31 October 2011
01 August 2011
Lights Out
So, a few years ago, I met this guy who was more than fun. We hung out, became friends, we even learned we have the same birthday (albeit he was 12 years younger than I.)
Tonight, I found out that my friend is gone. Just like that. He had been drinking, and went to take the subway home. He stumbled off the platform and hit his head on the track. He died. Alone. At 23 years old.
The funny thing is that I was kind of peeved with him this morning because he didn't call to tell me when and where we were going to go meet to go to the beach. I had no idea he was in a morgue.
Cherish your friends. You never know that the last time you see them will be the last time.
Tonight, I found out that my friend is gone. Just like that. He had been drinking, and went to take the subway home. He stumbled off the platform and hit his head on the track. He died. Alone. At 23 years old.
The funny thing is that I was kind of peeved with him this morning because he didn't call to tell me when and where we were going to go meet to go to the beach. I had no idea he was in a morgue.
Cherish your friends. You never know that the last time you see them will be the last time.
26 July 2011
A Year Ago
At this time last year, I was with Steve. Just under a month away from being engaged to the man who would break my heart into a million pieces. I thought I was happy, thought I was safe. As I re-read the blog from May-June, as I followed the book, I realize just what an illusion I was living under. Shattering that illusion-the illusion that he actually loved me in the way he claimed to-was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. But I did it. I faced that, and confronted so many of my darkest demons in 30 days, that it is almost as if there is more space in my heart for good and new and Light than I know what to do with!
Every day, in every way, things get better and better.
Sure I can worry about the economy, the Debt Ceiling, and a million other things I have no control over. I do worry about them, but I know that God has a plan for me, and I believe it does not include the nation around me crumbling under a financial crisis, just as I prepare myself for the next step into a brighter future for myself, and for all those around me, whom I hope to serve.
Until next time, Love and Light!
Every day, in every way, things get better and better.
Sure I can worry about the economy, the Debt Ceiling, and a million other things I have no control over. I do worry about them, but I know that God has a plan for me, and I believe it does not include the nation around me crumbling under a financial crisis, just as I prepare myself for the next step into a brighter future for myself, and for all those around me, whom I hope to serve.
Until next time, Love and Light!
04 July 2011
Borrowed from a friend and had to share today...
This piece is just too poignant for me not to share it today. In honor of all of us who continue to fight to be free in the USA...
I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.
I am the boy who never finished high school, because I got called a fag everyday.
I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.
I am the one working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.
I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.
We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.
I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.
I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.
I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.
We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted torent a one-bedroom for two men.
I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.
I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.
I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.
I am the woman who died when the EMTs stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.
I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didn’t have to always deal with society hating me.
I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don’t believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.
I am a warrior for my country serving proud, but can’t be my true self because gays aren’t allowed in the military.
I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.
I am the person ashamed to tell my own friends I’m a lesbian, because they constantly make fun of them.
I am the who isn’t sure what she is.
I am the who is rejected by her “best friends” because of a less-than-conventional crush.
I am the boy tied to a fence, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to die because two straight men wanted to “teach me a lesson.”
This is the boy, Matthew Shepard. On October 7, 1998 Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson lead him to a remote area east of Laramie where they demonstrated unimaginable acts of brutality . Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matthew died on October 12 at 12:53 am at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. Murdered because he was gay.
You don't have to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to support the cause, you just have to know that all men are created equal
I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.
I am the boy who never finished high school, because I got called a fag everyday.
I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.
I am the one working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.
I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.
We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.
I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.
I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.
I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.
We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted torent a one-bedroom for two men.
I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.
I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.
I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.
I am the woman who died when the EMTs stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.
I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didn’t have to always deal with society hating me.
I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don’t believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.
I am a warrior for my country serving proud, but can’t be my true self because gays aren’t allowed in the military.
I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.
I am the person ashamed to tell my own friends I’m a lesbian, because they constantly make fun of them.
I am the who isn’t sure what she is.
I am the who is rejected by her “best friends” because of a less-than-conventional crush.
