tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25830201572071136712024-03-05T20:43:25.140-08:00The DefibrillatorThe blog that's guaranteed to get your heart goingBrent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-57613878602148134122011-12-19T20:27:00.000-08:002011-12-19T20:27:03.691-08:00Year in Review: Asleep at the Wheel | Out Magazine<a href="http://www.out.com/news-commentary/2011/12/15/chris-colfer-glee-sissy-boy-gay-rodemeyer#.TvAOjNiRR44.blogger">Year in Review: Asleep at the Wheel | Out Magazine</a>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-12864851834194778472011-10-02T12:50:00.000-07:002011-10-02T16:31:04.047-07:00Bay Area Issue of LOCUSPOINT is finally Out!<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/index.html"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmJarPBU6SM-0KqvdNVCjtDCq0eFVQmPfZLJu-JvS6MalgewBdDM9OBbhqYX3vcAge5H8ZyDky0ziPKWXl8YOKCNX2YGsQG6cHBk25rD4f-ya7NavtnUFH6hw6nCZG_ozXGsFgmabyP5N/s400/previewmap093011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm so excited to announce the launch of the Bay Area issue of <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/index.html">LOCUSPOINT</a>, a journal founded by <a href="http://kinemapoetics.blogspot.com/">Charles Jensen</a> of <a href="http://www.lethepressbooks.com/gay.htm">Lethe Press</a>, who invited me to be guest editor.<br />
<br />
This issue features new and exciting work from <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/squawvalley.html">Brenda Hillman</a>, <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/guywriters.html">Dan Bellm</a>, <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/squawvalley.html">Brian Teare</a>, <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/guywriters.html">Randall Mann</a>, <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/montlack.html">Michael Montlack</a>, <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/simmonds.html">Kevin Simmonds</a>, <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/clarksayles.html">Catharine Clark-Sayles</a>, and many, many more!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13IbDV2buUMsul83QFTonTdbwCQzJEOisSRadPdDjgqjraBT_7VtcUCJ5s1X5H-FaJY_kjsAkK1Z0psMg1gBEMbJA0ExLbD0P0aF4mPefNAjVTrrTlE61zu0bWmJidQtYxbgxsGU0ffk0/s1600/Brenda+Hillman.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13IbDV2buUMsul83QFTonTdbwCQzJEOisSRadPdDjgqjraBT_7VtcUCJ5s1X5H-FaJY_kjsAkK1Z0psMg1gBEMbJA0ExLbD0P0aF4mPefNAjVTrrTlE61zu0bWmJidQtYxbgxsGU0ffk0/s200/Brenda+Hillman.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brenda Hillman</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMwt1M2Q6Q04tTnZfNShE7Mf0ZtmC6YyhVycSLDzvUuCvwC3AoFdj-R5WElEiOd7OPxQxK75obleXOJzkFE2JnJVCv-0i9VTYnygDFfdSS2Sd1m4ST5_BSjrzwXPuoDBhzRIqY68X8FQM/s1600/Kevin+Simmonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMwt1M2Q6Q04tTnZfNShE7Mf0ZtmC6YyhVycSLDzvUuCvwC3AoFdj-R5WElEiOd7OPxQxK75obleXOJzkFE2JnJVCv-0i9VTYnygDFfdSS2Sd1m4ST5_BSjrzwXPuoDBhzRIqY68X8FQM/s200/Kevin+Simmonds.jpg" width="90" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin Simmonds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>LOCUSPOINT is a poetry journal whose mission is to spotlight different regions of the country in each issue in order to explore the rich synergism and magic that occurs in literary communities. <br />
<br />
Here is an excerpt from my<a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/index.html"> introductory essay</a>: <br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSySNcuy_jUDbfqCN38HSHAnsGKL-ZE7G8q_xEjhip2O87P5tKSqG-Hqb-FzQVD6BshzJYwhF4zSm_BMw9DaCbUW-WRUJE9pTP2LtBC1P_4beDXzimgilpSmPhisPN273rChSwYY6GIBt/s1600/Brent+Calderwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSySNcuy_jUDbfqCN38HSHAnsGKL-ZE7G8q_xEjhip2O87P5tKSqG-Hqb-FzQVD6BshzJYwhF4zSm_BMw9DaCbUW-WRUJE9pTP2LtBC1P_4beDXzimgilpSmPhisPN273rChSwYY6GIBt/s200/Brent+Calderwood.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>"...By 1955, the San Francisco Renaissance was in full flower. Poets Kenneth Rexroth and Madeline Gleason were busy ringleading a community of Beat and avant-garde poets that included Diane Di Prima, Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Denise Levertov, Kenneth Patchen, Phillip Whalen, Dick McBride, Michael McClure, Gary Snyder, and for a short time, Jack Kerouac..."</blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Click <a href="http://www.locuspoint.org/volume3/sf/index.html">HERE</a> to read the Bay Area issue of LOCUSPOINT. </b><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-72122139896462685832011-09-23T09:17:00.000-07:002011-09-23T09:20:45.583-07:00A Chip off the Old Block<span style="font-size: large;">Note to my friends: Here's a gift </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I <b>don't</b> want for my birthday next year...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUutzsPmCAihhOGJ4-tHU47TqUSlrfS1UDFxA2ZR6dr_DtmKodekDbLKxy0tELBsmgmhLDVm_ShKznnrDWroydmnqteSgvorQcJ0NYpVXPtDOo00DkQK1xfuo-cueo7xO7mERYu56Dcku/s1600/C0ckb10ck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUutzsPmCAihhOGJ4-tHU47TqUSlrfS1UDFxA2ZR6dr_DtmKodekDbLKxy0tELBsmgmhLDVm_ShKznnrDWroydmnqteSgvorQcJ0NYpVXPtDOo00DkQK1xfuo-cueo7xO7mERYu56Dcku/s320/C0ckb10ck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Courtesy <a href="http://puns.icanhascheezburger.com/2010/08/07/funny-pun-photos-cock-blocked/">So Much Puns</a>.Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-80515501311180389002011-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:002011-07-25T10:52:48.131-07:00Susan Sontag Is a Bear!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKVJzRGbsLLd3IVaryDVRy84Q5XvSww_7QhN1mNBJJXIIEp4Xtxt36XkOzI1i5BBcKYRPgZcL-jIVJsFja6ettY0S-PyvHJlt5injYk6DK_czKDXagJHvhDTefl36ObI6Ihn7dHWANey_/s400/tumblr_lolapdJmYy1qzo2l0o1_500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by Annie Liebowitz</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found this image at the amazing celebrity photo blog <a href="http://pennylifeinpics.blogspot.com/2011/07/photography-by-annie-leibovitz.html">Life in Pics. </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you you love Susan Sontag as much as I do (more now, of course!), here's an article about her I wrote for <a href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/susan-sontag/">Lambda Literary</a>. </div><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-71566354223297025722011-06-19T20:06:00.000-07:002011-06-21T15:50:52.997-07:00"The Golden Hour" Wins AQLF Broadside Award!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42c115WkWUZmWNWV-Cx3y0UX61c48pf99XmM3d788QLixaBjcLh9UkHphUgiMqcoa22SQ1OBbC3KmTIb5bdDvN70kksj2URyrXAjrjWkHMhG986nXcoZydd0EyHe2wkIs9Io9VPghgu-q/s1600/prospect-park-ps-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42c115WkWUZmWNWV-Cx3y0UX61c48pf99XmM3d788QLixaBjcLh9UkHphUgiMqcoa22SQ1OBbC3KmTIb5bdDvN70kksj2URyrXAjrjWkHMhG986nXcoZydd0EyHe2wkIs9Io9VPghgu-q/s200/prospect-park-ps-copy.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
I'm thrilled to announce that my poem "The Golden Hour" has been selected by judge <b>Mark Doty</b> as winner of the Atlanta Queer Lit Broadside Contest! Here is what Doty said about the poem:<br />
<blockquote><b>"This beautiful poem evokes a city landscape lit up with the possibility of new love. But it's also tense with the speaker's awareness that this hope may never be realized. In this way 'The Golden Hour' captures how love and desire lead us forward, but can also hold us hostage."</b></blockquote><div><a _mce_href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/AQLFcolor1.jpg" href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/AQLFcolor1.jpg"><img _mce_src="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/AQLFcolor1-e1308433585383-300x180.jpg" alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-68 alignright" height="180" src="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/AQLFcolor1-e1308433585383-300x180.jpg" title="AQLFcolor" width="300" /></a></div><div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">Here is more information from the <a _mce_href="http://atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com/" href="http://atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com/">festival website</a>:</div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">"The winner of the 2011 AQLF Broadside Contest chosen by poet Mark Doty is <b>Brent Calderwood</b>. His limited edition, signed broadside will be for sale during the festival. We are excited that Calderwood will be joining us in Atlanta to read his winning poem during the Keynote Addresses on Friday, June 24, 7:30 p.m. at the Decatur Library. See the full schedule of events at this <a _mce_href="http://atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com/p/2010-schedule.html" href="http://atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com/p/2010-schedule.html">link."</a></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;"><b>Friday, June 24, 7:30 p.m.</b></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;"><b>Keynote Address at Decatur Public Library</b></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">Host: Franklin Abbott</div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">Keynotes: Bryan Borland and Theresa Davis</div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left;">Broadside Contest winner Brent Calderwood</div></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-1390989001679856312011-06-03T00:32:00.000-07:002011-06-03T02:53:59.345-07:00Out of Necessity: A Lit Event this Sunday at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMJC5uQ-OagIx5jn66Fvk_sNnYBjOEzol-J-UOpWkTRJ_nUjCnaYgVvG5dRJ28D0PCA8VMW2yz5pnC8lPOgjt-FUiJ5QEMXO-kr-LjSmWl5Pwpb94YayoB9SI-Vc1n6JXggZGbQgd8tPL/s1600/Out+of+Necessity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMJC5uQ-OagIx5jn66Fvk_sNnYBjOEzol-J-UOpWkTRJ_nUjCnaYgVvG5dRJ28D0PCA8VMW2yz5pnC8lPOgjt-FUiJ5QEMXO-kr-LjSmWl5Pwpb94YayoB9SI-Vc1n6JXggZGbQgd8tPL/s200/Out+of+Necessity.jpg" width="200" /></a>The brilliant African-American poet/activist/novelist Audre Lorde once said: "We write because we must." This has guided my own writing ever since I heard it, when I was 17, the year she died.<br />
<br />
This Sunday's event, part of the <a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2010/05/small-town-boys-gay-men-revisit-their.html">National Queer Arts Festival</a>—a monthlong powerhouse of cultural innovation that descends on The City every June—promises similar insights and inspiration for writers seeking community and purpose, and also for anyone with a heart..<br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Out of Necessity features award-winning and emerging poets: REGIE CABICO, CHERYL CLARKE, ACHY OBEJAS, VANESSA HUANG, SUZANNE DEL MAZO, NAJVA SOL; moderated by Camille Dungy, curated by Cole Krawitz and Arisa White. If you haven't heard of all these people, look them up, or better yet, go! This is the real thing, folks. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaGutL75pGnjtlWoqnYlNmiOKUW0l6k5lY1KVg9UOR-BObUwdYI4qmYVMAB-54LEzZ600ILvjW6pRwTwGYwtYzs1LVk1M12zW5P3Sv6FIFOxdE-Nz7zig9mausGv_bnKd9gUwGnQGsR_E/s1600/Out+of+Necessity+flyer.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaGutL75pGnjtlWoqnYlNmiOKUW0l6k5lY1KVg9UOR-BObUwdYI4qmYVMAB-54LEzZ600ILvjW6pRwTwGYwtYzs1LVk1M12zW5P3Sv6FIFOxdE-Nz7zig9mausGv_bnKd9gUwGnQGsR_E/s320/Out+of+Necessity+flyer.jpg" width="217" /></a><br />
<blockquote><span class="text_exposed_show"><b>Sunday, June 5 · 5:00pm - 7:00pm<br />
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts</b><br />
2868 Mission Street<br />
San Francisco, CA</span><br />
Tickets: $12-20 sliding scale (advance tickets recommended) <br />
For more info: <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/174170" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.brownpaperticke<wbr></wbr>ts.com/event/174170</a></blockquote><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">Want more? Regie Cabico and Achy Obejas will be leading follow-up workshops for writers to develop their skills in a more focused, intimate environment. I can't wait!! </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"> </span><span class="text_exposed_show">June 4, 12-3pm: "Conflict in Fiction" with Achy Obejas: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100663470028502" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/ev<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ent.php?eid=10066347002850<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2</a><br />
June 5, 12-3pm: "Verbal Fire" with Regie Cabico: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125212524225742" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/ev<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ent.php?eid=12521252422574<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2</a></span>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-34893662703867351662011-05-16T16:40:00.000-07:002011-05-16T16:53:56.227-07:00"The Lily's Revenge"<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Taylor Mac Turns Nostalgia on its Head</b></span></div><b><b></b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KJ7SKoVvEL96K6RmItCRxX-L7Br8WCXtzFAn_nU-8Yv-2jWvwYVzOS03DC-CnIH7TkTMQNZ2fPJ9qcE8nFdmq8G3DU8dbHwkKlBnSjh4Cy9lZXDY9xmyyzeBvZP1nQLga9jJt_HFn4kG/s1600/lillys+revenge2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KJ7SKoVvEL96K6RmItCRxX-L7Br8WCXtzFAn_nU-8Yv-2jWvwYVzOS03DC-CnIH7TkTMQNZ2fPJ9qcE8nFdmq8G3DU8dbHwkKlBnSjh4Cy9lZXDY9xmyyzeBvZP1nQLga9jJt_HFn4kG/s400/lillys+revenge2.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>In the first of its five (!) acts, an actor—<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">I can't remember if it was the lesbian academic hourglass, the feminist theorist bridesmaid, or the human theater curtain</span>—says that nostalgia is dangerous, hinging as it does on a past that exists only in our minds. Or something like that. After four-and-a-half hours of creator and star Taylor Mac's brilliant, bawdy, psychedelic dialogue, I really can't remember. <br />
<br />
Whether or not that was the point, it doesn't matter—<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"The Lily's Revenge" doesn't attempt to shove an arc or epiphany down your throat (unless you ask for it).</i></span> Instead, it throws out thousands of bon mots, barbs, and zingers, and what sticks will depend entirely on your particular brand of static cling. <br />
<br />
For me, that early comment about nostalgia was particularly salient, and ironic: The joy of the show for me is that it gives me a glimpse of the loopy energy and unselfconscious artistic freedom that I imagine was the backbone of the 70s art and music scene in San Francisco, embodied by everything from The Cockettes and Tales of the City to Harvey Milk's theatrical electoral campaigns. <br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"The Lily's Revenge" seems to me to be suffused with a kind of vicarious nostalgia—but at the same time shows that such energy and shimmering brilliance is still very much alive.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5bwTph2GSos_In62pd1w04Wxp7UP4V8EZtJw1eGoeBZ0Z8LaMK2SnHCYKVK13k0CcTrUzCnmYlmxxU7psxYUhDFiRjdoSbVKxdM74n2bDFvZXcxH1SA0XpPQkIHqzq55t86ZWaHnjVXD/s1600/Lillys-Web-Hero_3-3_fin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5bwTph2GSos_In62pd1w04Wxp7UP4V8EZtJw1eGoeBZ0Z8LaMK2SnHCYKVK13k0CcTrUzCnmYlmxxU7psxYUhDFiRjdoSbVKxdM74n2bDFvZXcxH1SA0XpPQkIHqzq55t86ZWaHnjVXD/s200/Lillys-Web-Hero_3-3_fin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <b>Presented by Magic Theatre</b><br />
<br />
<b>Where:</b> Building D, Fort Mason, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, San Francisco<br />
<br />
<b>When:</b> 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays; closes May 22<br />
<br />
<b>Tickets:</b> $30 to $75<br />
<br />
