Monday, January 5, 2015


2014

Terry and I appreciate life in the middle. We still work for Uncle Sam and travel whenever we can. Most of our travel is between New York and Washington, but we still see friends and family in the U.S. and abroad. As you can see by the year in review, we invest in memories.

Some of our favorite memories…
-          business trips to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Williamsburg
-          a fantastic vacation in Mexico with Norm & Joyce (and a little Bonnie, too)
-          breakfasts with Jodi & Steve from Texas, and Bill & Tom from L.A.
-          days in NYC with Jackie, Patrick, Judy, Liz & Martha
-          dinners with Chuck & Julie, Bob & Andi, Chris & Fada, Tom & Bill
-          parties with Lynn & Jeffrey, Micheal TK
-          drinks at the NYC Eagle with Ricky after Amaluna
-          Easter and Christmas with Ondericks & Dellorsos
-          visits with – and the lasting memory of – our sister-in-law Dianne
-          Marc’s promotion at TSA.



2014 in Review
January 1 - Chuck & Bo's Soup Party
January 17 – La Soiree, Union Square Theatre
January 19 – The Glass Menagerie with Cherry Jones and Zachary Quinto, Booth Theatre
January 31 – Newsies, Nederlander Theatre
February – Pippin with Annie Potts, Music Box Theatre
February 11 – Beatles’ 50th Anniversary Tribute Concert at DC Coliseum with Tommy Roe*
February 14 – Company at the Leonard Nimoy Theater
February 15 – Intimacy at Acorn Theatre
March 4 – Cher and Pat Benatar at Verizon Center*
March 9 – Visited The Dying Gaul at the National Gallery of Art*
March 14 – Lunch at 21, Gay Camp at Duplex Bar NYC
March 16 – All The Way with Brian Cranston, Neil Simon Theatre
March 15 – The Tribute Artist at 59E59 Theatres, Avenue Q at New World Stages
April 12 – Hair at Keegan Theatre, Cirque du Soliel’s Amaluna in NYC at CitiField
April 23 – Reunion with Norm & Joyce & friends, hosted by Fada & Chris*
April 13 – Mothers & Sons with Tyne Daly, Golden Theatre
May 1 – Aladdin on Broadway, New Amsterdam Theatre
May 23 – Lunch at Tavern on the Green
May 25 – Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber at 54 Below with Joe & Doriann
June 1 – Cinderella on Broadway with Fran Drescher and Carly Rae Jepsen
June 2 – 9/11 Museum with Jackie
June 6 – Harry Potter World at Universal Orlando
June 7 – Gay Day at Walt Disney World & Clearwater Beach on 6/09
June 16 – Pitt Reception at Newseum*
June 17 – Night Out at the Park (Nationals v Rays) *
June 28-29 – NYC Pride Weekend Parade and Bear Cruise #2
July 11 – Of Mice and Men with James Franco and Chris O’Dowd, Longacre Theatre
July 12 – Charles Busch, 54 Below
August 2 - Liza and Judy, Don’t Tell Mama
August – No Strings Attached, Stage Left Studio
August 23 -24 – Amaluna with Bonnie,* Kevin & Charles’ wedding & Evergreen Mansion, Baltimore
August 28 – Dinner at Malloney & Porcelli
August 31 – Day trip to Fire Island, drinks at Cherry’s and The Blue Whale
September 13 – Cabaret with Alan Cuming and Michelle Williams, Studio 54
September 27 – On the Town at Lyric Theater
October 4 – Take Me Out in Tyson’s Corner*
October 11 – Day trip to Sleepy Hollow, New York
October 10 – The Killing of Sister George at the Actors Company, plus discussion with Dana Ivey
October 16 – Cirque du Soliel’s Ka, Las Vegas
October 23 – November 3 – Vacation in La Paz, Mexico City, and Oaxaca
October 12 - The Real Thing with Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cynthia Nixon, Ewan McGregor, American Airlines Theatre
October 19 – Pippin with Lucie Arnaz, Music Box Theatre
November 22 – Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular (our third time) with Mike, Carol, Misty, Tracy
December 12 – Vodka Stinger and the Martha Rayes’ Christmas Show, 54 Below
December 13 – Cinderella on Broadway with NeNe Leaks and Keke Palmer
December 15 – Breakfast at The Russian Tea Room
December 24-25 – Christmas with the Ondericks and Dellorsos in Pennsylvania
December 31 – Townhouse Piano Bar
*DC area
 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

2013 in Review




Headlines this year…
  • Terry turned 60
  • My father died and was inurned in Arlington National Cemetery
  • I amputated finger – and it survived reattachment!