I am the boy tied to a fence, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to die because two straight men wanted to “teach me a lesson.”
This is the boy, Matthew Shepard. On October 7, 1998 Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson lead him to a remote area east of Laramie where they demonstrated unimaginable acts of brutality . Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matthew died on October 12 at 12:53 am at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. Murdered because he was gay.
You don't have to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to support the cause, you just have to know that all men are created equal
26 June 2011
JUBILATION
So, here I am in the best place I could possibly be this weekend. NYC. 2 days ago, people like me were granted the right to marry in NY, and it happened to happen the Friday night that kicked off Pride Weekend in Manhattan! What a sight to behold. Thousands upon thousands of loving, committed couples, many with tears of joy and relief streaming down our faces crushed into Christopher Street dancing and cheering in the streets. What an overwhelming feeling of joy.
We are going to ride this wave of joy all weekend, right through Sunday's Heritage of Pride Parade. Then, on Monday, we go back to work.
6 states down, 44 to go!
We are going to ride this wave of joy all weekend, right through Sunday's Heritage of Pride Parade. Then, on Monday, we go back to work.
6 states down, 44 to go!
22 May 2011
A New Work in Progress
If you click on the link above (the name of this entry is the link), you will see my project for the next 30 days. I am reading a book by author Catherine Hickland, and with her permission, I am blogging about the 30 day self help journey it is taking me on...I promise to be back to this blog soon!
XOXO,
Cole
XOXO,
Cole
23 April 2011
WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT!!!
(article I submitted for Yahoo! Entertainment)
NEW YORK-A few short days of our lives ago, Brian Frons, Head of ABC Daytime sent shock waves through the viewing community by announcing the cancellation of two of the three ABC Daytime Soap Operas, All My Children (AMC) and One Life to Live (OLTL.) The announcement came on the heels of a report in TV Guide that AMC was on the block, and OLTL would be next to go. For those of you who are soap fans, or who follow entertainment news in general the reaction that came out of the fan base was unsurprising. Adding fuel to the fire was Frons' statement that he would not listen to or respond to fan calls or letters regarding the cancelled shows, and his further contention that even with lower ratings, his new lifestyle shows were what he believed the viewers wanted to see. For ABC, however, the strength of the viewers' consumer dollars may yet force Frons to re-think his decision, or force ABC to let him go. If 'The Chew" (slated to replace AMC in September) and 'The Revolution' (slated to replace OLTL in January) tank, what will ABC do with two hours of dead air?
Fans of the two cancelled soaps have created a number of online petitions and have been putting immense pressure on advertisers to pull out of ABC in protest (as of the time this goes to press, Hoover has pulled out of ABC.) There is even a nationwide group with a website and online store (www.protestabcacrossamerica.com) that is planning a massive boycott of all ABC programming and is directing members to a 'targeted advertiser of the day' to keep the pressure directed and consistent. Already, ABC's Dancing With the Stars has taken a ratings and word of mouth hit, as soap fans tuned out, and vow to continue doing so. Stars like Robin Strasser (Dorian-OLTL,) Catherine Hickland (ex Lindsay-OLTL) and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis-General Hospital) have taken to Twitter and given interviews and made statements supporting the fan-based movement to keep the shows on-air. Grahn recently 'Tweeted' "If soap fans were on the titanic...it would never had sunk." That is a lot of faith to put into your viewers. And the viewers have no intention of letting them down. On the calendar is a series of events aimed at getting media attention and garnering support for the shows. From 'Flash Mobs' at 'Good Morning America' to strip protests at 'The View' the fans do not plan on taking this lying down. Some groups are even trying to raise money to buy airtime to run a "SOS" (Save Our Soaps) commercial on another network.
There has been some criticism lobbed at the soap fans, however, and ABC leaked an unofficial statement while this article was being written that advertiser withdrawals like the one by Hoover would have the opposite of the desired effect. True, it may seem counterintuitive to ask advertisers to withdraw their dollars from the network while the shows are still running, but without the availability of advertiser funds, Frons will never be able to get his planned lifestyle shows off the ground. Wouldn't that be a kick in the rubber parts?
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