<b>Contact:</b> (415) 441-8822, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.magictheatre.org">www.magictheatre.org</a>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-21027031843143268922011-04-24T09:50:00.001-07:002011-04-24T09:50:55.476-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNSzojg1Ncp8CZCSIFTy-4M6mynXtI0RFoOeKLHelsNDLvar1ujQLBDyMf6ab8dwCy5op-keuONIPxW5mhAaG19epBeCPZJBlBJUHb5EE13tq_icEQrCsixh59MAogz5lXyjeHQO31XsE/s1600/tulips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNSzojg1Ncp8CZCSIFTy-4M6mynXtI0RFoOeKLHelsNDLvar1ujQLBDyMf6ab8dwCy5op-keuONIPxW5mhAaG19epBeCPZJBlBJUHb5EE13tq_icEQrCsixh59MAogz5lXyjeHQO31XsE/s320/tulips.jpg" /></a></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-11673553017605781652011-04-03T22:43:00.000-07:002011-04-03T22:52:24.668-07:00Wanda Sykes on "That's So Gay"If you don't <b>LOVE</b> this funny and important video as much as I do, well, I just don't think we need to be friends. If it moves you as much as it moved me, please share it with everyone you know! <br />
<br />
<object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sWS0GVOQPs0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sWS0GVOQPs0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="349"></embed></object>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-15634167451863852312011-04-02T01:15:00.000-07:002011-04-02T03:14:49.975-07:00Virtual Reality: All Virtual, No Reality<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqG6Hq6uwW7C2GGY15cv9nYYslUqnJpJ-0RriHY5cRj6jdpOJEZqfrv2_vKXlqQulBVXfj32wh8nkJXyEqoa-g2hyphenhyphen6BV7N_P8f6UFLnvtdTxM-ZSIo4oTujAzBuucltueFTgqQrdOV3Uo/s1600/dog-poop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqG6Hq6uwW7C2GGY15cv9nYYslUqnJpJ-0RriHY5cRj6jdpOJEZqfrv2_vKXlqQulBVXfj32wh8nkJXyEqoa-g2hyphenhyphen6BV7N_P8f6UFLnvtdTxM-ZSIo4oTujAzBuucltueFTgqQrdOV3Uo/s320/dog-poop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>a man and his pet peeve</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I hate to sound like <a href="http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=33244">Andy Rooney</a>,</b></span> and I flatter myself to think that I'm too young to be a <a href="http://www.oldfartwebpage.com/famouscurmudgeons.html">curmudgeon</a>, but everyone has pet peeves, don't they?<b> I don't know exactly what a peeve is, but sometimes I do feel like I'm dragging one around on a leash, following its every squat with a <a href="http://www.ehow.com/list_6694069_dog-poop-laws.html">handful of plastic bags</a>.</b><br />
<br />
Mind you, I called this site "<a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/">The Debifrillator</a>" to remind myself to focus on things that get my heart going, not things that make my blood boil. I'm sure I'm not the first person to write about this... In fact, if I Googled it, I'd find hundreds of pages on this issue, which is why I try to avoid Googling anything I want to write about. And well, I'm not one to hem and haw, but .... (ahem)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN41cKyoW4YMpYwb4uK8Ua43PcSNeW66XQbVTToZ06MkUScEINzQaAr-ncazRdp2swWxvCG5RXkS93V8oW5jeEM8XRslEfyPLpZNYiOWasLyfwXfaooKEH_COat7fmrEiEOc2edvFmDBU0/s1600/google+cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN41cKyoW4YMpYwb4uK8Ua43PcSNeW66XQbVTToZ06MkUScEINzQaAr-ncazRdp2swWxvCG5RXkS93V8oW5jeEM8XRslEfyPLpZNYiOWasLyfwXfaooKEH_COat7fmrEiEOc2edvFmDBU0/s320/google+cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>WTF is up with <i>things</i> these days? </b>Everything is "virtual," nothing's real anymore. And I'm not talking about the Intranets—after all, this is a blog, isn't it?—I'm talking about things that are supposed to be real, the things we now refer to as "real things"—which is what linguists call a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retronym">retronym</a>.<br />
<br />
When I say everything's virtual, I'm talking about the things you can find at Walmart—in fact, maybe especially at <a href="http://www.hennessy.id.au/quentingeorge/archives/satan.jpg">Walmart</a>. I mean, the other day, I bought scissors that don't actually cut. They're shaped like scissors, but they kind of just bend the paper. <b>It's like watching someone without dentures gumming a sirloin steak—that is to say, pitiful.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMPm8g0ac15s-1RKfdM5R6J4vMajsRijc-K6PxICLbkAUUZL5WWmZTf5VsDeigr2-mn8wgauSxkLaxs4LVYIN6VBn3ELgeWpdv7-L2RUDrBb7iPbqZ1HnPVxvAK8LMlAzgs9JlaAsktF8/s1600/scissors_view2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMPm8g0ac15s-1RKfdM5R6J4vMajsRijc-K6PxICLbkAUUZL5WWmZTf5VsDeigr2-mn8wgauSxkLaxs4LVYIN6VBn3ELgeWpdv7-L2RUDrBb7iPbqZ1HnPVxvAK8LMlAzgs9JlaAsktF8/s200/scissors_view2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>And not just scissors. I bought of pair of sandals yesterday at DSW that looked exactly like the Teva's I got last year at <a href="http://www.sportsbasement.com/">Sports Basement</a>, but these ones are called "Terra's" or something, with the <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080515222039AA8BhUg">double r</a> looking suspiciously like a "v" if you cross your eyes a little. Well, let me tell you, my feet are f-ed up today. <b>I had to walk barefoot on the sidewalk because it felt like my soles were being removed with a potato peeler.</b><br />
<br />
And potato peelers? I remember when I first used one when I was a kid, eight years old maybe, and I covered the whole kitchen with blood. Now the darned things don't even make a good lint brush.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6pxvGA8uMo8FB0rT2P5O8MNTMc7oKfC7gVQk9p7Dh0DKkBsw0iYd6_P31xQNt6oJBKMWvyhhBsZ3kyhvdlPxrLcZrcMwV-SbIphXEOGBl6H7c92XRQE2e8F9SkD0ta8RkOcMpJUZ984H/s1600/bloody-fingerprint-thumb9761527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6pxvGA8uMo8FB0rT2P5O8MNTMc7oKfC7gVQk9p7Dh0DKkBsw0iYd6_P31xQNt6oJBKMWvyhhBsZ3kyhvdlPxrLcZrcMwV-SbIphXEOGBl6H7c92XRQE2e8F9SkD0ta8RkOcMpJUZ984H/s200/bloody-fingerprint-thumb9761527.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><b>Scissors that won't scizz, peelers that won't peel, flip-flops that just flop, it's enough to drive a person crazy</b>, especially a writer. And admittedly, <a href="http://bigthink.com/ideas/10403">driving a writer crazy is a pretty short drive</a>, but still.<br />
<br />
And speaking of writers, what about <i>pens</i>?!? Not that anyone uses them anymore. When I pull out a piece of paper and write on a <a href="http://muniridersunite.blogspot.com/">San Francisco MUNI</a> bus, people look at me like I'm showing off. But for those of us who do use the so-called utensils, we expect them to be filled with ink. <b>But we've all experienced it—especially with those virtual pens you get at real estate expos and stuff, the ones they use to get you to walk over to their table, and then suddenly you're going into foreclosure all because you wanted a free pen.</b> I swear, when I leave the house, I always pack at least five—five!—pens, 'cause you just never know which one's gonna work, and for how long.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SODb8GSjZUvk9pHQcGKtnGqrWFhmXD3i-WOmHSMsPUkuMvBN5MH0Mpf_kwsmUspdhHD-JgarKngJiSBp7A-fnZ1xD6COr23nQda6cUWKCm8Smf_IShy3TpoBo6QG-LyI-GKi1eyZuUex/s1600/mercury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SODb8GSjZUvk9pHQcGKtnGqrWFhmXD3i-WOmHSMsPUkuMvBN5MH0Mpf_kwsmUspdhHD-JgarKngJiSBp7A-fnZ1xD6COr23nQda6cUWKCm8Smf_IShy3TpoBo6QG-LyI-GKi1eyZuUex/s200/mercury.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>I keep hearing that computers are supposed to make life easier.</b> They used to tell me, "Just wait till you start writing on your computer; you can save everything to your hard drive and throw away all those sloppy, cumbersome vertical files." OK, so maybe I'm paraphrasing. They didn't all say it exactly like that. But you get the point. Well, now they say don't throw anything away. You never know when your hard drive, or even your backup external hard drive, might crash—maybe next time <a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2010/04/swish-beneath-swagger-liberating-our.html">Mercury</a> comes around, whatever.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96voQ9HjIQoYzdzM6nHtTH86pQyPtWQszCxnuxlNYbcns52bw5RZ8OXMssEyl0iSOl2SZBT8kG_NliKqbhcc-K0eJjJnfOKbpm2U9tH0dqnRwF6478_vhUTGrlPn30rIbfxA_NZYscSGe/s1600/smartphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96voQ9HjIQoYzdzM6nHtTH86pQyPtWQszCxnuxlNYbcns52bw5RZ8OXMssEyl0iSOl2SZBT8kG_NliKqbhcc-K0eJjJnfOKbpm2U9tH0dqnRwF6478_vhUTGrlPn30rIbfxA_NZYscSGe/s200/smartphone.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>And, now, because of smartphones and iPads, even keyboards are virtual, and nw its almst impssbl to write complt sntnc</b></span></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FVH5sCa1V8aJ4FgZlbAeTva-AcjLRj7sRJ3nanKCUCCizlwKkBuzG8-U-sSOysLH11eziMkj5HTdO34ir6ydJZ9fdJiVkWb6LnO-BYsLHpFhLTivSjBFfIyWuqS9oDprfmqR5pCxwvFZ/s1600/tiny+keyboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FVH5sCa1V8aJ4FgZlbAeTva-AcjLRj7sRJ3nanKCUCCizlwKkBuzG8-U-sSOysLH11eziMkj5HTdO34ir6ydJZ9fdJiVkWb6LnO-BYsLHpFhLTivSjBFfIyWuqS9oDprfmqR5pCxwvFZ/s320/tiny+keyboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I mean...why would anyone even <i>want</i> this??</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-18070990356707784962011-03-28T00:58:00.001-07:002011-03-28T01:09:20.504-07:00Erica Jong on Blogging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7SsNUFocZvb7l1a7Gxa3fGamGOdPSbGbp5ZOC_8x3YX6aMaIBWDGiVVpNPERW1GAgqPhIqXKesgBWw0TY3eF7OKMgYDxWsq0dBY269xU6ii83ORMgdu_4ompyNJSqegCl81GcJc9XgZe/s1600/ericajong-438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7SsNUFocZvb7l1a7Gxa3fGamGOdPSbGbp5ZOC_8x3YX6aMaIBWDGiVVpNPERW1GAgqPhIqXKesgBWw0TY3eF7OKMgYDxWsq0dBY269xU6ii83ORMgdu_4ompyNJSqegCl81GcJc9XgZe/s200/ericajong-438.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="color: #990000;">"Blogging is vanity. Like loving the smell of your own farts. Like not only tasting your menstrual blood, but making bloody thumbprints and buying gold-leafed frames in which to display them. But the truth is, not everything you think is worth publishing. Not everyone's opinion matters. How to distinguish a "pundit" from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Coulter">gasbag</a>? Impossible! On television, they yell and posture. On blogs, they are equally puffed up with self-importance. Only blog if you can make others laugh. This includes <a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2011/02/elton-and-son.html">laughing at yourself</a>." </span><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">—Erica Jong</span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUJp8TCo8StG8y1yf27io_WchQGicc8iW1D_70S6oQu2zRlZrfXdFemqI5gfsXKSytzExFHj5qlhmXDEHdO2uNPsnH1unsA-tNnX_xXsqWDRmEi8bOlczVDVM67wz9dQYdWJL5AvMgIsW/s1600/waterhouse_echo_narcissus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUJp8TCo8StG8y1yf27io_WchQGicc8iW1D_70S6oQu2zRlZrfXdFemqI5gfsXKSytzExFHj5qlhmXDEHdO2uNPsnH1unsA-tNnX_xXsqWDRmEi8bOlczVDVM67wz9dQYdWJL5AvMgIsW/s400/waterhouse_echo_narcissus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-68933343211233593792011-03-23T15:02:00.000-07:002011-03-23T21:17:23.780-07:00"Liz Taylor in Levittown" by Michael Montlack<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}"></h6><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZnOyv48YDo2GgzjrbLnpGEvVeehgXIFo0KZOwXDANbf3X7ruk7yecsb17KiAtBAwiL9QKsJULBqUMjRw2rYr9aeVoSNA44ldJ2Xw9t7EbRNlkRLiF-DJp-ChEAOj34MRlNE_YVZB6GXB/s1600/elizabeth-taylor-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZnOyv48YDo2GgzjrbLnpGEvVeehgXIFo0KZOwXDANbf3X7ruk7yecsb17KiAtBAwiL9QKsJULBqUMjRw2rYr9aeVoSNA44ldJ2Xw9t7EbRNlkRLiF-DJp-ChEAOj34MRlNE_YVZB6GXB/s320/elizabeth-taylor-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="messageBody">"Nobody tells me who to love, or not to love, who to be seen with and who not to be seen with" —Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)</span></span></h6></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Liz Taylor in Levittown</span></span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You wore her perfume, kept score of her husbands,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">even delighted in her weight gain</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">back in the 70’s—when you too had put on a few,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">then were inspired to lose it all</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(like she always did).</span></div><div class="MsoFooter" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I still wonder if her <i>Cleopatra</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">had anything to do with that green eye shadow</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">we insisted you throw away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yet from the kitchen table (while doing algebra),</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I too watched that night</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">as she was ushered forward like royalty</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">for her Channel 4 press conference:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">violet eyes blinking, curt smile glimmering,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">hair teased to a threshold bordering on self-mockery</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">yet commanding attention—and you gave it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Chuck it all—I’ll never finish before your father gets home.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The rice could burn, your family could starve</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> but “That damn dog had better shut his trap!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Another bone … then Liz took the mic.</span></div><div class="MsoFooter" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I didn’t know who to look at:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">this movie star under a fire of flash</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">highlighting that hair, those jewels, those eyes;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">or you in your terrycloth housecoat and Kmart Keds knockoffs, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">lighting a Kent III Ultra Light</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">to heighten the drama.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I rarely saw you focus on just one thing—</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">always rushing, even your crosswords were done (or nearly done)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">with the spin cycle finishing and your soap opera starting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Not to mention the phone (and “That <i>damn</i> dog!”).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">But you waited for words of wisdom now, eloquence, power</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">to enter your world, our world: there—on the border of Levittown</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and Liz delivered more than I could</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">when on the verge of tears (rage),</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">she demanded the nation to <i>Wake up! </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>See what’s happening?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">to not fear the dying, her friends.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">She wanted research money, voices of support.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">She wanted education</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and I was getting just that:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a lesson that distracted me</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">from X and Y</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and what it all might equal</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">for me—in the future, in this kitchen, on this island—</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">every day becoming more and more</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a man.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And yet she seemed to be teaching you even more,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">so evident by the way you inhaled deeper, nodding, agreeing with her </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">on a subject you’d never discussed, probably never pondered</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">except during your trip to Frisco when I was 10:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“We saw the Golden Gate, Alcatraz and oh yes … the gays—very colorful,”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">punctuated with a whirl of eyes that said much more,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">too much.