Wild Forever

Are you still heartbroken at the passing of Maurice Sendak? Me too. But more importantly, so is the New York Times. They've got a great slideshow of Sendak inspired art and a lovely opinion piece. Go check it out.

[via laughing squid]

Gentlemanly Behavior: Professor Elemental

How is it I didn't know there was such a thing as "Chap Hop?"

(Thank you Erin!)

Top Six Marriage Equality Videos

I don't know how things are shaking out in the rest of the empire, but here in the Infinate Sprawl of El Ay all of the everyones are abuzz with President Obama's evolution back to position he had in 1995.

As tempted as I am to put on thick black glasses and wax cynically about the politics or the constitutional ramifications of the President's statement but this moment is just so sweet I want to savor it, like a delisious bittersweet cocholate chip cookie of equality. And when I eat cookies I usually like to nom down on a whole sleeve, and in that spirit I have have gathered together my six favorite marriage equality videos to be found on youtube.

#6 Missing You

I stumbled upon this sweet little story of transnational Circuit Love this year around Valentine's Day. A little reminder that one of the many rights we homos lack in the ability to fall in love with a citizen of a foreign land and keep them here in the States.

 #5 Republican Chokes Up at Marriage Equality Debate

This last February when the Washington State legislature took up the debate on marriage equality Republican Representative Maureen Walsh, from very conservative Walla Walla, joined the debate in favor of equality. She just couldn't conscious denying other human beings the same bond she shared with her late husband. Compassion is truly the best thing us humans have going for us.

#4 It's Time

This video from Australia comes to us from all the way back in November 2011. It is so good, I still cry every time i watch it. (ugh, like right now)

#3 It Could Happen To You

A stark reminder of how few rights we have when tragedy strikes the ones we love, this video made me very thankful for the excellent relationships we have with one another's families. Don't watch unless you've got a good ten minutes to weep at life's injustice.

#2 Keith Olbermann on Gay Marriage

This is what it means to have allies. Thank you Keith Olbermann for your empowering words after a crushing defeat. I will be forever thankful.

#1 Zach Wahls Speaks About Family

I don't know how anyone could have missed this one, the 19yo engineering student from Indiana who's lesbian moms raised so right i'm tempted to track them down and send them flowers. This is the most eloquent and passionate argument for marriage equality I've yet come across, and I can't wait for this kid to run for Senate or Governer, because he's exactly what this country needs.

R.I.P. Maurice Sendak

If you are still feeling as heartbroken as I am by the passing of beloved author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, here are a couple of balms that will hopefully ease the pain. First up is a blog that curates original Where The Wild Things Are inspired art work called Terrible Yellow Eyes. It was launched back when the WTWTA movie came out a little bit ago, and it hasn't seen much action since then, but it is chock full of amazing art.

Then there is this great interview with Steven Colbert where both of them are firing with all cylinders.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 1
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Grim Colberty Tales with Maurice Sendak Pt. 2
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Laughter is the best medicine.

"Do Not Go! We'll Eat You Up, We Love You So!"

Last night Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things are and dozens of other amazing stories for kids, passed away at 83. I grew up loving his books, and I think perhaps more than anyone other than my dad he instilled in me a love for telling stories. I know it's a little selfish of me, 83 is a good long run, but I feel like he left the world too soon.

I don't believe in an afterlife, but I find myself hoping there is one, just so i could have the chance to tell him how important he was to me.

The Wild Things finally have their King, let the Wild Rumpus start.

"All Adventurous Girls Do"

Last week my brother from another mother Oscar (aka the indomitable DJ Taco Tuesday) sent me a text.

"Have you been watching Girls on HBO? The last scene of the 3rd episode just made me miss the shit out of you"

Of course I had heard of Girls, the internets are awash with bloggers and critics singing it's praises and you can't walk fifty paces in LA without encountering a bus or billboard urging you tune in. If you have just woken up from a months long coma disappointed at the lack of a zombie apocalypse and you want to know why there are four believably beautiful hipstery girls staring out at you from every bus bench in America, here the jist: Girls a new series that follows the lives and  mishaps of four friends living in the hipstery part of Brooklyn. It's produced by Judd Apatow and written and directed, by Lena Dunham who also plays the ostensible "Carrie" of the four girls, a writer (an essayist like me!) named Hannah who has a knack for making truly ill informed decisions about her own life (also like me!).

I'll admit I was intrigued, but with my already densely packed viewing schedule (which includes Fringe, Gossip Girl, Nurse Jackie, 30 Rock, American Dad, Family Guy, Ru Paul's Drag Race, and Supernatural,  for those of you keeping track at home) I was pretty content to get into Girls at some later date. But for a narcissist like me sending me a message saying "This show makes me miss you" is a bait i can't help but to rise to. And with season 4 of RPDR having recently come to a close I decided I couldn't resist. So last night The Fella and I tracked down and consumed the first three episodes and we were treated to an hour and a half of clueless boyfriends, awful sexual encounters, STD screenings and a lovingly drawn portrait of these four ladies' friendships. It was delightful (though occasionally hard to watch, which was also delightful) all the way up until the final scene of the third episode where Hannah opens up her twitter account and struggles to squeeze a day's  worth of unpleasantness and disappointments into 140 characters and i realized, if i were a girl I'd be this is the girl I'd be; funny and brave and slightly insecure, and doing my best to distill my neurosis into stories for other people to enjoy. I was hooked, and my text back to Oscar read...

"I effing love you"

The Next Drag Superstar of the World

Just like thousands of queer families in homes and video bars all over the free world, last Monday night my friends and I gathered together to watch Ru Paul crown the next Drag Superstar Of The World.

It was a strangely emotional evening for me. Of course I was elated that the Queen i'd been rooting for all season, the spooky-chic Ms. Sharon Needles, captured the crown. More than any other lady-boy who has so far graced Ru Paul's runway, Ms. Needles' style of drag is closest to the San Francisco "Drag-as-performance-art" School that i "grew up" in. But the deliciousness of Ms. Needles' victory was made bittersweet with the realization that this was the last evening of a weekly ritual that had become very important to me.

(photo by the amazing Austin Young)

As my friend Vivvyanne Forevermore once told me  "Drag is our folk art," it's a celebration of style and glamour, and also camp and raunch. And it reflects us as a people; our fierce independence, our creativity, and our ability to wear many faces (a survival skill taught to many of us by the fists of bullies and the disapproving looks of our fathers). It is quintessential part of queer culture and RPDR showcases that, warts and all. And gathering together week after with my LA Family to share in this celebration of Queer Culture... It means the world to me, and I'm already excited about next season.