I'm Back

Hello Blog Friends,

First an apology - once it became clear I wasn't going to be able to post, I should've told you so. There's nothing more irritating than checking a blog and not finding updates. I hope you'll understand when I tell you that my reason: I've finally finished the first draft of part three in the Theater People series, THE JAZZ HANDS OF GOD.

I did take a night off, however, to enjoy the Red Dress Party in this original creation by Shakir Najeb.



I'm not actually that much taller than Floyd. I'm in five-inch heels. Which only lasted a couple of hours.

New Thing #380

Sure, filing taxes suck, but this year marks the first time that Floyd and I could file jointly as domestic partners.

Don't get too excited, it's not as good as all that. Domestic partnerships aren't recognized federally, yet the state requires that in addition to our separate federal forms we must also file a dummy federal form, asking that we write the words "as if" across the top. I kid you not. I imagine clerical functionaries seeing the form and snapping in the air, crying, "As if."

Gayer still is that the state refers to registered domestic partners as "RDP," which everyone in Portland knows stands for the Red Dress Party. Speaking of by the way, I'll also be taking part in a Red Threads for Model Citizens, a fashion show fundraiser for the charities the party funds. I'll be modeling couture by designer Shakir Najieb.

FYI, the sketch on the left is the front.

Both events promise to be nights you wished you remembered, so I hope to see all you Portlanders there. Until then, I'll be on the Gandhi Diet.

New Day #172

A couple of firsts today. Thanks to my new saddlebags (and a backpack), I was able to lug three bags of groceries home on my bicycle, which made me feel very virtuous. After all, now that I've done the World Naked Bike Ride, I consider myself part of Portland's militant bicycle lobby. (Our mantra Saturday night was "Less gas, more ass.")

I returned home to discover that the commentary I did on All Things Considered on Friday made today's Listener Mail section. Here's the transcript:

Robert Siegel: On Friday...we featured writer Marc Acito who has a propensity to burst into song.

Marco: (Speaking) But singing out loud is good for you. It gets oxygen flowing. It relieves stress. You should do...
(Singing) When the dog bites, when the bee stings, but only after first aid.

Melissa Block: That prompted a WIDE range of comments. Maureen Cruz of Chicago writes: "There is someone else like me in the world?!" Please consider this is formal proposal of marriage to Mr. Acito."

Robert: Walt Martin of Phoenix thought differently. HE writes: "Why add to all the strife in the world by letting that guy sing on the radio."

Isn't that DELICIOUS? Honestly, I love the pans just as much as the raves. I just can't take them seriously. I mean, please, how can trust the judgement of someone who lives in PHOENIX?

I figured you didn't want to see a picture of my groceries or a radio, so here's another of me being pretty and witty and gay on the Red Dress Party float, which I failed to mention was the Titanic of floats. Seriously, one of us fell off, then we took a wrong turn after the parade route, grazing a low-lying tree, which knocked our glitter ball into the street.

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New Day #171

The question on everyone's mind when I told them I was doing the World Naked Bike Ride was "What about your dangly bits?"

Well, it was chilly, so there wasn't much angle to the dangle.

Otherwise, it was quite a ride. A thousand naked cyclists in the streets, including the totally adorable Tim (pictured), all of us being cheered by pedestrians, some of whom got naked themselves in solidarity, while others were dressed like pirates because it was also Plunderathon.

Meanwhile, in honor of Gay Pride, a team from the gay league beat one from the police department, 20-4. We celebrated that victory and more on the Red Dress Party float.

Moments like these make me so proud of Portland.

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