Terry and I traveled…

  • Fire Island with Nick
  • West Virginia with Jeff and Lynn
  • “Poseidon Adventure” Boat Cruise around Manhattan
  • Edinburgh, Meersburg, Munich


We definitely supported the performing arts…

Patti Lupone at 54 Below with friends Joe and Doriann
Hello Dolly at Ford’s Theatre with our friend Bonnie
Deafhood Monologues at Gallaudet with our friend Nick
The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin at Roundabout Theater
The Picture of Dorian Gray at The Workshop Theater/Manhattan Theatre Works
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Richard Rodgers Theatre with Joe and Doriann
Breakfast at Tiffany’s at Cort Theatre
Matthew Morrison at 54 Below, July 14
Pippi Longstocking at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater
Distorted Diznee at West Bank Cafe
The Nance at Lyceum Theatre with friends Steve and Bob
Pavel Zuštiak/Palissimo: Endangered Pieces
Sleeping Beauty by The Carlo Colla Marionettes at New Victory Theater
Music of Danny Elfman by Pittsbugh Symphony Orchestra
Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Cirque du Soliel's Totem with my friend Ricky

Me and Jezebel with friends Enrique and Gene
Jean Genet's The Balcony
Naked Holidays at The Cutting Room
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Handel’s Messiah at Lincoln Center
Sparkle, Jingle, Joy, featuring Matt Alber and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington with friends Richard and Hilary

Other

I served on a jury for 10 days. It was a terrible rape case. It proved to me that there are a lot of people on juries who don’t ever want to hold someone accountable for the pain and suffering they cause. Lessons: don't fall asleep near unfamiliar people, and don't trust a jury to do its job. 

Fragers Hardware on Capitol Hill was going to burn to the ground one day, but it broke our hearts when the inevitable happened. Lesson: plan for fire safety and disaster recovery.

The terrible Boston Marathon bombings resulted in a picture that captured the story: three Boston police officers and a fallen runner. There was also a lot of diversity in the picture. One of the officers happened to be gay and married to a TSA employee. The subsequent coverage from that connection helped TSA become more gay-friendly in 2013. Lesson: make connections that can bring out the good in things.

Here's to the old man of 2013 - and the baby of the New Year!


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Welcome 2013!

And we're off to a new year!

A lot has happened in my life in the last 12 months:
  • Terry bought an apartment in Manhattan.
  • My father died.
  • Good things happened at work.
With the new West Side apartment at Columbus Circle, Terry and I are traveling less across the Atlantic and more on Amtrak and Greyhound. Now that my father's gone, my family members are encouraged to visit me in Washington. This year is about focus. Clockwork.

I recreated myself when I turned 50, leaving association management and embracing a new federal career path. Now I'm redirecting my personal life as well. It's less about foreign countries and more about enjoying New York and nesting on Capitol Hill. It's more of a private party. Invitation only. Want in?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Dad's still tickin' at 94!


A dozen family members gathered in Tyler in February to celebrate my father's 94th birthday. What an amazing life. Growing up in an orphanage. Philadelphia during the Depression. World War II in the Pacific. A second marriage in Texas that lasted 52 years. Two sons. Here's to Dad!

Friday, April 1, 2011

1980 "Meeting the Needs of Gay and Lesbian Students"

March 1, 1980. "Meeting the Needs of Gay and Lesbian Students: A Conference for College Counselors, Chaplains and Administrators," is held at the First Unitarian Church in Dallas, organized by the Gay Academic Union/North Texas. Several people from Denton take part: North Texas State University students Suzan Davis and Marc Lerro, faculty member Edra Bogle, and University Ministry Center Director Ted Karpf. The conference features Don Clark of San Francisco, author of numerous books including the best-selling "Loving Someone Gay." About fifty professionals from fifteen area colleges attend, including three from T.W.U. No personnel from N.T.S.U. attend except for the participants. (http://ally.unt.edu/content/glbt-history-denton)

1978 Harvey Milk flirts with me at Texas Gay Conference V in Dallas

I was 20 years old and already a budding activist for equality. In 1978 I suspended my college studies and began working for Larry Lingle at Lobo Book Shop while I decided if I was on the right track in school. I was an openly gay man active in Democratic Party politics in Dallas and in Texas.


In the fall of 1978, the Texas Gay Conference V was held in Dallas. It was an annual gathering of gay men and lesbians beginning to organize on social and political issues. The star billing for the conference was San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in the United States.

Throughout the conference, Harvey flirted with me, and I appreciated the extra attention. I was by far the youngest person there, and definitely handsome with my blow-dry wings and shoulder-length hair, my 501 jeans, and my flannel shirts.

A few weeks later, Harvey Milk was gone.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Dad turns 93!


Five generations gather to celebrate. Pictured: Mason, Cierra, Cauline, Jacob, Rick, Jerry, Kyle, Jackie, Ash, Rachel, Marc.