I can write passionately and articulately about social, political, and moral issues.  The media’s preoccupation with across-the-world child molesters, Senator’s bathroom habits, and the rescue of little children who’ve fallen down wells get me ranting about our seemingly endless ability to focus on the myopically sensational and tragic-yet-unimportant in life.  These stories can really get me going and eager for time at the keyboard. My theology, on the other hand, isn’t a cause I can either march or type for. I just finished a six-week course at church designed to help us think about our personal theology.  The final exercise [...]

One of my reoccurring San Francisco political thrills is the appearance of political office seekers at a Sunday beer bash at a gay bar. When I moved to The City 25 years ago, there were few other cities whose politicians would openly court gays and lesbian voters. Certainly the city council members of Long Beach from where I just escaped wouldn't have even had their campaign literature in such places! But in San Francisco I got a charge out of swilling beer on a warm day while an earnest -- and sometimes nervous- -- looking man would step on stage to [...]

At cocktail hour on Halloween redozdachs and I went out to 440 Castro to watch the military parade on Castro Street. If police uniforms counted, most everyone was in costume... there were battalions of them!  Otherwise, no people in the streets, at least while we were out. We hung out until past 7 when David, Harlan, and blurkerbear arrived in their 3 Little Schul Girls frocks: I've posted comments elsewhere agreeing with The City's decision to close down the neighborhood this year.  I understand the grumbles, but instead of 10 shooting victims like last year, this year there were only 6 arrests [...]

The minister and his family lounged by the hotel pool during the day and ate in the fine dining restaurant in the evening.  Later that night the hotel called four police officers to demand entrance into the family's room to investigate the report of child molestation suspected by another guest.  The questions were forceful, unapologetic, and revealed no more information than was already on file on the room registration card. The oldest son was concerned by a teacher and another student at his public school in liberal San Francisco.  They told him that his family was going to hell because of what [...]

This 75-year-old woman was arrested for busting up her local Comcast customer service office when that company delivered its infamous service. I know it's wrong of me to feel a twinge of pride that she is both a secretary of her squaredance club and a Unitarian Universalist. The Washington Post story on Mona The Hammer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZMKtADKzOIMore street corner evangelism. Watch out when I ring your doorbell on a Saturday morning. The ad is playing this month on the Bay Area cable TV broadcasts of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

The San Francisco Unitarian Universalist church is participating in a $300,000 advertising campaign that will run ads around the Bay Area this coming month.  That's not much money in media terms, but it' a start! My current volunteer task is to edit stock ads to the size required by different web sites.  This is my draft for Gay Sonoma : I'm not opposed to proselytizing. But, my real intent is to see how the banner looks online before we send it in!

Too much fun for the weather fixated (This means you, MP!) Check out the map on the right side at Weather Underground. It looks like 5 of us within a square mile report on on conditions at least a few times each hour.  It's nice to live in Geekland.

Rather pleasant, eh? 5-photo slideshow

We returned from vacation and discovered that one of  San Francisco's squaredance clubs is starting up a beginning class.  What fun! The Foggy City Dancers' free introductory session is this Tuesday.  (At 3435 Cesar Chavez, #204.)  Folks are invited to just show up. Squaredancing is where redozdachs and I met people who have been friends for many years. Oh, yeah... we met each other through squaredancing, too! Foggy City is a gay/lesbian squaredance club, but all interested people are welcome.  Unlike traditional clubs, Foggy City welcomes single dancers -- you don't have to come with a partner.  And, the pace and energy [...]