Stonewall

39 years ago today, in New York City, there was a spark that started it all. Sure, there had been activists before, bringing people together and shedding light on the subject. However, it wasn't until that last raid at the Stonewall Inn in the early morning hours that the forces brewing in America burst onto the stage.

But LGBT rights are not my fight, I know that. I am not in danger of losing my job, my family, my friends because of the person that I love. Furthermore, I can be assured that when I marry, I will be able to visit my spouse in the hospital, extend my health insurance to him (or vice versa), and be allowed all of the other rights that married couples receive in America. So really, there is no need for me to care. My stake in gay rights is second hand, but as MLK once said, "a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

But really, my stake in LGBT rights goes beyond just my desire to see all people treated with dignity and respect. The struggle for LGBT rights and the visibility of non-heterosexual people and couples throws a wrench into gender norms and male-female relationships. They show the world that manhood and womanhood are not predicated on their relationship with eachother, but on their own merit. A man is not a man because he controls a woman that has "his" children, and a woman is not worthless if she does not marry [or devote her life to the church]. LGBT rights affirms the humanity of us all. Tomorrow, I will be proudly attending the San Francisco Gay Pride events, LGBT Rights=Human Rights.

Northern California Wildfires

So it seems that while I've been frolicking in Alaska, holy hell has been breaking loose in California. I knew there were fires, and I knew there was a lot of smoke, but I've been more focused on work, working out, uploading videos and pictures, playing in the city, and fixing my flat tire to pay much attention. Even last night, as I sat in traffic on 680 N to Walnut Creek, I noticed the smoke, but I didn't think that the whole area was just "on fire".

Holy damn. And just in time for legalized gay marriage and Pride weekend..... Oh, the televangelists must be happy today. Yes, right wing policies of underfunding infrastructure, sending the National Guard to war, and ignoring the human impact on climate change all converged to make a tinderbox. But it was the gays being able to legally visit their dying partner that made the dry lightening.

Funny Stuff!

I was chatting with a friend at work and he turned me on to this old article, Interview with the Search Engine. My favorite part was when the search engine compared the internet to beekeeping in New Zealand. I think the interviewer got a little unprofessional though.

Quarter After Ten

AM or PM? Well, it looks like AM, but it's really PM. After a really scenic drive, some tasty halibut, and looking at fishies, we were off to a glacier. Later, we had mexican food and margaritas, followed by a trip to a real Alaskan Wal-Mart. I think we parked next to some drug dealers and scared them away.

Waste

Why does NewEgg use so much packaging?

USB Drives, packed in packaging easily 10 times bigger than the actual thing, stacked three high, with little interlocking sections on the packaging so it stays together, wrapped in 1" bubble wrap, in a box of styrofoam peanuts.

Waste
Waste
Waste
Waste
Waste

I sent the box of peanuts and bubble wrap back so they might be re-used.

Don't Ride the Line

Like most people that sometimes drive a car, bike riders scare me. Not because they would hurt me, physically, if we collided, but because if I hit them, well, I'll get the book thrown at me. That is why I'm happy that California has lots of designated and spacious bike lanes. But this morning, as I drove to work, I had to drive around a biker that decided that he didn't need to use the interior of the bike lane, but instead had to ride the white line. I understand that sometimes the bike lane itself has a lot of debris, but this was not the case, as far as I could see.

I hate to be "one of those" drivers, but jeez, please don't be "one of those" bikers either. Don't ride the line, stay in your lane.

Happiness

As I ate my egg whites on toast, I heard the news from San Francisco City Hall this morning about all of the people getting married. My own issues were a million miles away and I smiled and couldn't help from dancing a little bit. This must have been the way we felt in 1920 at the passage of the 19th amendment, or when the civil rights bill was signed, Title IX, not to mention Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade, and Lawrence v. Texas.

...

I finished my metrics and sent my boss my weekly project update, put on my sunglasses, and locked my office. I was headed for the gym after all today. I headed for building 12, changed, said hi to my trainer, and swiped my card with a real sense of pride before stepping on to my favorite elliptical. I started pedaling and looked up at the TVs to see what was on and I saw the words "Tim Russert" and "dead" and just froze.

I was still pedaling, but I couldn't put in my usual warm up program. He was so young, didn't I just see him? And I don't even watch TV that much! Tim Russert? What the fuck? How? Why?

