Okay here we go...*sliding out my soap box and stepping on it.* This is Jillsville after all so I can say exactly what is on my mind and that is exactly what I am about to do!
Voting is one of the basic rights given to ALL people {of age that is} and one that we should use without reservation. MANY have died so that we might have this right. Not many people use that simple basic right which is beyond my understanding. That being said...here is the point to this blog.
In my humble opinion, our country is in bad shape. There are politicians out there , on both sides of the aisle, more leaning to the right {conservatives} than the left {Dems}, that are more concerned with having President Obama fail rather than work with him to restore this country back to the number one position in the nation. At this point in time our country is the laughing stock of the world. Not the place where I like to be.
This is the time to elect those individuals that are willing to work together in BIPARTISANSHIP in order to restore this nation back to being a strong and solid nation. We must have strong leadership and that begins in the voting booth. People need to be informed and not taken in by the media aka "talking heads". We all have common sense and also a sense of fair play meaning equality for all. The people we elect should have those same values. I am not speaking of only electing the President but more importantly the governing bodies. {The Senate and The House}
The idea that religious beliefs belong in politics is just WRONG. There is NO where in the United States Constitution where any type of religion is stated. So in order for there to be NO religion in politics then there should be no politicians voted in to office because of their religious beliefs. In other words they should not run on religion. We need to take religion out of politics and put it back into churches where it belongs!
The way it is now we still have the majority of people voting on the rights of the minority. That is NOT fair nor equal. This is just another way that our country is being divided. We must stop this from happening. The only way that this can and will change is if WE THE PEOPLE change it by voting for those individuals that we feel have the sense of equality and common sense within them without their religion getting in the way.
I have been voting since I was of age which was 18 years old. My choices have not always been the best, in hind sight. There is one thing that I can say without reservation...my vote has never and will never be religiously motivated.
Please use your basic right and vote. Let us bring this country back together. Take religion out and put common decency back in.
Okay *stepping off the soap box and putting it up.*
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
ODE TO MUTTI {AKA} NANCY BUNDY
Let me begin this blog post with the definition of Alzheimer's disease: This disease causes brain changes that gradually get worse. It's the most common cause of dementia - a group of brain disorders that cause progressive loss of intellectual and social skills, severe enough to interfere with day-to-day life. In Alzheimer's disease, brain cells degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental function. It is one of the most horrible diseases that a family can endure. To watch the decline of a loved one. This is happening to a loved one of mine up close and personal. It not only effects her but all of us. The loved one that I am speaking of is Mutti aka Nancy L. Bundy my mother-in-law.
I joined this family almost 10 years ago. I not only fell in love with my wife Kathy Bundy but I fell in love with her family. I remember mine and Kathy's first date it was a play in which we were joined by her Mother Nancy aka Mutti {German for Mommy} and her sister Barb. Even though I was very quiet that night I felt very much at ease with Kathy's family especially Mutti.
When Kathy and I first got together Mutti lived in Louisburg. She was very content there. We had many a family gathering there. That is the place where Kathy's parents lived until her Dad Les was struck down with Alzheimer's disease a few years before I came into the picture. I never had the chance to meet Les he was already way into the disease and living in a rest home a couple of blocks from the house in Louisburg. He died from this disease a few months into our relationship. It was a sad time for the whole family.
Mutti stayed on at the homestead for a few years after Les died. Gradually she came to the point where she was not comfortable living so far away and she made the decision to move to Raleigh. This was a huge load off the family because it was her choice and not ours to make. She now lives in a retirement community and is very happy there with her boyfriend of 4 years Jack.
Mutti has always been a woman of words and music. She is a retired school teacher. Many a night she and Kathy would share conversations that would be WAY over my head. Now she can hardly put a sentence together. We would play board games after family gatherings on Holidays and Birthdays now she doesn't want to play games because she doesn't remember the rules or how to keep up.
The retirement home where she has been living and able to leave at her own will has called us on several occasions saying that she has left the building without supervision and they fear for her safety because she doesn't know where she is or where she is going. She has always enjoyed traveling for many many years on her own and now she needs to have someone travel with her and have a wheelchair available when she exits the plane to get her to a connecting flight.
Kathy is so good and patient with her Mom. I said to her once that I don't know how she does it and she said to me it's so easy because she is my Mom and I Love Her. She deserves to be treated with respect and dignity because that is how she has always treated me and others. Those words have stayed with me when I am around Mutti. It makes it easier for me to repeat myself when Mutti asks me the same question that I just answered not 5 min ago.
Kathy and I have talked about the future with Mutti. The time when Jack is unable to take care of her any longer or when she HAS to leave the retirement community. Neither one of us wants her to go to a lock down facility. NO WAY! The ONLY answer we have is for her to stay with us until the time that she needs specialized care. That is one of the reason's that Kathy retired early. We are both in agreement with this. Also we both realize this will be a huge adjustment and change in our lives but the bottom line is that families stay together and take care of eachother.
