In Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece “Sweeney Todd” there is an initial meeting between the barber, Sweeney, and pie shop owner Mrs. Lovett that paints a picture of just how bad times can be. Each laments, through song of course, of the troubled times that lay ahead. Each in their own disturbed way attempts to top one another as to whose plight is worse. Through this very masterfully written show, a plot is hatched in which the two decide to embark on a new business, which includes the traditional murdering of people who have wronged them, chopping them up and using them as pie filling. Suddenly Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop is a thriving business and her fortunes have changed. Or so it seems.
Many of us today around the country may very much feel like Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett. I am fairly certain that everyone knows someone who has either directly or indirectly been affected by our current national financial situation. Some call it a recession, while others call it a depression, but no matter how you describe it these are some desperate times indeed, Mrs. Lovett.
With many Americans watching every penny and an uncertainty of just what our financial futures are it can all be too much to deal with. I, regardless of whether times are great or not-so, have been somewhat of a frugal spender. Some might say a penny pincher or a tight wad, but I could never understand paying double for something that I can get down the street for so much less. This exercise in frugality has served me well, even more so during this current downswing. That is why I have decided to share with you some of the bargains to be had around the valley.
For starters many of u like to go out to eat, especially us bears. The thing to remember that when going out to eat is that it is usually more of a social event than just plain eating. And while there is little substitute for delicious cuisine, sometimes the company you keep is more important. Many of the restaurants in town have discounted coupons, or offer discounts to full time residents. A great and delicious bargain for on 99 cents is the appropriately titles 99 cents burger at the Yellow Basket in Cat City. If you have guests visiting the buffet at the Spa Casino is a bargain and has a nice ambience. If just wanting to meet up with friends and have a little something, coffee and a nosh at Koffi is not only inexpensive, it is a true slice of Palm Springs culture.
If you are looking for some inexpensive things to do besides eat, try these on for size. On Thursday nights from 4-8 The Palm Springs Art Museum is open and free to the public. The museum is currently hosting a Mapplethorpe exhibit, and has recently been renovated to be a PS jewel. Besides the museum on Thursdays, there is of course the Street Fair, which is fun to browse and meet up with old friends.
Another fun thing to do is to go on a photo safari. Palm Springs is known worldwide for its architecture and natural beauty. Carry your camera around and just snap some shots. You will see PS in a way that you may not have before. Fun places to shoot are The Moorten’s Botanical Garden which is under $5, or try one of our many free hiking trails.
For those wanting to lay out by the pool, and don’t have one, Paul, the owner of the Desert Bear, allows well behaved visitors to come soak up some sun at the hotel for free. Just bring your own towels and snacks, and be polite, and respectful of hotel guest.
Moviegoers should know that the Mary Pickford has matinee prices up 6 o’clock every day of the week, and the Camelot has a special nighttime matinee for shows after 8pm.
Well I have to get back to baking my pies now, but I hope these tips make things a little more fun at least. If you have any saving tips let me know, and I will share them here in another money saving article.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Marching Forward
It is rare in life when one gets a second chance to get something right. This is not to say that there aren’t attempts to make a wrong right, but often that is an exception to the rule. On November 4th of last year an injustice was perpetrated onto our community. Our right as gay men and lesbians to get married was taken away from us. A very slim majority of voters went to the polls and voted to legislate prejudice over basic civil rights. And while many of us did what we could to ensure that such an outcome did not occur, there were far too many of us who did not.
I am not saying in any way shape or form are we responsible for the outcome of the vote on Proposition 8. Far from it. What I am saying is that far too many of us simply took it for granted that people would do the right thing and vote for our rights to live happy lives as married couples. On March 5th of this year, just a few short weeks ago, the California Supreme Court has decided to hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of Proposition 8.
Immediately following the outcome of Proposition 8 there was an outpouring of outrage and sadness. Shocked by what was definitely a defining moment in our communities history, people, gay and straight alike, took to the streets literally in peaceful protests and marches. Now I know, there are those of you thinking about that “poor lady Phyllis who had her cross ripped our of her hand and was attacked”?Regardless of what happened to the media attention grabbing granny, or what anyone thinks of it, actions of a few do not reflect the entire gay community. I for one couldn’t have cared less if she had her cross knocked out of her hand. Regardless of age, race, sexuality, if you stand in the way of someone’s god given rights as a human being than you had better be prepared for the consequences. The media was quick to turn poor Phyllis into a victim, and more recently has made those who gave money to Proposition 8 victims as well.
