Kindness and Patience make all the difference

>> Thursday, August 24, 2006

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. I Corinthians, chapter 14, verses 4-7
It has always struck me as odd and hypocritical that those who boast the loudest about their "relationship with the Lord" can be among those who are the least patient and kind. Such would be the case for my most recent former employer, Dr. "JD". Here was a man who boasts of how active he is in his church, how he teaches a junior high boy's Sunday School class, and talks to his patients about how "the Lord" created us, and yet he is one of the most impatient, unkind, boastful, arrogant, and rude human beings that I have encountered in a long time.

I have a new job now. I work as a front desk receptionist/secretary at a local long-established realtor's firm and the difference is like night and day! There isn't even any comparison. It's an office of mostly middle-aged women, all with various backgrounds and experience. Some are regular church-goers, I'm certain, but none of them broadcast their "faith in the Lord". All are successful realtors, and depend on the work I do to keep them successful. I have been there on a three-quarter time basis (8:00 to 3:00) for just under a week now, and I already feel like "one of the girls". From day one I felt accepted, needed, valued, and welcomed. They have been patient and kind with me while I am in the learning phase. They don't have unrealistic or demanding expectations. They treat me with consideration and respect, and as a result I am learning the job much quicker and easier. In less than a week I have shown excellent progress and I am gaining speed, accuracy, confidence, and skill by the day. I never feel nervous or jittery, never feel as if I'm going to have a panic attack, and no one has ever made me cry, (and if they did, my office supervisor, Denise, would rip them a new one). The days seem to fly by and I find, for the first time in a long time, that I really enjoy my job. I can thrive in such an atmosphere.

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When love is forever

>> Saturday, August 12, 2006

One of the greatest things about the belief in reincarnation is the fact that when Steph and I tell one another that we love one another forever, it doesn't simply mean in the future. We know that we are already living it. Forever is past, present, and future. I have loved, I love, and I will love this soul forever. And to me, there is nothing more comforting nor secure than knowing that I'm always loved and that I will always love.


Today's Musical feature is Mozart's Andante & Variations in G major, for piano (four hands), K. 501

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Taking some time to heal

>> Friday, August 11, 2006

I'm not one to give up on anything, nor am I one to say "die", but there comes a time when one realizes that it's time to throw in the towel. My new job did not work out, not because I didn't like the work, not because I wasn't learning and doing well, but because my boss was such an arrogant, impatient, abrasive and abusive jerk that I went to work every morning with knots in my stomach, and came home ill. I have been in such a state for the last two weeks that I have hardly been able to function. At first I thought it was me, and that I just needed to buck up and get with the program. He seemed great at first, but as time progressed I began to see a different side of him, and yesterday, when he flew into a thither over a minor mistake that one of the receptionists made, and then proceeded to rip the heads of every other staff member off and shit down our necks if we so much as looked in his direction, I knew that things in that place were not cool. I came home for lunch in tears and proceeded to announce to Steph that I could not take this any longer, and then I had myself a quiet little panic attack. My heart started pounding, I couldn't stop crying, I could hear the blood "whoosh" through my ears, I was nauseated, and I had a raging headache. Steph called Ville over at Express Personnel and told her that I was not going back in for the afternoon and explained why.

This morning, very early, I called in sick to Express Personnel. Today I plan to see the doctor to get a note telling them that I cannot continue at that job and why. It's not worth my health. Ville has already re-opened my files and is looking for a new job for me. In the meantime, we're doing well. We now have steady income coming in from Steph's web design work and at least for a couple of months we're going to be okay until Ville can find something else for me. And while she's looking, I'm going to take some time to help Steph with this current web project as well as do some healing things for myself, like finish this book about Mozart that I got for my birthday and learn to play my new guitar!

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Mozartballs to be featured at the Okie Blogger Roundup

>> Wednesday, August 9, 2006

Okay, I admit it... I had to swallow hard when Steph announced to me only a few minutes ago that it was official that Mozartballs would be showing at the Okie Blogger Roundup on September 23rd. I'm a little nervous about this one!

I apologize for the lack of entries over the last couple of weeks. I have been stressed and exhausted during this period of training and getting settled into my new job. I like the job, but it is a bit stressful and demanding at times. I'm starting to settle in better now and I'm feeling a bit more confident. I've also been busy building my two new My Space sites. One is my own personal My Space site, and the other is one that I've created for Nancy Storace. They've been a fun, creative diversion for me.