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">She was too gracious to name names</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">—those heartthrobs (Rock) and characters (Liberace)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">disappearing without proper goodbyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Why? Why? </i>You almost cried with her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I did not</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">but I could not</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">though I <b>could </b>have a glimmer of hope</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">when Liz invited us—the world, America, Moms like you—</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">to ask <i>Where would we be without these people</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>we passively watch die?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>These incredible people ... who contribute so much?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A tenser tone, more unsettling glare:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I mean, for God’s sake, where would Hollywood be?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Where would <b>I</b> be?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">—so bitter she almost scoffed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">And as I watched the rice smoking behind you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and heard Dad’s car pulling up the drive,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I knew exactly where I was—</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">as if for the first time—</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was there, just outside Levittown,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and surprisingly I was not alone</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">in that crowded kitchen</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">which suddenly seemed to be opening up</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and opening up</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">at the beck and call </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">of one girlish but seriously angry voice</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">that somehow touched my mother</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">who’d once again be racing</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">to catch up with time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>©Michael Montlack, <i>Cool Limbo</i>, 2011 New York Quarterly Press</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>(originally published in <i>The Cream City Review</i>, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>republished at <i>The Debifrillator</i> by permission of the author)</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsAOX6V9-gqo7G0EltNh4_bnGMrVXHh3eJuExC4HV01N5f7edEhhYofyGjni4w-5qHjoSen3ZOh5-ZgcsBnoVDBXBvl5nUjHAn5qxl-BDs90z5n5cd3afa8TfHQbhMka40PWmLey_gcdg/s1600/elizabeth+taylor+with+rock+hudson.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsAOX6V9-gqo7G0EltNh4_bnGMrVXHh3eJuExC4HV01N5f7edEhhYofyGjni4w-5qHjoSen3ZOh5-ZgcsBnoVDBXBvl5nUjHAn5qxl-BDs90z5n5cd3afa8TfHQbhMka40PWmLey_gcdg/s320/elizabeth+taylor+with+rock+hudson.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBqyUBvzmuv31UyszP649JNKanQ7-mGAbYP803h8X83r1LdkKZOEM6Nk2CMeNX1Tt37lSh2Kn7nbOTayDWV8NoNDxLoOUAdDPFN3DwzwKluOk6Vq5XZnp6sJwkMIoqYlizvqljCsxj87N/s1600/elizabeth+taylor3_1024x768_jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBqyUBvzmuv31UyszP649JNKanQ7-mGAbYP803h8X83r1LdkKZOEM6Nk2CMeNX1Tt37lSh2Kn7nbOTayDWV8NoNDxLoOUAdDPFN3DwzwKluOk6Vq5XZnp6sJwkMIoqYlizvqljCsxj87N/s320/elizabeth+taylor3_1024x768_jpg.jpg" width="217" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAZxthe7x0Zj-V3B9ac53XeJVJNwwApKg-IxGyfNCaGCWONbr521_DAHKinV_ztKTy1998gQTEjxN7950JTBecywO43Wl3LAB1O02uup2lyO0Qih1W0JnW9FGOI-OWiJpUKdZNzBGQUAt/s1600/stackpole-peter-13-year-old-actress-elizabeth-taylor-outside-holding-one-of-her-many-pets-a-black-cat-named-jill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTAZxthe7x0Zj-V3B9ac53XeJVJNwwApKg-IxGyfNCaGCWONbr521_DAHKinV_ztKTy1998gQTEjxN7950JTBecywO43Wl3LAB1O02uup2lyO0Qih1W0JnW9FGOI-OWiJpUKdZNzBGQUAt/s320/stackpole-peter-13-year-old-actress-elizabeth-taylor-outside-holding-one-of-her-many-pets-a-black-cat-named-jill.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqSV-mYoyiYVc-uMB1ZDjHWbji17H08KXpgsqC7CWEjLVmt9kk8WxWY6WD3rOhEDLcZc9Fh3hIsifvxs-6C16iImG_IsTKuNpCJViNBbV6jarbjrKeiJweHGhZEmKN1hK6s_Z0iI4j48f/s1600/0017-Elizabeth-Taylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqSV-mYoyiYVc-uMB1ZDjHWbji17H08KXpgsqC7CWEjLVmt9kk8WxWY6WD3rOhEDLcZc9Fh3hIsifvxs-6C16iImG_IsTKuNpCJViNBbV6jarbjrKeiJweHGhZEmKN1hK6s_Z0iI4j48f/s320/0017-Elizabeth-Taylor.jpg" width="243" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGioFnSOT60GrfGOR-Zp5WEHygfLCTrBynhXNTzYHYhkzDZp1g_twpqsRgH0JWfrXBYpEbazpbuaVveSMlH9fxb3qo48a079dScWAEDnS4mUItOzsQNhjh1RW-3jIIlGxbU6qtFPWI-dZ/s1600/elizabeth+Taylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGioFnSOT60GrfGOR-Zp5WEHygfLCTrBynhXNTzYHYhkzDZp1g_twpqsRgH0JWfrXBYpEbazpbuaVveSMlH9fxb3qo48a079dScWAEDnS4mUItOzsQNhjh1RW-3jIIlGxbU6qtFPWI-dZ/s320/elizabeth+Taylor.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsAOX6V9-gqo7G0EltNh4_bnGMrVXHh3eJuExC4HV01N5f7edEhhYofyGjni4w-5qHjoSen3ZOh5-ZgcsBnoVDBXBvl5nUjHAn5qxl-BDs90z5n5cd3afa8TfHQbhMka40PWmLey_gcdg/s1600/elizabeth+taylor+with+rock+hudson.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="toggle closed-toggle"></span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvHyhVTaLgtW8XSUlu-PBSZctr-7OdEKYTKsYo7VIsrC0Ww5fP1_tHFvYmCLfR4r2d5qOsSA5p7y2FIUUCOkbqEcnRzFYRGR11zzm4IV1PV9FnelfA9xdtiQmLaSk9Ti7WPNnPnMRT6Fa/s1600/elizabeth_taylor_gallery_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvHyhVTaLgtW8XSUlu-PBSZctr-7OdEKYTKsYo7VIsrC0Ww5fP1_tHFvYmCLfR4r2d5qOsSA5p7y2FIUUCOkbqEcnRzFYRGR11zzm4IV1PV9FnelfA9xdtiQmLaSk9Ti7WPNnPnMRT6Fa/s320/elizabeth_taylor_gallery_34.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xt6MBqR7Ji07q15c3JSieF7xVYivA2opukcG1ElGATIOh_XfTQYYR4mTiE344TEmjoFh39S-6oZiUvCeZ4WCNuM7xW3XCtgXmc1DFSfIYwRNgMCkWT-noRMkSnAkWLHQ6KRGPbXF1RdC/s1600/elizabeth_taylor_photo_86.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xt6MBqR7Ji07q15c3JSieF7xVYivA2opukcG1ElGATIOh_XfTQYYR4mTiE344TEmjoFh39S-6oZiUvCeZ4WCNuM7xW3XCtgXmc1DFSfIYwRNgMCkWT-noRMkSnAkWLHQ6KRGPbXF1RdC/s320/elizabeth_taylor_photo_86.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKls91RTjY1b5gU5Fp5X-85kPdIOGGYHsyGvV2ICczlmtCPjshWVQt0yZJasXLEb1X2rKZRsdxnX0DdepQ8DlK7TaF-8WU0odINYJB01mH9ZjqxJpS8pGgCo-jng6qYSgGa73fXjHk7Ws/s1600/Liz+and+James+Dean.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKls91RTjY1b5gU5Fp5X-85kPdIOGGYHsyGvV2ICczlmtCPjshWVQt0yZJasXLEb1X2rKZRsdxnX0DdepQ8DlK7TaF-8WU0odINYJB01mH9ZjqxJpS8pGgCo-jng6qYSgGa73fXjHk7Ws/s320/Liz+and+James+Dean.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKN3u4M0LL79TIHkJcjur59bBjbcOzAOqLq9gsSC4VcD3_1SNXZdKN3lE2LypHGR8Fk0CSlSVY4KGj4RuNZJE35RGPCI52Bu4rcxsPKuAlZhWxLbzo-tC6xv88ydoJOk-nIzz3jQspptI/s1600/lizt_newman_cattinroof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKN3u4M0LL79TIHkJcjur59bBjbcOzAOqLq9gsSC4VcD3_1SNXZdKN3lE2LypHGR8Fk0CSlSVY4KGj4RuNZJE35RGPCI52Bu4rcxsPKuAlZhWxLbzo-tC6xv88ydoJOk-nIzz3jQspptI/s320/lizt_newman_cattinroof.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YEoeUS_WS91Niox-UQrJOO1QgqlGf3kDLSP2gUpvteWgHXogpqt4vsxtffH4_R6-8_tMhLDG5xR0o7yvVZD71J5fMjVfUz2cHMjzKxFNfSx4Xt0B2YaDpDZe5zZNLRMSzg2ViBhGVoHO/s1600/Picture+62.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YEoeUS_WS91Niox-UQrJOO1QgqlGf3kDLSP2gUpvteWgHXogpqt4vsxtffH4_R6-8_tMhLDG5xR0o7yvVZD71J5fMjVfUz2cHMjzKxFNfSx4Xt0B2YaDpDZe5zZNLRMSzg2ViBhGVoHO/s320/Picture+62.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZJCNBVIR3NcUkS8TMZ8WEJbtTui2OLwsxlTyy7wddNLTJ_WnJ2KKjf2BjwFpcnp-qeTYaRJldKf32EbLfoq7qu5ySSgN59X-W6W-jcHs5eaORH3dN9nEewbys2GR3IPpjSb_7kVoBVPa/s1600/Elizabeth+Taylor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZJCNBVIR3NcUkS8TMZ8WEJbtTui2OLwsxlTyy7wddNLTJ_WnJ2KKjf2BjwFpcnp-qeTYaRJldKf32EbLfoq7qu5ySSgN59X-W6W-jcHs5eaORH3dN9nEewbys2GR3IPpjSb_7kVoBVPa/s400/Elizabeth+Taylor.png" width="321" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span class="messageBody"><br />
</span></h6>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-73817392918612240342011-03-19T13:45:00.000-07:002011-03-19T13:55:32.500-07:00John Gruber, One of Gay Movement’s Unsung Founding Fathers, Dies at 82<div class="headline_area"><h1 class="entry-title"><span style="font-size: small;">by <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn" href="http://www.lambdaliterary.org/author/brentcalderwood/" rel="nofollow">Brent Calderwood</a></span>, republished with permission from the Lambda Literary Foundation </span></h1><h1 class="entry-title" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa0utQLNy6OcJdM3wjprSkLRm3H6DSgoldDK1WQU3SwE99NtDG2siVu9Gkk0bsMqBrBJlWWu-OTYB_-tx1TPJQSFeaSrESPigfDBABwWZp6uyjOW60pWoe_YjSY4Tdn0iuLu_-frREA21/s1600/John+Gruber+c.1948%252C+1928-2011%252C+last+remaining+member+of+Mattachine+Society.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa0utQLNy6OcJdM3wjprSkLRm3H6DSgoldDK1WQU3SwE99NtDG2siVu9Gkk0bsMqBrBJlWWu-OTYB_-tx1TPJQSFeaSrESPigfDBABwWZp6uyjOW60pWoe_YjSY4Tdn0iuLu_-frREA21/s200/John+Gruber+c.1948%252C+1928-2011%252C+last+remaining+member+of+Mattachine+Society.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">John Gruber (b.1928), the last surviving member of the original Mattachine Society, died peacefully at his home in Santa Clara on Monday, February 28, 2011.</span></h1></div><span style="font-size: small;">The </span>Mattachine Society, often referred to as the first successful gay rights organization in the United States (a group called the Society for Human Rights was founded in Chicago in 1924 but folded the following year), was formed in Los Angeles in 1950 by Harry Hay along with his lover Rudi Gernreich and other founding members Dale Jennings, Bob Hull, Chuck Rowland, Konrad Stevens, and Stevens’ then-boyfriend John Gruber.<br />
<br />
<span id="more-4012"></span><br />
Initially, due to laws prohibiting homosexuals from gathering in public and private spaces, the group met under strict anonymity, using pseudonyms even with each other.<br />
<br />
In Eric Slade’s 2001 film <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzielJYQiwY"><i>Hope Along the Wind: The Life of Harry Hay</i></a>, Gruber discussed the Mattachine Society’s first public act: in February 1952, after Jennings was arrested by an undercover police officer in a Los Angeles park and charged with lewd behavior, the group launched a successful defense, at a time when most homosexuals entrapped by police simply pled guilty and quietly paid the fine. “In those days if you were a homosexual,” Gruber said, “it was your problem and you knew it.”<br />
<br />
Although Gruber’s initial attraction to the Mattachine Society was social, camaraderie quickly evolved into loyalty and political consciousness. In an unpublished interview with Slade from 2000, Gruber described his introduction to the group:<br />
<blockquote>I really didn’t think of myself as a homosexual man. I thought of myself as a guy in college, an ex-Marine…. I wouldn’t have called it group therapy in those days, but that’s really what I meant, a kind of family, a family that I never had at home, a family that accepted me, and that … was a brand new thing to me.</blockquote>Gruber and the other Mattachine members, in order to garner financial support to hire a defense for Jennings, adopted the name “Citizens Committee to Outlaw Entrapment” and began distributing flyers excoriating the Los Angeles Police Department for its longstanding practice of homosexual harassment, in the process attracting volunteers and swelling attendance at the society’s meetings.<br />
<br />
However, the strength that comes with numbers came at a personal price to Gruber, as he explained to Slade: “The new people who came in were… very much… mainstream and… nonpolitical… But everybody loves a winner and we were winners at that point, and they joined us.”<br />
<br />
As the Mattachine Society grew, the new members became worried about the leftist political causes, including Communism, advocated by Hay, Gruber, and other founding members. Due to these differences, all the founding members, including Gruber, resigned in 1953.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb6qWETaZlRhkl1qaG6EjwmQPR2zV59bSs9fuXapwKpiZI1nh8rPSScH86TUBSs-ARoRRpzK-eDv4zyD3FOy1aCfeRBC6sp5FUTtYem1Qozvdzar0chBFFPAKSjjLXCEGS7c6yY1wyR9v/s1600/A+rare+photo+of+the+Mattachine+Society+taken+by+John+Gruber+%2528l-r%2529+Dale+Jennings%252C+Rudi+Gernreich%252C+unidentified+member%252C+Bob+Hull%252C+Chuck+Rowland%252C+Paul+Bernhard.+Photo+by+John+Gruber..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb6qWETaZlRhkl1qaG6EjwmQPR2zV59bSs9fuXapwKpiZI1nh8rPSScH86TUBSs-ARoRRpzK-eDv4zyD3FOy1aCfeRBC6sp5FUTtYem1Qozvdzar0chBFFPAKSjjLXCEGS7c6yY1wyR9v/s320/A+rare+photo+of+the+Mattachine+Society+taken+by+John+Gruber+%2528l-r%2529+Dale+Jennings%252C+Rudi+Gernreich%252C+unidentified+member%252C+Bob+Hull%252C+Chuck+Rowland%252C+Paul+Bernhard.+Photo+by+John+Gruber..jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare photo of the Mattachine Society. LR: Dale Jennings, Rudi Gernreich, unidentified-member, Bob Hull, Chuck Rowland, and Paul-Bernhard. Photo: John Gruber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>By the mid-1950s, the Mattachine Society had grown into a national movement, finally supplanted by a host of direct-action antiassimilationist groups that sprung up in the wake of the Stonewall Riots of June, 1969.<br />
Of the original members, Jennings (who died in 2000) and Hay (who died in 2002) are best known today. In 1953 Jennings cofounded the gay political organization One, Inc. in Los Angeles, publisher of the seminal <i>One Magazine</i>; he also authored several novels. Hay went on to cofound the countercultural <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Faeries">Radical Faeries</a> in 1979, a group still going strong today with branches throughout North America, as well as in Europe and Asia.<br />
<br />
Despite his unsung status, Gruber’s role as one of the founding fathers of the modern gay movement cannot be overstated. By helping to write and distribute some of Mattachine’s earliest literature in order to publicize Jenning’s entrapment case, Gruber not only helped secure one man’s release from jail, but also contributed to a burgeoning public awareness of homosexuality and antigay discrimination, the ripple effects of which are felt even today in issues ranging from marriage equality and youth suicide to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.<br />
<br />
Gay historian Stuart Timmons, who interviewed Gruber for his books <i>The Trouble with Harry Hay</i> (Alyson) and<i> Gay LA</i> (Basic Books), said, “I will always remember John fondly, as the self-described gargoyle on the cathedral of the Mattachine, no pushover. He was a sweet and generous man.”<br />
——<br />
<i>Additional research provided by Eric Slade and Jim Van Buskirk. Photos courtesy of Eric Slade.</i><br />
<br />
<b>More on the Mattachine Society Here: </b><br />
<b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mzielJYQiwY?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe> </b><br />
<i><br />
</i>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-61478818323492989812011-03-18T13:41:00.000-07:002011-03-18T15:53:44.124-07:00‘Dustan Thompson: On the Life and Work of a Lost American Master'<div class="headline_area"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTLYJOn6nd_cjuRdqPfoYhu_Z6JB8oD9rYFlRdGYBt5jjLgLYmiB-c3E0UUEhuA9aQ6FcNlyYtlgOEPX1QbKPVPd7F1HEx57UhZUiVO5aqnY-tcsKjFp6MkCIDUIvFxB9JFrGYxxeugkx/s1600/Dunstan+Thompson+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTLYJOn6nd_cjuRdqPfoYhu_Z6JB8oD9rYFlRdGYBt5jjLgLYmiB-c3E0UUEhuA9aQ6FcNlyYtlgOEPX1QbKPVPd7F1HEx57UhZUiVO5aqnY-tcsKjFp6MkCIDUIvFxB9JFrGYxxeugkx/s320/Dunstan+Thompson+photo.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Ed. by D.A. Powell and Kevin Prufer</b></span></div><div class="headline_area"><b>Reviewed by Brent Calderwood for <a href="http://www.lambdaliterary.org/reviews/03/17/dustan-thompson-powell-prufer/">LambdaLiterary.org</a></b></div><div class="headline_area"><br />