I managed to program my machine, eventually, and get in a decent warm up, followed by a good, intense, and efficient half hour of strength training. He had a heart attack, suddenly, and at work this afternoon.

Drunken Airport Post!

Technically, it is a drunken airplane post, but w/e, KMA. I met a guy at the bar where I had two long beach ice teas. He was nice, too short though, never got his name, never told him mine. I have to pee.

Ha Ha HA!

I woke up on Thursday with a mild headache and the feeling of being a little "out of it". I figured that it was because of one of three possibilities - I had forgotten my medication the day before, I had taken an Ativan to get to sleep the night before, and it was entirely possible that the salmon I had for dinner had turned. But then, on Friday night, the reason became very clear - it had been PMS. So I do get PMS, but it seems to be different every time. Sometimes, I feel unreasonably crabby, sometimes, I get a headache, and other times, there are no discernible symptoms whatsoever.

Of course, it wasn't like I wasn't expecting this around this time. You see, I noticed last month that my body was starting to reset itself to mess with my Alaska vacation, which was originally intended for the 4th of July weekend. Previously, my body reset itself to mess up my Spain vacation too. But I foiled my body this time! I'm going to Alaska for the weekend of the 21st, and there is no way I can go through an entire cycle in just two weeks. Ha ha HA - I win the battle this time!

Strawberry Blues

After a trip to Berkeley by way of Fremont, I decided that I needed some fresh strawberries for dinner. As I approached the door to Whole Foods, I smelled the familiar, delicious odor but I didn't see the same little green pint boxes. I was afraid that the strawberry season might be coming to an end, but hoped that the local farm had just taken a break for Sunday. The produce guy inside told me to come back tomorrow, but in the meantime, I got a pound of the Driscoll's organic strawberries. They're almost as good, but they have dirt on them.

Also, I hope that hand lotion doesn't mess with my hair too much, because it feels really good on my poor sun-burnt scalp. I hope that heals soon too, because the sun also lightened my roots and I need to dye my hair again soon.

Phew, Money

I got my statement in my mailbox last week, which was good. I noticed the check was slightly higher this month, and a co-worker in the office next to mine had the same experience. But the statement comes earlier than the direct deposit, and I had paid a higher portion of my student loans last month. I also took a much needed shopping spree last week for work clothes. On top of that, at any moment, my rent check could clear, leaving me with far less money than I normally have - in that account anyway. It was getting so bad that I was actually budgeting myself - I had to turn down an opportunity to pay a group happy hour bill and get the cash on Thursday.

But then, I checked my account on Friday, and my checking account was a wonderfully comfortable amount. Phew, awesome, I got paid. What a load off my mind - I didn't have to worry about the rent check, I could go buy a bunch of supplies for my newest project, and I'd be able to pay a bunch of bills for the month. I think I'm also going to start buying supplies to get a pet - and no, its not what you think... Ok, one of you might know what I'm thinking about, but don't blow the suspense for everyone.

Surprise!

Yesterday, in a meeting with my boss, I learned that I am scheduled to be in Houston on the 11th to deliver a class that my group does. SO after some initial shock and rescheduling a dental appointment, I booked the same flight from Oakland on Tuesday to stay at the same hotel in Houston that night and the same flight out of Houston that I took just last week. I can't say I'm not excited, I love to travel and I love working in the 1500 Louisiana building.

More exciting still, I give the class on the top floor. It's only a 40 story building, not even as tall as the 1200 Smith building across the street.

But its still a marvelous view, if only they would let us go outside to the observation deck. Of course, I know *someone* that would ruin it for us all by base jumping.

Savvy readers might recognize this building. It's the same exact 1500 Louisiana building made famous in 2001. It really makes for better effect in my presentation about records management in the industry when I can say things like "and we all know what happened across the street 6 years ago."

Diet for the Old America

I guess I feel a little guilty about enjoying some delicious fruity sherbet from Baskin Robbins tonight. After all, John Robbins, who rejected inheriting the business and fortune of his father, inspired my biggest dietary restriction. I also own a signed copy of Ocean Robbin's book about youth activism. I just really wanted something cold and sugary and didn't want to drive to Whole Foods...

Ya Voté

I did something yesterday that would have gotten me arrested if I did it in 1908. When I left, the guy that gave me my ballot thanked me for voting. It made me feel good.