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Busy Weekend

>> Monday, July 24, 2006

It was a busy weekend, but restful nonetheless. Heather returned from spending a few weeks with her Dad and with her, Nathan, who will spend the next three weeks here before he goes back to Wichita to begin school. In only six weeks he has grown taller than his Dad and has gained muscle across his chest and in his arms! He is no longer a boy, but a young man. It was good to see them both. I really didn't realize how much I have missed them.

Today I begin my last week at my old job and on the 31st I start full time at my new job. I'm ready. The transition between the two is fatiguing and I'm ready to leave the past behind. Saturday I did laundry and commented that this would be my last load of scrubs. At my new job I wear regular street clothes and a lab coat. I feel rather professional!

Tomorrow is Heather's 16th birthday, so I'm taking her out this evening after work to get her birthday present. This weekend she's having a party with some of her friends, so the house will be filled with noisy teens! Oh joy! And BTW, happy belated birthday to my brother!

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This marriage

>> Saturday, July 8, 2006

I found a text which describes perfectly what I have found and celebrate in my own life with the love of my life. This text has been artfully and sensitively set to music by Los Angeles composer, Eric Whitacre. It is most definitely worth a click to listen.

May these vows and this marriage be blessed.

May it be sweet milk,
this marriage, like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade
like the date palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter,
our every day a day in paradise.
May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcomes the moon in a clear blue sky.
I am out of words to describe
how spirit mingles in this marriage.

Kulliyat-i-Shams 2667

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Let tyrants shake their iron rods

>> Tuesday, July 4, 2006

Independence Day used to be one of my favorite holidays. When I was a child I loved the family cook outs at the lake, fireworks, patriotic music playing on the stereo, and all the hype surrounding the 4th of July. But now, in light of the war in Iraq, the political and social unrest in our nation, and the lack of respect that our government has for our Founding Fathers and their desire to establish a new kind of nation built on freedom, equality, and liberty for all people, I find myself at a loss as to how and if I should celebrate this day at all.

It seems that our nation has lost its zeal for liberty and that we have traded it for the zeal for conquest, acquisition, and conforming others to our way of thought, belief, and life. We have become no less tyrannical than the British against whom we rebelled in the 18th century. We have become the enemy we decried, and I stand and watch with fear and sadness at how so many other nations of the world hold us in such disdain.

Today I will celebrate with my family in the usual manner. We will grill hamburgers outdoors and Lauren and I will light sparklers in the back yard and then we'll all pile into the car and drive to the lake for the annual Lion's Club community fireworks display. It's tradition. And even though the tyrants are once again shaking their iron rods, and the tyrants happen to be our own government, I will still celebrate the principles on which this nation was established. And I will pray that we will return to those principles before it is too late.

Let tyrants shake their iron rod,
And slav'ry clank her galling chains;
We fear them not; we trust in God,
New England's God forever reigns.

Howe and Burgoyne and Clinton, too,
With Prescott and Cornwallis joined,
Together plot our overthrow,
In one infernal league combined.

When God inspired us for the fight,
Their ranks were broke; their lines were forced,
Their ships were shattered in our sight,
Or swiftly driven from our shore.

The foe comes on with haughty stride,
Our troops advance with martial noise;
Their veterans flee before our youth,
And generals yield to beardless boys.

What grateful off'ring shall we bring,
What shall we render to the Lord?
Loud hallelujahs let us sing,
And praise his name on ev'ry chord!

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The Birthday party

>> Sunday, June 25, 2006

Tomorrow I turn 46. For some reason, I really wasn't looking forward to this birthday, and I'm really not sure exactly why. Perhaps it was because before I learned the things I did about what was going on with me physically, I was feeling old and fat. I felt I was consigned to a future of watching myself grow older and fatter. However, when Dr. English gave me a new lease on life and new hope that my fears did not have to turn into reality, I began to look more forward to this birthday. (I lost three pounds this week!)

