Censorship Rearing Its Head on Daytime Television....

The following is a post from "The Countess Bedelia".

I don’t watch the daytime soap opera, “As The World Turns”, but I have heard the internet rumbling about the Luke and Noah storyline and the fact that they haven’t kissed since last September. Apparently they did get a couple of kisses on screen recently and it has caused the radicals to start a campaign against Proctor and Gamble, the sponsors of the show.

You can read about the American Family Association campaign here. They were kind enough to include the YouTube video of the kiss scene in their email with the warning "Content is repulsive."

Procter and Gamble is conducting an alarming poll about continuing the Luke and Noah storyline. Even if you don't watch but want to defeat homophobia and unnecessary censorship, please call:

1-800-331-3774 Press 2 for the Luke and Noah poll, and then 1 to vote to continue the storyline.

Then please post this in your blog so that more people will see it. THANK YOU!

Sunday Brunch on Lincoln Road

Mr. S and I had pressed our clothes and were dressed and ready to go meet The Mrs Astor and others for "Girlie Brunch" at noon at GEM. We stopped to run an errand when at 11:34 AM the text message arrived: "Brunch cancelled. Water pipe break."

It seems a water pipe broke and the brunch had to be cancelled at GEM. (I personally think there was conspiracy and sabotage involved.) So, we were ready, hungry and no place to go, so decided on going to "Balans" on Lincoln Road for their brunch. This is when the wheels started turning and started making tracks for the afternoon to come. Mrs Astor suggested da Leo, since Thomas Barker was headed that way (and it is only a few blocks from Balans) and Mr. S loves his champagne and it was a change and it was a nice day....off we went! The $27.50 for all you can drink champagne and a meal.... ("Out the window" went the idea of a quiet and calm afternoon). The texting and messaging and calling brought out those that were headed to GEM.

Mr S and I were the first to arrive, simultaneously, with Mrs Astor at 12:30 PM and started with seating for 4, which changed to 7, which grew to 15 and then the final 25. The corks were popping and the bottles were immediately flowing .... the staff was attentive and fun. By the time we ordered food at 2 PM the crowd had grown and the lively converstations and stories were in full swing.

Before the group got bigger, it was decided to call Geralidine and Fernan D-Cute to join us (Hoping they would perform or come and show off their gear that they were ready to use at GEM). Geraldine was in (what I called) Kristen Bjorn French Drag. After a large welcoming applause, she joined us.

The meal ended and the crowd dispersed around 4:30 PM, but the comraderie continued at TWIST for a bit. Overall, an afternoon like this can only happen by good cosmic circumstances, sometimes you can not plan everything... It was calm and no one became "messy" or embarrassing... It was all civil and fun.

Whew! Mr. S and I still have the Miami Gay Lesbian Film Festival Events to attend as volunteers this week.....

Have a great week!

Get up, get out, and go!

Another weekend is up and running and so am I. Mom had an ECW Convention this weekend, so it was up to me to take care of my older sister's stuff. Along the way things got added...wait for my younger sister's car to come in from the shop, unexpected 10 year old and my sis spending the night, etc.

Also, the Gay Lesbian Film Festival (MGLFF) started this weekend and Mr S and I have volunteered for several shifts including 2 Galas. In between this I have a meeting for a youth event I have in October today in Ft. Lauderdale....and I have to make it back to SOBE to have some time with Mr. S before we start our shift.

I'm hoping to be able to stay up late to go see the showing of "Otto; or Up With Dead People". It's horror/zombie movie with a gay twist to it and it is showing at 11:30 pm.

The MGLFF will be going on all week and the Ft Lauderdale GLFF will be at the end of the week. If you are interested in seeing any of the diverse number of films or volunteer for any of the remaining shifts, go to:

www.mglff.com

Sunday, Mr. S. and I want to check out the "Girlie Brunch" at GEM. It is a drag brunch (all ages family friendly) that started last weekend. We are hoping to go with The Mrs and Mr Astor.... For more information on this, go to:

www.thegirliebrunch.com

Have a safe and good weekend!

Presiding Bishop's Visit

The Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church was here for a visit last week. I'm a little upset that the local media, in my opinion, did not cover this important visit. The last time a Presiding Bishop was in South Florida was about 23 years ago.

She was invited to meet with the Pope on his visit, but the invitation was not extended until last February and this visit was planned well in advance. The Presiding Bishop did send two Bishops (one of them being the head Ecumenical Officer) to meet with the Pope.

On her visit, The Rt. Rev. Katherine Jefferts-Schori stressed the acceptance of all, dialogue for unity and that the small "squabbles" are not important when you see the hurt, pain and suffering that is going on throughout the world. Why should one be against people loving other people when the opposite is so much worse.

I got to speak to her when she stopped to visit my Parish. She is very kind, intelligent, well spoken and speaks from a good place. I am very proud of her. I will be seeing her again in July when we have a gathering at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

The pics are from the Service and Discussion at Trinity Cathedral, Miami and her visit to my parish, Todos Los Santos, Miami. She did visit some ministries in the Diocese and met with the clergy.

Aids Walk - 2008

It was a great turnout. A "Thank You" for those who sponsored me, participated and volunteered. I saw some old friends and parents of friends. TWIST was really prepared with their water station and was the only one that provided for the four legged friends that participated. Enjoy some pics from the day....

