tog defines his P.R.I.D.E.....

this past weekend i celebrated gay pride along with thousands of other men, women, women-men, men-women, and children across the country, as we mark the annual anniversary of the stonewall riots in new york city. last year was my first year every attending what people in the life commonly refer to as the "white pride". this year was so different, for many reasons. anyone that is familiar with me know that my sexuality does not define me, it plays a huge role in my daily life, but it is not my sole purpose for life, and i don't eat, sleep and shit the rainbow. however their are a few things i wanted to breakdown for my readers so let me vent...

i knew i was gay at a young age, and i felt it was not right. when you are a young black boy growing up their are certain things you are not supposed to say and do. i remember as a young boy i hated outdoors, i loved dolls, and bright colors, however i knew that it would not be accepted at all. when i came out to my mother at 16 she told me she had known and was just waiting on me to tell her, and that she was going to love me no matter what. at 16 i dove head first into the scene, clubbing 5 nights a week, the boyfriends, all that, then focus changed slowly but surely... a year ago i went though so much as i was going though one of the most difficult periods in my life with a breakup, and just issues that many young adults face.

over the past year i have changed sooo much as a person. you see i have never been ashamed of being gay, however i never celebrated with pride like i did this past weekend. i met sooo many people from an adopted 13 year old with two fathers, to a lady in her early 30's with a 11 year old son that she knows is already gay, and is encouraging him to be himself, she said to me " honey my 11 year old bedazzled and rhimestoned my skirt, and i know already, he is going to be just like my brother, and life with our loved ones is too short for us to dwell on something like homosexuality, we should love each other for who the are not who they are attracted to." i saw so many couple and families all weekend and it reinforced what i want in life right now...

i want the all american life. i want the house or trendy condo with my children. i want the suv to take our children where they need to go, and be able to give children the life i might not have had. i want to shop for toys at christmas time, disney world in the summer, and school plays. i want to cook, "not big on cleaning so hire a great maid or nanny", i want to know true love, and to show the world that we are all God's children and all these society barriers need to be broken down for good. i want to show the world that all gay men are not materialistic label whores that club and fuck all the time, instead most of us want normal lives, we want true love, and happy homes....

this past weekend i met so many people that have made a lasting impact on my life, and reinforced the pride in my heart for who i am in my heart, body and soul, and who I have been for almost 22 years now. i walked in the parade with the human rights campaign, and to walk that stretch of westhimer rd. and see ll those people and have complete strangers feel what i feel, feel the discrimination, hate, but yet so much love was a feeling i could never possibly put into words.....

Houston Pride Festival gives peek at history

** I made the houston chronicle....

Exhibit boasts one of the largest archives on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender life

By SARAH VIREN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Terrance Gilbert, 21, takes a look around the Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church Gay History Tent at the Houston Pride Festival in Montrose on Saturday.

Jessica Kourkounis: For the Chronicle

Just past the hot-pink columns marking the entrance to Saturday's Houston Pride Festival, beyond the stand for a woman painting portraits on river rocks and through the throngs of young couples in rainbow necklaces sat what has come to be known as "The History Tent."

Inside, hushed chatter replaced the music blaring through the rest of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender festival, which preceded the evening's Pride Parade in Montrose.

"That is a very popular table," said Larry Criscione, pointing out a display of black-and-white photographs, including one from a Village People concert. Down from that were aisles of archived magazines and books, including a photo book of female impersonators from the 1930s and a 1974 manual titled "Information on transexualism for law enforcement officers."

A wiry postal worker who talks with his hands, Criscione, 60, has spent the past 13 years building, preserving and cataloging what has become one of the largest GLBT archives in the country. Housed at the Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston, it includes 20,000 books, 100,000 periodicals and 15,000 photos.

On Saturday, Criscione lugged out about 3,000 of the items to share with the thousands who flocked to Pride.

"I didn't know that anyone kept this stuff about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people," said Terrance Gilbert, 21, visiting from College Station. "It makes me want to hang on to more stuff."

The collection was started in the 1970s by Charles Botts, a NASA worker who just "loved collecting stuff on the GLBT community," Criscione said.

Before his death in 1994, Botts was spending 40 hours a week building his archives. One time, when Allen Ginsberg visited Houston on a book tour, Botts brought the author his entire collection of Ginsberg books and asked for a signature in each. It's for the gay and lesbian archives, he told Ginsberg, who quickly started signing.