I have always stated that if you truly believe in a cause then you must stand behind your beliefs. You don’t hide by donating money and then are outraged when your donation is made public. You do not insert yourself into a rally of people that you want to deny their rights and then not expect them to react.
Of course this is a two way street. I heard plenty of gays and lesbians stating that they would not join any Prop 8 protests because of the infamous cross incident. Nor would some of them refuse to boycott businesses that donated to the yes campaign, for the only reason that the business was a favorite of theirs, or there was no proof that such business donated to the yes campaign. The whole “proof” rationale is ridiculous. The way I see it, if you ask a person if they supported Prop 8 either directly or indirectly, if they do not give a definite no, or refuse to answer, than they are not a friend to our cause.
As for those protests that were well attended, they were still not attended enough. This is Palm Springs and we have a much bigger gay population than showed up at any of the rallies. If you are not outraged or even interested in the outcome of Prop 8 than you are either not paying attention or are just plain selfish. We are talking about being recognized not as gays and lesbians, but as human beings with “certain unalienable rights”. We have another chance to speak out. On March 5th California Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of Prop 8. Leading up that date, and to the day of their rulings, there will be more rallies, demonstrations, and more importantly conversations. Now is our time to truly make our voices heard. We need to collectively come and stand together. So if you want to make a difference than get involved. As for your friends who seem disinterested, explain to them how important this. Convince them than they need to get off the bar stool, log off the internet, and even forego a trick, and make a true difference. Luckily we do have a great community that has come together but we need every single one of us to speak our voice. Our time has come
I am not saying in any way shape or form are we responsible for the outcome of the vote on Proposition 8. Far from it. What I am saying is that far too many of us simply took it for granted that people would do the right thing and vote for our rights to live happy lives as married couples. On March 5th of this year, just a few short weeks ago, the California Supreme Court has decided to hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of Proposition 8.
Immediately following the outcome of Proposition 8 there was an outpouring of outrage and sadness. Shocked by what was definitely a defining moment in our communities history, people, gay and straight alike, took to the streets literally in peaceful protests and marches. Now I know, there are those of you thinking about that “poor lady Phyllis who had her cross ripped our of her hand and was attacked”?Regardless of what happened to the media attention grabbing granny, or what anyone thinks of it, actions of a few do not reflect the entire gay community. I for one couldn’t have cared less if she had her cross knocked out of her hand. Regardless of age, race, sexuality, if you stand in the way of someone’s god given rights as a human being than you had better be prepared for the consequences. The media was quick to turn poor Phyllis into a victim, and more recently has made those who gave money to Proposition 8 victims as well.
I have always stated that if you truly believe in a cause then you must stand behind your beliefs. You don’t hide by donating money and then are outraged when your donation is made public. You do not insert yourself into a rally of people that you want to deny their rights and then not expect them to react.
Of course this is a two way street. I heard plenty of gays and lesbians stating that they would not join any Prop 8 protests because of the infamous cross incident. Nor would some of them refuse to boycott businesses that donated to the yes campaign, for the only reason that the business was a favorite of theirs, or there was no proof that such business donated to the yes campaign. The whole “proof” rationale is ridiculous. The way I see it, if you ask a person if they supported Prop 8 either directly or indirectly, if they do not give a definite no, or refuse to answer, than they are not a friend to our cause.
As for those protests that were well attended, they were still not attended enough. This is Palm Springs and we have a much bigger gay population than showed up at any of the rallies. If you are not outraged or even interested in the outcome of Prop 8 than you are either not paying attention or are just plain selfish. We are talking about being recognized not as gays and lesbians, but as human beings with “certain unalienable rights”. We have another chance to speak out. On March 5th California Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of Prop 8. Leading up that date, and to the day of their rulings, there will be more rallies, demonstrations, and more importantly conversations. Now is our time to truly make our voices heard. We need to collectively come and stand together. So if you want to make a difference than get involved. As for your friends who seem disinterested, explain to them how important this. Convince them than they need to get off the bar stool, log off the internet, and even forego a trick, and make a true difference. Luckily we do have a great community that has come together but we need every single one of us to speak our voice. Our time has come
Monday, February 2, 2009
Back To Basics
Recently as I sat at my computer typing away, chatting and writing, I heard a funny noise. It sounded like a motor grinding and then no sooner had I typed an “OMG”, my pc came to a crashing halt. For a moment I sat there in disbelief. I waited a few moments in total shock as if someone had taken a knife to my throat. First came a sense of denial. I knew if I just talked nicely to my circuited friend that he would wake up and take me down the superhighway toward porn and instant messaging. Control E, I pressed. Hell I pressed every key on the board, and even tried opening and closing the DVD drive. But alas, quicker than a chat window could open, my beloved hard drive was gone.