</div>We’re told not to judge a book by its cover, but just look at the pillow-lipped, sleepy-eyed poet gazing out from a soft-focus 1940s sepiatone on <i>Dustan Thompson: On the Life and Work of a Lost American Master</i> and your hunch is bound to be right. What’s inside is just as out of the ordinary as it looks: quirky, rarefied, romantic, and unabashedly <a href="http://twitemail.com/email/231619784/79/epicene%3A-Dictionary-com-Word-of-the-Day">epicene.</a><br />
<br />
<span id="more-4206"></span><br />
For this first offering in Pleiades Press’s Unsung Masters Series, esteemed poet-editors <a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-diva-65-gay-men-on-women-who-inspire.html">D.A. Powell </a>and Kevin Prufer have unearthed a rare gem, and in the process rescued Thompson from becoming a literary footnote. As they explain in their introduction—which gamely balances academic rigor with engaging narrative—information about Thompson was hard to come by. He had virtually dropped off the literary map by the 1950s, even though his World War II-era work was well-published alongside that of Ezra Pound, W.H. Auden and others.<br />
<br />
Powell and Prufer offer valuable insights into why Thompson remains elusive: the burning of literary bridges, a midlife conversion to Catholicism, and his own stipulation against posthumous republication of his first two collections of poetry—the poetry that was best-received and also most homoerotic.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, the editors, by means of scholarly detective work and presumably a healthy dose of charm, have gained permission to publish a modest selection from those two volumes, as well as from his later narrative and poetic work. Their assiduous selections make a persuasive case for the inclusion of Thompson’s work among the best in mid-century gay poetry, as well as among the best of WWII-genre poetry (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunstan_Thompson">Thompson, in spite of his trust fund and apparent fragility, fought with the U.S. Army</a>).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFOrNCHUQlNjRfUQ5pprMcNRLYbMoLDIoFO_kyw5ND_3L4ypj5aOcIm8eZhWVoi2zpslpjFoEWCzUpJK8GUauEz2oLP0fdbwwWAe_1Ml6KRC-px55YgZsrshoZQFwfUksylbbEK06Cn-Y/s1600/rupert+brooke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFOrNCHUQlNjRfUQ5pprMcNRLYbMoLDIoFO_kyw5ND_3L4ypj5aOcIm8eZhWVoi2zpslpjFoEWCzUpJK8GUauEz2oLP0fdbwwWAe_1Ml6KRC-px55YgZsrshoZQFwfUksylbbEK06Cn-Y/s1600/rupert+brooke.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rupert Brooke, who drove Cambridge boys, and modern reviewers, wild</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Thompson’s work compares well with contemporaries like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Brooke">Rupert Brooke</a> and Stephen Spender; and for a niche modern readership, which includes this reviewer, those comparisons alone make this book worth a look. For many others, though, Thompson’s adherence to form and meter and his frequent Classical allusions may at first glance seem old-fashioned or <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1300986/Audrey-Hepburn-twee-mumsy-really-act-Emma-Thompsons-scathing-appraisal-My-Fair-Lady-star.html?ITO=1490"> twee</a>. However, his consistent musicality, his clever use of internal rhyme, slant rhyme, enjambment and campy, odd imagery transcend era and convention, making Emily Dickinson an even more apt comparison.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
In “This Loneliness for You Is Like the Wound,” Thompson uses eyewitness war imagery to address his lover—ostensibly the girl at home, but more likely the boy on the next cot:<br />
<blockquote>This loneliness for you is like the wound<br />
That keeps the soldier patient in his bed,<br />
Smiling to soothe the general on his round<br />
Of visits to the somehow not yet dead …</blockquote>The sonnet teems with clever loaded images like “bullet-bearing heart” and “fever chart,” concluding with the heroic couplet “Yet now, when death is not a metaphor, / Who dares to say that love is like the war?” In building a love sonnet around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosociality">homosocial</a> and homoerotic imagery and ending with an almost postmodern consideration of use of metaphor within the poem itself, Thompson blazed the trail for later New Formalists like Thom Gunn and <a href="http://www.lambdaliterary.org/reviews/07/15/breakfast-with-thom-gunn-by-randall-mann/">Randall Mann</a>, whose work is anything but twee.<br />
<br />
Like many writers before him and since, Thompson frequently locates his poems in Classical or military settings to allow for an otherwise unconventional emphasis on masculine sexuality. “Tarquin,” for instance, is a vague-ish Roman title, but the poem reads as an <i>au courant</i> lament for a lost trick, or else as an ode to a newfound bad-boy: “The red-haired robber in the ravished bed,” “the sinner who is saint instead,” “bellboy beauty, this flamingo groom.”<br />
<br />
Thompson’s work, overflowing with double entendres and winking metaphors, will no doubt provide poetry lovers with the same giddy, titillating awe that film buffs get from watching classic Film Noir (which similarly gained traction during the war years). It’s an awe that comes from seeing artistic work whose innovation, naughtiness, and depth not only survived, but were born of, the conventions and limitations that threatened to censor them.<br />
<br />
Powell and Prufer capstone these tantalizing glimpses of Thompson’s oeuvre with wonderful essays by other poets and critics, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Field_%28poet%29">Edward Field</a>—himself an early acquaintance of Thompson’s—and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Gioia">Dana Gioia</a>. There is also a middle-of-the-book folio of images—a privilege most often reserved for Hollywood sirens and literary giants.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FA57Wddf-EHIKD77WZYFnjQ2W7nvJykejmCQ_TKvIHvHF_zxNF-5Y7rYFyk0nQmKwRt58sAHOsho25wxzC32rIoqJ5lKTBXKFb7RntH42-y_bRjGmt0HNRAZwKN-IchgKCEC7iz0Hgso/s1600/Edward+Filed+Dustan+Thompson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FA57Wddf-EHIKD77WZYFnjQ2W7nvJykejmCQ_TKvIHvHF_zxNF-5Y7rYFyk0nQmKwRt58sAHOsho25wxzC32rIoqJ5lKTBXKFb7RntH42-y_bRjGmt0HNRAZwKN-IchgKCEC7iz0Hgso/s1600/Edward+Filed+Dustan+Thompson.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.edwardfield.com/Gallery2.html">Edward Field in U.S. Army, where he met Thompson</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The schoolboy and soldier snapshots are a delight for the reader who’s already gotten a taste of Thompson’s elegant, ribald sensibility; the photo reproductions of pages from Thompson’s short-lived lit journal <i>Vise Versa </i>will give the reader a further taste of the kind of campy, envelope-pushing poems and reviews Thompson wrote—work that we hope will one day be republished in full, but, were it not for this new and valuable volume, might never have been known about at all.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1541979388">On the Life and Work of a Lost American Master</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ucmo.edu/pleiades/unsung_masters/" target="_blank">Dunstan Thompson</a><br />
On the Life and Work of a Lost American Master<br />
Edited by D. A. Powell and Kevin Prufer<br />
<small><a href="http://www.ucmo.edu/pleiades/unsung_masters/">Pleiades Press</a><br />
9780964145412, Paperback, 190 pp</small><br />
<br />
<b><small><span style="font-size: small;">And while we're on the subject of hot gay poets—or was that just me?—here are a few more for your viewing pleasure: </span></small></b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp662lt4tD-hejOvC0zE3rGYxTS2rv6oIhs57NAYVCUzOt3b5FNNOjkuH6WNz6Ja7hgiUb24WpTjOW1M8P0vZqyMhsY3-lTkqcMAX_QVFeoX6xMg7q2tjLUVsBZZ_7Y-70lH-RQcHzV8b/s1600/lord-byron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp662lt4tD-hejOvC0zE3rGYxTS2rv6oIhs57NAYVCUzOt3b5FNNOjkuH6WNz6Ja7hgiUb24WpTjOW1M8P0vZqyMhsY3-lTkqcMAX_QVFeoX6xMg7q2tjLUVsBZZ_7Y-70lH-RQcHzV8b/s200/lord-byron.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Byron</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipplg7-Gsg4-n-nfPSkQQ30bOU2B9ZWO-Z0WCH3bqSSdzRw1yLWXDUc29dk_6d4tnpytffnqIEwh_tdbtSIABi4EqDuD5I3hFdB-0RzH7pZCZceixnl9V6jW51AL6QmLA5spmBu0JkOtBv/s1600/charles+jensen+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipplg7-Gsg4-n-nfPSkQQ30bOU2B9ZWO-Z0WCH3bqSSdzRw1yLWXDUc29dk_6d4tnpytffnqIEwh_tdbtSIABi4EqDuD5I3hFdB-0RzH7pZCZceixnl9V6jW51AL6QmLA5spmBu0JkOtBv/s200/charles+jensen+3.jpg" width="113" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.charles-jensen.com/">Charles Jensen</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-64809284092330146992011-02-23T22:47:00.000-08:002011-03-18T15:43:05.417-07:00Elton and Son<b>This photo is begging for a caption. Any ideas???</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA3qGR3mOJQs4zK1_p7TZHo7QEWriasYzlzlkj3lXMWwWMo2VT9LttfLXsBcROEXvITIwmZjdJoGHyuyGoCWTCj07nP7HIRrXDTkjYwlFXYlkpXZUI6vMPKMU5ZQmWZWhyphenhyphendttIqcCjBSU/s1600/Elton+and+Son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA3qGR3mOJQs4zK1_p7TZHo7QEWriasYzlzlkj3lXMWwWMo2VT9LttfLXsBcROEXvITIwmZjdJoGHyuyGoCWTCj07nP7HIRrXDTkjYwlFXYlkpXZUI6vMPKMU5ZQmWZWhyphenhyphendttIqcCjBSU/s400/Elton+and+Son.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><b>(....a few days later...) </b><br />
<b>OK, your responses came in on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedefibrillator">Facebook</a>: We love Elton, but we couldn't resist when we saw this picture. Here are the winners. <span style="color: red;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">Warning for the faint of heart: </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">they get naughtier and meaner as they go on.... </span></b></div><ul class="commentList"><li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498209 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">welcome to the world, Yes, I'm your crazy looking queer dad, You're going to be just fine!</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498225 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock">"Stop, Elton! That's not a gummi baby!</div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498226 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">I can buy you a wig just like mine--all right two wigs.</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498228 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock">...And so the seed for decades of an inexplicable, yet recurring, nightmare is planted.</div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498229 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><span data-jsid="text">"you look as tasty as a jar of rod stewart's splooge!"</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498234 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">"Is that you Daddy? ... *erp* I think I just said goodbye to a yellow brick!"</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498300 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">you're worried about this queen eating his own child? HAVE YOU HEARD HIS LAST RECORD???</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1498782 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock">Ahhhh " Look what just fell out my ass!"</div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1499118 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">This reminds me of Goya's horrific painting of Saturn devouring one of his childen. It's in the Prado in Madrid. Find it online and compare. Would make a hilarious "Separated At Birth" side by side.</span></div><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"></div><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDBM8j56FIg6-5mfTTJHPuPzgPQ-i-oI0PG7iktuwSCWfUexS582amf2Gm2Y_faF49WSIgHdM2mtmWGtBSzjfPwPRGUF2Nn97nXOV99-iZ9xf55qYL58YEDF9PXqcfNwWfhhTii_5NzxP/s1600/Goya-Saturn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDBM8j56FIg6-5mfTTJHPuPzgPQ-i-oI0PG7iktuwSCWfUexS582amf2Gm2Y_faF49WSIgHdM2mtmWGtBSzjfPwPRGUF2Nn97nXOV99-iZ9xf55qYL58YEDF9PXqcfNwWfhhTii_5NzxP/s200/Goya-Saturn.jpg" width="129" /> </a></div></div><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Fa41hda2WWcw7nEasIJQ-P3MG9smxpcfdFUI8wD0l3hHlvsV3Objp4Hzl-wE-HgW_9mHHE0Bz2JBoOQ_g944hlG7-VEg_3oRjjTT9vot5OLVal2F4CQ4U1idtw1diNRkVSxe56_h18z3/s1600/elton+and+son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Fa41hda2WWcw7nEasIJQ-P3MG9smxpcfdFUI8wD0l3hHlvsV3Objp4Hzl-wE-HgW_9mHHE0Bz2JBoOQ_g944hlG7-VEg_3oRjjTT9vot5OLVal2F4CQ4U1idtw1diNRkVSxe56_h18z3/s200/elton+and+son.jpg" width="146" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1499133 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">Future hit lyrics for son: "I would have liked to have known you, but I was just a kid, / your talent burned out long before your voicebox ever did."</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1507981 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">"Will you digest faster??? Daddy's run out of mousse!!!!"</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1507982 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text">"No more wire safety pins!!!!!"</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1511860 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><b>Brent said:</b> <span data-jsid="text">"If placentas are good for smoothing your skin, imagine what a moisturizer made from real babies'll do!!"</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1512283 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><span data-jsid="text"><b>David replied:</b> You were a real baby once. How'd you like to be made into moisturizer?</span></div></div></li>
<li class="uiUfiComment comment_1512295 ufiItem ufiItem"><div class="UIImageBlock clearfix uiUfiActorBlock"><div class="commentContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_SMALL_Content"><b>Brent responded:</b> <span data-jsid="text">If I were in a bottle on George Clooney's nightstand?—I'd love it!!</span><br />
<div class="commentActions fsm fwn fcg"><abbr data-date="Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:53:26 -0800" title="Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 4:53pm"><br />