The Aids Walk is this Sunday. Registration begins at 7:3o am, opening program at 8:00 am, start at 9:00 am followed by closing celebration.

The 5k Walk begins at the Miami Beach Conveniton Center and ends at the Botanical Gardens (across the street) after doing a circular trek around South Beach.

TWIST will be haning out water on the route....

Mr. S and some friends and I will be participating. I have been collecting sponsors to donate. If you would like to participate, support or donate you can follow the link and get more info or donate online.

http://www.aidswalkmiami.org/

Happy Birthay to "The Mrs Astor" and My Persian Princess!!

Two birthdays today for two great people..."The Mrs Astor" and one of my girls and my favorite Persian Princess (or should I say Dr. Persian Princess now?)

It is great when you know people that are good at heart and are sincerely cherished by others. I wish them both day full of joy and and continued blessings of friends and family throughout the year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Visit to Southeast Florida from the Presiding Bishop

I know the coverage on the news about religeon has been busy lately with the United States vist of the Pope. That's nice.....I'm not Roman Catholic. I am an Episcopalian. So, it is exciting for me that the Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Sciori is visiting our Diocese this week. She is the head of the Epicopal Church of the United States.

Tonight, she did a service at Bethesda by the Sea in the Palm Beach area (The church at which Donald Trump had his last wedding perfomed). Wednesday at 6:00 pm she will celebrate a service at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Downtown Miami (Across from the Omni). I will be there early. It will be followed by a discussion time.

On Thursday, I will hopefully get some "face time" when she tours the different ministries in the area. She will be stopping at my church for a bit that morning.

Overall, I hope the local television and print news report about it. We are a democratic church and it is a historic visit for us.... The last time a Presiding Bishop visited the South Florida area was in the early 1980's.

FYI: Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, previously Bishop of Nevada, as our twenty-sixth Presiding Bishop. She is chief pastor to the Episcopal Church's 2.4 million members in 16 countries and 110 dioceses, ecumenical officer, and primate, joining leaders of the other 38 Anglican Provinces in consultation for global good and reconciliation. Jefferts Schori was elected at the 75th General Convention on June 18, 2006 and invested at Washington National Cathedral on November 4, 2006.

The Ladies from Provincetown and an afternoon show

Saturday, I met up with Jerry and the Ladies from Provincetown to catch up and see the afternoon show at the Palace. Geraldine and Tiffany were great (as always). They met the Ladies and we took up a whole corner by the front.....there were nine of us (including myself). It is always great to see them and they are truly good people that I love to see over and over again.

Mr. S was feeling under the weather, so he did not attend. We had a nice quiet dinner after the show and watched movies on TV.

The Fire Ball - Ride

Went to the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair with Mr. S, my sis, some friends and their kids. Tacky people in tacky clothes, greasy foods, saw live farm animals, an ice skating show, school kid's exhibits of crafts, writing, etc., a variety of vendor booths and, of course, rides.

The fair has changed since I was growing up. The park was a big dust field and now it is all paved and walkable without getting all full of dust. Though, there is a lesser focus on the "youth' part of the fair than it used to. The focus used to be on the talents of youth achievements in different categories and displaying them for the public (including dance and music). Now it is more on food, shows, rides and how much people are willing to pay to play and win a stuffed animal.

Well, no matter, the "poor man's Disney World" is still fun and will continue to amuse the masses for a long time to come...

(The video is of the ride called the "Fire Ball".....yes, we did ride it...)

Oh Me! Oh My! Oh My Miami!

View from the MacArthur side of Miami of Downtown Miami. Some noticible buildings: The Freedom Tower, Old Courthouse, American Airlines Arena, The Archt Performing Arts Center (Formerly The Carnival Center), Bayside Market Place, Jungle Island (Formerly Parrot Jungle Island, Formerly Parrot Jungle).

The view keeps changing and still all those tall buildings that are spinging up are incomplete or empty........and regualr people and workers can not find affordable housing to buy, rent or lease.....

A good day for a run over the bridge with 2,999 other people...

I was up at 5:30 in the morning to warm up and get to the Celebrity 5k at 7:00am. By the time I arrived the sun was finally coming up and onslaught of the varied age runners and walkers were arriving at the Miami Children's Museum. Traffic was cut down to one lane going over the MacArthur Bridge heading towards the beach in order to make room for us.

I picked up my race packet, number and gift bag in advance, so I wore my Britto designed shirt for the run. When you arrive at the Museum, you can not fail to notice the large statue that Britto made to greet visitors. It is much better up close.

The downtown skyline was the backdrop and we were greeted/welcomed/thanked with loud music and then introduced to the "celebrities" that were in attendance. Then the Miami Heat Cheerleaders did a dance, the Equinox staff lead some stretching and aerobics. Before the start, Nicole sang a great and soulful rendition of the National Anthem. We were off!

The weather was great at that time in the morning with a cooling breeze. You could appreciate how great our city looks in the morning. The cruise ships were preparing for their trips, sail boats were out, birds were singing....it was invigorating.

Once at the finish line, I received my medal (everyone gets one when you complete the course). Then, off to Nikki Beach Club for a continental breakfast, more music, refreshments and the awards presentations. Overall it was a great morning. I was still hungry afterwards, so Mr. S made me bacon, eggs over easy (cooked in bacon grease), toast and juice....that hit the spot.

As an FYI: The Community Partnership for the homeless has become a model program and should be announcing soon that it will be a template for a national program based in Miami.