiny brain. I mean, I could barely figure out Foxytunes!

~*~

For those of you who emailed me, concerning my soap opera with the preacher: let me assure you all, he did not see me enter the Gay Movie. They cordoned off the fundie protesters across the street, and unless they had binoculars (and I wouldn't totally discount the possibility!), they couldn't see who was going in. They did, however, preach very loudly and hyperventilated on cue for onlookers and video cameras.

The movie, titled FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO, was pretty basic, reminding everyone that gay people are often devout Christians too. I'd actually go one better, cribbing from my Imaginary Boyfriend, Rev. Michael Eric Dyson, who says the churches would fall apart without gay people: "Who's gonna run the choir and the Sunday School?" Indeed, WHO? All those deacons, all those priests, all those choir directors, all those nuns? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Well, I suppose this is news to some people, but certainly not me.

The main thing was the emotional reactions of the audience, the tears, the laughs of recognition.

It's an important movie that should be shown throughout the Bible belt. And everywhere else, too.

~*~

New to my blogroll:

AntiBarbie.Net writes short stories about cool stuff like women killing their ex-husbands (any ex-husbands reading this: you should NOT take this personally :P). At first, I thought ANTI-BARBIE meant "against Barbie dolls"--and then I realized she meant it like ANTI-CHRIST... she is The Anti-Barbie. Some atheists are so witty, you just gotta love it!

Charlottesville Prejudice Watch is a really great blog, deconstructing prejudice in all its sneaky little forms. Good politics and great reading!

And... speaking of deconstruction, we have the new Questioning Transphobia, a pointed reply to the really unpleasant website (which doesn't rate a link) "Questioning Transgender." I've never liked the snooty tone (we're girls and you aren't! nyah nyah!) of the aforementioned site, as well as the manner in which they totally ignore the reality of transmen (which of course, doesn't quite fit into their "colonization of women's space" theories).

Unfortunately, there have been few FEMINIST replies to these arguments, and the redoubtable Lisa at Questioning Transphobia jumps in with aplomb, making mincemeat of the usual Janice Raymondesque nonsense, which a lot of us grew up hearing and believing.

As penance for my one-time UNquestioning belief of several of these ideas, I am hereby linking Lisa and pledge to participate to the best of my ability and SIN NO MORE!


And... speaking of sinning no more, check out Roman Catholic Womenpriests!

I once had a root canal done* by a "substitute" dentist--a woman--since my usual dentist was on extended holiday. In so doing, I realized I'd never been to a female dentist before. And my oh my, wasn't she just so much gentler than my regular dentist... particularly as she began filing down the root of my tooth, the truly harrowing part of a root canal--even with copious amounts of nitrous oxide, which I demand forthwith, even before my novacaine shot. (I am paying for this, now, dammit, gimme my gas!) I remember thinking a woman dentist might make it better, and why can't we have more of them?

Same with priests! Wouldn't confession be so much nicer if you could say "Forgive me MOTHER, for I have sinned"? Would it be a bit MILDER, like that filing-down I just mentioned? Well, it would for me.

Did I just compare confession to root canal? Oh, hell yes.

*I've had 13 root canals in all.

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Listening to: Grateful Dead - Ramble on Rose
via FoxyTunes

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

I'm not sure why I started blogging. I know I unequivocally decided to blog on Postmenopausal Day, but I'm not sure why. Am I wasting my time? Probably. All I have to show for my blogging are some nasty emails from Bob Jones University, an increased knowledge of html (I think I'm up to the average 14-year-old, by now, at least) and a handful of great New York expressions from BelleDame (which really impress my friends). Does anyone read this? Well, Sitemeter says a few dedicated folks actually do, so I charge onward, boring the masses (okay, a tiny fraction of the masses) with my postmenopausal, post-hippie existence.

Thank the Lord for Halloween, or should I say, thank the pagans! (Thanks, yall!) Currently sipping some yummy, decadent Fresh Market Pumpkin Spice coffee, which I am aware is not bird-friendly, free trade OR organic, and so, Catholic Guilt and Shame (herein known as CGAS) accompanies my warm and tingly Halloween-Autumn vibe. (Alas, there is no escape from Searching and Fearless Moral Inventories, whether we ever really wanted them or not.) My TV is tuned to the lovely Adrienne Barbeau, ex-wife of John Carpenter, who bravely battles The Fog, and I am comforting myself that at least I am not in a horror movie. Although if Dubya continues on his present course and destroys the world as we know it, we very well may be, so this is a form of meditation and preparation. Horror movies explain what NOT to do in life, and this one reminds us to stay out of the fog.