As you can no doubt tell from my ridiculous attempts to revive my mechanical buddy when it comes to computers I am pretty much illiterate. Sure I can find a hottie with an internet proclaimed nine inches at a moments notice. I can rant and rave in a nano second and even outbid other eBay junkies at the last second. But what I cannot do is understand the inner workings of what is without a doubt the most used thing in my life, well most used thing that isn’t attached. So there I sat with a black screen and a computer that refused to do anything that my fingers commanded it to do.
Then a realization came over me. Given that I had only had minor technical problems before with a computer, I had never even thought to backup my files. It wasn’t until after my personal Crash of 2009 that I even knew how to backup a file. In a moment of panic I came to grips with the fact that basically everything in my life was lost for good. Gone were all of the muscled wrestler pictures that I had saved over the years, along with my favorite list of websites. Buried deep inside my computers seemingly locked vault were all of my writings, including all of my past Bear Talk columns. They were all gone never to be returned again.
Of course just because I knew that everything was gone and irretrievable it didn’t stop from still trying everything I could to do so. I had Rod work his magic, and though he is much more adept at computer technology than I am, he didn’t possess the wizardry necessary to bring back my collection of hairy men and oh so important ramblings. I had to face it, everything was gone, and the only thing I could was a complete system restore. For a moment there was a glimpse of hope that a restore could save some of my gems, but that light faded fast, and I was left with a computer that was sent back just this side of a Commodore 64.
Once I succumbed to that fact that I had been frozen back to the ice age, I decided that maybe it was a sign from a higher power that perhaps, just maybe, that my computer had become my life rather than just a part of it. I had invested so much time into building a cyber life. From friends to photos of the places I had been my life had been stored on a hard drive, instead of where it truly should have been. Suddenly it occurred to me that instead of living my life through a monitor screen, I should have instead looked outside the window of my desk and stepped away from the computer.
I questioned myself as to what I had done before computers came along. While they certainly do make our lives easier and more interesting, there is something to be said for actual physical contact with other people. Memories stored in a file, cannot compare to the memories still yet to be made. And even the photos that are so easily edited and altered cannot compare to those Polaroids from the past.
Now as I sit here typing this, again at my computer, I do so with an appreciation that I never felt before. I am much more aware of that even with the wrong stroke of a key that it can disappear. But what is a constant that can’t be taken away are the thoughts and memories behind the keyboard. I think maybe I will go get a pen and paper for a change.
As you can no doubt tell from my ridiculous attempts to revive my mechanical buddy when it comes to computers I am pretty much illiterate. Sure I can find a hottie with an internet proclaimed nine inches at a moments notice. I can rant and rave in a nano second and even outbid other eBay junkies at the last second. But what I cannot do is understand the inner workings of what is without a doubt the most used thing in my life, well most used thing that isn’t attached. So there I sat with a black screen and a computer that refused to do anything that my fingers commanded it to do.
Then a realization came over me. Given that I had only had minor technical problems before with a computer, I had never even thought to backup my files. It wasn’t until after my personal Crash of 2009 that I even knew how to backup a file. In a moment of panic I came to grips with the fact that basically everything in my life was lost for good. Gone were all of the muscled wrestler pictures that I had saved over the years, along with my favorite list of websites. Buried deep inside my computers seemingly locked vault were all of my writings, including all of my past Bear Talk columns. They were all gone never to be returned again.
Of course just because I knew that everything was gone and irretrievable it didn’t stop from still trying everything I could to do so. I had Rod work his magic, and though he is much more adept at computer technology than I am, he didn’t possess the wizardry necessary to bring back my collection of hairy men and oh so important ramblings. I had to face it, everything was gone, and the only thing I could was a complete system restore. For a moment there was a glimpse of hope that a restore could save some of my gems, but that light faded fast, and I was left with a computer that was sent back just this side of a Commodore 64.
