| Sad news |
[Jun. 4th, 2009|11:28 am] |
Kathryn "Katy" Zapatka passed away on June 2, 2009. Katy was one of the earliest and best QAF fanfic writers. You can find her stories at http://zapatkak.tripod.com/QAF/dramaprincess.html
Katy was my first beta. I loved her QAF stories, and wrote to ask her to help me with my own first attempts at fanfic. She encouraged and helped me way back then, in 2000 - the early days of QAF. We became friends though our love for QAF and for fanfiction. Katy visited me in California twice, both times driving with me to Los Angeles. Once to see the entire QAF cast at the Museum of Radio and TV event presenting Queer as Folk, and once to attend the Los Angeles Film Festival, to see Gale Harold who was starring in Particles of Truth. When I went to see Randy in Amadeus, Katy accompanied me to Boston where we toured the sights and spent several days together.
I still cannot believe that Katy is gone. She was very young, just 33, and had a real passion for life, and for all things QAF. My heart goes out to her family and her many online friends. |
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| Cat Wars |
[Mar. 15th, 2009|05:05 pm] |
The Battle of Bunker Hill had nothing on The Battle for Mommy's Lap last night. I was asleep with Punkin on my lap, when Sammy decided it should be HER turn. Hissing, slapping and an exchange of scratches ensued. Good news: Cats are okay. Bad news: Guess who was left bleeding?
This is Sammy entreating me to come play with her. "Chase me now!" Her cuteness is very hard to resist!
( Read more... ) |
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| Can the Boston Marathon be far behind? |
[Mar. 5th, 2009|01:06 pm] |
Just back from my almost-daily walk. I'm exhausted, but in a good way. So far I can only manage to walk ONE BLOCK. But today I crossed the street and walked around the other block, which is slightly longer; walked for 25 minutes including many, many rest stops, ostensibly to take pictures of flowers (see above) in people's yards, really to catch my breath and get my back spasm to let the fuck GO already. Arrived home sweating and out of breath, which is good = cardio! Miniscule, but worthy. My hip is stronger, less painful; I'm leaning less heavily on the cane, and even my back seems to be a tiny bit stronger too. (A month ago I was still using my walker for this kind of walking.)
It seems like whenever I get so depressed and upset at my seeming lack of progress, that presages another tiny leap forward in improvement. Today is an example.
Now I am going to reward myself with a popsicle!
I am disabling comments because I don't want people to feel obligated to comment on this very lame and tiny "improvement!" I just wanted to post an update in case anyone is interested in my long, slow, boring recovery. |
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| My hummers are still around! |
[Mar. 2nd, 2009|04:44 pm] |
I was thrilled to see my hummers when I left the house this morning, and snapped a bunch of pictures (really dark and blurry, but one is posted below of the two of them perching on branches). Mostly they just sat in the little bush/tree and we stared at each other.
( Read more... ) |
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| Bye Bye, Birdie(s) |
[Feb. 26th, 2009|06:54 pm] |
Glanced out the window about noon today, and saw that there was nobody in the hummingbird nest! Then I spotted one of them on another stanchion of my carport. I took a chance and slipped outside, and got these photos:
( Read more... ) |
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| Still here! |
[Feb. 25th, 2009|09:37 am] |
Happy to report that my baby hummingbirds are still here! But so crowded in that little nest.
( Read more... ) |
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| Hummers ready to fly? |
[Feb. 24th, 2009|09:10 am] |
I was able to quietly open my door and sneak out onto the porch to get this good photo of the baby birds. They barely fit in the nest! It can't be long now before they fly away. I am going to miss them so much!
( Read more... ) |
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| More Hummer Spam |
[Feb. 21st, 2009|11:03 am] |
Taken from my porch, you can clearly see the two babies' features. They are so big now, they are crammed together in the nest. (Click on the photo and it will enlarge.)
( Read more... ) |
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| Hummer Spam |
[Feb. 20th, 2009|02:17 pm] |
This photo is taken standing outside, near the nest. It's still a bad picture, but I'm posting it because you can clearly see the TWO babies, and realize that they are getting bigger by the minute.