Last month I asked Steph if I could have a birthday party this year. I don't remember when was the last time I had a party for my birthday, but it was a long time ago, long before I knew Steph. Steph being the party animal that she/he is, was more than happy to indulge me, and she/he began to plan the menu, (which changed considerably after I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic). The party was last night. As per our parties, the house glowed with candlelight, the back patio was transformed into a garden paradise, there was music that Steph downloaded on the computer that reflected my personality and played all night, plenty of good wine, and of course a spread of food to die for. (All very healthy, I might add!) The hit of the evening seemed to be the lettuce wraps! Everyone raved about them, and they were gone in minutes. The house was filled with the smiles and laughter of my dearest friends and family and a wonderful time was had by all. Among the gifts I received were several bouquets of flowers, a beautiful photograph of an Oklahoma sky with a full moon taken by my friend Jaeson's father, framed, matted, titled and signed by the artist, a lovely picnic backpack complete with wine bottle cooler, wine glasses, plates, knives, forks, and spoons, a cutting board, cheese knife, cork screw, and napkins from Ville and her husband, Beau, and a gift certificate for a pedicure from "A Cut Above" salon from Lashell. But the big surprise of the night came from Steph and Joel--a beautiful, red finished, Fender nylon stringed, classical guitar! I don't know how to play the guitar, but I've wanted to learn for years! It came as a complete surprise, and as I sat there running my fingers over the glossy finish, I cried. It is one of the most beautiful and truly touching gifts I have ever received.

Thanks to my love for a truly lovely night, one I will treasure for the rest of my life. Now I will always remember my 46th birthday as one of the best!

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Love them for who they are

>> Thursday, June 22, 2006

Upon reading the following quote by Thomas Merton, I have been meditating upon what it means for me and what it means for those whom I love.







"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them." - Thomas Merton
If you know anything of my background, you know that I grew up in a very conservative, evangelical Christian home where conformity and following the rules were the keys to love and acceptance. It wasn't until well into adulthood did I encounter the person who would not only challenge my notions of what love is, but who would, for the first time in my life, demonstrate true, unconditional, sacrificial love for me. It was in my relationship with Steph that I learned unconditional acceptance was the first step towards unconditional love. Steph was the first person who loved me for who I was without having to make me over into someone else. She celebrated even the most "challenging" aspects of my personality and took those as only a part of the whole person, a person who she found to be beautiful, intelligent, loving, and fascinating. Her way of loving changed my life, and transformed my way of thinking and being. As a result, I am a much better friend, spouse, mother, and person. And as I implement this kind of love into my relationships, I find that I am more at peace with myself, with others, and with my creator.
It is not necessary for me to understand why people are who and what they are, but it is essential that I love and accept them for what and who they are without placing my expectations and reality upon them, or making them over into who or what I believe they should be. This isn't always easy, but it is something that I strive to achieve in all of my relationships.

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That's my girl!

>> Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Lauren made the front page of the Stillwater NewsPress for winning a $2500 college scholarship from Discovery card. We knew the article was going to run in today's paper, but we were blown away when it showed up front page!

Way to go Lauren!

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My son

>> Friday, June 9, 2006

Change is inevitable, most especially when it applies to teenage boys. Over the past several months the changes in my 14-year-old son, Nathan, have been quite dramatic. Literally overnight it seems he has transformed from an awkward, gangly, boyish adolescent into a tall, strapping, handsome young man, and with those changes come the changes in his needs.
Only two years ago, after I obtained emergency custody of all three of my children, Nathan was the one who clung to me the most. The damage inflicted upon all three of them from a physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive step-mother seemed most pronounced in him, although the girls were obviously damaged as well. It took Steph and me a good year of tender and consistent parenting to reverse the adverse affects of three years of that woman's abuse upon all three of them. In Nathan, the abuse revealed itself in numerous ways--he was clingy, cried easily, was unable to concentrate for long periods of time, he was insecure, moody, and lacked confidence. He also suffered from stress induced anemia, a chronic condition of chapped lips brought on by a nervous compulsion to lick them, and chronic fatigue.

Over the last two years all three children have healed and blossomed from insecure and damaged kids, into healthy, happy, beautiful young women and a handsome young man. And although the girls have entered a time in their lives when their needs for their mother are more pronounced, it is Nathan who seems to have grown to the place where his needs for constant fathering outweigh his needs for constant mothering. His father, having divorced the woman who abused Nathan and his sisters, now lives in Wichita, Kansas, about 100 miles from here.
So today marks another transition in my life. My son is moving out to spend the last four years of his childhood with his father. Last night was a little difficult. I went up to Nathan's room to see if he was nearly done packing, and of course I was met with the usual pig sty. He was indeed nearly finished and I couldn't hold back the tears. As I stood and cried, Nathan gently held me in his arms. (He's over a head taller than me now!) I told him that I understood that this was the best thing for him, that he needed to go and live with his dad right now, but that it was hard. He said he knew it was. I told him that I loved him. He said that he loved me too. I made his favorite for dinner last night--cheeseburger macaroni, (homemade, NOT Hamburger Helper), and then he came in our room and cuddled up to me on the bed watched a movie with me and talked with Steph and me. He will leave with his father late this afternoon, after I get off of work.
I know this is the best thing, but I can't help but be a little sad.