Since Botts' death, Criscione has taken up where Botts left off. A self-described bookworm, Criscione said he was a late bloomer in the gay movement, coming out in the 1990s. But he's made up for it since then: He put 100 hours into Saturday's display, for instance, and devotes about 10 hours a week improving the church's archive.

On Saturday, a steady stream of festival goers filed through his white tent, some to escape the rain, but others were drawn by the intrigue of history. Kate Brusegaard spent much of her time in the tent flipping through old magazines she had read as a younger woman. She said the collection made her think about "how far we have come."

"We're accepted by all these corporate sponsors and everything now," she said, waving toward the food and drink booths crowding the festival grounds.

The Botts collection is one of two such archives in Houston. Organizers of both are engaged in friendly competition for pieces, Criscione said. But one day, the goal is to combine them to form a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Museum.

Criscione's immediate goal is more simple: to teach the younger generation. Hanging on the wall of the tent Saturday were two historical posters that he likes to point out to visitors.

The first was from June 25, 1978, announcing the first town meeting for gays and lesbians in Houston. Next to it was a poster offering a $2,000 reward for information on the Montrose slaying in 1991 of Paul Broussard, a gay man, by a group of teenagers from The Woodlands. On the poster was a description of the hate crime.

"People need to see our political struggles," Criscione said. "Back then people bled and sweat and died for our rights. People need to know that."

being encourged...

this week is almost over and i am soooo ready for the weekend...well my grandmother is doing better, she is responsive, and moving, yet she cannot speak. that has made everyone relax a little more around here. i have been working so hard on so many things this week, and God continues to bless me with people to inspire me and encourage me. yesterday i went to a meeting with someone i have become quite fond of, another local graphic designer i am working on a project with, and after like an hour we spoke about so many things, and she had so many nice and kind things to say to encourage me to do my thing. 2007 as i have said repeatedly has been a year of such development in my life from the boy i was into a man. i have come to terms with so many things that i have needed to in order to become a successful man. most 21 year old would be scared to step out of faith as i am doing to start a business with no capitol, and in a environment conservative city like bryan-college station. however thier is something inside my soul that i cannot tell to clam down, and their is a god above that continues to put people in my life that want so badly for me to make it, and see me succeed...well as for the up coming weekend i will be going to PRIDE houston, with my best friend brandon, and going to the true colors tour cyndi lauper concert sunday. next week i will return home work like a slave, and head to dallas, for shopping, to see my friends, and attend my cousin's party. i am sooo geeked...

the many tests of faith....

greetings all, well this week is officially half over, yet i have been through sooo much already. yesterday my maternal grandmother suffered a stroke. with emotions flying high today we found out that she is doing relatively well, and hopefully with grace of the Lord she will make a recovery. it's a shame that it takes things like this happening to make us understand how much we love and value loved ones. the most important thing for me is maintaing my composure, and beign there for my mother as she has never really been through anything like this. please keep me and my family in your prayers. one a little better note, my new job has been going well, and trying to get ready for the fall has proven to be a even larger task that i expected. out last place fell through so brandon & i will be living in a brand new condo @ a new luxury student community in college station called the woodlands of college station. the fun thing is we will have to find a roomate this week at a roomate match party the complex is throwing, i asked brandon "what are the chances we will meet someone we can live with?" he said "we won't" lol is all i could do.... i have also been working hard on getting everything situated with TOG Media and Tomar, but that is a different entry. tonight someone that i have been cool with hit me up on yim and yold me he read my blog, and was impressed, i am sooo excited that people are reading and exploring me and finding out what type of person I really am, and as sally field said "you like me.."

let them eat cake....

as most of you know i am planning for my birthday this year...last year was not the best birthday for me, so i said this year if the Lord said the same i would have a birthday to remember. i am not going to say too much for fear of spoiling it for my guests, but i will say i am soooo excited about my birthday. i am back in my hometown so i have chosen to have a little affair here, very personal, nothing too big, but done with the up most class!! my theme this year is my favorite things [like oprah]. my event will be a lawn party where my family and friends can enjoy themselves, and i can do some much needed catching up with some of my family and friends. hell is took me damn near three weeks to design a invitation, and the few people that have seen them are saying how creative they are. someone told me i need to tell them what to do as far as gifts were concerned.... here it goes:

- well i have become fond of a few things, i love tiffany and co. i know it is not in most people's budget, but i love it. i also love the gap & abercrombie, i wear small shirts, and tops, and my waist size is a 28-30x30. i love glasses, ipods, john legend, sex & the city, whole foods, and dvds. i also love underwear....so there we go...lol

honestly as long as i am around people i love, i will be okay. the past year has taught me so much about life in general, and i have been so blessed......

the HEAT......

as i walk out of the house everyday I am reminded of how hot is gets in texas. well so far the summer of 2007 is proving to be one of intense heat and changes for the good. i am preparing to move into new digs with my best friend brandon, who also will be attending texas a&m in the fall for grad school. when i moved home i sold a lot of stuff with the anticipation of moving to nyc, but since i am here i will go ahead and buy new shit, so we are going to have fun @ ikea huh brandon? since i have been home i kinda reverted back to a teenager, as i got comfortable with not have to worry about daily responsibilities of life such as rent, and all that. however the more comfortable i got, the more uncomfortable i got, and i quickly realized i needed my own space... brandon seems to think i have good taste in everything, i picked out a nice apartment close to school, and work for me, i wanted something new and that we could quickly feel at home....not only that i am preparing for my 22nd birthday festivities, which will be a week long of events..... after that i will be getting ready for school, atlanta pride, and our trip to nyc....so the heat is on......

the art of closue...

closure is an art in itself. well if you have been keeping up with me you would know that 2007 has been a year i have grown up, and chosen to take a more spiritual approach to life in general. well last sunday my pastor preached about closure. the sermon hit me is so many way, mainly because i was a a part of the sermon. well last month i lost my job, a job i had put so much into, and because i seem to be america's threat, young black, educated and gifted, they let me go as a graphic designer. well it was to my surprise the following day i got a better job, with better pay, a better work environment, and benefits. once you give close to issues that seem to be wearing you down, your life is so much easier. once you discover that their is a GOD or all that handle all of or problems at his own will. GOD puts us through struggles to test our faith, and show us that their is none above him and his word. i am blessed to have spiritual guidance from someone like my pastor that does not pass judgement, and understands what it's like to be a young black man with so many obstacles stacked against you. he understands growing up with a mother who works hard to provide, and at the same time shows a boy how to become a productive man. he tells me to just do you in the eyes of the Lord and you will be okay "t" and that is what i do. i used to be caught up on what ex's were doing what others had, and what i wanted to have but i now understand that you have to put closure on issues. people that have done me wrong i pray for them and go own about my daily tasks. i don't place a heavy emphasis on material things, and my image like i once did. i understand everything in life happens for a reason, and because of God's goodness he owes us no explanation.....

i see just how popular my blog is.....

today when i got home, my mother asked me "who has some type of vendetta against you??" i asked her what do you mean? well it turns out that someone took the time to print every page (130 to be exact) of this blog out and send it to my my old address addressed to my grandparents. well considering i don't put anything on my blog that i am not afraid of anyone in the world seeing, i don't see what that individual(s) motives were? did they think because I am a young gay man of color that this would some how rip my world apart? i said fuck it i am going to take my blog down. it was not until i saw what they sent that, i said damn someone is soooo worried about me, that they would take the time to print out my entire blog, spend $5.00 on postage only to get NOWHERE.... whoever did it must not have read my blog. you see i am a very independent young black man who take care of himself, i don;t answer to anyone, because i have worked hard to educate myself, and i work everyday to provide for myself so if i even wanted to be a transsexual i could. i don't come from one of those close minded families that take things like this and let it tear them apart, and more importantly i come from a family where shit like this pitiful attempts to tear us apart only bring us closer together to find out who did it. when you do shit like this you put you name on it, but they were not even have the ball or cunt to do so......if anything they have inspired me to continue blogging about my life and current events, and i know that people are hitting my shit up......

Dallas may get openly gay mayor

Councilman Oakley makes the runoffs; he'd be the first gay mayor of a major U.S. city.
Reprinted from The Advocate.