I was excited because, while standing there, mama bird came flying up with food! She makes a kind of "clicking" noise, apparently to warn the babies she is almost home. But she took one look at me and whizzzzzed away before I could raise my camera. Rats. I waited a moment but she didn't return, so went into the house and peeped out the window. One minute later, she was back, and fed the oogie things to her kids. I took pics from my window, but the nest is in the shade and they are just too dark, unusable. Besides, they are pretty much duplicates of the ones I've already posted.
Added: Hummingbird Info. ( Read more... ) |
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| Hummers okay! |
[Feb. 18th, 2009|12:51 pm] |
Please excuse the fuzzy photos - I'm looking out a side window from a great distance, the photos are tiny so I've enlarged them way beyond what is pleasing, so that I can share this update.
First one:
( Read more... ) |
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| Hummer Update |
[Feb. 11th, 2009|05:31 pm] |
So, here is my hummingbird, sitting on her nest. When I quietly opened the door to leave, there she was.
So also there were two of my neighbors, wheeling my garbage cans out to the curb (a nice weekly gesture). I pointed out birdy right above their heads and tried to keep them quiet, but mostly they were oblivious. Still, birdy sat there still as a stone, so I went ahead and snapped this picture (with flash off).
She survived a stormy night, so maybe her shelter is more secure than I thought. |
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| Bad Planning |
[Feb. 10th, 2009|05:09 pm] |
Oh no!!!!!!!!!! Right outside my back door, a hummingbird has built a tiny nest and has a baby or two already! (The little pointy thing sticking up is a baby bird beak.)
It is not a good place for a nest, as I must use that door exclusively, so she gets scared off every time I come and go. I took this photo of the nest (without getting too close) but it looks like a little lump of nothing. Unfortunately I don't have a window that looks out onto that area. It's where the garbage cans are kept, near my storage shed, by the few plants that I water. Sheesh. Really bad planning on birdy's part, and now I feel guilty for leaving the house!
And surely it's too early for baby birds? February? The early warm weather fooled the trees into blooming, so maybe birds are confused too? And where the nest is, when it rains hard, it will wash it away. Oh, now I have something else to worry about. |
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| Good news from the White House |
[Jan. 23rd, 2009|02:46 pm] |
courtesy of PlanetOut:
http://hottopics.gay.com/2009/01/obama-outlines-his-gay-agenda-on-whitehousegov.html
2009 2:22:26 PM
Obama Outlines His Gay Agenda On WhiteHouse.gov
Talk about efficiency. WhiteHouse.gov, the official site of the President, was updated to reflect the changeover from President George Bush to President Barack Obama within a few minutes of Obama's inauguration. Has anyone visited the site yet, and if so, have you seen The Agenda page? I have to say that I am impressed—it lays out Obama's civil rights agenda, which includes broad support for the LGBT community.
Among Obama's positions: He supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity; and he supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples.
Additionally, Obama thinks we should repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, and he opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
He also wants to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy; ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals regardless of their sexual orientation; and develop a comprehensive national AIDS/HIV strategy.
This is all in writing! On the President's Web site!
Posted by Carter Todd on January 20, 2009 |
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| This looks interesting! |
[Jan. 16th, 2009|09:22 am] |
http://travel.gay.com/2009/01/2.html
The most anticipated narrative feature film premieres at Sundance include:
From the creators of BAD SANTA (co-writer/directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa) comes what is sure to be the blockbuster gay movie of 2009. I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS is about a former Texas cop turned criminal (Jim Carrey) who falls in love with a fellow inmate (Ewan McGregor) in prison. The advance preview trailer makes it look like CHUCK & LARRY meets BROKEBACK. Since it’s premiering at Sundance, we’re feeling optimistic. |
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| Dopey |
[Jan. 9th, 2009|03:25 pm] |
I'm so dopey, I just discovered that someone gave me a pile-of-gifts icon thingie, whatever that is called (on my user info page). Thank you, somebody! Sorry I am so dense and unaware.
Since I wanted to write a thank-you note for the gift, I thought I'd use this as an excuse to post another cat photo!