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666

>> Tuesday, June 6, 2006

I've been watching in amusement at the hoopla over 6-6-06. Yesterday I heard on the news that hospitals are reporting that pregnant women actually had labor induced on June 5th to avoid the possibility that their babies might be born on this date, and others are going into hiding for fear of the "evil energies" that surround the cursed day. They're even releasing a new version of "The Omen" today.

Well people, my answer to that is "thoughts are things", and that you get whatever you create. If you believe so strongly that there is some sort of evil curse attached to this number then you're probably going to create whatever it is you believe so strongly. As for me, I'm don't give a rat's arse, so it isn't going to rock my world. So have a happy day everyone!

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The new scapegoat

>> Saturday, June 3, 2006

If one has any knowledge and understanding of world history it is easy to look back and see certain patterns which have developed and played themselves out within the world's societies over and over again. One can gauge the maturity of a society in the way it copes with difficulties and how it goes about solving those difficulties. One of the patterns that has been displayed over and over again by the world's societies is the "blame game". Societies and nations who can't own up to the fact that the problems which exist within that society are of their own making must find a scapegoat, someone or something to blame for all their ills. This tendency to blame has displayed itself over and over again in societies such as ancient Babylon, Rome, Medieval Europe, and the Far East. History has repeated itself over and over again in events and atrocities such as the persecution of Jews and Christians by Rome, the enslaving of others by virtually every society on earth, the persecution and slavery of women by virtually every society on earth, The Crusades, The Burning Times, The Inquisition, The Salem Witch Trials, Red October, The Holocaust, The Cambodian Killing Fields, Genocide in Bosnia and countless other events in which individuals and groups of people have been blamed and persecuted for various ills in their societies.

Today in the United States we face a host of difficulties including skyrocketing health care costs, exploding fuel prices, poverty, racism, illegal immigration, joblessness, the bankruptcy of the Medicare and Social Security system, the war in Iraq, terrorism, a skyrocketing divorce rate, teen pregnancy, a failing public education system, record inflation... The list goes on and on and it's frightening. And once again our society is pointing fingers looking for something or someone to blame.

In the aftermath of World War I, Europe found itself in a very similar economic and social crisis and in this dark time, sometimes described as the Second Dark Ages, a leader arose promising Germany and virtually all of Europe, a new dawning of economic prosperity and peace. But first, in order to achieve such prosperity and peace, they had to rid themselves of the undesirables, the vermin of society, those who, in Adolf Hitler's opinion, sucked society dry and kept them from prosperity. At the top of his list of undesirables were the Jews, but this list didn't stop there. Among them were gypsies, Polish, Czechs, and Homosexuals. We know much today about the Holocaust and how over six million Jews were murdered by Hitler and his fascist Nazi regime, but little or nothing is mentioned about the thousands of homosexuals who were tortured, forced to endure medical experimentation upon them, and murdered in the very same atrocious manner as their Jewish counterparts. Why are they not mentioned? Why is this segment of Holocaust history virtually ignored? Could it be because as a society we still believe that perhaps they deserved it? Could it be that homosexuals are the last minority group that exists in which it is still socially acceptable to blame, to persecute, and upon who we now dump all of our society's ills?

On Monday evening, June 5, 2006, President George W. Bush will address this nation, not concerning the war in Iraq, not concerning the fuel crisis, not concerning skyrocketing health care costs, or any of the other serious ills that cripple this nation, but rather, the President will address us concerning the issue of gay marriage, and the Federal Marriage Amendment, which if passed, will be the first time the U.S. Constitution has ever been amended to intentionally discriminate against an individual or group of individuals. To me, this is a very frightening first step in the direction of outright criminalization of homosexuals as a group, and points to a very disturbing trend in our nation to point fingers and blame a group of individuals for all of our nation's ills. In an era when a number of Western nations in Europe and also Canada, homosexuality has not only been decriminalized, but in many nations gay marriage has been legalized, it is frightening to see my own nation return to the fascist fear mongering, blame, and outright hatred of Hitler's Nazi regime. This president is using homosexuals as a group to deflect the nation's attention from the real issues and thus deflect the blame from himself and the government, and he will use whatever means he has at his disposal to do so, even if it means the stripping of rights and freedoms from a group of individuals through the amending of the Constitution.

