Community Matters

(Community Matters) Department of Education grants – Race to the Top funding from the stimulus act. Tom Luce editorial in today’s AAS.

In a conversation earlier this week, I cited these funds as $300mm or so. Sooo wrong, Luce saying they are potentially $100mm to $500mm per state, a $4B total. Let’s hope our governor’s politics don’t prevent Texas from aggressively applying for these monies.

(Community Matters) Let’s hope this isn’t violence against federal workers.

(Community Matters)Celebrating Michael Mitchell’s birthday. Launched at Julio’s, wrapped up at the G-spot. Well, I wrapped up. They are no doubt still (& will be) going strong.

Janet Maykus & Melissa Henderson

Janet (rev.), principal, college of Pastroal Leaders and Director of Christian Leadership Education. Mother of 3 of our god children & close to me like a sister.Melissa, legistative director for Rep Patrick Rose. MM’s step-daughter; she grew up calling MM her step-thing; the daughter of our late best friend, Tom Henderson. My adopted god daughter

 

back row: Greg Barbutti, Mike McElhaney, middle row: Mark Smith & Michael Mitchell, front row: Milinda Mitchell & Annie Taylor

Mark, UT professor of art & art history; founder of flatbed press. Greg Barbutti, rancher, explorer, commissioner, Tx Ins. Risk Pool. Mike, artist & architect. Annie Taylor, artist & entrepreneur, mother of oliver, wife of Jason MinshewMM

Michael – what’s to say – one of my two best friends, the healthy third wheel in our marriage, a close confidant to me & Steven. An emerging playwright who’s written 12,000 words of a novel in just a few weeks. Battling lymphoma.

Martin Zimmerman

Martin, as in not really even seven degrees. A UT grad student in play wrighting. One of Manny Azenberg’s favored students from Duke. Coincidental classmate of Michael’s.

Nico Selby

My favorite 10-yo god son

 

Greg & Hector Eichelmann

Greg as in who really runs Travis County, manages Karen Sonleitner. Overseer of an independent real estate empire. Hector a financial master of the universe – delivering 22% average last 5 years.

Milinda Mitchell & Greg

Michael Sullivan

Melissa Henderson & Kelly Howe

(Community Matters) how wonderfully times have changed

“He has his close girl friends, but he doesn’t have any gay friends,” his mother told me. To meet other gay people, he has gone with his father to nearby meetings of Pflag (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), where gay kids often accompany their parents. And in June, she agreed to let him attend the gay-pride parade two hours away in Chicago.

“I told Austin he could go if either me or his dad went with him,” she recalled. “So he chose his dad, probably because he knew it would be the thing his dad would want to do least in the world. But off they went, and I give my husband credit, because he will do anything for his son. He doesn’t totally understand why Austin is gay, or how he can know for sure at his age, but he’s trying to be there for him. And he’s rarely seen Austin happier than at the parade. Austin warned his dad, ‘You can’t get mad at me when I scream at cute guys in Speedos!’ And boy, did Austin scream. He was in gay teenage heaven.”

NYT Magazine

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) Railroad Commissioner & US Senate Candidate Michael William’s column in today’s AAS – while I agree the political rhetoric is too high on all sides and throwing down charges of racism too loose & free, the credibility of his sentiments wouldn’t be hurt if he’d acknowledge the indisputable racist rhetoric (Rush Limbuagh calling for segregated school buses and images of Obama as an African witch doctor just two examples)? Might also help to note the equally unhelpful rhetoric of “anti-patriotic” during the Bush years.

I don’t know Commissioner Williams but have heard good things about him. Hope it’s not a sign of a disappointing launch to what could otherwise be productive dialogue during a US Senate campaign.

(Community Matters) the young college student ahead of me saw no irony in the fact that his debit card and two credit cards were declined to pay for a $4.27 Starbucks coffee. of course I bought it for him, imagining his long eight days until the first of the month, and resisting the urge for parental guidance.

(Community Matters) It’s gonna be a long governors race

caught on video: Perry in response to a question in Houston about Texas and the economic recession: ‘We’re in one?’

“Anyone who has listened to my remarks who’s not just a rank political hack knows that in almost every one of my remarks, I have talked about the seriousness of this recession, how it’s impacting people,” Perry said at the Capitol after a brief speech

“It’s rare to see a politician so out-of-touch and arrogant,” Hutchison spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said. “Rick Perry will have plenty of time to work on his comedy routine after the election.”

Let’s hope we Democrats get our act together so we can whop the wounded, emerging candidate and win this one. I don’t know Hank Gilbert and have already written on this blog that I like Tom Schieffer.

(Community Matters) . . . .offering bowling, dance, a bar, restaurant and karaoke. You gotta love Tim & Karrie League who also brought the world Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas

(Community Matters) ok, I’m about to go into a home stretch on fundraising for several initiatives, start my French lessons next week, have a huge EF fundraiser in early Nov, am writing a novel during the month of November (I need to quit forgetting this one), hosting my parents’ 50th in Austin in early Dec, have agreed to join a regional think tank this quarter, have planned a wee bit of fun & political travel including 3 weeks & our annual new years bash in Marfa, am chairing a gala we hope will raise $400k+ in Jan, and helping Steven & Ron with FuseBox Festival fundraising. I gotta remind friends & colleagues, all plans subject to postponement if a friend needs help during his cancer treatment.

Launching new fundraising calls for two events and one political race from the road and the beach later this week (thank gosh I’d blocked out Friday & Sat for a potential conference & Sat nite for something else that ain’t happening). In advance, apologies to many colleagues and friends for postponing my participation in all additional initiatives until after Jan. And, I might even beg for addt’l time off after.

(Community Matters) Tim Krieder for the New York Times

The Referendum is a phenomenon typical of (but not limited to) midlife, whereby people, increasingly aware of the finiteness of their time in the world, the limitations placed on them by their choices so far, and the narrowing options remaining to them, start judging their peers’ differing choices with reactions ranging from envy to contempt. . . .

I have never even idly thought for a single passing second that it might make my life nicer to have a small, rude, incontinent person follow me around screaming and making me buy them stuff for the rest of my life. [Note to friends with children: I am referring to other people’s children, not to yours.]

cont’d

(Community Matters) sorry, but any story that cites support from lobbyists and industry raises the hair on the back of my neck.