</abbr></div></div></div></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1330390"></span><span id="goog_1330391"></span></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-87796804159206862352011-01-10T21:41:00.000-08:002011-03-19T13:58:34.269-07:00Defining Moments: Artist Gypsy Ray Creates Beauty out of Adversity<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">by Brent Calderwood</span></i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><i>reprinted by permission from A&U Magazine, November 2010 </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ3HfS_BGl_TkQiaXn-RefFp0yiUxlHeSTHjUVIOt67lI1gm1Zkn-Uri-DV9DAsF6y59ajpxrbUfmOnEjCT_X5G1gBiCY2Y2D_mFe-JE_eVAf2_UhFc2jrvFnKtJfWLsIhhuWfkU5m6b9/s1600/The+Distance+Between.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJ3HfS_BGl_TkQiaXn-RefFp0yiUxlHeSTHjUVIOt67lI1gm1Zkn-Uri-DV9DAsF6y59ajpxrbUfmOnEjCT_X5G1gBiCY2Y2D_mFe-JE_eVAf2_UhFc2jrvFnKtJfWLsIhhuWfkU5m6b9/s320/The+Distance+Between.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">For the last thirty years, Gypsy Ray’s photographs and drawings have exhibited extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Her photographic works are included in collections in the U.S. Library of Congress and at the British Museum in London.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">In the mid-1980s, Ray’s widely acclaimed documentary photographs of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS were exhibited in San Francisco and thereafter were included in several group exhibitions and solo shows throughout the United States. Twenty-five years later, their startling intensity and immediacy prove timeless. Courageous, candid, and undeniably artistic, they create beauty out of tragic circumstances. They also challenge notions of photojournalism and art photography as separate categories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBx8r26fMzcwgH6x4Ha3-fPvhb-z0kU_bUj4lGaSG4hWYY8BV18uenj71zFoMZpr_S5g5EQdL7QM28ic7oCYkIybb4P6sg_R50gTgXOx1hsom6EAGhaJtL3qLSqqtlPfod4ZMKvq3RfiCT/s1600/Gryfin+Blackswan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBx8r26fMzcwgH6x4Ha3-fPvhb-z0kU_bUj4lGaSG4hWYY8BV18uenj71zFoMZpr_S5g5EQdL7QM28ic7oCYkIybb4P6sg_R50gTgXOx1hsom6EAGhaJtL3qLSqqtlPfod4ZMKvq3RfiCT/s200/Gryfin+Blackswan.jpg" width="193" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Ray has said that she eschews labels such as “artist,” “photographer,” or “documentary photographer.” While these are all apt descriptors, they fail to capture the ways in which she blurs these lines, sometimes literally, as in her mixed-media series “Concealment”; inspired by her personal battle with breast cancer, Ray’s black-and-white drawings of bandaged bodies, often hazy and in extreme close-up, obscure gender and color in an effort, she says, to make their message universal. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I recently spoke with Ray from her home in Kilkenny, Ireland. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Brent Calderwood: How did you come to photography and drawing as a career? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Gypsy Ray:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> I studied drawing and photography at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. It was known as one of the very few photography programs within an art department [in the 1970s]. It was an enlightened place to learn photography because it combined the science of photography with the art of that medium. I then did an independent program through Goddard College’s San Francisco office to receive my Masters so that I could teach. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTw6kzDtSE3mVBJ5HrbDnEZeJvRl6Bi_sH1L82x59TQxTkAzhCebLJdY6wnhBnEzkONgJhoJ2gN8Ung_ayGHbnQp9nxtdRzwDUbHX5c8cuznq9EjjHZF2TOLrZIt9MlxqJ8kAA6TBpDbQ/s1600/St+Catherine%2527s+Halting+Site.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTw6kzDtSE3mVBJ5HrbDnEZeJvRl6Bi_sH1L82x59TQxTkAzhCebLJdY6wnhBnEzkONgJhoJ2gN8Ung_ayGHbnQp9nxtdRzwDUbHX5c8cuznq9EjjHZF2TOLrZIt9MlxqJ8kAA6TBpDbQ/s320/St+Catherine%2527s+Halting+Site.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">How did living in those different locales affect your work?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> First living in Iowa City informed my AIDS work because I started a series on the male nude there, and several of my models were friends who were gay. Then, living in the Bay Area, I saw the need to work on a visual response to HIV/AIDS, both a personal and political response to what was happening in the mid-1980s press. Also, we—my husband and I—were experiencing the loss of friends through the disease, so this felt very important to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The HIV/AIDS photographs seem so intimate. How did you find your subjects, and how did you get them to open up to you? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> I almost always work thought an agency, at that time with San Francisco AIDS Foundation and San Francisco Hospice. This lends validity to my presence and helps establish contacts and trust. It is then up to me not to betray that established trust…. It is hard for me not to become involved with the people I work with. I am an artist but also have been a teacher in my working life. So being supportive and often fond of subjects comes automatically.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictFDieIgExKm-PEejwbqjTvTyvHJvp42B-rfayMhO_87TpEJlEWI66x9TD1IfYQwPics9KP1M5M4hCKNWENxAv63xIoFG4h5mBlsEDtPUeD8CsjGfKkhoUNiPHW0Unwob_fCXskAE3fNj/s1600/Moss+and+Robert%252C+1985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictFDieIgExKm-PEejwbqjTvTyvHJvp42B-rfayMhO_87TpEJlEWI66x9TD1IfYQwPics9KP1M5M4hCKNWENxAv63xIoFG4h5mBlsEDtPUeD8CsjGfKkhoUNiPHW0Unwob_fCXskAE3fNj/s200/Moss+and+Robert%252C+1985.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">How is your approach to photography different from—or the same as—your approach to drawing?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Although the technique is different, my approaches to both are similar. Recently, as a response to illness, I combined the two, using a photograph first and then obscuring it with drawing in a series entitled “Concealment.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">What can you tell me about that series? Images like <i>Concealment #30</i> are striking, and yet it’s not clear what part of the body they show. Is this intentional? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> This work was a necessary working out of my own experience with cancer. But in doing it I realized that I did not want the series to be either so personal or so gender-specific that it couldn’t also be universal. During chemo, I looked a bit like an egg! [<i>Laughs</i>] And in a photograph, [I looked] neither male nor female, so some of the images are myself. But many are of others and are obscured so that the viewer has to search the images. Everyone has a trauma they need to cover over to get on with daily living. Thus,“Concealment.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">In addition to breast cancer and HIV/AIDS, your projects have addressed subjects as various as urban schools and the Special Olympics. Do you see a common link in these projects? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> I am drawn to documentary subjects. Breast cancer was a personal response that evolved into a specific, not just female, response to covering up trauma. “San Francisco City Middle Schools from the Early 1990s” was another project I was invited into and embraced. “Special Olympics” began as a student volunteer project when I taught at Cabrillo College [in Santa Cruz County, California] and then extended to my own work with the U.S. Special Olympics and similar work with Camphill Communities in Ireland where I now live…. All of these are, in a sense, educational. Perhaps their link is a desire to visually teach.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MghDMkFTQyCHLsdC-9ttlK5u5VsLVfn_-zFnhBnTz-rabQCXLVSSjzK9m0RU4U_fPQN8tygrDJGYhv5GJwKI1l0Q1LrSx7y9OG3oXC0QhbzRlcTqMVnWH7cKlxiYq5FCQL0PdI9teQgq/s1600/Mark+and+Maria+Gypsy+Ray.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MghDMkFTQyCHLsdC-9ttlK5u5VsLVfn_-zFnhBnTz-rabQCXLVSSjzK9m0RU4U_fPQN8tygrDJGYhv5GJwKI1l0Q1LrSx7y9OG3oXC0QhbzRlcTqMVnWH7cKlxiYq5FCQL0PdI9teQgq/s320/Mark+and+Maria+Gypsy+Ray.JPG" width="312" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">How did you wind up in Ireland? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> I moved to the Bay Area to receive a Masters, and I ended up staying. Then I married a man from Ireland and moved back [to Ireland], where we could afford to finally purchase our own home. Working here has changed my work, but so has age. I find that drawing offers me the quiet I need. And yet now, through the Kilkenny County Council, I’m photographing an extended family of Irish Travellers at their halting site, so … I am still doing documentary photography. I am still, at 61, passionate about both drawing and photography.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">What’s next for you? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">GR:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> I am heading to the studio full time, retiring from teaching. This is emotional but also exciting. I have been fortunate to be the arts facilitator for a wonderful group of women in a socially inclusive program. It is hard to leave this but also a wonderful way to end my teaching career…. Going into the studio full time is very exciting. I have so much I want to do and explore.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">You can learn more about Gypsy Ray’s work at <a href="http://gypsyray.wordpress.com/">http://gypsyray.wordpress.com</a>.</span></div><div style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; padding: 0in;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Brent Calderwood is a San Francisco-based writer and activist. His essays, reviews, and poetry have appeared widely, including in <i>A&U</i>. His Web site is <a href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/">www.brentcalderwood.com</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-53035328914225014542011-01-10T21:16:00.000-08:002011-03-19T13:57:53.186-07:00True to Life: Artist Lenore Chinn Portrays the Depth and Diversity of Our Relationships<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">by Brent Calderwood</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>reprinted by permission of A&U Magazine, October 2010 </i></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_efycWXMAIMeoLKbW5DUeDlssSh4S4wofa4EEDrZvfB94DYL-iKj1E1s7AaCieovCxOrUBJVu4oELbKr2hLDU4oQAStqQCvftrBSxuPo12hh4-Re4zItgAH2O-FQSlLH7j2AN33b_42xZ/s1600/New+Image.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_efycWXMAIMeoLKbW5DUeDlssSh4S4wofa4EEDrZvfB94DYL-iKj1E1s7AaCieovCxOrUBJVu4oELbKr2hLDU4oQAStqQCvftrBSxuPo12hh4-Re4zItgAH2O-FQSlLH7j2AN33b_42xZ/s320/New+Image.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">San Francisco native Lenore Chinn, who’s been exhibiting her photorealistic acrylic portraits locally and nationally since 1977, has described her work as “fusing an Asian aesthetic of sparseness and clarity with visual narratives” that veer away from stereotypical depictions of gender, race and sexual orientation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Recently, Chinn’s work appeared in the remarkable exhibit, “<a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2010/08/we-were-there-tells-story-that-needs.html">We Were There: The Lesbian Response to the Early AIDS Epidemic among Gay Men</a>,” at San Francisco’s <a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2010/08/we-were-there-tells-story-that-needs.html">African American Art & Culture Complex</a>. Amid the mostly black-and-white photography and ephemera, Chinn’s paintings of her gay male friends, many of whom succumbed to AIDS-related illness in the eighties, stood out as indelibly warm in both color and emotional content. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Based primarily on the photographs she takes herself, Chinn’s paintings are so detailed that the viewer can see the grain in a hardwood floor, the headlines on a newspaper, the stitching on a pair of jeans, and—most compellingly—the emotional truth of their human subjects. Every shared look between lovers, every pensive solitary gaze, every proud stare into the lens of the camera, is captured affectionately and meticulously. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak with Chinn about the paintings in the “We Were There” exhibit, as well as her work as a whole.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFiKnEqWZPx4XrOYWE3tIOHVEKPN2PNfpBezK85jR3e3G-FWlHf8-CByP5nQB2nox6QL4NZetNJQK5yN8ff6-9wdN0AFL-4DBAPqvvk6R4lDDzw-vJr_QyqLNGlnWYiJA7Z6V9Ql5SogW/s1600/Time+Passing+by+Lenore+Chinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFiKnEqWZPx4XrOYWE3tIOHVEKPN2PNfpBezK85jR3e3G-FWlHf8-CByP5nQB2nox6QL4NZetNJQK5yN8ff6-9wdN0AFL-4DBAPqvvk6R4lDDzw-vJr_QyqLNGlnWYiJA7Z6V9Ql5SogW/s320/Time+Passing+by+Lenore+Chinn.jpg" width="208" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Brent Calderwood: Do you consider your art political?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Lenore Chinn: The immediacy of an image is very powerful. Once an image is seen it cannot easily be dismissed. In that sense I do view my work as a form of activism and that is a conscious choice. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I view my work as a catalyst for change, for creating an environment in which the viewing public might rethink how art is defined, viewed and considered. Art is a powerful tool in the social justice movement though not everyone has that perspective–yet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">What early experiences influenced your philosophy and approach to your art? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">What I believe greatly affected me was the times in which I came of age as a young artist. I went to San Francisco State when … the country was in the throes of the Vietnam War. Civil Rights issues were front-page news and ethnic studies was a burgeoning concept. Women’s studies came later….I still have black and white photos (pre-digital of course) taken of the SFPD on campus with full riot gear, mounted on horses and motorcycles, marching through campus. It was the time of the Kent State student deaths by National Guardsmen; college campuses were sites of resistance and national student strikes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">How did you start using photography in your work? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Photography was a tool from my early years of painting and I have always carried a camera with me wherever I went. It used to be a 35mm camera (Minolta or my dad’s Pentax), now it’s an Olympus digital. I learned to view through the lens and my photographs became my source for drafting works on canvas….I shoot a lot of photos wherever I go, sometimes documenting events or people, and whether I intend for something to end up on canvas or not, I know when something might have potential.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Although your paintings are based on photos, they reflect conscious choices about factors like color scheme and light and shadow. How do you determine what changes you will make in taking your images from film to canvas? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I work with texture, color and light to bring out the most effective image I can convey. Sometimes my photos are not shot under the most ideal lighting conditions or there are extraneous things that don’t lend themselves to the strength of a composition. So I do make choices and adjustments where I find it will create a more focused image. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GV95cYAs6pKO7uAqYlNVPC0QElJScAmiUMNBlI-Sgn1Hf00Q9jFY6aqmuWVknZ7_xIIzafy8RDN1MTHL9hvDI-PBwY2qyVfxJ-YfHqceOsStlihz2RevZehW9FdF-dGfkth8bS2yuTyF/s1600/Domestic+Partners+by+Lenore+Chinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GV95cYAs6pKO7uAqYlNVPC0QElJScAmiUMNBlI-Sgn1Hf00Q9jFY6aqmuWVknZ7_xIIzafy8RDN1MTHL9hvDI-PBwY2qyVfxJ-YfHqceOsStlihz2RevZehW9FdF-dGfkth8bS2yuTyF/s200/Domestic+Partners+by+Lenore+Chinn.jpg" width="156" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">How do you determine the subjects for your paintings? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">My friends had always been intricately involved in my work, both as subjects and as supporters of my work. They were often artists and we supported each other’s aspirations. So they did figure prominently in my paintings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">When I started college as a young art student some of my closest friends in the arts were young gay men. Through one of them….I became acquainted with a core group of gay Latino friends who would become extended <i>familia</i>. Then I got to know all of their partners over a period of many years. Almost all of them died of AIDS or AIDS-related complications between 1984 and 1990. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In the past my work had been viewed in the context of documenting a gay, LGBT or queer community but that was not my intention when I painted each subject. They happened to be largely people I knew, often good friends, or I was commemorating a relationship. So in that sense it became a visual journey of our history as a community and some of that was a painful episode in our collective histories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Your work as a whole conveys the importance of representing women and people of color. How do your portraits of gay men fit (or not fit) within your oeuvre?