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(Was a) Contender

I got a phonecall today, just moments after Betty finished talking to my Trans Lives course. It was a woman from A Room of Her Own Foundation <start holding breath>, who wanted to talk to me about my application for the $50k grant that they offer yearly.

She wanted me to know that I was among the top 6 finalists this year, and that the committee were very impressed with my work and hoped that I would keep writing.

& Then she clarified that I was in the top 6 finalists but had not won it. </end holding breath>

That close. Yes, I am happy to hear I was in such esteemed ranks. They received 750 applications, & someone who is better at math can tell me what percentage I made it into as one of the top 6. My name and my work will be featured in all the publicity materials about the award, and that’s cool too.

But wow. $50k. That close nearly hurts.

Still, I am incredibly pleased to be recognized as – well, as a contender.

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Two Tune Tuesday

Lately I’ve been listening to music again. I’m not sure why except that Betty isn’t around a lot so I can poke through more of the weird stuff I tend to like. Or maybe it’s because she got so happy about discovering The Killers lately, while I’ve been gloomily humming along with Devotchka or mumbling, guiltily, that damn Beyonce song that glues itself to your head & will not come unglued.

But either way I thought it might be nice to do a “twofer” on Tuesdays after putting together that little Cramps sampler on Saturday. I’m not going to make any rules, like it has to be two by the same band, but sometimes it will be. & It won’t always be old, or always new, or always anything but two songs I think you should maybe hear.

I really did always want to be a DJ.

So this is more than two. But it’s XTC. & Two is not enough.

Get a playlist!

& A very happy birthday to my lovely mom & my nephew Greg!

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Oppressed Christians

Has anyone else seen this video? It’s unbelievably paranoid, no?

I’m not sure what part of “your religion stops where my government starts” they don’t understand. They can say anything they want, and usually do. What they can’t do is fire someone for being homosexual, or censor television whose morality they don’t approve of. That’s it. They just don’t get to control shit for the rest of us. But they are perfectly free to avoid watching shows with gay characters, they don’t need to go to same sex weddings, etc. etc.

I’m never going to get this kind of “I don’t get to control you therefore I’m oppressed” type of thinking.

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Best of Cramps / Happy Valentine

Since people have asked, here’s a few of the best Cramps songs… okay, my favorites. & The last one is just – well, why not?

Get a playlist!

I have to dedicate the 4th song to my dad. He was driving me somewhere – probably to a shop called Slipped Disc where I bought a ton of music when I was a teenager – and he was humming along with this track until he stopped and said, “is that really what they’re saying?” and promptly changed the station. (For the record, Slipped Disc sold all the great 80s punk & new wave I loved, including all the other crap that went with being a fan: calendars, buttons, patches, picture discs, t-shirts, books… all of that stuff. For anyone who’s been to Record Runner in the West Village, Slipped Disc was kinda like that. With a lot of metalheads.)

So Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Make yourself a cocktail, put on those big fuzzy slippers & dance to these tracks. Round out the evening by watching some godawful B-movie. Eat some cheese out of a can. Really, it’s good for you, once in a while.

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RIP Lux

Wow I have been busy, only finding out today, care of Penny on the MHB boards, that Lux Interior died this past week. He was half of the band The Cramps, well-loved punk rock psychedelic rockabilly band.

Yes, that all goes together.

RIP, Lux. & May your heaven be paved in gold lame.

This is them doing “What’s Inside a Girl?” (which was one of my favorite tracks):

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Warmth

This is Endymion’s new favorite spot, with the snowy vista of Appleton behind him, me in front of him, and a warm radiator under him.