On June 16, openly gay City Councilman Ed Oakley and former Turner Construction CEO Tom Leppert will face off in Dallas in a runoff mayoral election. Should Oakley win, Dallas -- the nation's ninth-largest city according to 2005 population estimates -- would become the first major American city with an openly gay mayor.
Though Oakley's candidacy has not been without opposition, attempts to derail his campaign have failed thus far. On the morning of the initial May 12 election between 11 candidates, many residents received an anonymous call claiming, "Ed Oakley has a radical gay agenda for Dallas," and urging, "Dallas needs a strong conservative leadership."
The call ignited outrage in the blogosphere, with many claiming it was a violation of Texas Ethics Commission rules.
But Oakley spokesman Craig Murphy was not surprised by the tactic. "We expected the call," he says. "It's the anonymous sort of advertising that you would never put on TV."
Nonetheless, Oakley, who currently represents District 3 on the Dallas City Council, placed second with 21 percent of the vote while Leppert led the pack with 27 percent. Since no candidate received a majority of the votes, the two with the highest percentages are slated for a runoff.
Oakley, a Dallas resident for the past 25 years, has served on the city council since 2001. His previous positions include six years on the City Planning Commission, and two years on a zoning committee.
"Oakley is an insider who really knows city policy," says Dallas resident Jeff Phillips.
Oakley recently garnered endorsement from the Dallas Police Association (DPA). "This endorsement was the big one," says Murphy, stemming from to Oakley's strong call for crime reduction during his campaign. His plans include hiring additional police officers and tearing down 2,000 of the most crime-ridden apartments in Dallas.
Oakley also has the endorsement of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a national LGBT political action committee working to increase the number of openly LGBT elected officials across the country. The Victory Fund's endorsements come primarily through donors, who are working to raise $100,000 for Oakley's campaign and are currently at just over $71,000.
"[Oakley's] election has the capacity to change politics," says Victory Fund Vice President for Communications Denis Dison. "And I think he will."
While not making any official statements regarding his stance on LGBT issues, Leppert has been known to support anti-gay Texas Representative Pete Sessions, contributing $2,000 to Sessions' 2004 reelection campaign. On the Human Rights Campaign's 2006 Congressional Scorecard, which rates legislators based on their votes on LGBT issues, Sessions received a 0 out of 100. Leppert also did not return an endorsement questionnaire from the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, one of the city's largest gay rights organizations.
Though it may come as a surprise that Dallas, Texas, is the setting for a potentially historic election, a largely unnoticed wave of liberalism has been sweeping over this city once renowned for its macho swagger and buxom cheerleaders.
Last November, Democrats won 47 local races, many which were previously held by longstanding Republican incumbents.
The Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau's LGBT Web site boasts that "Dallas truly is the most liberal city in Texas!" with its "sassy drag queens and strapping gay rodeo champs."
Dallas also has the ninth-largest concentration of same-sex couples in the country, according to the Williams Institute, a think tank studying sexual-orientation law and public policy at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. The Cathedral of Hope, the world's largest gay church with a congregation of 3,500, also calls Dallas its home.
The increase of gay representation in Dallas politics has its own extensive history. In 1991, a judge ordered that the city council districts be redivided amongst 14 different seats, thus ensuring better minority representation. The first openly gay city council member was elected two years later. Dallas currently has a few county-level elected officials who openly identify as gay, including Sheriff Lupe Valdez and County Judge (the chairman of the county commissioners) Jim Foster.
Looks like Austin's got some competition for "most gay-friendly city" in Texas.

sheer success....a brotha takes it.....

i am a big fan of bravo reality shows. well during the last couple of months i had not been watching much t.v. due to work and other things, so when i started watching t.v. again i saw bravo had a new reality show sheer genius. i caught the show one one of those days where they show it over and over, and instantly fell in love. what attracted me to the show the most was the fact that we had a brotha on the show that seemed to have a lot going for himself. after initially watching the show i quickly called brandon to compare note, and brandon told me anthony would be the winner, and i agreed. anthony is a 40 year old from Hertfordshire, England, but now resides in L.A. where he is a hair stylist. anthony seems to be different from other African-American men that end up on reality shows, he didn;t crave the attention, and just get on the show and make a pure ass of himself like others i have seen. i am glad that we finally have had a brotha win a hit show, and i am looking forward to seeing him do big things, and meeting him one day.....

becoming a aggie....

you see i am from aggieland where we see no orange, where we bleed maroon. i am from the place where on game days i avoided college station, i am from a place where when the bonfire fell, we were a community in mourning. i am from a place where being an aggie for most is a continuing a legacy. after much careful consideration, and a little bit of persuasion from a few friends and mentors, i decided to hold it down @ tamu for my masters in business administration in marketing. yes as liberal as i am i am ending up at one of the most conservative schools i know of, it's going to be funny to see how this all turns out! check out the pics....

inspi(red) foreal....