Once I succumbed to that fact that I had been frozen back to the ice age, I decided that maybe it was a sign from a higher power that perhaps, just maybe, that my computer had become my life rather than just a part of it. I had invested so much time into building a cyber life. From friends to photos of the places I had been my life had been stored on a hard drive, instead of where it truly should have been. Suddenly it occurred to me that instead of living my life through a monitor screen, I should have instead looked outside the window of my desk and stepped away from the computer.
I questioned myself as to what I had done before computers came along. While they certainly do make our lives easier and more interesting, there is something to be said for actual physical contact with other people. Memories stored in a file, cannot compare to the memories still yet to be made. And even the photos that are so easily edited and altered cannot compare to those Polaroids from the past.
Now as I sit here typing this, again at my computer, I do so with an appreciation that I never felt before. I am much more aware of that even with the wrong stroke of a key that it can disappear. But what is a constant that can’t be taken away are the thoughts and memories behind the keyboard. I think maybe I will go get a pen and paper for a change.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Ebears
It seems that time really does fly. In this era of uncertainty and change, it is always nice to know that some good things remain constant. That is why a group of bears, myself included, got together and decided to begin a group that would really act as a friendship and support network. That group, called The E-bears, is celebrating its 1 year anniversary bigger and stronger than ever.
The E-bears were founded because of an increasingly amount of interest for a group that was activity driven. While there were and still are other popular bear and bear friendly groups in town, it seemed that there wasn’t a group that offered members the chance to instantly plan events at a moments notice. The idea behind the E-bears was that through the internet and emails, if a group of guys wanted to get together and to go to a movie together, they could simply send out an E-vite invitation and off we could go. By building a database on Evite with an instant RSVP system, members could plan an event as late as the day of, and get an accurate assessment of who would be there.
Of the many events that the E-bears have had, none seem to have more interest than our weekend movie outings. From Mamma Mia to MILK, the E-bears group attended several movies this past year. Often many of our members would bring their friends from out of town, allowing for anyone who wanted to come who so desired. Last year most of our movie outings occurred at The Mary Pickford Theater, but as the first year came to end we ventured out to other theaters as well. In the coming year we will continue expanding the venues that we attend movies out, and are going to commit to at least one (probably more) movie outings per month.
Other events that we have enjoyed were going to see the Palm Springs Power baseball game, a great 4th of July pool party and fireworks, miniature golf, a wedding and of course the event that started it all a Valentine’s Day Cupcakes and Cupid party. The point of the group is to not be stagnant by trying a wide variety of events.
The best part of it all, is that because all of our events are member planned, and there are no dues or officers, the E-bears is strictly about having a good time. There are no meetings or politics. Members can choose which events are of interest to them, and our policy is that those who are meant to be at an event and those who aren’t, simply are not. It’s really that simple.
Now of course, as with any group no matter how informal, there are a few rules. The rules for the E-bears are quite simple and are for the good of the whole group. Rule #1 is that we only encourage people who have a positive attitude. We strive to keep it drama free and since there are no dues, no promises and no official group charter, those who are looking for drama, simply are removed from the E-vite list. Rule #2 is the most important. It is imperative that our group remain active. We are not interested in how many people are in the group, we are more focused on how many active members we have. Therefore we do ask that members RSVP to the Evites whether they can attend or not. If a member doesn’t RSVP to three consecutive events we assume that they are now inactive and therefore drop them off the list. We don’t require that you go to any of the events, but you must at least take the time to respond to invitations. And the 3rd and final rule is that all public events (such as a movie outing, or day trip) are open to all members. However, if a member hosts an event at their private home, we do not require that they invite all members. This is because some people don’t have room for 75 people and since it is a member’s private residence, they can have the option of who they invite.
Now the biggest question that I get about the E-bears is how to become a member. It is really quite simple. Email your first and last name, some info about yourself, to ebearsps@gmail.com. It is really that easy.
We look forward to our 2nd year and hopefully you will be a part of the fun.
The E-bears were founded because of an increasingly amount of interest for a group that was activity driven. While there were and still are other popular bear and bear friendly groups in town, it seemed that there wasn’t a group that offered members the chance to instantly plan events at a moments notice. The idea behind the E-bears was that through the internet and emails, if a group of guys wanted to get together and to go to a movie together, they could simply send out an E-vite invitation and off we could go. By building a database on Evite with an instant RSVP system, members could plan an event as late as the day of, and get an accurate assessment of who would be there.
