We need to talk.
This may be a hard letter to read, but I need to figure out if this relationship is still healthy for me. For the longest time, I thought we had something special. Remember how much fun we used to have back when we were young, and control of the Congress and the presidency was just a crazy dream? You always used to ask me for help, and you knew I'd never turn you down.
You were so adorable when we were courting. Sure, you never really understood me, but I liked that you seemed to try. The White House cocktail parties were totally fun, and that Easter Egg Roll is something I'll always cherish. Or remember the time you let me march in the Inaugural parade! Other than that whole Rick Warren thing, I really thought we had a connection.
I know you kept telling me that you weren't ready for marriage, but I was willing to wait since you had promised so much else in the meantime.
But now, I've kind of had it. I'm just not getting what I need out of this relationship. You rarely call me anymore, and when you do it's to ask for money. We talked about joining the military together -- but now it seems like you are flaking on that commitment. You promised to protect me from the homophobes at work, but you don't seem to be in a hurry to actually do it. And that Department of Justice brief thing was just cruel. I'll never understand why you did that.
It almost seems like you're embarrassed by me in public. I know not everyone in your family approves of us, but before you got your new job, it seemed like you didn't care what they thought and were always ready to fight for me. Now, it's like you're a different person.
Please don't take this the wrong way. I still think we have a future. I want us to have a future. But I need this relationship to be healthy for both of us. And I just can't get excited anymore by your empty promises and half-gestures.
I need you to take a real step. You know what I'm talking about -- the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell.
I still worry every day that I can be fired in 29 states just because I'm gay. And my friend who is transgender can be fired in 38 states. I know you can do it. You've helped protect people from employment discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, disability and many other characteristics. Each time my friend and I have been left behind. It's our turn. ENDA's time has come.
It's our turn to be welcomed into the military as well. I want to serve my country openly and proudly. I was so excited when you promised you would repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell this year after 17 long years of putting up with it.
Now, I can't even get you to talk about DADT. You promised to change. I know that you can. But why should I stand by your side when you can't keep your promises to me?
I get that you're scared. But I'm scared too -- scared of losing you. You need to prove to me that you really care. You need to finally give me the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, like you promised.
I have enough disappointments in my life. I need you to not be one of them.
Love,
The Gays (and all those who love and care about them)
Thanks to
Courage Campaign for writing this and
A cheeseburger and the bathroom key blog for bringing it to my attention. If you agree with this then perhaps you'll post this on your site too.
Rocca Boston is a neighborhood favorite, Italian restaurant that opened in the SoWa district of the South End several years ago. Recently, a few weeks ago actually, Rocca which recently changed chefs also changed their menu; perennial favorites and signature dishes from the previous chef are now gone.
Spring 2010 has been the most temperate and enjoyable that I can recall. A moderate winter with nearly no snowfall gave all Bostonians a sense of hope that better weather was on its way and with warm weekends in March and April the normally surly city seemed mostly smiles.
If the idea of spending quality time with 125,000+ people does not sound appealing, invite a friend or two to come over to your place (oh yeah, suggest they bring a 6-pack) and watch the Celtics play the Magic game, time: 8:30PM. 
Today' Boston Globe includes some positive news about the local economy in the article Mass economy speeds up, jobs coming says forecast. "The Massachusetts economy is recovering at a quickening pace that will lead to more hiring over the next several months, setting the stage for an expansion that could create more then 200,000 jobs over the next five years...The forecast is somewhat brighter than one released six months ago. The New England Economic Partnership, a nonprofit analysis group, prepares and presents forecasts for the region and the six New England states twice a year."
I just purchased tickets from The Lyric Stage Company to see the Noël Coward play, Blithe Spirit on Friday. According to Wikipedia the play is about an English socialite and novelist who invites an eccentric clairvoyant to his house to conduct a séance, hoping to gather material for his next book. The scheme backfires and he becomes haunted by the ghost of his annoying first wife who makes continual attempts to disrupt Charles's current marriage to his second wife. Sounds like it is good for a few laughs, right? If you've seen this production or one from another theater company, please let me know what you thought.
My niece, Abby, turned one this past weekend. I first wrote about her one year ago in my blog entry, Introducing Abby Dion. Proud parents and excited older brothers are huddled around tiny Abby in that picture. Now one year later she still seems quite tiny, but an emerging personality is there. She's all smiles and looks adorable in her birthday dress as she poses for pictures on her big day. 
I love palindromes. Why I don't know but I think they are pretty cool and this afternoon while I was surfing the web, I stumbled across one of the longest palindromes I've ever heard in my life. What is a palindrome you may be asking? The definition (according to Merriam Webster) is a word, verse, sentence or a number that reads the same backward or forward. So easy examples would be "bob", "winnow" or "1881". However, once you get beyond a few letters I'm hard pressed to think of palindromes, which is why I was so impressed when I read this one, "was it a cat i saw". 
Tonight I'm off to see The Great American Trailer Park Musical from the SpeakEasy Stage Co. at the Calderwood Pavilion. According to the website, the show is about agoraphobia, adultery, spray cheese, road kill, hysterical pregnancy, kleptomania, flan and disco. When Pippi, a stripper on the run, comes between Dr. Phil-loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her toll-collector husband, neighbors Betty, Lin and Pickles team up to save their friend's marriage.
Held each spring, this event draws thousands of people into the neighborhood to come and see the 200+ artists who exhibit their work. Studios will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11am - 6pm. Need directions on how to get here or want to look at a map to see where the studios are located - link here.
Something you may not know about me is that there is hardly a romantic comedy or romance flick / play that I have not watched. No matter how formulaic, I prefer romantic comedies because I like a good laugh or two thrown in with a "happily ever after". 
As the saying goes, "Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." 
With 260,000+ students enrolled in 50+ colleges and universities, Boston and Cambridge may have more students than any other city. This also means that graduation ceremonies will dominate the city for the next several weeks.
This is the opening weekend for Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans' latest show, The Gulls. Although I've yet to see the play - you can be sure that they will have an interesting (and thoroughly modern take on) Hitchcock's "The Birds". 
The weather in Boston has been beautiful. Days have been sunny with temperatures in the low 80s and high 70s making it feel more summer-like than spring. Dusk on Tuesday in Boston was absolutely gorgeous. 
My siblings gave me a Flip so I could video my trip to Paris. I used it quite a bit but I've determined I'm not cut out to be a movie director. A steady hand, good eye and baritone voice to narrate is required (none of which I have). However, here are a few clips.