This is Sammy trying to peek out a little window in the back door.
( Read more... ) |
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| Feline Detente! |
[Jan. 2nd, 2009|01:59 pm] |
Samantha (Sammy) on the left faces off with Punkin on the right.
Almost a year after I brought Punkin home after her mommy (my sister) died in January 2008, the two cats are still not friends. They don't fight (an occasional small paw-slap, but no biting or hissing), but they also don't like each other very much. However, each little girl is a darling, loving cat in her own right, and they both love ME.
(By the way, that contraption on the left is my walker, which I still use most of the time, as I continue recuperating from hip replacement surgery in October 2008.)
I didn't know how to post photos, and now that I do, beware of me spamming your LJ! |
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| Gripes and Gratitude |
[Dec. 9th, 2008|08:53 am] |
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Most contrarily, the closer I get to recovery from my hip replacement surgery, and the perceived end of the concomitant life of a recluse I’ve been living for thirty-eight days, in virtual solitary confinement (if you don’t count visiting nurses with needles, and sadistic physical therapists – and I don’t), the more crabby and irritable I become. I’ve left my house only once so far – traveling by paratransit vehicle to my doctor’s office and back again. It was wonderful to see that the world still exists out there, but it was such a tease and was not fun in the least. ( Read more... ) |
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| Recuperating |
[Nov. 3rd, 2008|12:48 pm] |
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It's been three weeks since my hip replacement surgery; I was released from rehab Saturday and have been struggling to adjust to home life again. While it is beyond joyful to be free, there is definitely a very long road ahead. ( Read more... ) |
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| We'll meet again - don't know where, don't know when |
[Oct. 13th, 2008|08:00 am] |
Actually, I know "where" - here. But "when" is harder to determine.
Tomorrow morning I am having surgery - total hip replacement. I have avascular necrosis in my right hip joint, caused by my long-term struggle with Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I've put off surgery for a while, for several reasons, but now that I cannot walk, I've decided it must be TIME.
I'm expected to be in the hospital for a few days, then will transfer to a skilled nursing facility for care and rehab. If I have my way, I'll spend no more than a week in that hell-hole. Unfortunately, I may NOT have my way.
I don't have a laptop, and probably won't feel like computering for a while anyway. Once I am home, I'll be back on line as soon as I can sit at my desk.
Coincidentally, I've heard a rumor that ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) brian_pa and justin_nyc are going to be out of town for a while, too. Wish I could run into Brian at rehab. Except, wearing one of those yucky bile-green robes that don't quite meet in the back, and sporting revolting bed-head and a total lack of makeup, I guess I don't really want to run into him after all.
Take care, all my LJ friends; I will see you anon. |
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| TIME PRESENT AND TIME PAST |
[Sep. 30th, 2008|05:25 pm] |
As most people know by now, my novel TIME PRESENT AND TIME PAST was finally published this summer. It is an original story, with this cover description:
When Matthew Morgan, handsome gay architect, rescues Lucas Denholme from a gang of thugs late one night, his orderly life is turned upside down. He becomes the young man’s unwilling champion, getting drawn into Lucas’ struggles at home and at school. Haunted by memories of the past, having sworn off love and intimacy, Matthew resists becoming involved. Lucas, however, is determined not only to pursue his dream of a career in the theatre, but he is equally determined to forge a place for himself in Matthew’s heart. The present and the past intersect in this compelling drama and bittersweet coming-of-age story.
If you have enjoyed my QAF fanfiction over the years, I think you will like this story. You can order the trade paperback here: http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000057831 or for less money through adelightfulbook, a subsidiary of iUniverse, which sells on Amazon.com. Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0595459293/ref=dp_olp_2. For an even more affordable e-book version, go here: http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-90229-4.
( Read more... )
TIME PRESENT AND TIME PAST was a labor of love for me (with enormous support and assistance from galedreamer. I started writing in 2004 and I'm thrilled that my book is finally available. I hope you'll give it a try, and let me know if you enjoy it.
In any case, I want to thank EVERYONE who has been so supportive all the years that I was writing fanfic - which I highly recommend as a training ground for any aspiring writer! |
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