Of the many events that the E-bears have had, none seem to have more interest than our weekend movie outings. From Mamma Mia to MILK, the E-bears group attended several movies this past year. Often many of our members would bring their friends from out of town, allowing for anyone who wanted to come who so desired. Last year most of our movie outings occurred at The Mary Pickford Theater, but as the first year came to end we ventured out to other theaters as well. In the coming year we will continue expanding the venues that we attend movies out, and are going to commit to at least one (probably more) movie outings per month.
Other events that we have enjoyed were going to see the Palm Springs Power baseball game, a great 4th of July pool party and fireworks, miniature golf, a wedding and of course the event that started it all a Valentine’s Day Cupcakes and Cupid party. The point of the group is to not be stagnant by trying a wide variety of events.
The best part of it all, is that because all of our events are member planned, and there are no dues or officers, the E-bears is strictly about having a good time. There are no meetings or politics. Members can choose which events are of interest to them, and our policy is that those who are meant to be at an event and those who aren’t, simply are not. It’s really that simple.
Now of course, as with any group no matter how informal, there are a few rules. The rules for the E-bears are quite simple and are for the good of the whole group. Rule #1 is that we only encourage people who have a positive attitude. We strive to keep it drama free and since there are no dues, no promises and no official group charter, those who are looking for drama, simply are removed from the E-vite list. Rule #2 is the most important. It is imperative that our group remain active. We are not interested in how many people are in the group, we are more focused on how many active members we have. Therefore we do ask that members RSVP to the Evites whether they can attend or not. If a member doesn’t RSVP to three consecutive events we assume that they are now inactive and therefore drop them off the list. We don’t require that you go to any of the events, but you must at least take the time to respond to invitations. And the 3rd and final rule is that all public events (such as a movie outing, or day trip) are open to all members. However, if a member hosts an event at their private home, we do not require that they invite all members. This is because some people don’t have room for 75 people and since it is a member’s private residence, they can have the option of who they invite.
Now the biggest question that I get about the E-bears is how to become a member. It is really quite simple. Email your first and last name, some info about yourself, to ebearsps@gmail.com. It is really that easy.
We look forward to our 2nd year and hopefully you will be a part of the fun.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Mailbag
When I first started writing Bear Talk I was very surprised by the amount of questions and comments that I would receive. I would often joke with friends that I would know when the new issue of Talk hit the stands because I would suddenly be receiving complaints about something I had wrote. Heck, you can’t please everyone.
On a few occasions in the past I openly answered in this column, but alas there was no way to answer them all in print. Thus I started answering them all privately. Well after about a year of doing so, I have noticed that a lot of the same questions find their way to my inbox. So I have decided that I will begin again occasionally answering your emails for all to see.
Q: Where do I get a copy of Talk Magazine? Can I read your past columns online?
A:Talk Magazine can be found literally all over town, and throughout the country. The best bet to find a copy of Talk is of course at places that advertise in Talk, at the bars, and of course you can read it online at TalkPublications.com. As for past Bear Talk columns, the current ones are always at our website, and as of 2009 I have begun archiving them at beartalkps.blogspot.com.
Q: I used to pick up your column to find out what events were happening around PS. How come there don’t seem to be as many bear events anymore?
A: Well, this is a double sided answer. It is true that I used to list many of the bear events in town in a small section I devoted called “What’s Happening”. It was generally placed at the end of my column each week, but there wasn’t much room. So I decided that instead I would write full columns about the major bear events in town since most everyone either knew of the weekly bear gatherings or could easily find out that information.
The reason that my columns have not been so event driven as of late is unfortunate actually. I have always been committed to promoting local events, and always have worked with organizers of such events to get the word out. Often I would write a couple of columns prior to an upcoming event and from what I have been told by several readers and organize, by getting the word out increased attendance. However, lately getting the information sent to me about upcoming events has been like pulling teeth. Why any organizer or group wouldn’t want free publicity is beyond me. I have made it clear that if anyone needs me to help promote their event all they need to do is send me the details. So if you have an event coming up or know of one that you’d like more information on let me know and I will see what I can do.
Q: Here is the situation. My 2 friends have a very explosive relationship. One day they are on and the next they are off. As far as I am concerned it’s their business. But when they do break up they try to get everyone they know involved in their drama. When they get back together again we are all expected to act like nothing happened. What would you do?