The special bond I have with Mutti happened pretty much from the beginning. I was going through a rough time with my Mom and Mutti said to me I will be your Mother for now. That meant so much to me and it still does. Even now she introduces me as one of her girls. I know that there will come a day when she will not know who I am and that is okay because I will know who she is and has been to me all these years.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
I joined this family almost 10 years ago. I not only fell in love with my wife Kathy Bundy but I fell in love with her family. I remember mine and Kathy's first date it was a play in which we were joined by her Mother Nancy aka Mutti {German for Mommy} and her sister Barb. Even though I was very quiet that night I felt very much at ease with Kathy's family especially Mutti.
When Kathy and I first got together Mutti lived in Louisburg. She was very content there. We had many a family gathering there. That is the place where Kathy's parents lived until her Dad Les was struck down with Alzheimer's disease a few years before I came into the picture. I never had the chance to meet Les he was already way into the disease and living in a rest home a couple of blocks from the house in Louisburg. He died from this disease a few months into our relationship. It was a sad time for the whole family.
Mutti stayed on at the homestead for a few years after Les died. Gradually she came to the point where she was not comfortable living so far away and she made the decision to move to Raleigh. This was a huge load off the family because it was her choice and not ours to make. She now lives in a retirement community and is very happy there with her boyfriend of 4 years Jack.
Mutti has always been a woman of words and music. She is a retired school teacher. Many a night she and Kathy would share conversations that would be WAY over my head. Now she can hardly put a sentence together. We would play board games after family gatherings on Holidays and Birthdays now she doesn't want to play games because she doesn't remember the rules or how to keep up.
The retirement home where she has been living and able to leave at her own will has called us on several occasions saying that she has left the building without supervision and they fear for her safety because she doesn't know where she is or where she is going. She has always enjoyed traveling for many many years on her own and now she needs to have someone travel with her and have a wheelchair available when she exits the plane to get her to a connecting flight.
Kathy is so good and patient with her Mom. I said to her once that I don't know how she does it and she said to me it's so easy because she is my Mom and I Love Her. She deserves to be treated with respect and dignity because that is how she has always treated me and others. Those words have stayed with me when I am around Mutti. It makes it easier for me to repeat myself when Mutti asks me the same question that I just answered not 5 min ago.
Kathy and I have talked about the future with Mutti. The time when Jack is unable to take care of her any longer or when she HAS to leave the retirement community. Neither one of us wants her to go to a lock down facility. NO WAY! The ONLY answer we have is for her to stay with us until the time that she needs specialized care. That is one of the reason's that Kathy retired early. We are both in agreement with this. Also we both realize this will be a huge adjustment and change in our lives but the bottom line is that families stay together and take care of eachother.
The special bond I have with Mutti happened pretty much from the beginning. I was going through a rough time with my Mom and Mutti said to me I will be your Mother for now. That meant so much to me and it still does. Even now she introduces me as one of her girls. I know that there will come a day when she will not know who I am and that is okay because I will know who she is and has been to me all these years.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY: MY STORY
I got this bit of history from LGBTQNATION. Here is the reason for celebrating National Coming Out Day.
Today, October 11, is National Coming Out Day ~ the internationally observed day to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and LGBT civil rights movement.
National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by Robert Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico, and Jean O'Leary, an openly gay political leader from Los Angeles, on behalf of the personal growth workshop,"The Experience and National Gay Rights Advocates."
The date of October 11 coincides with the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Here is my "Coming Out" story:
Let me begin this by quoting from one of my civil rights heroes: "Burst down those closet doors once and for all, and stand up and start to fight." ~ Harvey Milk
Years ago my wife Kathy and I participated in the Pride Day at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh {UUFR}. We shared our story of how we came out and our life together as a couple. Kathy wrote our "script" and within the "script" was a statement of how I came out of the womb a lesbian and flirting with the nurses. That very well could have happened and so appropriate for me and the way I live my life and have always lived my life. Being Open and Proud. Kathy knows me so well. She calls me a "Gold Star Lesbian."
So I don't have a "coming out" story per-say. Of course when I was younger and coming from a small but very conservative town I did "experiment" with being "straight". Dated guys but it just wasn't for me. I always felt uncomfortable and untrue to myself. That is so not a good place to be. I was extremely miserable. Being raised in this very conservative small town with conservative parents I was confused for just a bit but came to and out and stayed out from that time on. Sometimes I thought that I was the only homosexual in this town but I always seemed to manage to find others just like me. In fact, I dated a few here and there.
Both my Mom and Step Father knew or I should say found out that I was a lesbian. My step father read my journal that I had hidden in the bottom drawer underneath some clothes. I found out later that he saw me writing in it one day and saw where I put it. So of course he got it out and read it. There were times when my Mom would say to me I do love you but I just don't like your "lifestyle." I don't mind telling you that would hurt me to the core. But that was how it was. As time went by and I started dating and bringing girls/women home to meet the folks well let me just tell you that is when things really went south. They were cordial enough but there was still alot of uncomfortableness for both my date, myself and I am sure for the folks. So needless to say it didn't happen very often and I kept a huge part of my life to myself.