Speaking of fog, I have several foggy things on the agenda for the week, so stay tuned, fight fans.

~*~

There I was yesterday, re-stocking amino acids and having an existential dilemma about blogging (see above), when Ron Paul Guy (herein known as RPG) approaches me to ask if I am going to the gay movie. Gay movie? BOYS IN THE BAND? BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN? THE CHILDREN'S HOUR? (*nods to Belledame*)

RPG just rolled his eyes, as he usually does when I don't know what is happening. NO, the GAY MOVIE, titled For the Bible tells me so. It's the Soulforce gang again! There is going to be a counter-demonstration!

A counter-demonstration of a MOVIE? Oh, God. I refer everyone to the videos I posted on Tuesday. I was morally exempt (I told myself) from the April Soulforce demo because I was already scheduled to work. However, I will not be scheduled to work during this movie. Oh, God. Well, I said, under the laser-beam glare of RPG's eyes, I guess I will go.

And then, late last night, sitting with local Deadheads on their shadowy terrace, beautifully lit by green light, crystal wind-chimes that spin rainbows in the dark, and candles that illuminated their jungle-like maze of plants, I said, again: Yes! I will go and blog about it! They were very supportive. Deadheads rule, always.

And now, I am committed to doing this. And frankly, I don't want to. It's the kind of thing that if I weren't blogging, I'd find a reason to put off. But now, I feel I have to Witness to the Truth, and all like that.

RPG enthusiastically agreed, and then informed me I had to go see Ron Paul on November 1, which also has the distinction of being All Saints Day. Since I pointedly missed my last Holy Day of Obligation (see CGAS above), I have to go this time. (I'm also gonna try to make All Souls Day, which many of you know as Day of the Dead.) I guess Ron Paul can fit into my All Saints Day itinerary. I am not voting for him and there is plenty about his politics that I intensely dislike, but I was so impressed by how he shook up the last somnambulist GOP debate with some righteous fury over Iraq, I figure I can mosey on over to Pleasantburg Drive and tell him so. I'm also curious about who else might show up. More demonstrators? Positive? Negative?

And then there is the gay movie.

Leading the counter-demonstrators will likely be Badass Preacher Man (herein known as BPM). He is, in fact, in one of the aformentioned videos I posted. He knows me through my work, and he likes me. Yeah, I know what you are thinking. How could this man who preaches like a lunatic-on-cocaine actually like me? I dunno, but I can honestly say, if I had never seen him preach, I'd unreservedly like him, too. BPM literally has two personalities: a sweet, kindly southern gentleman and then, well, see for yourself. I've always known this, since he's been a local Religious-Right fixture for years, and has been prominently featured on numerous national newsclips as well, feverishly preaching against sodomy. And yet, he has been very sweet and friendly to me.

If I show up at the gay movie, will that change? I don't mind telling you, that makes me nervous. I don't know why, but it does. I would like to keep business, religion and politics all separate, but as you all know, life doesn't usually work that way, does it? Perhaps I like him more than I am willing to admit. Hopefully, his fondness for me will carry the day, too?

And what will happen if it does? I can tell you what: a day or so later, when BPM has calmed down, he is likely to ask me why I was there. He knows I am married, a grandmother even. He has no idea.

Should I tell? We are back to the bisexuality question. I am fixin to have a 20th wedding anniversary this month. Bisexuality doesn't even seem relevant, but of course, it is; it is who I am. Should I be honest? I have never told anyone who might be hostile; I've never had to. This will be a first. And even though most old-school southerners would never ask, BPM will ask, since he does like me and will consider my soul in jeopardy.

It's a hairy situation. What's a mother to do?

Of course, I know. At this stage of my life, I will have to tell the truth. I no longer have the wherewithal, the temerity, the ability, to lie, to cover-up, to equivocate.

And then, what happens?

Stay tuned, fight fans. A fun All Saints Week awaits us.

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Listening to: Social Distortion - Don't Drag Me Down
via FoxyTunes