A: Man I hate it when that happens. You hit the nail on the head though with your own question. It is THEIR drama, not yours, not their other friends, not the mailman’s. It belongs to them. Anyone that truly values your friendship will never put you in the middle of their relationship problems regardless of their situation. Furthermore, it is extremely rude for them to assume that all is well after they have declared it so. You cannot say my boyfriend is a jerk and here I why, and then the next day say he is great and you shouldn’t think bad of him.
So take a page from my book. I came up with a term I call “Yo Yo Drama”. Simply tell your friends “That’s yo’ drama and its going to keep coming up again until you fix it”.
On a few occasions in the past I openly answered in this column, but alas there was no way to answer them all in print. Thus I started answering them all privately. Well after about a year of doing so, I have noticed that a lot of the same questions find their way to my inbox. So I have decided that I will begin again occasionally answering your emails for all to see.
Q: Where do I get a copy of Talk Magazine? Can I read your past columns online?
A:Talk Magazine can be found literally all over town, and throughout the country. The best bet to find a copy of Talk is of course at places that advertise in Talk, at the bars, and of course you can read it online at TalkPublications.com. As for past Bear Talk columns, the current ones are always at our website, and as of 2009 I have begun archiving them at beartalkps.blogspot.com.
Q: I used to pick up your column to find out what events were happening around PS. How come there don’t seem to be as many bear events anymore?
A: Well, this is a double sided answer. It is true that I used to list many of the bear events in town in a small section I devoted called “What’s Happening”. It was generally placed at the end of my column each week, but there wasn’t much room. So I decided that instead I would write full columns about the major bear events in town since most everyone either knew of the weekly bear gatherings or could easily find out that information.
The reason that my columns have not been so event driven as of late is unfortunate actually. I have always been committed to promoting local events, and always have worked with organizers of such events to get the word out. Often I would write a couple of columns prior to an upcoming event and from what I have been told by several readers and organize, by getting the word out increased attendance. However, lately getting the information sent to me about upcoming events has been like pulling teeth. Why any organizer or group wouldn’t want free publicity is beyond me. I have made it clear that if anyone needs me to help promote their event all they need to do is send me the details. So if you have an event coming up or know of one that you’d like more information on let me know and I will see what I can do.
Q: Here is the situation. My 2 friends have a very explosive relationship. One day they are on and the next they are off. As far as I am concerned it’s their business. But when they do break up they try to get everyone they know involved in their drama. When they get back together again we are all expected to act like nothing happened. What would you do?
A: Man I hate it when that happens. You hit the nail on the head though with your own question. It is THEIR drama, not yours, not their other friends, not the mailman’s. It belongs to them. Anyone that truly values your friendship will never put you in the middle of their relationship problems regardless of their situation. Furthermore, it is extremely rude for them to assume that all is well after they have declared it so. You cannot say my boyfriend is a jerk and here I why, and then the next day say he is great and you shouldn’t think bad of him.
So take a page from my book. I came up with a term I call “Yo Yo Drama”. Simply tell your friends “That’s yo’ drama and its going to keep coming up again until you fix it”.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Great Expectations
As this issue of Talk Magazine hits the stands, today marks a truly historical day in American history. Millions of people will have tuned in their televisions, and countless folks will have made a trek to Washington DC as Barack Obama is sworn in as the new President of the United States. And while having our first African American president is quite historical, the real item of relevance is not the swearing in of President Obama, but instead the end of quite possibly the worst presidency in American history, that of now private citizen George Bush.
Now there are those around, many from Indian Wells, who would argue that George Bush wasn’t a bad president. There are even those who would say he was a great president. Now that he is out of office officially I can let those with that kind of a mentality on a very badly kept secret. George Bush was not, I repeat was not, in any capacity a person whose presidency should ever be looked back upon as anything more than a very dark period in the history world. From the travesty of Hurricane Katrina, to the outing of a CIA Agent, lying to the world to get us into war, and to the recent economic crisis, George Bush and his cronies (including those who ever voted for him) are completely responsible for the state of our country today.
