From the Archives: 2/26/2008 – On Coming Out To Friends: One stays, one goes

August 21, 2012

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February 2008

Just when you think you have it figured out…

I was sitting at Denny’s recently, trying not to listen to a group at a nearby table gossiping about some of their friends and the trials and tribulations they were going through, when I started thinking about two friends of mine. Each reacted to my coming out differently, and I had thought I knew how things would go when they found out. Boy, was I ever wrong.

Dennis and I met in Mrs. York’s Norcross’* 6th grade class, way back in 1968.  We have been ‘best friends’ ever since, with only a few years of not much contact when Dennis became a born again Christian at about age 18.  Since I had been sure that I was an atheist since about the time we met, I thought this would be the end of our friendship.  While we went several years with only sporadic contact, we eventually became close again.  Over the years, Dennis attended several religious colleges, and graduated from the Fuller Seminary in Pasadena.  My ‘best friend’ was a Southern Baptist minister!  I often tell people that I may be one of the only atheists around with his own minister!

Don and I met in high school.  We became fast friends pretty quickly, and ran around a lot during our school years.

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I’ve been Bouska’d! Start the clock…

July 13, 2012

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Friday the 13th.  Not scary at all.  A bit nervous, perhaps, meeting a photographer of Adam Bouska’s caliber, and having him take my picture, but that went well, and the ominous date faded to a faint memory as the event kicked off (not that I’m superstitious or anything).  Adam is a friendly guy, obviously talented (look at the NOH8 pics!), and he and his team have the shoots humming along like a well-oiled machine.  Even got a hug at the end of my shoot!  He and his partner are both genuinely nice, friendly guys, and made all of us feel at ease, even as they kept the line moving.  With almost 800 people who Facebooked a RSVP to attend, there’s a lot of pictures to take!

If you’d like to have your picture taken, be sure and check out the NOH8 Campaign‘s site, and see if they’re coming to a city near you soon!  If so, get in line like the rest of us, and join in the campaign.

Larger images of the above pictures after the jump.

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NOH8 Open Photo Shoot in Fresno 7/13

July 12, 2012

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Famed photographer Adam Bouska will take his NOH8 Campaign open photo shoot to Fresno, California, Friday July 13th. Held from 5pm to 8pm at The Big Red Church, donations to the NOH8 Campaign are $40 per single, and $25 per person for group shots.

For complete information, visit the NOH8 Campaign website.

I’ll be there, look for the tall skinny almost bald guy!

Shock and Awe

June 24, 2012

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My chin hurts.

It hurts because it hit the floor a few minutes ago, when my jaw dropped.

As I was logging on to WordPress today to check my “dashboard”, as they call the administration pages for the blog, I noticed something that surprised me to no end.  I clicked on the little icon that indicates administrative messages waiting to be read.  Those messages indicate when someone “liked” your blog, reblogged one of your posts, or signed up to receive email notices when a new post goes up.  I’ve got 161 followers as of this writing.  It was # 161 that gave me a sore chin.

Adam Bouska is now following my blog!  (insert Snoopy dance here. In a dignified, appropriate for a 54 year old gentleman sort of way, of course. Oh, hell, never mind dignity…  full on Snoopy dance.)

Adam is the photographer behind the NOH8 Campaign, who has taken literally tens of thousands of NOH8 photos, the ones you see on websites, Facebook profiles, Tweets, and almost anywhere you see people working against discrimination.  From everyday people like you and me, to movie stars, musicians, politicians, and simply the “stars” of our society, people line up at the frequent NOH8 Campaign photo shoots that Adam and his team do across the country.

One such open shoot is coming to Fresno on July 13, and I’m going to have to finagle a way to be there, because I have to work that night.  I’ll figure out something, though.

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Something’s changed

June 20, 2012

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Monday June 18th, 2012 Visalia City Hall

If anyone had told me, oh, say back when I was in high school, or even for a decade or two after that, that I would end up as some kind of “community leader”, standing at the public’s podium at the City Hall, and accepting a proclamation for that community, I’d have thought they were simply nuts.

Something’s changed.

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What Dreams May Come…

February 25, 2012

Jim Reeves commentary, Gay, geek, Personal , , 1 Comment

Meet Ted.

I’ve known him for about 16 years now, and a better friend nobody could want or have.

A hottie, yes?

Well, the other day I had a dream about him.

Not so much about *him*, but he’s the reason for the subject matter of this particular dream.

Before I met him, I had a smidgen of computer smarts, hardly enough to even call them that, but a bit.  I’ve learned a lot since then, and 99.9% of it from Ted.  I’m sure he’s had to bite his tongue a time or two, and probably wonders why it takes so much repetition for me to finally learn something so simple!  But after 16 years of his expert tutoring, I’m actually seen by others (folks at work, family, a few other friends) as being a computer geek who they can turn to if they need computer help.  Generally, I can help them, and not blow up their machines in the process.  If I don’t know the answer to what are usually fairly simple issues, I can refer them to someone who can.

The dream?  I only remember a bit of it.  (I’m not one who wakes up with a clear memory of my dreams) It did have to do with sliding something in and out.

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LGBT Life Online Panel a great experience

February 21, 2012

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Sunday was the LGBT Life Online panel held at the PFLAG (Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meeting here in Visalia.  The Tulare-Kings PFLAG invited this group to speak on blogging and online activities of the LGBT community in the central valley.  From left to right, Andrew, web manager for Tulare-Kings PFLAG‘s website and Facebook pages, Melissa of GayPorterville.com, Brooke of GayVisalia.com and GayCentralValley.com, Justin of My LGBT Plus, myself representing QueerLandia.com and the soon to be discontinued QueerVisalia.com, and Ted of My LGBT Plus sat on the panel.  Each gave an overview of the history and objectives of their respective organizations.  A question and answer period allowed the audience a chance to ask about the various groups and how they operate.

This is the first time I’ve been on such a panel, and it was not too long ago that you’d never have gotten me up in front of a crowd like this.  I was amazed that I was completely calm, and was looking forward to the event before hand, and enjoyed being before the group.  The past few years have seen quite the change in my personal growth, even if I do say so myself, in that I’m much more relaxed and confident.  That’s a big change for me, and I think much of it has to do with deciding to be an out gay man.

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REAL “San Francisco values”

February 10, 2012

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The wingnuts go on about “San Francisco values”.  Here’s a clear example of what they (don’t) mean.

There’s even a dispatcher in this bunch.  Cool beans!

 

Memorials for EricJames

January 16, 2012

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Reposted here from Queerlandia.com and QueerVisalia.com:

Two memorial services are planned for EricJames, who succumbed to suicide Wednesday, January 11, in Visalia, California.

EricJames, as he was known to his friends, was 19, and his death has struck a cord world-wide. News sites and blogs around the world have carried the report, with people writing how the news has touched them with sadness, and has strengthened their convictions to work harder on suicide prevention, and the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people of all ages.

Two public memorials are planned:

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

College of the Sequoias 915 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia The Theatre Arts Department will hold a public memorial at 3:00 – 6:00 pm. See their Facebook event site, here. A map to the College is here.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Spiritual Awareness Center 117 S. Locust St., (map)

Due to capacity considerations, this memorial has been moved.  Same time, Saturday at 1pm.

New location:  The Lamp Liter Inn, 3300 W. Mineral King, Visalia map.

Facebook event page, here.

I could believe in Santa again…

December 15, 2011

Jim Reeves Gay, Humor , , 2 Comments

He could be my secret Santa any day.  (Just needs to lose the cigar)

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