Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) The logistics of four days in DC are incredible.  Coordinating tickets, transportation, hotel schedules of our tribes, figuring out if/when metro will be open, who’s going to which events, how . . . . 

(Community Matters)

Happy Birthday, Nico

Happy Birthday to our favorite 10 yo godson

1:40 – just had lunch with Nico & his mom, Janet.  He’s a very cool 10yo.

(Community Matters)

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, who was elected the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop in 2003, will deliver the invocation for Sunday’s kickoff inaugural event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the Presidential Inaugural Committee said.

President-elect Obama is scheduled to attend the afternoon event, which is free and open to the public.

(Community Matters) Perfect way to spend a Sunday midafternoon, flying back from NYC, reading the NYTimes. We had huge headwinds so took 4.5 hours. Rarely take so long to read the Sunday Times so thoroughly and still haven’t finished the magazine. (I’m very interested in the Genome mapping article. Important continuation of a theme from Saturday night ‘s conversation. Also, found the article on Mark Driscoll and Calvinism enthralling, especially with a setting of Seattle. Have to put together a dinner party to talk about this alone. Bishop Rickle, I’d love your insight!).

Quick thoughts jotted down while reading:

Eric Holder’s scrutiny by GOP (attny general). Seems to me an excellent choice – despite Marc Rich pardon – however, researching and questioning him in a way that will allow us to hold him accountable against future conflicts of interest will serve us well. It’s good that the GOP is stepping up in this role, as we should have for Bush appointees. It makes no sense to harp on what they did or didn’t require during the last eight years. Let’s get it right, now.

“Economy May Delay work on Campaign Pledges” – as a gay member of Pres-elect Obama’s National Finance Committee & GLBT steering committee, by all means let’s not address Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in the first 100 days and absolutely it must be abolished.

(Community Matters) Some quick pics from this weekend I am finally able to download

Charles Santos, David Parsons, Frank Sonntag

Annmarie Milazzo & Tyley Ross,
the vocalists from East Village Opera Company

Charlie & Tyley,
Frank hugging the Parson’s associate artist director, Liz Koeppen in the background

Charles & Pierre Apraxine

(Community Matters) from Christopher McCollum, his set for David Mamet’s Boston Marriage being produced at Theatre Memphis

We miss having Christopher in Austin!

(Community Matters) hmm, it’s looking as if Amsterdam in February

(Community Matters) On the way to the Minetta Lane Theatre, Charles & I popped into author/curator, Pierre Apraxine’s luxury abode. Pierre one of Charlie’s closest NY friends, who of course I’ve known for many years.

Pierre – who claims to be retired (Gillman Company’s White Oak Press) – still lecturing, curating and organizing his 50 years of papers. Rightfully proud of a new acquisition, a fashion photographer Irving Penn original, Crossing the River Styx in platinum.

And . . . . finally caught up with Charlie’s big brother, John Phillip Santos over a long Japanese dinner at Omen’s in SOHO. JP celebrating submitting (on Friday) his new book, The Farthest Home is in an Empire of Fire: A Tejano Eulogy. Scheduled to be released by Viking/Penguin in early 2010. Though no one except his priest has read the manuscript (and Vernon only the first chapter), listening last night, suspect Farthest Home may generate even more buzz than Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation, which earned JP a National Book Award finalist.

Long, sometimes heated conversation about education, politics and national priorities – the perfect way to spend my last evening in America’s cultural capital.

(Community Matters)

photos by Richard Finkelstein

In the 80’s, Martha Clarke choreographed this work, a dark interpretation of Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delight (see triptych below, 1504-1503). It’s ethereal & magical – extraordinary imagery. Bosch’s is an important work of art and so is this piece. Clarke avoided the temptation of interpreting literally and spectacularly created this dark representation using aerial, costume & original composition as Bosch used hues. Some thought there’s unneeded humor, though vulgarity has its place in the piece whether interpreting Bosch’s work as a moral warning or a depiction of paradise lost.

Perhaps the most intense on-stage work I’ve ever seen – we’ll see. Always takes me days to place art in context.

We were rushed to make an after show dinner and weren’t able to greet Mikhail Baryshnikov in last night’s audience. I know he wouldn’t remember me, but he’d certainly remember Charles who twice produced his work, the last a private performance for 150 at Saint Mark’s in the East Village (where I was indentured to Misha for the morning).

(Community Matters) Whenever I’m away from Steven, I miss him. Enjoyed going to one of his favorite restaurants (Room Service for Thai) with one of his boyhood friends, now also my dear friend, Rob Oppegard. Same as why I wear your robe and sit at your desk when you’re away! 🙂

(Community Matters) I just asked a man if he was Joe my god – looks just like him.

He answered grinning broadly, “No, but I wish I was.”

(Community Matters) Fired for being gay. Always surprises me that Americans don’t realize we can be fired simply for being gay. Sexual orientation is not protected by federal laws.