In case there is anyone out there that thinks I don’t have a definite opinion on the now former president and the deeds of his administration, I hope that I have cleared it up for you. I know, I know, there are those on the right who now will say “He is gone now, so you can’t blame him”. Well of course I can blame him and I will. Hell, the Bush regime was blaming the Clinton’s for their failures throughout. We went from a surplus economy with Bill Clinton, to the biggest national debt in the history of our country. We went from being the darling of the world following 911 to warmongers. Sorry, Mr. Bush, that was your doing and you and your party will own it for history.
But now we have a new dawn filled with great expectations and high hopes. With President Obama at the helm, we can at least know from the beginning that we have someone in office who truly cares about the American people. The people of America elected Obama in great numbers, and for the first time in years we have a president in office whose election to office is completely legitimate and without doubt of fraud. That in itself is a sign of a change in America, where the voice of the people is actually being heard and not decided by the Supreme Court.
The truth of the matter is that there are tough days ahead, even with President Obama in charge. There are those who say that perhaps we should lower our expectations of what we can see from the new administration. That notion I must reject. This is America after all and not only should we expect great things, we should work together to make them happen. Tough times in the past have lead to America’s ingenuity. We have banded together and literally changed the world. There is nothing that says we cannot make this happen, and those who wish for the President to fail at reviving America, then you are the problem and your patriotism is flawed.
Now is the time for America to prosper and thrive. We simply cannot let pundants say that we are in a recession, and times are bad and accept it. As with any situation, we are in control of our destiny. We can either accept the news of doom and gloom or we can make strides to change it.
Charles Dickens wrote something that is very appropriate in our current times. He wrote: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."
It’s all how you look at it, but with Obama in office, I look at it with the audacity of hope.
Now there are those around, many from Indian Wells, who would argue that George Bush wasn’t a bad president. There are even those who would say he was a great president. Now that he is out of office officially I can let those with that kind of a mentality on a very badly kept secret. George Bush was not, I repeat was not, in any capacity a person whose presidency should ever be looked back upon as anything more than a very dark period in the history world. From the travesty of Hurricane Katrina, to the outing of a CIA Agent, lying to the world to get us into war, and to the recent economic crisis, George Bush and his cronies (including those who ever voted for him) are completely responsible for the state of our country today.
In case there is anyone out there that thinks I don’t have a definite opinion on the now former president and the deeds of his administration, I hope that I have cleared it up for you. I know, I know, there are those on the right who now will say “He is gone now, so you can’t blame him”. Well of course I can blame him and I will. Hell, the Bush regime was blaming the Clinton’s for their failures throughout. We went from a surplus economy with Bill Clinton, to the biggest national debt in the history of our country. We went from being the darling of the world following 911 to warmongers. Sorry, Mr. Bush, that was your doing and you and your party will own it for history.
But now we have a new dawn filled with great expectations and high hopes. With President Obama at the helm, we can at least know from the beginning that we have someone in office who truly cares about the American people. The people of America elected Obama in great numbers, and for the first time in years we have a president in office whose election to office is completely legitimate and without doubt of fraud. That in itself is a sign of a change in America, where the voice of the people is actually being heard and not decided by the Supreme Court.
The truth of the matter is that there are tough days ahead, even with President Obama in charge. There are those who say that perhaps we should lower our expectations of what we can see from the new administration. That notion I must reject. This is America after all and not only should we expect great things, we should work together to make them happen. Tough times in the past have lead to America’s ingenuity. We have banded together and literally changed the world. There is nothing that says we cannot make this happen, and those who wish for the President to fail at reviving America, then you are the problem and your patriotism is flawed.
Now is the time for America to prosper and thrive. We simply cannot let pundants say that we are in a recession, and times are bad and accept it. As with any situation, we are in control of our destiny. We can either accept the news of doom and gloom or we can make strides to change it.
Charles Dickens wrote something that is very appropriate in our current times. He wrote: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."
It’s all how you look at it, but with Obama in office, I look at it with the audacity of hope.
Antiques Roadshow
A few months ago nearly 6000 people, myself included, gathered our most valuable possessions, or so we hoped, and made our way to the Palm Springs Convention Center for a visit to the Antiques Road Show. Now the shows, filmed here in Palm Springs will finally be airing on Monday nights for three weeks in January Determined that I had at least one or two priceless treasures, my friend Mike and I, braved a never ending sea of fortune seekers for the chance to be immortalized forever on national television. Having attended the Road Show once before many years ago, like the antiques the appraisers look over to find their worth, the experience of the Road Show this time around had also appreciated in value..