last night i went to bible study, and there were so many things that we studied, that provided a more clear understanding of my life. i have been in my hometown for a little over 6 months working, and trying to re-group after last years events. one important thing i did discover is the power of forgiveness... i had to forgive my ex and all i went through with him in order for myself to feel complete. after things didn't work with trey i came home and decided to let the lord have is way when it came to how he wanted me to live my life, and did he deliver me in so many ways? when you patiently wait for god to bless you, the things that were one time important don't even seem to matter. i was patient with him, and he blessed me with so much more that i could have ever asked for. when you put your hand in Christ and walk with him he will provide for you like no one else can..... after church last night i went to dinner with jay, and we talked for over an hour about where we had been, and it was a little easier to figure him out now. and i really believe that with time and patience that this relationship between the two of us could be very beneficial. i mean he has the structure i have always wanted in a mate, and the fact i am quite a bit younger than him doesn't bother him. we have a chemistry that is hard to explain, but it works....

a dream, a simple fantasy....no it's real life....

so I have been in my hometown for a couple of months doing the real world thing. i never saw myself here after doing the college and big city thing for four years. after a horrible break up after a abusive relationship, and damn near hitting rock bottom emotionally, I decided to return home to re-group and fully prepare for grad school. what was supposed to be a short layover has turned in to a nice stay, and i must say for the good. since being home i have grown up sooooo much, and i have so much more to be thankful for now. i have become saved, i have a new found love for my family, even though it gets rough, my wardrobe has tripled and i am in a progressive relationship with someone new, something i had a huge doubt would ever happen to me again... most importantly i am living out my dream of owning my own business here in my hometown. the reality is i will probably end back up in houston within a couple of months, but i will be much more prepared to deal with things i was not in the previous years. who knows, i just know thus far i am please with 2007, and the blessings GOD has sent my way....

keeping the faith.....

faith

–noun

1.	confidence or trust in a person or thing

2.	belief that is not based on proof

3.	belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion

4.	belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.

5.	a system of religious belief

6.	the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement

7.	the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.

8.	Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

------------------

faith is one thing in my life that has been tested so many times. i decided that 2007 for me would be the year of walking out on faith, and letting God guide my paths, and with the first quarter of the year over, God has proved that he is indeed an awsome God. I have a new church home, closer friends, and family members, tog media is growing more and more each day, i have a new boyfriend, and i am developing into the type of young man i have always wanted to be. as i explained to a friend in a recent conversation it is not about driving a bmx or living in a nice crib, faith is based on knowing that all you have is a blessing, the good, the bad, the happy, the sad. when i put my life into the hands of the Lord he has shown me he has so much in store for me.......I truly know the best is yet to come.......

Death makes you think....

Yesterday I accompanied my mother to her first cousin's funeral in Dallas. The services were bitter sweet, I know she had been suffering for so long, and I know she made the journey to Heaven. She and my mother over the past couple of years had become more like sisters than first cousins. I have a best friend, and two ex's that have lost their mothers, I could not imagine the feeling. On the drive up to Dallas I was able to talk about so many things, and just really understand more things about life in general. My mother and I might bump heads about each others decisions, in life, but when it is all over and done with, I understand the importance of a Strong mother, who is willing to do whatever she can that is morally ethical for her children. To have my mother as a mother is to know unconditional, true, limitless love. I am excited because Jay (my boyfriend) is meeting her today, we will see how this goes.....Mama I know oyu read my blog, and check my facebook, so I want you to know I love you so much....

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Irrepressible liberal columnist Molly Ivins dies