Reason number 63 why Steph and I plan to leave this country as soon as we are able.

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Memorial memories

>> Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of times I spent with my Dad watching World War II movies. Dad has always been a lover of history, most especially WWII. When other family members, ie my mother and younger brother got sick of watching war movies or trekking Civil War battlefields (I've probably seen almost every one--most certainly the major ones and even some of the minor ones), it was always me who would stay up and watch The Great Escape, with him, even if it was the tenth or so time that I'd seen it.

Yesterday, being Memorial Day, and a day that The History Channel devoted almost entirely to WWII, I watched a special broadcasting of several episodes of Steven Spielberg's WWII series that he and Tom Hanks produced for HBO in 2001, Band of Brothers, the story of Easy Company, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Paratrooper Division. I found myself remembering those times spent laying on the couch while Dad would lay on the floor, a pillow rolled up under his neck, watching some WWII flick that we'd both seen at least a dozen times. Most generally he'd fall asleep. He could probably quote every word of every line and every time we'd watch one, he'd have to explain to me, once again, where the battle took place and when, (even though I remembered from the last 100 times he told me). I recalled the time that he took me to the theater, when I was seventeen, to see A Bridge Too Far, about the efforts of allied troops to capture a series of bridges in Holland, culminating in the failure to capture the final bridge at Arnhem, costing the allies tens of thousands in casualties and setting back the allied effort to reach Berlin by several months. Only a year later I would travel to the Netherlands and see that bridge and take a photograph of it to take back to my Dad.

It might seem strange to you that this rather feminine "girly girl" would be as involved in this interest as I was with my father. Other than the fact that I share his love for history, I believe that it was the only real mutual interest that my father and I had, and for the most part the only real, quality time that I spent with him. I treasured those times with him and still do. My Dad and I have had and continue to have our share of sharp and even bitter disagreements. But one thing remains constant no matter what--if he were to call me up and ask if I'd like to watch a WWII flick or trek another Civil War battlefield with him, I'd be there. It's just something special between Dad and me.


Today's musical feature is Mozart's Lied for voice and piano, Das Traumbild, K. 530

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One of those days

>> Saturday, May 27, 2006

It's been one of those days when I haven't done too much. Well, actually I've done a lot. I vacuumed the stairway and the entire downstairs, cleaned spots on the carpets, cleaned our bathroom, dusted the living room and our bedroom, and cleaned the kitchen. So I guess I've done a lot more than I give myself credit for.

My musical feature for today is one of my very favorite Mozart works, and is considered one of Mozart's very finest operas. The role of Zerlina, almost surely, was composed for Anna Storace, as she was slated to return to Vienna in 1788. However, due to the escalating war with Turkey, Emperor Joseph could not afford to pay her the salary she demanded and contract negotiations fell through. It is unfortunate, for Anna would have made the perfect Zerlina!


Today's musical feature is Mozart's Don Giovanni, K. 527

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School's out for the summer

>> Friday, May 26, 2006

Today was the first official day of summer vacation with the exception that both the girls have to return to perform in tonight's graduation ceremonies. Heather is singing with the Pioneer Chorale and Lauren playing in the band. On June 9th, Heather goes to spend the summer with her dad and Nathan officially moves out to go and live with his dad. He will start high school next year in Wichita, Kansas. Lauren will be a senior and Heather a junior. It won't be long and they'll all be up and out of the house! Lauren has plans to spend a year in France with the foreign exchange program before entering college, so next year we'll have only Heather, who will graduate in 2008.
They're not babies any longer!


Today's musical feature is Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, K. 526

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Our Love Is Here To Stay

>> Thursday, May 25, 2006

It's very clear, our love is here to stay,
Not for a year but ever and a day;
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know,
May just be passing fancies and in time may go.

But oh, my dear, our love is here to stay,
Together we're going a long, long way;
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble,
They're only made of clay;
But our love is here to stay.

Happy 5th Anniversary, Mein Lieb!


Today's musical feature is Mozart's Serenade for Strings in G major, Eine kleine Nacht Musik, K. 525

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A brand new toy!

>> Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Steph's new computer arrived late yesterday afternoon! It was like Christmas around here when the Fed Ex guy arrived! We all ran to the door whooping and hollering, shouting "It's Santa Claus!" He had a big grin on his face.

This computer is amazing... 17 inch digital flat screen monitor, an incredible sound system, and more space for all kinds of cool programs than you can imagine! Dude! We have a Dell! Steph stayed up all last night transferring files and installing programs. She's still not finished and probably won't be for a while.

More good news is that I get the old computer, which will be perfect for me. Steph is really the one who needed a new one with all the web design jobs she's been getting lately. Her old one was purchased Christmas of 1999, had only 8 gigs of hard drive. It's amazing, with all the programs and web designing that Steph did, that it lasted this long. But Steph is an incredible trouble shooter and kept what was a very temperamental machine in beautiful working order--although there were many occasions when I would hear a string of explicatives emanating from our bedroom. " You FART-KNOCKIN' *&#$##@ piece a shit!!" That usually meant that Windows "Titanic" 98 had frozen, most usually when Steph had just finished a long entry on her blog or in the middle of designing a web page, and she hadn't remembered to hit "Control S". I don't know how many "enemas" it's had, nor how many times it has been completely re-formatted--more than either of us can count. We would always say that if something ever happened to that computer, we'd be up shit creek. So she held it together with "duck tape", and it made it through until Joel bought this new one for her, knowing how much she needed it.

So here's to the old HP, which will continue to serve us well, I'm sure. And thank goodness for Joel, the hero of the hour, who has shown his love and appreciation in a very generous and tangible way.


Today's musical feature is Mozart's Lied for voice and piano, An Chloë, K. 524

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Abendemfindung

>> Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Today's musical feature is the subject of today's blog entry. Mozart's most haunting and in my opinion, most beautiful of all his Lieder, is his Abendempfindung, (Evening thoughts), K. 523. It was composed in the summer of 1787, during a time in Mozart's life when he sensed that things were beginning to unravel. With his English friends, including Nancy Storace, leaving earlier in the year, the loss of his father, and his popularity in Vienna waning, he felt, perhaps, an impending doom. It would only be three-and-a-half years later that Mozart would succumb to his final illness on December 5, 1791, at the age of thirty-five.

This particular Lied is especially close to my heart, as it is the piece that I sang in the film Mozartballs, and is featured in the DVD release this summer. Click here for German text along with the English translation.

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Bravo's commitment to diversity not as strong as it's commitment to the dollar

>> Monday, May 22, 2006

Over the last several weeks as I've tuned into every episode of Top Chef on Bravo, I couldn't help but notice the commercial sponsors. One of the most prominent sponsors is eHarmony.com, a popular online dating service founded and operated by Dr. Neal Clark Warren, a Christian minister/psychologist formerly associated with James Dobson, founder and CEO of Focus on the Family, one of the most notoriously anti-gay, and bigoted organizations in existence in the United States. Focus on the Family is the parent organization of Exodous, an ex-gay organization that deals in "reparative therapy" and encourages gays who can't control their homosexual urges through celibacy and prayer to submit to castration (read "Ranchhand's" story).

What has intrigued me the most about this particular sponsorship is the fact that Bravo has "come out of the closet" regarding their commitment to "diversity". I have been impressed with such programming as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy which has unapologetically promoted the bridging of the gap between the gay and straight communities by showing the gay community to be made up of sensitive, talented, and helpful individuals who are about a whole lot more than just sex. They have also featured many gay individuals in programs such as Top Chef and Project Runway, as well as programs like Boy Meets Boy, and Gay Weddings. And lately they have been running ads about their commitment to diversity using Queer Eye's Jai Rodriguez. With these things in mind, and knowing of eharmony's blatant and unapologetic discrimination against gays, I was surprised and appalled to see that they were one of the leading sponsors for programs like Top Chef and even Queer Eye.

I emailed BRAVO and shared with them my concerns and questioned if their commitment to diversity was as deep as their commitment to making big bucks off of their bigoted sponsor. I received the standard automated response and the commercials still remain. So I'm here asking you, my readers, to register your thoughts with BRAVO concerning this obvious hypocrisy, and let them know that you demand that they quit talking out of both sides of their mouths. Either you're committed to diversity or you're not. You can't ride both sides of the fence!


Today's musical feature is Mozart's A Musical Joke, K. 522

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