National Coming Out Day is about being PROUD of who you are and knowing that who you are is okay. To quote Harvey Milk once again ~ "All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential."
Growing up in this conservative town with conservative parents I didn't always feel safe and supported. My Aunt Shirley, my mothers sister, has NEVER said to me I Love You but not your lifestyle. She is the mother of my heart and always has been. She loves me for who and what I am and doesn't judge me. My Uncle Chuck, Aunt Shirley's husband and my father figure he accepted and loved me also. I am so blessed to have other family members and friends from that same hometown and in my life today that love, support and accept me for me. It is a good feeling. So many people don't have that and it is shameful. There are so many people out there in this political world mostly the conservative Republicans that use their power and so called Christianity for evil, hate and homophobic bigotry.
There are Ministers that use their pulpits to spread homophobic bigotry in the name of "Christian Values" instead of sharing equality and love which is more of a Christian Value. Also there are some Ministers out there who could USE their pulpits to spread equality and love but choose not to that is the biggest shame of all to me. I must say THANK YOU to the ministers that DO use their pulpits for equality and love.
We MUST work to change hearts and minds about LGBTQ people. We also MUST create a safe space for the LGBTQ youth. There is POWER in NUMBERS so let yourself be heard LOUD and CLEAR and with PRIDE! Come on out live free and know that you are good and you are loved for you.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Today, October 11, is National Coming Out Day ~ the internationally observed day to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and LGBT civil rights movement.
National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by Robert Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico, and Jean O'Leary, an openly gay political leader from Los Angeles, on behalf of the personal growth workshop,"The Experience and National Gay Rights Advocates."
The date of October 11 coincides with the anniversary of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
Here is my "Coming Out" story:
Let me begin this by quoting from one of my civil rights heroes: "Burst down those closet doors once and for all, and stand up and start to fight." ~ Harvey Milk
Years ago my wife Kathy and I participated in the Pride Day at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh {UUFR}. We shared our story of how we came out and our life together as a couple. Kathy wrote our "script" and within the "script" was a statement of how I came out of the womb a lesbian and flirting with the nurses. That very well could have happened and so appropriate for me and the way I live my life and have always lived my life. Being Open and Proud. Kathy knows me so well. She calls me a "Gold Star Lesbian."
So I don't have a "coming out" story per-say. Of course when I was younger and coming from a small but very conservative town I did "experiment" with being "straight". Dated guys but it just wasn't for me. I always felt uncomfortable and untrue to myself. That is so not a good place to be. I was extremely miserable. Being raised in this very conservative small town with conservative parents I was confused for just a bit but came to and out and stayed out from that time on. Sometimes I thought that I was the only homosexual in this town but I always seemed to manage to find others just like me. In fact, I dated a few here and there.
Both my Mom and Step Father knew or I should say found out that I was a lesbian. My step father read my journal that I had hidden in the bottom drawer underneath some clothes. I found out later that he saw me writing in it one day and saw where I put it. So of course he got it out and read it. There were times when my Mom would say to me I do love you but I just don't like your "lifestyle." I don't mind telling you that would hurt me to the core. But that was how it was. As time went by and I started dating and bringing girls/women home to meet the folks well let me just tell you that is when things really went south. They were cordial enough but there was still alot of uncomfortableness for both my date, myself and I am sure for the folks. So needless to say it didn't happen very often and I kept a huge part of my life to myself.
National Coming Out Day is about being PROUD of who you are and knowing that who you are is okay. To quote Harvey Milk once again ~ "All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential."
Growing up in this conservative town with conservative parents I didn't always feel safe and supported. My Aunt Shirley, my mothers sister, has NEVER said to me I Love You but not your lifestyle. She is the mother of my heart and always has been. She loves me for who and what I am and doesn't judge me. My Uncle Chuck, Aunt Shirley's husband and my father figure he accepted and loved me also. I am so blessed to have other family members and friends from that same hometown and in my life today that love, support and accept me for me. It is a good feeling. So many people don't have that and it is shameful. There are so many people out there in this political world mostly the conservative Republicans that use their power and so called Christianity for evil, hate and homophobic bigotry.
There are Ministers that use their pulpits to spread homophobic bigotry in the name of "Christian Values" instead of sharing equality and love which is more of a Christian Value. Also there are some Ministers out there who could USE their pulpits to spread equality and love but choose not to that is the biggest shame of all to me. I must say THANK YOU to the ministers that DO use their pulpits for equality and love.
We MUST work to change hearts and minds about LGBTQ people. We also MUST create a safe space for the LGBTQ youth. There is POWER in NUMBERS so let yourself be heard LOUD and CLEAR and with PRIDE! Come on out live free and know that you are good and you are loved for you.
These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)