AUSTIN -- Molly Ivins, whose biting columns mixed liberal populism with an irreverent Texas wit, died Wednesday at her home in Austin after an up-and-down, seven-year battle with breast cancer. She was 62.
Ms. Ivins, the Star-Telegram's political columnist for nine years ending in 2001, had written for The New York Times, the Dallas Times-Herald and Time magazine and had been a sought-after pundit on television talk shows where she provided a Texas slant on issues ranging from President Bush's pedigree to the culture wars rooted in the 1960s.
"She was magical in her writing," said Mike Blackman, a former Star-Telegram executive editor who hired Ms. Ivins at the Austin bureau in 1992, a few months after the Times-Herald folded. "She could turn a phrase in such a way that a pretty hard-hitting point didn't hurt so bad."
Ms. Ivins, a California native who moved to Houston as a child with her family, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. Two years later, after enduring a radical mastectomy and chemotherapy, doctors told her she had a 70 percent chance of remaining cancer-free for five years. At the time, she said she liked the odds.
But the cancer recurred in 2003 and again last year. In recent weeks, she had suspended her twice-weekly column for Creators Syndicate, allowing guest writers to use the space while she underwent further treatment. She made a brief return to writing in mid-January, urging readers to resist President Bush's increase in the number of troops in Iraq. She likened her call to an old-fashioned "newspaper crusade."
"We are the people who run this country," Ms. Ivins said in the column published in the Jan. 14 edition of the Star-Telegram. "We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war.
"Raise hell," she continued. "Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and are trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge."
She ended the piece by endorsing last Saturday's peace march in Washington: "We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it, now!'"
Ms. Ivins died at 5:24 p.m. Wednesday at her home in central Austin, representatives of her family said.
President Bush called Ms. Ivins a "Texas original" in a statement Wednesday.
"I respected her convictions, her passionate belief in the power of words, and her ability to turn a phrase. She fought her illness with that same passion. Her quick wit and commitment to her beliefs will be missed. Laura and I send our condolences to Molly Ivins' family and friends."
The spice of Texas
Born Mary Tyler Ivins on Aug. 30, 1944, in Monterey, Calif., Ms. Ivins was raised in the upscale River Oaks section of Houston. She earned her journalism degree at elite Smith College in Massachusetts in 1966.
She later earned a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
She ventured to Minnesota, taking a job as a police reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune.
Growing weary of the winters in the Upper Midwest and missing the spice of Texas food and its politics, Ms. Ivins moved to Austin to become co-editor of the Texas Observer, long considered the state's liberal conscience.
Nadine Eckhardt, the former wife of the late Texas novelist Billy Lee Bramer and who later married former U.S. Rep. Bob Eckhardt, said Ms. Ivins soon became a fixture in the Austin political and cocktail party scene in the early 1970s.
"That's where she became the Molly Ivins as we've come to know her," said Eckhardt, Ms. Ivins' friend for nearly 40 years. "The Observer had such wonderful writers doing such wonderful stories at the time, and Molly was always right in the middle of everything."
Her writing flair caught the attention of The New York Times, which hired her to cover city hall, then later moved her to the statehouse bureau in Albany. Later, she was assigned to the Times' Rocky Mountain bureau in Denver.
Even though she wrote the Times' obituary for Elvis Presley in 1977, Ms. Ivins said later that she and the Times proved to be a mismatch. In a 2002 interview with the Star-Telegram, Ms. Ivins recalled that she would write about something that "squawked like a $2 fiddle" only to have a Times editor rewrite it to say "as an inexpensive instrument."
So Ms. Ivins returned to Austin in 1982 to become a columnist for the Dallas Times-Herald and reconnect with such political figures as Ann Richards, who would later become governor, and Bob Bullock, then the hard-drinking state comptroller who later wielded great power as lieutenant governor.
Trademark language
Her column provided Ms. Ivins the freedom to express her views with the colorful language that would become her trademark. She called such figures as Ross Perot, former U.S. Sen. John Tower and ex-Gov. Bill Clements "runts with attitudes." As a candidate for governor, George W. Bush became "Shrub," a nickname she never tired of using.
Surprised became "whomper-jawed." An angry person would "throw a walleyed fit."
Ms. Ivins, who was single and had no children, told readers about her cancer in a matter-of-fact afterward in an otherwise ordinary column.
"I have contracted an outstanding case of breast cancer, from which I fully intend to recover," she wrote in her Dec. 14, 1999, column. "I don't need get-well cards, but I would like the beloved women readers to do something for me: Go. Get. The. Damn. Mammogram. Done."
Ms. Ivins wrote three books and co-authored a fourth. She was a three-time finalist for a Pulitzer Prize and had served on Amnesty International's Journalism Network, but the iconoclastic writer often said that her two highest honors were being banned from the conservative campus of Texas A&M University and having the Minneapolis police name their mascot pig after her when she covered the department.
According to family representatives, Ms. Ivins is survived by her sister, Sara Ivins Maley of Albuquerque, N.M., her brother, Andy Ivins of London; sister-in-law Carla Ivins, nephew Drew and niece Darby; niece Margot Hutchison and her husband, Neil, and their children Sam, Andy and Charlie of San Diego, Calif., and nephew Paul Maley and his wife, Karianna, and their children Marty, Anneli and Finnbar of Eltham, Victoria, Australia.
Funeral arrangements were pending

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Times Square crowds may break records

By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer Sun Dec 31, 7:13 AM ET

NEW YORK - Hundreds of thousands of revelers were expected to flood Times Square on Sunday evening for a celebration that will attempt to wash away thoughts of world conflict with music, glitz and celebrity star power.
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Those who arrive will find New York City at what may be the peak of its prosperity and appeal to tourists.

