An Up And Down Week

-It’s Saturday … I’m glad Friday is over … let’s talk about life …

-Out in our back yard at 6:02 a.m. it is clear and 9 very cold degrees. Color weather radar shows some snow in southern Minnesota this morning – but all in all it is looking clear up here in the north part of our state.

-Today weather forecast for our back yard is:

Increasing clouds. Highs 25 to 30. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

The good news about the forecast is that we are going to have a warming trend for the next five to seven days – thank goodness … after this week of extremely cold and miserable weather.

-Gasoline is down in price to $1.79 per gallon here in the northland … the lowest it has been here for months and months – which is a welcome site for all of us. How long will it stay that way? I have no clue … but all of us will take advantage of the new lower price.

-President-elect Barack Obama has presented his plan to provide and strengthen civil rights for GLBT Americans. His plan is the most comprehensive proposal yet from any incoming president.

The Obama-Biden Plan includes:

* Expand Adoption Rights: Barack Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.

* Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.

* Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.

* Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.

* Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees’ domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

* Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell: Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.

* Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Obama will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. Obama also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma — too often tied to homophobia — that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. He will continue to speak out on this issue as president.

* Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

Finally we are seeing something that brings a ray of hope and brightness to our way of life as gay men and women in America. Maybe we will finally see what the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America says:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

And what the Pledge of Allegiance of the Flag says:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.

Key words … “Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity” … “With Libert and Justice for all”

-Our Boston Celtics were in Minneapolis last night, and it almost looked liked the team was sleeping on the job. A big crowd turned out for Kevin Garnett’s return but couldn’t light a fire under the home team.

Final score in the Celtic vs Timberwolves game was 95 to 78 in favor of Boston. Great games guys!

-Our dog Buddy was feeling alright basically at 7:00 a.m. when Steve was getting ready to leave for work … but by 7:30 a.m. the dog’s entire personality and health changed. He was restless, he was moaning, he was up and down and all around.

This went on for about five hours … and it seemed as though each time I would let the dog outside – he would lay on the top step which was cold from the weather – and he would stop moaning. Finally around 12:30 p.m., I called the Vet and told her the situation … she set up a 2:30 p.m. appointment.

I called Steve and informed him of what I was doing .. cost or no cost, I could not let the dog go on any longer. I was getting mixed signal from the dog over the past few days. Last weekend he was miserable, all during the past weekend he seemed so much better and perky.

After two hours in the Vet’s office and $265.00 in costs, medicine and other things – we discovered that the dog has of all things – diabetes! Go figure!

The Vet said Buddy could have had diabetes since he was a pup and never manifested the symptoms or he could have gotten it when he was about five years old – which is a common age for dogs to get diabetes – but nontheless – he’s got it.

Buddy will require a few days on some pills to take care of an intestinal infection which was causing him the majority of his problems and an insulin shot of 5 units only twice per day right after he eats.

It will be a bit to deal with – but not to bad all in all. After all, we all love our pets – they are our children. Besides that I didn’t want to put him down for having diabetes – after all you wouldn’t do that to a human being – now would you.

We’re glad your on the way to recovery Buddy … we love you, ya old dog!

-This has been kind of an tough few days for me … expensive as a week for both Steve and I … I had to twice pay my health care premiums because my former employer made a mistake when I started the “Cobra” payments for my health care in June – so it cost me over $1,082.00 this month for health care; my cousin found out she has two (perhaps cancerous) masses on or near her pancreas, Steve needs a few extra dollars to get things for Thanksgiving for his family and money to travel on to get home, I had to pay an extra $265.00 dollars for the dog yesterday, and just a number of other expenses that I had not counted out … so cash flow is a bit diminished for both of us.

Today we are going into the big city – Duluth, and just getting some of the basics with both need – he’s getting food items to prepare to take home for Thanksgiving, and I’m getting things for my Thanksgiving … a medium sized turkey (so there are left overs for Steve when he comes home) and the trimmings that basically go with it.

Steve will be leaving this coming week on Wednesday afternoon to travel home to his parents and family to celebrate Thanksgiving, and I for all intense purposes will be left home alone with the dog. So the dog and I will celebrate Thanksgiving – and Steve will be returning home late Friday night or Saturday night – I’m not quite sure.

So all in all … it’s going to be a kind of “crappy” week for me being alone for half of the week without my partner … and this will be the first time in ten years that we will be separated at Thanksgiving – it blows, but I understand his need to be with his family to … so life goes on.

-Things to be thankful for…this Thanksgiving Season 2008:

# A beautiful song
# A comfortable chair
# A cool breeze
# A drink of cool water
# A full moon
# A gentle rain
# A glass of cold milk
# A good book to read
# A good coat
# A faithful partner

So what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving Season 2008? Tell us, please share – we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment, would you please.

Thanks….

-Just a reminder, if you have not yet visited Steve’s blog… titled “Steve On Sinema“, by all means please do.  I think he’s done one fantastic job of learning how WordPress works and by composing this movie blog and putting it all together.

Steve has carefully laid out the photographs and worded ever so wisely his text … it just makes great reading.

I hope you’ll stop by and see Steve On Sinema …

-We wish each and every one of you a “Happy Thanksgiving” this week – we hope your lives are blessed in some way shape or form – and that you have something to be thankful for.

-Things we’ve read…

* Hypnotism is banned by public schools in San Diego.
* If you took a standard slinky and stretched it out it would measure 87 feet.
* A recent study at Harvard has shown that eating chocolate can actually help you live longer!
* On some Caribbean islands, the oysters can climb trees.
* It’s illegal in Alabama to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.

-It’s Saturday as I said earlier – and for most of the working world – it is a day off. Steve and I hope you enjoy your Saturday, if you happen to be on a day off.

If the weather is nice where you live, by all means get out and enjoy the day. If you live in a climate like we have here in northern Minnesota where the cold weather and snow is almost close at hand – it’s even more reason to get out and enjoy the weather before the long dark cold days of winter approach.

Have a great Saturday guys and remember to smile and be kind.

-Until next time…