My life exposed

Monday I sat on a human sexuality panel at the Monterey Peninsula College. Originally, it was supposed to be a gay man, a bi person, a transgendered and a lesbian. No bi person or transgendered responded to the invite and the lesbian was sick, so the instructor managed to get someone else and it ended up being me and another gay man, a professor from the Naval Academy in town.

I was nervous at first, I'm not a public speaker by any means, but I got to tell my life story, which I think people needed to hear. I say that, not for any vanity reason but because I experienced a lot of harassment, violence and discrimination in my life. In telling my story, I also told about how and why we became parents.

When I was finished, the professor spoke and his story was as a (former) military man and what it was like to be gay under Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Then the question/answer part began and the students got to ask us questions. I would say 80% or more of the questions were about parenting. Everybody wanted to know everything about gay parenting.

It was a good experience to let people know what life is like for a gay man, specifically what life was like from the 80's to now. How far we have come as a community in that time. In the 80's there were no gay/straight clubs in school, no domestic partnership registries, no civil unions, no protections. It wasn't until 2003 when the sodomy law was struck down that we were no longer considered criminals. We've come far as a community, and I think I've gotten to experience all ends of the spectrum in my life, the closet, a wild life, depression and a downward spiral all the way to being a married suburban dad. Something that wouldn't have been considered possible for someone like me just 25 years ago.

It was good to speak of it all, and it was good to answer any questions people had. I sit on another panel again, the first week in March.

Two great blasts from the past come forward

Two great blasts from the pasts to note.

First, this year is the 30th anniversary of Heart's Dog and Butterfly album.

The Las Vegas Sun reports:

The band is doing special events to mark the 30th anniversary of its classic album “Dog & Butterfly,” and the Wilsons are writing and illustrating a children’s book to honor the album.

I'm looking forward to that! What a great way to introduce Kristin to a classic album.

The second blast from the past comes from the old show Hair. Do you remember the lyrics to Age of Aquarius?

When the moon is in the 7th house and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planet, and love will steer the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.

Well, apparently this past Valentines day, Feb. 14th, 2009, was actually when the moon was in the 7th house and Jupiter was aligned with Mars.

I don't actually follow astrology, but did read that. Perhaps now, we are actually entering a new Age.

Uncertainty ahead

I think I'm going to end up on the unemployment line. The COO of the company I work for is new and slashing things within the company right and left. I need to submit a proposal on Monday or Tuesday, stating why they should continue to do business with me and offer them a new arrangement. But given how the meeting went last week, I know his mind is already made up.

This has been on my mind a lot lately. Is anybody else being affected by the recession?
I hear some people on the news saying it's not a recession anymore but a depression.

Kristin's friend is going to be homeschooled next year, because he just isn't being challenged in class and we feel the same for Kristin, and Toney would like for me to homeschool her next year. There is no way we can absorb the loss of my income though, so I don't know what's going to happen.