Brief Update

Breaking news: Gender Blank is alive! I know you were all worried. 'Cause it's been, like, a year and a half since I've posted anything. What can I say? I've been busy.

Anyway, GB and the missus are on the move. We're currently sitting in the living room among about a bazillion boxes, watching softball, and avoiding more packing. But in a few short weeks, we will be moving to Massachusetts, where we'll be living by the ocean and getting hitched for realz. Monkey Pants is leaving her post as a college professor to find a better quality of life, which at this point includes a traveling hot dog stand on Cape Cod. We'll see how that all works out.

So there you go. Maybe this move will be good for my blogging, too. Or maybe it will be another year and a half. One just never knows.

In the meantime, go Huskies!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish all of you a belated but very happy Thanksgiving! We had some wonderful friends visit us for the holiday, and it was so good to connect with our "comfortable people." You know those people who just get you? And with whom you can put away your filter and just be your own true self? And play Apples to Apples for hours and laugh hysterically while playing bad ping pong? Those people. We are so thankful for them. It was awesome, and we were sad when they drove away.

But at least we have pictures of funny birds from a local cider mill to remind us of the visit.



What the hell is this?



And these?



This one's name is Elvis.



And these are geese in couture.

Prop 8: The Musical

Look at all the fabulous queer-friendly folks in this video from funnyordie.com!

Need a cup of Coffey

I just can't help myself. I am always (always!) attracted to bitchy women. But bitchy-strong, not bitchy-whiny. And if they look a little freaky or untraditional, even better.

So it is with my new crush, Tabatha Coffey, former contenstant on Bravo's Shear Genius. She's got a new show on Bravo this season: Tabatha's Salon Takeover. She's kinda bitchy, but she's got a gooey center in there somewhere. I just know it.

Rowrrr.

Just the kind of nerd I am

h/t to Bob

Celebrity Playlist

Just some stuff I've been listening to recently. I guess I'm on a Brit-pop/electro-pop kick, which is nothing I ever thought I'd be into. I blame Imogen Heap's Hide and Seek for getting me started. Then one thing led to another, and here I am. Some of this stuff doesn't exactly fit that genre, but I've been listening to it lately, too. Hint: click on "launch standalone" to hear the full versions of the songs.

Enjoy! Or don't. I don't give a shit. I promise to get to some real posts soon. My vacation has been sucked up by flying to exotic places like Iowa and Florida. Guess where I saw more water.

My philosophy

What philosophy do you follow? (v1.03) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Existentialism Your life is guided by the concept of Existentialism: You choose the meaning and purpose of your life. Existentialism 100% Hedonism 60% Justice (Fairness) 55% Utilitarianism 55% Kantianism 30% Strong Egoism 25% Nihilism 10% Apathy 0% Divine Command 0%

h/t to Portly Dyke

I am not a geek.

37% Geek

What I am is a nerd. I read books and journals, not manuals and comic books. I talk about critical theory, not mathematical equations. I play Super Mario, not real gamer stuff. I had a stack of research handy when buying a scooter, but I trust salespeople to tell me which digital camera is best. I have never sent a text message. Srsly.

I'm okay with not being a geek. I'm proud to be a nerd. That's not a judgment against geeks. Geeks are smart people. The world needs geeks. I just ain't one of 'em.

h/t to Bob.

Missed another goddam anniversary

Last time it was my 1-year blogiversary. This time it was my 11-year coming out anniversary. My lesboversary?

Anyway, it was eleven years ago on April 30, 1997 when I made my first gay public announcement. I was attending a small Christian college in Iowa and was frustrated by the lack of community for queer students. I knew I was gay, and I was pretty sure about two other people on campus. Two.

Anyway, I needed a support group and one didn't exist, so I decided that if Ellen could do it, so could I. I advertised Come Out With Ellen in the daily bulletin, and about 20 people showed up. Most of them were straight allies, but that was just as nice to see. We watched the Puppy Episode and then had a discussion about creating a queer group on campus.