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> The twin friends [in “Son Cuates”] identified themselves as Mexican American but their father was white. John, in “The Family,” is half Puerto Rican. My friend “Robaire” in “Departure” is also of mixed heritage, French-Moroccan Sephardic and Jewish. Others are Cuban American. I think my work reflects the complexity of our country’s tapestry of people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Do you think audiences for your work are more savvy about the sexual, racial, and cultural aspects of your work today than they were in the eighties, or less so?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Whether audiences are more savvy now or then I cannot say. But I do feel that those who see themselves in my work or can identify with a life experience in my canvases come away with a positive affirmation and this is something that is not so common in the fine arts. By my approach I make our existence visible. We count.</span></div><div style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1.5pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">For more information on Lenore Chinn visit <a href="http://www.lenorechinn.com/">www.lenorechinn.com</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Brent Calderwood is a San Francisco-based writer and activist. His essays, reviews, and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">poetry have appeared widely, including in <i>A&U</i>. His Web site is <a href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/">www.brentcalderwood.com</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNGmyhDXHO4BmpFy-LX7eE-TS52c4mq7rBxl7xdVSuoNlKTvt_XOGk-7D9Ya5GFbAM_eUdbAZ5Qut3TJ3dy7m7AkiJJc7TIhMT9Q40xNFzCZSnkYJvZRmDWg2gVvGVLdDrqQkeO-82snI/s1600/The+Family+by+Lenore+Chinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNGmyhDXHO4BmpFy-LX7eE-TS52c4mq7rBxl7xdVSuoNlKTvt_XOGk-7D9Ya5GFbAM_eUdbAZ5Qut3TJ3dy7m7AkiJJc7TIhMT9Q40xNFzCZSnkYJvZRmDWg2gVvGVLdDrqQkeO-82snI/s400/The+Family+by+Lenore+Chinn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-76355266505759792422010-10-12T11:32:00.000-07:002011-03-19T13:59:37.025-07:00Need to Relax? Looking for Some Guidance?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYZNIo0INGrG7GFxoS_KtmyOnodtvgEws5yB5mhTfbY39wSZCgykoD-B3dxFH8Apq1tlB3D6-1FM6f36_0IPjfzZbqjmXWGtXIcsCdvdQyEYbpYsP0G-WVE2sij5WY7-mfQZVim1GXo0H/s1600/nickVenegoni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYZNIo0INGrG7GFxoS_KtmyOnodtvgEws5yB5mhTfbY39wSZCgykoD-B3dxFH8Apq1tlB3D6-1FM6f36_0IPjfzZbqjmXWGtXIcsCdvdQyEYbpYsP0G-WVE2sij5WY7-mfQZVim1GXo0H/s1600/nickVenegoni.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><b> Talking with <a href="http://www.holistictherapysf.com/Home.html">Nick Venegoni </a>about Alternatives to Talk Therapy </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">My friend Nick Venegoni has been studying and training in various therapies for several years now, and he's been working with clients for over four years. His <a href="http://www.holistictherapysf.com/Home.html">Website</a> is full of useful information about the types of therapy he offers, which includes everything from fairly traditional talk therapy to guided meditations, hypnotherapy, art therapy, and other <a href="http://www.holistictherapysf.com/Philosophy.html">transpersonal and integrative</a> approaches. The site even offers a flavor of his work through a free <a href="http://www.holistictherapysf.com/Modalities.html">guided mindfulness relaxation exercise</a>.</span></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Having worked as a counselor in the past, especially around issues of gender and sexuality, I talk to a lot of people who ask me to recommend a good therapist, so I thought I'd find out more about the work Nick does. I hope it's helpful! </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhYVO5gO11vm2NIUK3DVfKC0TNCJNy0DK869gKolsyq93RRVFxI8OB2R-sIoqYARTeAckZGP0dcDECmmJF7WC9zV8ofFMk_NVp5hVnajU_b8coT-qr7vShAeoZsPvdvbIwKyTWwep6cnd/s1600/101_2373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhYVO5gO11vm2NIUK3DVfKC0TNCJNy0DK869gKolsyq93RRVFxI8OB2R-sIoqYARTeAckZGP0dcDECmmJF7WC9zV8ofFMk_NVp5hVnajU_b8coT-qr7vShAeoZsPvdvbIwKyTWwep6cnd/s200/101_2373.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Brent Calderwood: "Mindfulness" is a word that's used a lot by psychologists these days, notably in the treatment of depression. What exactly does it mean? Why do you think it's become so "trendy"? How does it show up in the work you do?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Nick Venegoni: </b>Yes, the term mindfulness is a bit trendy these days, but it's nothing new. I believe that it came out of different kinds of meditation practices, and it engages a person’s awareness to the point of noticing their thoughts and learning that they are not their mind. … It's also extremely effective in the treatment of depression, stress, anxiety and anger…. I think it is trendy because it is so effective when a person commits to the discipline.... A majority of my clients start each session with a simple mindfulness exercise, and as they internalize the changes and see the benefits, they begin to look forward to it. I encourage them to practice on their own between sessions, and many do. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">You have training in several types of therapy, including hypnotherapy. Why might someone seek hypnotherapy, and what happens during a typical session?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">People seek hypnotherapy for a variety of reasons, mostly for help breaking addictions, phobias or habitual behaviors. But hypnotherapy can be a quick, powerful and very effective way to get to and heal core issues as well. I practice hypnotherapy in the style of Depth Hypnosis as created by <a href="http://www.sacredstream.org/dh/isa.html">Isa Gucciardi</a>, PhD, and the kind of work I prefer to do focuses on the former - to sink into a place deep in the psyche which might not be as accessible in a normal, conscious state. Often healing these deeper wounds results in resolution of habits, addictions or phobias, which were simply symptoms of the wound, not the wound itself.<br />
<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>You have a Masters in <a href="http://www.ciis.edu/">Transpersonal/Integral Counseling Psychology</a>. Those first two terms may be new for a lot of people. What exactly do they mean, and how do they show up in the work you do?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Transpersonal means across or through the personal - encompassing everything about a person and beyond. It's a way of conceiving all parts of an individual, not just the parts that are wounded but the parts that are strong and healthy as well…. Integral in this case means the essential core of a person as well as integrating that which is necessary to become more complete - integrating and synthesizing that which supports our health. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br />
<b>What advice would you give to someone who's interested in the kinds of therapy you do, but maybe they don't know how to get started or they don't know what kind of therapist would be best for them?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I would recommend that they think about what works best for them in therapeutic situations, and do research on a variety of therapists. Most have websites or listings which give a taste about their style and strengths. Then make contact - most therapists are willing to have a 10 to 15 minute phone conversation to see if you're a good fit. It's also helpful for the therapist because sometimes the therapist might be able to tell the prospective client they could be better served by a different clinician because of a specialty or skill set, and could give the client referrals. And it's OK if you go see a therapist and decide it's not a fit - it's important to feel safe and comfortable with a therapist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>Nick Venegoni is a registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern (supervised by Karen Palamos, LMFT, MFC38971) who specializes in working with people struggling with anxiety and anger through mindfulness based practices. If you'd like to know more about him, check out his Website <a href="http://www.holistictherapysf.com/Home.html">here</a>. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6XpOo68ZbQkq7RcUcucoXUxBWW3Sc6v-bLPNW2hCOZEeKGHuiPHAODj2iHWxJ6syFie1NGUbQN1YpZ2knBEMV2XSTy2XPbnZbIAT4SbM3Y4z35fhpM5_rx5wdW0YQXdBgnrOoTIZGJBm/s1600/shapeimage_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6XpOo68ZbQkq7RcUcucoXUxBWW3Sc6v-bLPNW2hCOZEeKGHuiPHAODj2iHWxJ6syFie1NGUbQN1YpZ2knBEMV2XSTy2XPbnZbIAT4SbM3Y4z35fhpM5_rx5wdW0YQXdBgnrOoTIZGJBm/s400/shapeimage_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-74581535930360030612010-08-25T20:06:00.000-07:002011-03-19T14:01:15.534-07:00Live FREE Music!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3_gSPD7gmAKO0cnZ0p5DclUFliK1fivxcrruYlAvrmiwtgb3EP73_jQSqj9V50XP9JDnLOtApf5mqPKS3QT0Jda8eQBvUNWKK3YEHmeDrfCtEpi0jat7-J8j4o4dSFIyODt1DVyCWPmg/s1600/crop+guitar.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3_gSPD7gmAKO0cnZ0p5DclUFliK1fivxcrruYlAvrmiwtgb3EP73_jQSqj9V50XP9JDnLOtApf5mqPKS3QT0Jda8eQBvUNWKK3YEHmeDrfCtEpi0jat7-J8j4o4dSFIyODt1DVyCWPmg/s320/crop+guitar.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>San Francisco is chock full of music and musicians, much of it free! Here are two upcoming shows I'll be participating in: </b></div><div><br />
Friday, August 27</div><div><b>Marianne Barlow, Brent Calderwood, and Russell David @ SoCha Cafe</b></div><div>Acoustic rock, folk and alt country songs at the hip Mission venue, which serves coffee, beer, and wine.. Free. 8:30pm-11pm. 3235 Mission Street (@ Valencia). <a href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/" target="_blank">www.<wbr></wbr>brentcalderwood.com</a>, <a href="http://www.simplemuzik.net/" target="_blank">www.simplemuzik.net</a>, <a href="http://www.mariannebarlow.com/" target="_blank">www.mariannebarlow.com</a><br />
<br />
<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sunday, September 12</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGFXI_QCksw4PNvrqcpmJs6RavSiKgej8TBw65UC1obgGLPLEj9GOOfxlzetaLhSi96j0-N8J2AF1laPIonqH0vXy2x2_E5VlpRYW6oxirSUlDBhMIsqbX2EaYYPawIs1dPBgDpzOmAXp/s1600/Drew+Boles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGFXI_QCksw4PNvrqcpmJs6RavSiKgej8TBw65UC1obgGLPLEj9GOOfxlzetaLhSi96j0-N8J2AF1laPIonqH0vXy2x2_E5VlpRYW6oxirSUlDBhMIsqbX2EaYYPawIs1dPBgDpzOmAXp/s200/Drew+Boles.jpg" width="144" /></a><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Drew Boles and Brent Calderwood @ Brainwash</b></span></div><div><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Queer singer-songwriters Drew Boles and Brent Calderwood perform acoustic and electronic guitar- and piano-based pop and folk music at the hip SoMa cafe, where you can do your laundry, throw back lattes and beers, and get a taste of the local music scene all at the same time! 7pm-9pm. 1122 Folsom Street (@ Langton). <a href="http://www.drewboles.com/" target="_blank">www.drewboles.com</a>, <a href="http://www.brentcalderwood.com/" target="_blank">www.brentcalderwood.com</a></span><br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I've been seeing lots of great singer-songwriters and local musicians lately. One of my favorites is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?tid=1262410940054&sk=messages#%21/pages/Carletta-Sue-Kay/196142491497?ref=ts">Carletta Sue Kay</a>, a San Francisco performer/band headed by Randy Walker (Carletta) that deftly combines rock, roots music, country, camp and cabaret all into one satisfying package. If my ears were right last time I heard Carletta Sue Kay live, one of her songs has the hook, "It's not love till someone calls a cop." If that's not right, someone let me know—'cause I'll use it myself! Their next show is this <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Carletta%20Sue%20Kay%20When:%09%20Thursday,%20August%2026,%202010%209:00%20PM%20-%201:30%20AM%20PDT%20Where:%09111%20Minna%20Gallery%20111%20Minna%20St%20San%20Francisco%20CA%2094105%20Get%20Directions%20%20Read%20more:%20http://events.myspace.com/Event/4288241/Carletta-Sue-Kay-and-friends-at-111-Minna#ixzz0xfuAfkEz">Thursday, August 26 at 111 Minna Gallery</a>, 9pm-1:30am. Also playing are the fabulous <a href="http://www.myspace.com/exboyfriends">Ex-Boyfriends</a>! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last May, I attended a great evening of gay singer-songwriters, some local, some touring, at the Metropolitan Community Church in San Francisco. Called </span><b>Sing Out San Francisco</b>, the evening showcased cutie <a href="http://www.tomgossmusic.com/tickets">Tom Goss</a>, along with the sensitive-but-edgy <a href="http://www.dudleysaunders.com/">Dudley Saunders</a>, Daniel Owens and Jeremiah Clark in diverse evening of original pop, folk and jazz music. I was impressed by all of them, especially the guitar and piano stylings of <a href="http://www.jeremiahclarkmusic.com/">Clark</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/danielowensmusic">Owens</a>.<br />
<br />
I'll be updating you on other local musicians and artists in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, here's a few videos to tide you over!<br />
<br />
<object height="292" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/waM9hMkumhM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/waM9hMkumhM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="350" height="292"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<object height="292" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnmBbVQGzC8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnmBbVQGzC8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="350" height="292"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<br />
<object height="230" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OXzzhtqKHzE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OXzzhtqKHzE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="350" height="230"></embed></object></div><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="197" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14187416?byline=0&portrait=0" width="350"></iframe></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-19646751453838333112010-08-16T17:41:00.000-07:002011-03-19T14:02:01.508-07:00"We Were There" Tells a Story That Needs Telling<div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0rLsSIAA8tfJcqtm7PnnUW5ADceTTfn9mZmpD7asdlhAEehYencukTQuzoPg60I_pFlSJ2UBJ1ksJJ_XtHa09z0JHvjVFS00wGkADyx8soHvc0dPIK2xXaKHIdbxHJm2xs1j_-GnPOld/s1600/antolin+loewenstein+green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0rLsSIAA8tfJcqtm7PnnUW5ADceTTfn9mZmpD7asdlhAEehYencukTQuzoPg60I_pFlSJ2UBJ1ksJJ_XtHa09z0JHvjVFS00wGkADyx8soHvc0dPIK2xXaKHIdbxHJm2xs1j_-GnPOld/s320/antolin+loewenstein+green.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Emmanuelle Antolin, Tamara Loewenstein, and Melonie Green</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="http://wewerethere-blog.tumblr.com/">We Were There </a></i></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
June 10 – September 30, 2010</span> <o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">African American Arts & Culture Complex<br />
762 Fulton Street @ McAllister<br />
San Francisco, CA 94102-4119<br />
