As my partner Yohei and I entered the lobby of the Bangkok Airport, I reached for my passport and realized it was still on top of the hotel bureau. Yohei had forgotten it. Not one to cast blame, I began by telling him not to panic: words guaranteed to panic anyone and it did. He…
Reluctantly, I replaced bungee jumping with Mama Chan’s cooking class consisting of two very masculine German women, a snooty French couple, two giggling Korean girls, a wizened Swede of undetermined sex, my partner and me. Once we had arrived at Mama’s house, I upset all with an ill-timed witticism involving the dogs out front on…
I just left Tokyo and am now in Thailand. Visiting my former hometown was a little strange. I was glad to see the old haunts, but many of my favorites were gone and others unrecognizable. Furthermore, the circle of friends I usually visit had dwindled. As an LGBT cardholder I always check to see what…
Last week “Big Brother” was featured in a headline in our local newspaper and I wondered if I mentioned it to a younger person, would I receive anything but a blank stare. Probably not. After all, it was over 30 years ago when cartoons, comedians, politicians and we ourselves were jokingly forewarning each other that…
The recent cold snap brought to the TV screen the exotic town of Alpine and that wonder of nature, snow. Frolicking families made angels on the fluffy stuff, threw snow balls, skied, etc. Not filmed was the popular act of writing one’s name in the cold, white canvas; a feat enjoyed solely by the boys….
After teaching abroad for 40 years, I retired here a couple of years ago and have filled my social life with the activities of several male groups; consequently I’ve had little contact with the lesbian community. I have definitely been influenced, however, by several of its prominent members who offer a welcome relief from the…
I always appreciate the big to-do the world makes of Dec. 25, my birthday. True, others are involved in the day, but I prefer to believe I am the one being feted. I never had a birthday party and yearly I waited for the inevitable pair of socks or gloves with the witty comment, “One…
I am not against the use of “Holiday” or “December Nights,” but I object to the pussy-footing around the ancient tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, Dec. 25; going so far as to avoid even saying his name so as not to offend others. What’s to offend? December has several important days of…
Thanksgiving is almost over, but as it is too soon for the religious elves and snowman, I’ll tell you of the Thanksgiving dinner I gave in my first year of teaching. Deciding to duplicate the happy ambiance of the famous Norman Rockwell tribute to Thanksgiving, I invited three equally new, young teachers and, in a…
Fans of the internationally popular and inspirational adventures of Honey Boo Boo and her all-American family are heartbroken by reports of the unseemly relationship recently undertaken by Mama June, the disillusion of her relationship with cuddly Sugar Bear and the oldest daughter’s public baring of indecent acts allegedly committed on her when a child by…
