Monthly Archives: March 2010

(Community Matters) Didn’t know we’d run across Steven & Donna Hicks and the RiseAcrossTexas team on the final leg of their Rise Across Texas.  They’re riding to Presidio this morning.  Launched last week from Beaumont (Orange really).  Donna says they’ve nearly hit $2mm raised for the Austin RISE School.  Steven says RISE School is very cool and we ought to know better.

We arrived in Marfa late afternoon yesterday.  Terrific dinner at Cochineal (joined by Caitlin Murray & Tim Johnson), then a long walk through the city and a night cap with Villis Indie & Tom Jacobs – waking up to Tom & Tochi’s roosters, trains & church bells.  Here for a Marfa Public Radio board meeting and fundraiser tomorrow.  Gonna pop into the RISE celebration tonight at Lance Armstrong’s apartment, but it’s mostly about chilling reading and snuggling with my husband.

(Community Matters) Lambda Literary

Book award finalists include James Davidson, The Greeks and Greek Love (Random House) and Barb Johnson, More of This World or Maybe Another (Harper Perennial).Other finalists include Joan Schenkar, The Talented Miss Highsmith (St. Martin’s); and Mary Cappello, Called Back (Alyson Books).

Hat Tip: Towleroad

(Community Matters) I’m concerned about the crisis in our two countries’ friendship.  The announcement of the new East Jerusalem housing plan while our Vice President was in Jerusalem was an intentional, public insult to our country.  That is certainly a sovereign nation’s right, just as it is our responsibility to assess circumstances as a result of such an insult.

I’ve long worried the US tilt to Israel is resented by many progressives in America – despite an unwavering friendship and strategic alliance – and overall public sentiment is at risk.  While powerful lobbying and relationships have borne strong Congressional support, how wise is this over-reliance in the long term?

nice  piece by Maureen Dowd

(Community Matters) Victoria Hentrich and I were having dinner tonight at Fonda San Miguel.  Lucky to join Tom Gilliland and author Lucinda Hutson. I learned all about the Sept 13 Mexican Independence Event taking place in Austin – Teresa Long & Bobbie Topfer helping launch.  After a few margs and several glasses of wine, I think I agreed to help fundraise –ay yi yi

(Community Matters) Congrats to all the nominees and winners.  Pirated this pic from Michael Barnes’ Out & About – Doug Ulman & Amy Grace Tharp two favorite friends among the bunch.

(Community Matters) I spent a couple of hours with Foundation Community’s ED, Walter Moreau, this morning.  Even took notes – their organization is best of class –  best affordable housing organization in Central Texas.  Have lots of notes I’ll include sometime later – 2k+ units under mgmt, they layer intensive programs which help families and their children move up the social economic ladder, not just live in housing.  Apologies I’ve been so slammed and unable to spend more time on this posting.

It was my privilege to confirm to Walter that the ACF Chestnut Commons Fund was granting their new M-Station project a $500k challenge grant.  I wanna help make this $1.5mm.

(Community Matters)

Vodpod videos no longer available.

(Community Matters) It’s been a super last three days with performances of Steven’s Toxic Assets and visits from his parents, cousins, young cousins, uncle and lots of friends.  The shows went really well, each night building on the last.  We kinda like this model of 3 day run only – each show sold out.  And, the major donor party last night, even more – many thanks to 34th St Cafe, Austin Wine Merchant and Amy & Kirk Rudy for helping us host last night’s event.

breakfast this morning.  the girls are Dave & Lisa Tomlinson’s girls and stayed with us last night

(Community Matters) Robert Shrum in The Week.

With unemployment down from peak levels and job losses ebbing, with housing prices stabilized and other indicators pointing up, the Standard & Poor’s stock index has soared nearly 70 percent since its March 2009 lows—and nearly 40 percent since Obama took office with an economy teetering on the brink of depression. This remarkable rise anticipates as many as hundreds of thousands of jobs, which forecasters are now predicting not for next year but for this month.

Reconciliation, the recondite budget procedure that has become as familiar in this debate as it was frequent under Reagan, Clinton, and both Bushes, probably would be impossible without the “wasted” months last summer during which the awkward and earnest Democratic Sen. Max Baucus negotiated with his Republican opposite, the fallow Sen. Charles Grassley. Now Senate Democrats seem all but united in their resolve to use reconciliation. Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu, who’s unequivocal “this bill is going to pass” should stiffen the spines of fellow moderates.

full article here

Hat Tip: David Gail

(Community Matters) “Whose side are you on? The banks or the American People?” Will Texas’ senators continue to stand for obstructing the president’s success at all costs to taxpayers? We thought Rush Limbaugh was crazy when early on he said he wanted Obama to fail. Turns out he really was articulating the Republican party’s strategy … Kay, John, whose side are you on? big banks or taxpayers?

(Community Matters) They’re performing Steven’s American Fiesta at Milwaukee’s Renaissance Theaterworks April 23 – May 23 – we’re seeing it May 8.  This will be interesting.  Steven’s never watched anyone else perform one of his shows.

An obsessive collector deals with his Oklahoma parents’ opposition to his same-sex marriage, as he travels across America to find the “perfect piece” of vintage Fiestaware. His comical journey reveals a fresh, hopeful look at our country’s cultural/political divide and the many ways we can find common ground. Milwaukee’s own John McGivern will tickle your funny-bone and touch your heart as he plays over 20 different characters in this tour de-force role.

Toxic Assets has been going great – two shows performed, one to go.  Tonight’s an especially super evening since includes FuseBox Festival’s top supporters – financial & artistic – as well as many family & friends. Good gosh, who’s been to see the show already includes – Andrea Ariel, Amanda Chiampi, Joyce Christian & Rudy Green, Scott Collier & Kala Philo, Linda Fields, Jo & Jon Ivester, Janet, Mark, Ben, Lena & Nico, Jen Spencer, Georgia Thomsen & Erich, Lee Walker & Jen Vickers, Elyse Yates, Amy, Kirk, Ellie & Alex Rudy, Cari Anderson & Tish Smith, Allan Baker, Suzanne & David Booth, Emily Bryant, Palo Chalupka & Amy Bryant, Dan Gillotte, Joene Grissom, Richard Hargrave & Gary Cooper, Ed & Karen Hartwell, Mark Halozbach & Dana Friisen-Hansen, Jo Krause, Lora Livingston, Mary Lou Adams, Everett McKinley, Margaret Shaw, Steve Moore, Amy Grace Tharp & Doug Ulman, Barbara Wohlgemuth, Carrie Stapelton, Margo Marshall & Lauren, Martin Zimmerman & Kelly Howe . . . good gosh & I know lots more, just not remembering everybody.

(Community Matters) Reminds me when Steven and I were driving my nephew to the family farm. He was maybe 4 years old.  He said something like “two boys together, that’s weird.” When I told him it wasn’t weird, that sometimes it’s a boy & a girl, sometimes two girls,and sometimes two boys, he thought about it, then just said “ok.”  It became a nonevent.

Vodpod videos no longer available.