(415) 292-6172</span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG58nIN-Aeox3YIxvpRS0tuLTW7CgIW2LsY3kMn9kiCl5WrO5IUqRMtTiodMjQEtnxIzWauIwmYrR3T_N7wqLjztQd6X5MgeWea_T08i2PCduZA4Ghv_vwOxVgKm9Bo9fkz02ALD74IJ9A/s1600/2009+Pittsburgh+G-20+Summit+ACT+UP+March+by+Anonymous.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG58nIN-Aeox3YIxvpRS0tuLTW7CgIW2LsY3kMn9kiCl5WrO5IUqRMtTiodMjQEtnxIzWauIwmYrR3T_N7wqLjztQd6X5MgeWea_T08i2PCduZA4Ghv_vwOxVgKm9Bo9fkz02ALD74IJ9A/s320/2009+Pittsburgh+G-20+Summit+ACT+UP+March+by+Anonymous.JPG" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I recently visited “We Were There: The Lesbian Response to the Early AIDS Epidemic among Gay Men," a new exhibit showing now through September 30, co-curated by Melonie Green and Tamara Loewenstein. "We Were There" is also the name of a moving short film created in conjunction with the exhibit and directed by Emmanuelle Antolin. </span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo by Leigh Meryhew</span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I spoke with Antolin, Green, and Loewenstein about the project. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: Who helped you make this project happen? </span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><u1:p><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></u1:p>TL:</b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The National Queer Ar ts Festival and Queer Cultural Center of San Francisco awarded Emmanuelle Antolin with a small grant that allowed her to begin film production. The African American Arts & Culture Complex (sisters Melora and Melonie Green) have been incredibly generous with their space, resources and time. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: What's the response been like so far? </span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">MG: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Those who were featured in the project (via photographs, featured in the film, pamphlets on the walls, etc.) were so moved. Some were surprised to see their work on the walls. They certainly didn't expect to see their words on the walls. I think seeing the exhibition made things very real for them. The film was such an inspiration. It received laughs, tears, applause.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: Describe the curatorial process for the exhibit.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u1:p></u1:p> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">TL:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> The curatorial process was a very collaborative one. Emmanuelle was able to gather most of the images during her research in New York City and at the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco, among other resources. The three of us went through all the images we had gathered and decided together which ones should be key images or themes within the exhibition. Later, Melonie and I worked together to finalize our selection of photographs, images, posters and ephemera. <u1:p></u1:p>From the beginning we wanted the space to have an ambiance of intensity that communicated the activist sensibility of the period.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">MG: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Tamara and I discussed putting the words on the walls. we had a few ideas. I suggested that we hand write the quotes ... because in the grand scheme of things, this was a DIY movement and seeing the quotes on the walls gave it a very organic and "real" vibe and feel. From there we decided to paste and post the posters on the walls unframed to continue that element of DIY and "in the moment" feel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: What's the future of this project? </span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">EA: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">As we go further with this project, we feel that quality film production, in-depth research, interactive web presence and more are integral to making this piece come alive the way it is meant to. So far, I have funded the entire project from my personal savings, with the exception of a $500 seed grant from the Queer Cultural Center, and a few donations. I did this because I got into it, I knew this story had to be told, and had to be told right. Now I am seeking funding to help me complete the film and expand the project. I'd love to talk to anyone who feels the same and would like to discuss funding.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></span></div></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-3455024998553867442010-08-11T12:29:00.000-07:002011-01-10T22:19:56.341-08:00James L. White's "The Salt Ecstasies": the return of an out-of-print classic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIiQTrzE0qhJ4mn6ojmZci5Am3OO23S7_yXhQexN8ruskJsLX4uxPieJrDn1XeFtivldF4q7ld696OVIpaI9xKtUJARufBl9_179Nh6Fz0MCALIZCHfNAk9FBoeerXnfUQHpn1nVlFosmO/s1600/9781555975616.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIiQTrzE0qhJ4mn6ojmZci5Am3OO23S7_yXhQexN8ruskJsLX4uxPieJrDn1XeFtivldF4q7ld696OVIpaI9xKtUJARufBl9_179Nh6Fz0MCALIZCHfNAk9FBoeerXnfUQHpn1nVlFosmO/s320/9781555975616.png" width="214" /></a></div>(This review first appeared at <a href="http://lambdaliterary.org/">LambdaLiterary.org</a><span id="goog_2131432960"></span><span id="goog_2131432961"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>)<br />
<br />
Part of Graywolf’s wonderful “Re/View” series, which publishes important work by out-of-print and outsider poets, <i>The Salt Ecstasies</i>, one of the jewels in the crown of Graywolf’s impressive poetry catalogue, seems long overdue for such treatment. Luckily, it was worth the wait. Series editor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Doty">Mark Doty</a> introduces the collection with a thoughtful essay, and has included two previously uncollected poems, as well as excerpts from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_White">James L. White</a>’s <a href="http://www.onearchives.org/uploads/collections/8d622c3333057e00a85a80bf6dc961a5.pdf">journals</a>.<br />
<br />
In addition to making <i>The Salt Ecstasies</i> available to a new generation of readers and writers—the book, published posthumously in 1982, has been hard to find outside of libraries—this new edition gives us the chance to reconsider White’s work and legacy beyond that of being a ‘poet’s poet,’ unknown to most and idolized by a rarefied few.<br />
<br />
<span id="more-1822"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTK4BAv9ML83qsnOuReiIe-43GKzQMaXOsjdqf5LjTK6WDMA5RWz2nL4uaJlHSPIuY9a_VP1ahok1TYk2J5ai4yXICdey0K3SA7z6CxA5Ze1VYbCjWF14-UsnvdThzW84a19ypDCu_a5Y/s1600/james+schuyler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTK4BAv9ML83qsnOuReiIe-43GKzQMaXOsjdqf5LjTK6WDMA5RWz2nL4uaJlHSPIuY9a_VP1ahok1TYk2J5ai4yXICdey0K3SA7z6CxA5Ze1VYbCjWF14-UsnvdThzW84a19ypDCu_a5Y/s320/james+schuyler.jpg" /></a></div>White’s outsider perspective permeates much of his work. Whereas the work of his contemporaries leaned heavily on the erotic, political, or erudite, White’s poems, as Doty points out in his introduction, “are heartbroken in that everyday way we recognize; they are the exhalation of a sorrow held so long it’s become as ordinary as it is sharp.” In this way, he is a sort of Minneapolis version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Schuyler">James Schuyler</a>, and a male counterpart to many lesbian and feminist writers of his period. <br />
<br />
“Making Love to Myself,” for instance, one of White’s best-known poems, takes a stance on autoeroticism otherwise unheard of among gay men, even down to its title. “Men don’t usually ‘make love’ to themselves,” Doty observes—“they jerk off….” In his plainspoken and poignant free-verse style, White begins<br />
<blockquote>When I do it, I remember how it was with us.<br />
Then my hands remember too,<br />
and you’re with me again, just the way it was.</blockquote>Free of ego, shock, or posturing, White’s diction and tone invite the reader into this most intimate of moments. “What a sweet gift this is, / done with my memory, my cock and hands”: alloyed with the heartfelt, language that might otherwise be too crude or obvious becomes credible and eloquent. After these lines, though, comes a turn; typical of White’s poems, and, one senses, of his life, the erotic is short-lived, hard to hold:<br />
<blockquote>Sometimes I’d wake up wondering if I should fix<br />
coffee for us before work,<br />
almost thinking you’re here again, almost seeing<br />
your work jacket on the chair.</blockquote>As the speaker goes on to ponder his break with his working-class lover, self-pleasure seems all but gone. The pervasive pull of loss and longing are stronger than those brief moments of joy, stronger even than fantasy, so the poem is aborted: “I just have to stop here Jess. / I just have to stop.”<br />
<br />
If so many of White’s poems are about not fitting—frequent themes are loss, aging, being overweight, illness, isolation, and a bittersweet childhood—they tell us much about the human heart. They also debunk assumptions about gay life and gay literature pre- and post-Stonewall, the closet on one side of the riots and liberation and free love on the other. White’s potential partners, then, are just as likely to be closeted, or ’straight,’ as not—if they seem fickle or reluctant as a result, there are also moments of vulnerability and tenderness that are lacking from other more modern, liberated, cocksure writers. From “The First Time:”<br />
<blockquote>Sometimes I’m their first.<br />
Sweet, sweet men.<br />
–<br />
We’re bunglers when it’s really good:<br />
bow legs, pimply backs, scrawny chest hair,<br />
full of mistakes and good intentions.</blockquote>Another poem on similar themes, “Lying in Sadness,” sparkles with striking images and emotions that seem instantly relatable, yet particular to the speaker’s experience. “I love you completely as salt” in the first stanza, and later “You exhale a fist of memory,” followed by the last stanza: “When you return to something you love, / it’s already beyond repair. / You wear it broken.”<br />
<br />
In his journal from October 1979, White demanded bare honesty of himself: “Don’t be afraid, Jim. Sometimes this will hurt you but there is also great beauty in your life. Don’t be afraid, Jim, or if you’re afraid, just go on and do what you do have to do: tell it, tell the story.”<br />
<br />
Writing on the cusp of the decade, White trained his pen on age-old, deep-seated fears and desires that for many of his fellow gay writers were sublimated beneath the post-Stonewall frisson of political and sexual liberation, and then sidelined by the political and sexual stridency that the AIDS crisis demanded. Writing in the spaces between, before, and outside those zeitgeists, White explored the sublimated and unearthed the sublime.<br />
<br />
White knew how painful it could be to stare directly into what we fear—including the ways in which many of us today still feel alienated, different, and indelibly queer. Perhaps writers and readers at this moment in queer history are again willing to take up the work White started 30 years ago; in so doing, we may come to a deeper, more personal sense of liberation, and even connectedness—to ourselves, to each other.<br />
<br />
<b>THE SALT ECSTASIES</b><br />
James L. White<br />
<a href="http://www.graywolfpress.org/component/page,shop.flypage/product_id,316/category_id,0485aa93fa0558fb1f755721e776984d/option,com_phpshop/" target="_blank"> Graywolf Press</a><br />
ISBN: 9781555975616<br />
Paperback, $15.00, 96pBrent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-30259846669980491652010-08-09T13:41:00.001-07:002011-03-19T14:03:04.091-07:00Patricia Neal: Great Career, Tragic Life (January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010)<div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlFcX8a0LXJyrHWwt0n6ULmpDxjPimsJKU226VMcYdd6_q4j75fQTO5OUDr0JezwBhMbxezzP_Gdkqkqac_LoEtPqS2u8n83UiWws9Y8862Dx7TVBCjKhPznzTZ6qZRcHwJ9Yg1zDo60U/s1600/PatriciaNealDeal03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhlFcX8a0LXJyrHWwt0n6ULmpDxjPimsJKU226VMcYdd6_q4j75fQTO5OUDr0JezwBhMbxezzP_Gdkqkqac_LoEtPqS2u8n83UiWws9Y8862Dx7TVBCjKhPznzTZ6qZRcHwJ9Yg1zDo60U/s400/PatriciaNealDeal03.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Patricia Neal, a Kentucky coal miner's daughter, was not only a first-rate actress who's been called the American </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Moreau"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jeanne Moreau</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">—she also lived a life so dramatic in its own right that it was the subject of a 1981 TV movie, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Patricia Neal Story</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. </span></span></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During the filming of the screen adaptation of Ayn Rand's controversial classic, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountainhead_%28film%29"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Fountainhead</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, the 21-year-old actress began an affair with Gary Cooper, then 46. It ended after Cooper's wife sent Neal a telegram requesting its termination, and also after Cooper's daughter spat at Neal in public. </span></span></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In 1953, Neal married British writer Roald Dahl, whom she'd met two years earlier at a dinner party thrown by Lillian Hellman. According to </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Neal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wikipedia</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, </span></span><br />
<blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwABdd82EIUjLSvup5dgHcNSFVtg3ULHeYrhA9sGiiO7rC26WFq8_jNLVC49oadtOhSZpX1apiPW018gJ1JbC9dyAfgT2vI8YGRS5qfYhcXhgHJuXIQADPZ-Pl7W0RXZqEA9QsfR1jS-T_/s1600/PatriciaNealDeal02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwABdd82EIUjLSvup5dgHcNSFVtg3ULHeYrhA9sGiiO7rC26WFq8_jNLVC49oadtOhSZpX1apiPW018gJ1JbC9dyAfgT2vI8YGRS5qfYhcXhgHJuXIQADPZ-Pl7W0RXZqEA9QsfR1jS-T_/s200/PatriciaNealDeal02.jpg" width="165" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">In the early 1960s the couple suffered through grievous injury to one child and the death of another. On December 5, 1960, their son Theo, four months old, suffered brain damage when his baby carriage was struck by a taxicab in New York City. On November 17, 1962, their daughter, Olivia, died at age 7 from measles encephalitis. </span></span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">While pregnant in 1965, Neal suffered three-burst cerebral aneurysms, and was in a coma for three weeks. Dahl directed her rehabilitation and she subsequently relearned to walk and talk ("I think I'm just stubborn, that's all").</span></blockquote></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><div style="margin: 0px;"></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On film, Neal commands your total attention in every scene she's in, whether she's sharing the screen with Paul Newman (</span><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hud_%28film%29"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hud</span></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, for which she won the <a href="http://the-defibrillator.blogspot.com/2010/03/poll-who-did-you-miss-in-oscars.html">Oscar</a>), Gary Cooper, or even an alien robot (</span><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1857409906"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Day the Earth Stood Still</span></a></i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Earth_Stood_Still_%281951_film%29"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">)</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.<br />
<br />
<b>Recommended viewing:</b></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1949 - The Fountainhead </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1951 - The Day the Earth Stood Still </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1957 - A Face in the Crowd </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1957 - Breakfast at Tiffany's </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1963 - Hud </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2003 - Broadway: The Golden Age</span></li>
</ul></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"></div><div style="margin: 0px;"></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Neal's obituary in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/movies/09neal.html">The New York Times</a></span></i></div></div></div></span></div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-86031645835830602342010-06-21T14:42:00.000-07:002010-08-11T13:17:12.016-07:00"We Were Here": Film Moves Entire Festival Audience to Tears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxv-TyfuNRSmBEjMThUmC2GwMF8ccIbxIIo_DzikD1N2w9T6XoohS_0DEf89vkorr7buPttV5P3dnT2BfM2HxgJx1s7mu9uZtKJZ-fFhovnEQc-cZsEKT8V8w7xDHldxSQn5JcFxL2jrf/s1600/castro-theatre-milk-night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxv-TyfuNRSmBEjMThUmC2GwMF8ccIbxIIo_DzikD1N2w9T6XoohS_0DEf89vkorr7buPttV5P3dnT2BfM2HxgJx1s7mu9uZtKJZ-fFhovnEQc-cZsEKT8V8w7xDHldxSQn5JcFxL2jrf/s400/castro-theatre-milk-night.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br />