I cannot think of an experience that even comes close to going to the Antiques Road Show, except maybe Christmas as a child. First you choose which two items that you are going to take for appraisal. Once that daunting task is done then there is the anticipation. It starts the night before the show, lying in bed convinced that you have a one of a kind multi million dollar artifact. Then just like a visit to St. Nick, you go over in your mind over and over again, the story that you are going to tell the appraisers, to ensure that your item is appraised at its maximum value.
Believe me; all sorts of things go through your mind as you await your moment with the appraisers. There is of course excitement that you have even got a ticket to attend, but then there is the overall feeling that perhaps you have been holding onto a priceless heirloom all these years that you could have sold it long ago, and at that very moment you could be using your vast wealth to travel around the world.
For me the best part of attending the Antiques Road Show is the 2 hour plus line that you must wait in just to get inside. Like the gold miners of the 1800’s people from all over the country literally come with their items for a chance to strike gold. Of course the tools for gold mining are a lot different than they were in the past, though I am sure there were a few people in line with actual gold mining gear to have appraised.
We literally saw a bit of everything as we walked back and forth up and down in a maze of antiques and collectibles. We were most impressed by a man in front of us who had a scale model from the DeLaurentis’ version of King Kong. There were countless paintings and furniture pieces. There was even a women dressed in crocks and a moo-moo walking the aisles with a musket and pistol. One man was even smart enough to bring a chair, the genius of this being, he could use the chair for its intended purpose while waiting to get it appraised.
What I had discovered from talking with the other people looking to get appraisals is that their items were more than just trinkets. The stories that they had to go with their items were generally worth far more than the items themselves. I realized that going to the Antiques Roadshow was by far more valuable than anything I could have had appraised. Memories and experience really do not have a monetary value, they are priceless.
I left the show with an even greater feeling for the items I have in my home. Sure most of them are not worth much in monetary value, but just by looking around I suddenly noticed that collectively they are priceless. Each item that adorns my walls, fills my shelves and is a source of constant dusting, represent so much more than the money I paid for them. They are all items that Rod and I have put together to make our home. These items have value to us, but only we know how much to us. And to think I waited in line for hours to discover something that I should have already known. Oh well, that in itself is worth something.
I cannot think of an experience that even comes close to going to the Antiques Road Show, except maybe Christmas as a child. First you choose which two items that you are going to take for appraisal. Once that daunting task is done then there is the anticipation. It starts the night before the show, lying in bed convinced that you have a one of a kind multi million dollar artifact. Then just like a visit to St. Nick, you go over in your mind over and over again, the story that you are going to tell the appraisers, to ensure that your item is appraised at its maximum value.
Believe me; all sorts of things go through your mind as you await your moment with the appraisers. There is of course excitement that you have even got a ticket to attend, but then there is the overall feeling that perhaps you have been holding onto a priceless heirloom all these years that you could have sold it long ago, and at that very moment you could be using your vast wealth to travel around the world.
For me the best part of attending the Antiques Road Show is the 2 hour plus line that you must wait in just to get inside. Like the gold miners of the 1800’s people from all over the country literally come with their items for a chance to strike gold. Of course the tools for gold mining are a lot different than they were in the past, though I am sure there were a few people in line with actual gold mining gear to have appraised.
We literally saw a bit of everything as we walked back and forth up and down in a maze of antiques and collectibles. We were most impressed by a man in front of us who had a scale model from the DeLaurentis’ version of King Kong. There were countless paintings and furniture pieces. There was even a women dressed in crocks and a moo-moo walking the aisles with a musket and pistol. One man was even smart enough to bring a chair, the genius of this being, he could use the chair for its intended purpose while waiting to get it appraised.
What I had discovered from talking with the other people looking to get appraisals is that their items were more than just trinkets. The stories that they had to go with their items were generally worth far more than the items themselves. I realized that going to the Antiques Roadshow was by far more valuable than anything I could have had appraised. Memories and experience really do not have a monetary value, they are priceless.
I left the show with an even greater feeling for the items I have in my home. Sure most of them are not worth much in monetary value, but just by looking around I suddenly noticed that collectively they are priceless. Each item that adorns my walls, fills my shelves and is a source of constant dusting, represent so much more than the money I paid for them. They are all items that Rod and I have put together to make our home. These items have value to us, but only we know how much to us. And to think I waited in line for hours to discover something that I should have already known. Oh well, that in itself is worth something.
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