With relatively warm temperatures in the low 40s expected, this year could be a record-breaker on several counts, organizers said. Crowds are expected to pack Broadway all the way to Central Park.

An unprecedented 3.5 tons of confetti will be dumped on the crowd during the evening. Visitors are expected to drop tens of millions of dollars on food, booze and souvenirs, capping what some are calling the city's busiest tourism year ever.

"When you think about five years ago, when we had our first New Year's Eve after 9/11, there were two questions on everyone's mind: Was there going to be another attack, and was New York going to make it?" said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, which co-organizes the party.

"That's so far removed from where New York is now," he said.

Indeed. Rooms with a view of the square at Doubletree Guest Suites are going for $2,000 for this year's celebration.

Tables at Foley's Fish House, which has a panoramic view just above the crowd in the Marriott Renaissance New York Hotel, have sold out at a cost of between $750 and $1,000 per person for the evening, said Marriott spokeswoman Kathleen Duffy.

This year's celebration is shaping up to be a made-for-TV bonanza like never before.

More than a dozen major acts will perform on three different stages during the evening, including pop singer Christina Aguilera, the rap group Three 6 Mafia, country band Rascal Flatts, R&B singer Toni Braxton and the cast of the Broadway musical "Jersey Boys."

Lesser known entertainers will start performing as early as 6 p.m., when the famously flashy New Year's Eve Ball is raised to the top of a flagpole.

The explosion of live acts is a recent phenomenon, fueled by fierce competition for viewers by the television networks, several of which have arranged their own entertainment on their own stage.

"If you're actually here, you get nonstop entertainment for six hours, whereas a few years ago, you would literally sit there and chatter your teeth," said Tompkins.

Dick Clark will be back for ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" broadcast for the second time since a stroke caused him to skip a broadcast in 2004.

His appearance last year was an abbreviated one in which he acknowledged that his illness had left him in "bad shape," but Clark's spokesman, Paul Shefrin, said the icon was doing better and planned to lead the countdown to midnight.

"As each day or each month goes by, he improves a bit," Shefrin said. "He looks forward to being on the air, and I hope that people feel the same way."

As usual, the pinnacle of the evening will be the drop of the ball at 11:59 p.m. to mark the last 60 seconds of 2006, followed by much cheering and kissing.

Security will be tightened in Times Square for the celebration. Revelers will have to pass through police checkpoints. No bags or backpacks will be permitted and bomb sniffing dogs will roam the crowd.

Public drinking is once again banned, and visitors will be corralled in a series of viewing pens that curtail their ability to bar hop until the show ends.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this week that revelers would be "safer in Times Square on New Year's Eve than anyplace else," but insisted that tight security will not spoil the show.

"The ball drops and people scream and the confetti comes down and the fireworks go up and the band plays. And it's just ... it's about as American and New York a thing as you can possibly do," he said.

"Come early," he added.

my black queen....

i never met her, but she touched my life in so many ways. she was the type of woman i would want to marry if i were straight, she was a woman of class style and defiance, and we lost her in 2006. Coretta Scott King ,the widow of the late martin luther kind died january 30th 2006, at a clinic in baja california, mexico, from complications caused my ovarian cancer. after she died i did more and more extensive research into her, and i have found that she stood for so many things beyond what is often reported. as a young black gay man i often struggle with acceptance especially from the older black community, and she stressed the importance of equality, often pointing out that discrimination and not allowing gays the same rights was the exact same as segregation to africanamericans prior to the civil rights movement. i know i said the last was my final entry, but this was on my mind...

the best is yet to come, goodbye 2006.....