Every year, at least one film in the <a href="http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=2050&FID=47">San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival</a> garners so much audience support and community spirit that I'm reminded not only of why I love film but also why I'm grateful to be a part of this eccentric and beautiful multi-lettered community. This year, one of those films was <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/WE-WERE-HERE-Voices-From-The-AIDS-Years-in-San-Francisco/111567468873746#%21/pages/WE-WERE-HERE-Voices-From-The-AIDS-Years-in-San-Francisco/111567468873746?v=info"><i>We Were Here: Voices from the AIDS Years in San Francisco</i></a>, which previewed yesterday to a full house at the Castro Theater.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKY18op_7HqbNuOX4aRIRwSm3n-ducuEO99gvGt3wEXwHbv8AAFaDUD4x0jWOwL_KG9WMDrfsU97CRfzf782p2RO7qSCWIGybFXhdGKKPW1Qr1TK7DVK-Ixw_bf4miZ9d7pIt1JYNKXyde/s1600/We+Were+Here.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKY18op_7HqbNuOX4aRIRwSm3n-ducuEO99gvGt3wEXwHbv8AAFaDUD4x0jWOwL_KG9WMDrfsU97CRfzf782p2RO7qSCWIGybFXhdGKKPW1Qr1TK7DVK-Ixw_bf4miZ9d7pIt1JYNKXyde/s320/We+Were+Here.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Director David Weissman and his editor/codirector Bill Weber, the documentarians who brought us <a href="http://www.cockettes.com/"><i>The Cockettes</i></a> nine years ago, that dizzying paean to early '70s hippie genderqueer gay counterculture, have created an entirely different animal with <i>We Were Here</i>. While <i>The Cockette</i><i>s</i> hinted at the epidemic to come—many of the Cockettes and their collaborators, like disco diva Sylvester, were felled by the disease—<i>We Were Here</i> is at times a eulogy to the decade that followed, looking at AIDS head-on. It's a perspective our community as a whole has been slow to adopt, but one that this film may well ready us for.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_c-7OVwtSkdGSyk9d7019JLXcJy9OnbGHTbUUQucnl2f225vQAL9tdaPtvbcPsnw3wB6S4IOlTtIMC2Khqa0ggNuo3IO5rO0yVRETUrbKOvrfnJHQzmGGHtiw56R7OaOWblUzmZ4vOzVr/s1600/Cockettes+2+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_c-7OVwtSkdGSyk9d7019JLXcJy9OnbGHTbUUQucnl2f225vQAL9tdaPtvbcPsnw3wB6S4IOlTtIMC2Khqa0ggNuo3IO5rO0yVRETUrbKOvrfnJHQzmGGHtiw56R7OaOWblUzmZ4vOzVr/s320/Cockettes+2+.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>In the 30 years since AIDS first made its appearance in San Francisco's gay community (back when I was starting kindergarden in the East Bay Area), much has been learned about the virus's treatment and prevention. But despite all this acquired knowledge, young gay men are still acquiring HIV at alarming rates in 2010. Many my age and younger seem totally unaware not only of the history of the "lost generation," but also unaware of the prevention methods our community learned in the intervening 20 years. To many men 35 and under, it's a laughing matter, or at most a faint spectre. Many men over 35 who lived through the crisis are also either unaware or in post-traumatic denial about the lingering epidemic, but to most of my friends just 10 years older than me, it's a very real part of their daily lives, as well as a haunting memory.<br />
<br />
This topic, with its galaxy-sized weight, can get overwhelming in the blink of an eye, so <i>We Were Here</i> tackles it slowly, building on a brief visual history of the burgeoning post-Stonewall gay community in San Francisco, and settling into interviews with just five well-chosen, eloquent individuals who survived the '80s and have come out with a goldmine of wisdom to share.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IwCOrEsh4rMalx8oA929YFjcmCz_IqbEjhXhKnXXLFmKIsg9JYrtyue25c7gkK_9KA6rv9u1rL92kev9L59getfjUQxLw8sVxALgp0czFF3pE7j43lHM0yFwrM-ILaKAWqwnw2ALFPnV/s1600/We+Were+Here+Obit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IwCOrEsh4rMalx8oA929YFjcmCz_IqbEjhXhKnXXLFmKIsg9JYrtyue25c7gkK_9KA6rv9u1rL92kev9L59getfjUQxLw8sVxALgp0czFF3pE7j43lHM0yFwrM-ILaKAWqwnw2ALFPnV/s200/We+Were+Here+Obit.jpg" width="140" /></a>And to me, that's the greatest gift of this film. Sure we've acquired medical knowledge that can help with prevention—and certainly, that knowledge needs to be deepened and shared until HIV can be sent backstage to join polio and the bubonic plague—but more than medical knowledge, the film seems to ask, what <i>wisdom</i> do we have to share? What did the AIDS crisis teach people that can now be passed on to the next generation of queer men, and, more broadly, to the culture as a whole? If there is any meaning or utility to be had from all these horrific deaths—deaths that glutted the obitiuaries sections of gay newspapers worldwide for well over a decade—that usefulness has to be more than simply teaching young men: "Wear a condom" and "Don't do what we did" (the only messages I received when I first came out and began visiting the war-torn but reemerging Castro scene of the early 1990s).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>"Don't do what we did" is an especially pernicious message. After all, so much of what queer people in the '70s, '80s, and '90s did was wonderful, and shouldn't be cordoned off into the same dark recesses where grief and survivor's guilt still linger. <i>We Were Here </i>offers hope that a change is coming: Weissman's film helped bring a whole audience out of the closet about their own grief, guilt, <i>and</i> wisdom.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Wisdom, more than anything, is what we need to heal—and to conquer the virus. And this film has more wisdom than just about any I've ever seen. Wisdom about loving ourselves enough to value our own lives as well as the lives and well-beings of our partners. Wisdom about queer men and women working through their differences and even taking care of each other. Wisdom about valuing our families of choice at least as much as we're taught to value married couples and nuclear families. Wisdom about knowing how and when to fight, and when to let go. Wisdom about how to turn anger into action. Wisdom about living with grief and loss, and the love and hope that seem to survive and return even after and within the worst of circumstances.</b></blockquote><br />
I'm grateful that I was there yesterday at the Castro Theater, but I hope <i>We Were Here</i> reaches a much wider, worldwide audience, so that the healing and dialogue can continue.<br />
<br />
If you want to learn more about <i>We Were Her</i>e, or if you want to help it reach more people, please contact David Weissman through the film's website, <a href="http://wewereherefilm.com/">wewereherefilm.com</a>.Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-33495870138986540772010-05-20T17:33:00.000-07:002011-03-19T14:03:59.765-07:00The Great District 8 Chili for Chile Challenge:Eat, watch supes duke it out, and rebuild an orphanage in Chile all at the same time!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hey "The Defibrillator Readers"! Want something to really get your heart going? My friend Jeff Cotter, the handsome E.D. (that's Executive Director!) and founder of Rainbow World Fund (shown here at another event with Dame Edna!), is hosting this fabulous event in the Castro this Sunday, May 23. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5xiyrecDcE3YRZ4LRJgGzFTFdw3gsFWnzmFWTQ9KrNHVg20rGTsBU-ns5lZWCvXMa20ZbCL6PI6sU9W8jaa2fgeZ2AmO92IlGFKsDk_Xk_g8Z_igBPIzR4wVC8yOh6qIEcQxwWc-pVst/s1600/Jeff+Cotter+and+Dame+Edna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5xiyrecDcE3YRZ4LRJgGzFTFdw3gsFWnzmFWTQ9KrNHVg20rGTsBU-ns5lZWCvXMa20ZbCL6PI6sU9W8jaa2fgeZ2AmO92IlGFKsDk_Xk_g8Z_igBPIzR4wVC8yOh6qIEcQxwWc-pVst/s320/Jeff+Cotter+and+Dame+Edna.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Cook-Off is a fundraiser to rebuild an orphanage in Santiago, Chile. How cool is that? Please come, and invite your friends! </span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Event:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Great District 8 Chili for Chile Challenge</span></span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Time:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Sunday, May 23 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.</span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Location:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Most Holy Redeemer Church Hall, 100 Diamond St., San Francisco, CA 94114 (in the Castro)</span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is a Chili Cook-Off between the District 8 Supervisor Candidates</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> to raise funds to help rebuild an orphanage in Santiago, Chile that was destroyed by the recent earthquake.</span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Cook-Off will be Emceed by Supervisor Bevan Dufty and Sister Roma</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgences and will include participation by the top District 8 Supervisor Candidates (</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rebecca Prozan, Scott Weiner, Rafael Mandelman, Bill Hemmenger</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">). Other </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">participants will include The Consulate General of Chile, Betty Sullivan, Andrea Shorter, Greg Bronstein, Ethel Merman </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">of EMX and an array of glittering talent from our community. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Challenge</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">: Each of the Board of Supervisors Candidates from District 8 are bringing a large pot of their best chili recipe to be judged by a distinguished panel of celebrity “chili experts” alongside that of each of the other candidates. Prizes will be awarded and there will be musical and comedy performances. Silent Auction and Raffle. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There will be wine, vodka, and tequila bars, and free food!</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=e6618f6cf8&view=att&th=128aceac7e05c7c3&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&zw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=e6618f6cf8&view=att&th=128aceac7e05c7c3&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&zw" width="260" /></a></div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div></div><div><div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Come cheer on your favorite candidate!</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> This is a fantastic opportunity for the LGBT and Friends community to come together in unity to help the children of Chile.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> If you absolutely can't come, you can still help by spreading the word - tell your Bay Area friends about the event. Make a donation: </span> </span> <a href="http://www.rainbowfund.org/donate" style="color: #2a5db0;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><wbr></wbr>rainbowfund.org/donate</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
Visit the event website to learn more about the participants and the orphanage:</span> </span> <a href="http://www.rainbowfund.org/chile" style="color: #2a5db0;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><wbr></wbr>rainbowfund.org/chile </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
Check out the event on Facebook at: </span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101880723192066&ref=mf" style="color: #2a5db0;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.facebook.com/</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><wbr></wbr>event.php?eid=101880723192066&</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><wbr></wbr>ref=mf</span></span></a></div></div></span></div></div>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583020157207113671.post-16759905135533120372010-05-20T01:16:00.000-07:002010-07-15T11:30:21.936-07:00Drew Boles, Brent Calderwood, and Russell David at Bluesix, Thursday May 20, 9pm Sharp!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BE4NQVu1LEGsv_fS4ZErIr-qmWkU6FEb-k_OMVjgE-DlW15EModBg9-5lmyYhzGGonosuvASTmJ2hsRywB4eLcpCk-BdpawrhyphenhyphenTezX8r9rWQ7OuHt9hyEeFLhhD4P1229WJ1at9CS0Nd/s1600/drew+brent+russell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BE4NQVu1LEGsv_fS4ZErIr-qmWkU6FEb-k_OMVjgE-DlW15EModBg9-5lmyYhzGGonosuvASTmJ2hsRywB4eLcpCk-BdpawrhyphenhyphenTezX8r9rWQ7OuHt9hyEeFLhhD4P1229WJ1at9CS0Nd/s200/drew+brent+russell.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="profileTable info_table" id="Time and Place" style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="label" style="color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Start Time:</span></td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 9:00pm</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="label" style="color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">End Time:</span></td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Friday, May 21, 2010 at 12:00am</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="label" style="color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Location:</span></td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bluesix</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="label" style="color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Street:</span></td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">3043 24th Street at Treat</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="label" style="color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">City/Town:</span></td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">San Francisco, CA</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="label" style="color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 100px;"></td><td class="data" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><div class="datawrap" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=3043+24th+Street+at+Treat%2C+San+Francisco%2C+CA" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">View Map</a><br />
<br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><b>Drew Boles, Brent Calderwood, and Russell David @ Bluesix</b><br />
Local queer singer-songwriters Drew Boles and Brent Calderwood perform acoustic and electronic guitar- and piano-based pop and folk music at the hip Mission club. Singer-songwriter Russell David also performs. Singer-songwriter <a href="http://www.mariannebarlow.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Marianne Barlow</span></a> makes special appearance. Cover charge: $5. 9:00pm 3043 24th Street (at Treat).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.drewboles.com/">www.drewboles.com</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/brentcalderwood">www.myspace.com/brentcalderwood</a>, <a href="http://www.simplemuzik.net/">www.simplemuzik.net</a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><object height="202" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t0dgk9zrcbE&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t0dgk9zrcbE&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="202"></embed></object></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><object height="255" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnmBbVQGzC8&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnmBbVQGzC8&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="255"></embed></object></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: monospace, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><object height="202" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CfFTiF0wBqc&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CfFTiF0wBqc&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="202"></embed></object></span></span></span>Brent Calderwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18231128221645671891noreply@blogger.com0