visalia | JimmieJoe / KC6YRU

The old man in the iPhone

January 13, 2016

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jim_01122016_r

There’s something wrong with my iPhone. I try to take ‘selfies’, but this old man keeps showing up. I wonder if there’s an app for that? Or maybe I should call 9-1-1. Whatever the case, I think it’s just rude. Come to think of it, my bathroom mirror has the same problem. I wonder if it’s an iMirror?

Our part of the valley used to be an Oak forest

December 27, 2015

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South of Woodlake, California. Road 212, south of Avenue 328, looking southeast.

Local Stories: PFLAG to host speakers for National Coming Out Day. I’ll be one.

October 11, 2015

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October 11 is/was National Coming Out Day. 2015 marks the 27th annual observance, commemorating the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, held in 1987. On this day, those still in the closet, whether they are LGBTQ or allies, are urged to step out and tell their stories. In recognition of NCOD, PFLAG Tulare-Kings Counties will host two Visalia residents as they discuss their “coming out”.

Since the first NCOD was celebrated in 1988, there has been a sea-change in the way society in general, and the law specifically, views the LGBTQ community. From the riots in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City that sparked the modern LGBTQ movement, to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that made marriage equality the law of the land, few would have thought such progress possible.

In 1977, Harvey Milk of San Francisco won election to the City Council as California’s first openly gay person to run for office. During his campaign, and his short time in office (he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in their offices on November 27, 1978), Milk often urged closeted members of the gay community to “come out”. He maintained it was the only way for the LGBTQ community to truly advance. As more people came out over the years, Harvey’s words have proven prophetic. Harvey Milk is recognized in California with a “Special Day of Significance”, each May 22nd.

Each October, PFLAG Tulare-Kings Counties recognizes Coming Out Day with programs related to the subject. This year, two Visalia residents will speak, telling their “coming out” stories. Gail McCarthy, author of a five book murder mystery series, the Alexandria Whitney mysteries, and Jim Reeves (that’s me!), 9-1-1 dispatcher, blogger, and LGBTQ activist, will be discussing the coming out process and how it’s impacted our lives. We’ll talk about the societies we lived in as we approached our own “coming out”, the atmosphere that colored our perceptions, and how being “out” has affected our lives since.

The public is, as always, invited to attend PFLAG meetings. Admission is always free, and refreshments are served. This month’s will be Sunday, October 18, from 3 pm till 5 pm. We meet at the Congregation B’nai David, in their Educational and Cultural Center, 1039 S. Chinowth, Visalia. (Just follow the rainbow flags)

Attack of the goat people

August 9, 2015

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Image: Aaron Sims

In the big scheme of things, pygmy goats wouldn’t seem like a subject that would elicit a lot of controversy. They’re undoubtedly cute little animals, and videos of them are abundant on the Internet. The secret about pygmy goats, however, is that there are people who go full metal jacket against “city folk” (me, for one) that are against them being raised in backyards. Goats, no matter how “miniature” they might be, are livestock. They belong on farms. Backyards are not the places to raise them, no matter the reason you want them.

I dared speak my mind about the subject, and immediately became the subject of a crusade by the “goat people”.

Surprise, surprise!

June 22, 2015

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So I’m sitting there at the Visalia Pride Lions 5th anniversary luncheon last Saturday, when a friend of mine gets up to make a presentation. It immediately got surreal when the very first words out of his mouth were “Jim Reeves”. Needless to say, he caught my attention, and I’m wondering “just what is going on?” It turns out that the entire board and a bunch of the members of the local LGBT Lions group managed to keep me in the dark, and without a clue, that they were planing to honor me with 2015 “Heart of a Lion” award.

Sandy Waymack and Slade Childers present the award.

Here’s what Slade had to say:

Introduction

Quite a surprise, and completely unexpected! I was and am honored to be chosen for this recognition, and I thank the Visalia Pride Lions profusely.

Throwback Thursday – Jimmiejoe from a long time ago.

February 12, 2015

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Mineral King Bowl, Visalia, in the late 1970’s. The whole fam damily is here for someone’s graduation, but I’m not sure whose. Possibly my sister Sherry’s, which would place it in June, 1977. Maybe someone later, I’ll have to check and see if anyone else recalls who we were there for. I’m about 19 or 20, and that ball cap is my REACT hat, back from my CB radio days.

If I had been out to myself at the time, let alone anyone else, I think I would have qualified as a “twink”. Assuming the term was around then, I don’t know the history of that label to be sure. (I just checked, it started about that time, so I would have been one of the first! 😉 )

At any rate, a lot of water under the bridge since this Polaroid was snapped by one of the cousins that evening. I wonder if I still have that watch laying around in some box somewhere?