Yearly Archives: 2012

Delivering Votes

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The U.S. national election day is Tuesday, November 6, but many states allow for early voting, which allows voters to cast ballots before election day and hopefully avoid long lines and crowds. I am among those who took advantage of early voting. My partner and I voted last Thursday.

I take pride in the freedoms provided by our country’s long-enduring Constitution, which has allowed for open and free elections for more than 200 years.

In the past, I also was among those who would greet voters at the polls to try to persuade them to vote for a particular candidate or a position on a certain referendum issue. However, after getting badly burned in the 2010 election cycle, I vowed that I would not get involved with politics this year. I have kept my promise (both to myself and my partner). However, I couldn’t back off “cold turkey.” Let me explain…
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Enjoying Autumn With My Partner

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I enjoy all seasons with my beloved partner, but it seems as if autumn presents more opportunities for “us” photos.

Here is “us” taken yesterday in our back yard. While he is still recovering from his long-term infection, he looks great (despite the sneakers on his feet–he is not the Bootman in the family).
Life is short: show those you love how you love them.

Wearing Leather and Boots on Airplanes

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I was at a conference earlier this week, and traveled home as planned on October 31. Yeah, that also happens to be Halloween.

Earlier in the day, I appeared in my dress leather jeans, pink shirt, and black Lucchese goatskin dress cowboy boots when I gave a presentation before a large plenary meeting. I explained that I am a “breast cancer aware biker” and (most) members of the audience laughed politely.

I had to return the pink shirt to a friend from whom I borrowed it, so while I was changing, I thought perhaps I should change into a pair of regular denim jeans and boots that are easier to take off when going through security before I headed out for the airport right after the conference ended. But then… I had second thoughts.
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Homeward Bound

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I am still in a U.S. Southern State, speaking at and attending a conference of my professional association. I have kept in touch by phone with my partner. He and my sister who is staying with him are fine — they didn’t even lose power (amazing, considering how bad our power company is.)

The recent severe storm has come and gone. I am grateful that our preparedness actions paid off. The trees in the old-growth forest behind our house are still standing, though from what I hear, are now mostly leafless. I am very happy that I had a tree trimming company strategically thin branches and remove dead limbs from the trees in our forest in May, so when the storms of June and October occurred, wind could blow through them more easily and not be blown down.

I have checked in with many members of my family who live in the storm-ravaged areas of New York. Our family network has confirmed that everyone is okay, though some of them have suffered property damage. But all-in-all, it could have been worse and we are grateful that it was not.

Meanwhile, down here at the conference, I have been booted and wearing leather…
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Worried But As Prepared As Ever

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Greetings from BHD who is not at home! I have had to travel for a business trip to speak at a conference being held in a U.S. southern state, away from the impact of the monster storm battering my home state (and many states north of me).

I spent Saturday doing some last-minute preparations, but we’re pretty well set. After all, disaster preparedness is my profession. I practice what I preach.

I also visited dozens of my senior pals helping them to get ready. I took 14 of them to the grocery store very early on Saturday, helping them to get non-perishable foods that can keep without refrigeration or heating. And plenty of batteries for flashlights! My senior pals know that candles are the most DANGEROUS thing to use for emergency lighting.

I am glad we went to the store so early, because by mid-day, the store shelves were picked clean.

I am concerned about my partner, who is at home. But he is not alone. Big Sister is staying with him, along with two other senior pals who were afraid to stay in their homes. Our generator is set and ready, provided they have to use it. This storm is HUGE!
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Masculine Gay Men

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If any one set of words is searched on the ‘net more than any others that lead to visitors to this blog, it is “masculine gay men.”

Yes, it is possible to behave in a masculine manner as an ordinary guy, and also be gay. Not all men behave the same way. Not all “gays” behave the same way, either. Unfortunately, social stereotyping portrays gay men (mostly in the media) as being swishy queens with high-pitched voices and who are completely unable to do anything other than fuss, get flustered, hang out at Starsucks in shorts and flip-flops playing with their mobile devices, or plan the next “fabulous” party. That stereotyping drives men like me crazy.
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Oh Crap!

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Pardon the interruption of this blog’s usual banter. The safety guy in me has been really, really, I mean, REALLY busy!

Holy crap! Days of sustained high winds and heavy rain are predicted to strike our state soon, with a strong cold front right behind it, which is predicted to drop FEET (meters) of snow west of us (Roland-watch out!)

Our home is prepared, as are the homes of dozens of my senior pals, as well as pantries stocked, batteries ready, trees trimmed, gutters cleaned, outdoor Halloween decorations removed, and much more. I’m tired, but ready!

If this blog “goes on hold” for a while, it’s because the storm caused a disruption of our power and/or internet. But don’t worry about us; we live on high ground and have no reason to venture out into the storm. We will be as safe as we can be, but this thing is frightening to those in my profession.

Values

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I am repeating a blog post from 2008, as I find what I wrote back then to be rather insightful and as applicable today as it was back then.

Values drive one’s very essence of being. Values define who someone is and how he lives his life.

As I was musing about what to blog about today, I was thinking about a conversation that I share with my partner often. As different as we are in personality, our core values are the same. That is really what keeps us together, and continues to serve as the foundation of our relationship. We share these values:
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Speaking from the Heart

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I appreciate and highly value the freedoms afforded to me as a citizen of the United States. Free speech, freedom to live and pursue happiness, and being able to vote for our elected leaders and on questions important to the day. Two weeks now the decision will be made as to who will become the President of the United States, serve in our Senate, House of Representatives, and on local issues brought to referendum on the ballot in my home state.

I read a lot on various media — newspapers, blogs, and Facebook. I have learned a lot about how people use electronic media to express their views. But nothing is as direct as being put into the position of having to speak from the heart.
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