2006 will be over in less than 48 hours, and here i am closing out yet another chapter in my autobiography. 2006 had a pretty rocky start, dealing with personal problems, and struggling to find myself. in January i spent most of the moth sick with a bad cold, and my relationship was on the frits. however i managed to rediscover a spirital side of myself by finally becoming a member of brookhollow missionary baptist church (the church without walls) in houston, tx. in february i had to opportunity to travel to washington dc, for a conference that changed my life in so many ways, and i returned to tx with a new look on being a young african american gay man in america. i launched my company, started doing my own seminars, working in the community, and started to better myself overall as a person. my 18 month relationship with ed came to a horrible end, and that threw my world into complete chaos. when you have it set in your mind that you have to present yourself as happy when you really are not, yet you are in love, it fucks with you big time when you loose everything. one of the most important things i discovered is that one thing that looks a certain way on the outside is often so very different on the inside. i went to jail, and was released in july, while i was in jail for 3 weeks i had so much time to think about myself, others, and what i wanted to do with my life. i developed a better relationship with my family, eliminated a lot of extra people in my life, and focused more on me. i saw that graduating from college does not ensure stability nor comfort, it makes it harder if you don't have it, because you are left with so many questions of what-if and why in your head. i went to new york, and had a great time just relaxing courtesy of mr. stanley. now here i am ready for graduate school, working, and making strides towards my ultimate goals in life. i am looking forward to 2007, so much change for the better. i am launching my website on january 1st 2007, where i will showcase many things from news, to politics, to my personal daily journal-blog, to interviews with the people everyone is talking about. i am also launching a new seminar series, and working with organizations on HIV-AIDS awareness in the black community, so i am extremely excited about that. in 2007 i will be moving to new york (or maybe another city) full time to pursue my dream of becoming a writer, and national advocate for human rights, and equality. i might have a small frame, but i have a loud voice. with the loss of many great people in my community over the past year i know that god has put me here on earth to fill someones' shoes, and i am blessed with the education, vocabulary, and mind to do it, and that is what i intend on doing. with this being said, this will probably be my last blogger entry on this site, i want all of you to come join me in the uppityworld....i will update this site maybe weekly with headlines from my new site www.uppityworld.com. may god bless you all, and have a happy and safe new year, see you in 2007 in the uppity world......

white women i love....

join me in the uppityworld.......

2006 has been a year i will never forget.....from embracing my sexuality, and claiming my truth, to finishing college, going through the most painful break up in my life, to finding new opportunities, friends, and passions, it has been one hell of a year. this will be my last entry on this site, as i embark on my new mission with my new website uppityworld.com. i am launching a new site with more information, photos, news, my blog, and just something new for my people. to all of my avid visitors i hope you will join me in the uppityworld daily, and give me your input. i am very excited about my upcoming year. i am looking forward to my website, touring the country giving lectures to people about the importance of acceptance and equality. i will travel more, i am moving to a different place, and i think this will be the start of many great new chapters in my life and i am excited....i invite you all to join me in the uppityworld......

back in the closet....

today i was @ copy corner, and i noticed people looking out of the front door, then all of a sudden people started running, and screaming for us to get into the closet. it was tornado. now even me being the person i am don't often think about shit like that. it was only a matter of seconds and i saw shit flying and total chaos. the even more fucked up thing is while i was in the closet i was attempting to call those closet to me, and no one picked up their phones, some were dead some just didn't anwser, and all i could do besides pray was to remember how awful it was to be in the closet. the storm passed over, like so many things, but it made me change my views on lots of things. i can only imagine how the people in new orleans felt in august of 2005. when in just split second thier lives were forever changed by mother natures' bitch ass. i promise the way that bitch acts she is probally a black woman....lol...but on the reals i am glad to be here, and it goes on my list of life experinces....but it has made me realize how much i hated being in the closet....lol

my lone star christmas....

yesterday was my 21st Christmas, and as much as Christmas get different, they stay the same. this year was a little bit different. my family went all out this year for Christmas, and i loved every bit of it even though i was a bit of a Grinch. the day started at my mom's house, i woke up, and went to my sister's to open gifts with my nephew Ben. we spent the middle of the day at my grandparents house (mom's ppl) that is always a trip because we talk about everything. it was funny how my uncle the pastor kept referring to gay men as punks, and how he kept pointing out how much he was not a punk. you see that is how my family deals with things, i am sure they all know i am gay, but they never talk about it directly, yet it still comes up, and i have grown so much i don't even get offended anymore....i ended the day with a trip to my other side of the family's house, where i saw a few of my cousins, and ended the night with a trip to my father's to deliver him food, and all that good stuff.....my Christmas was fine, i am truly blessed, to know the true meaning of the holidays, which is bigger and more important than any ipod, car, $300 pair of jeans, and something that no wrapping paper can wrap. it is a bout understand the birth of Christ, and being around they ones you love, and the ones that love you.......