It was one of the scariest evenings of my life, but it started me on a whole new path. I've really never looked back. Well, that's not entirely true. As a person with a concealable minority identity, I've had several moments since then when I've chosen to tuck away that identity - out of concerns for my safety, my employment, or my comfort. That hasn't happened for a number of years, but it has happened. They weren't proud moments. They were about coping.

But after eleven years, I can safely say I am completely out of that closet. I make no apologies for any part of my identity. My queerness is an important part of who I am, but it's not remotely the most interesting thing about me. It's a detail, and for that I am thankful because it used to consume me. That's what closets do.

Anyway, a big shout out to all the people who stood on the sidelines and cheered me on. Allies like you are invaluable. And a special thanks to MonkeyPants, who sat by my side eleven years and one night ago and held my hand as my shaky voice started to claim my identity. Her hand is still my favorite.

A call for more cussing

Surely I can do better than this:



Created by OnePlusYou

h/t to PortlyDyke

Day of Silence

I'm fast

86 words

Speedtest

I cannot live in Dallas

I just can't.

Boston? Yes. Madison? Yes. Denver? Yes. Chicago? Yes. NYC? Yes. Philly? Yes. Austin? Yes. San Francisco? Yes. Ann Arbor? Yes. Iowa City? Yes. Podunk, NY? Yes.

But Dallas? Apparently not.

Sorry, Cowboys. I know how much you were looking forward to my fabulousness.

Can I live in Dallas?

So. My boss, who loves me and wants to promote me, took a job in Dallas. Which puts a lot more questions marks in my future than there were before. Which sucks. And about which I cried and bitched for a few days. But now I'm mostly over it. Mostly.

The thing is, he was told by his new institution that there is an open Assistant Director position there, and he can bring somebody to fill it if he wants to. And he asked me, sort of jokingly, but sort of seriously, if I am interested.

It's a great opportunity, but it would require leaving Nowhere, NY for Dallas, TX. And not that Nowhere, NY is so spectacular, but we're talking Dallas here. If it were Austin, I might just say yes. But Dallas?

Can I live in Dallas?

Where I am

Just wanted to check in to let you know that I'm technically still alive. But only barely.

I got roped into covering a second building while another director is out on maternity leave, and it's sorta kicking my ass. It's interesting what you discover about a colleague's work habits when you take over her job - and her staff. Somebody ain't been earning her keep, and now I get to go in and clean up after her.

It's actually been pretty amazing to work with some of these new people. I've found some really great kids who are thoughtful and motivated, and their standards have been forced so low that they think I'm a fucking superstar. Which, I gotta tell ya, ain't so bad.

Anyway, look for me again around the end of May when I finally get a moment to myself. I'll miss you all until then. Except for you, buddy.

Gender Blank is gettin' older

Gray hair? Check. Crow's feet? Check. Stretch marks from semi-annual attempts at weight loss? Check, check, and check.

Oh, and it's my birthday today. Always a tip-off.

I'm 31 today. Not a momentous birthday. Still a young pup by many standards. All dried up by some others, but wev. I've never really bought into those standards.

Anyway, I'm takin' it easy today. Students are gone for the whole week, which is such a totally kick-ass gift! I'm going to clean my office, catch up on some paperwork, and hang out in my pajamas. Then I'm going to let MonkeyPants take me out to dinner. I've got a hankerin' for some Japanese food.

By the way, I'm setting no goals for my thirty-second year of life. I'm just gonna take shit as it comes. In case you were wondering.

Happy day to all of you! Thank you for being in my life at 31!

Stuff I'm listening to these days

Some of these are only 30-second versions. But you get the idea.

I missed my blogiversary

Happy belated 1-year blogiversary to me. It was January 11. Somehow I forgot about it. Prolly 'cause I was busy taping paper fishies to the walls of the lobby here in the ol' dorm-home. A girl's gotta make a living, after all.

Here's my first post from a little over a year ago. A hundred and seventy-three posts later I can't say I'm any wiser. Well, maybe a smidge. At least I know how to embed YouTube videos now. That's something.

Now have some cake.

Apple juice

One of my RAs pointed me to this video, and I can't stop thinking about it for some strange reason. So, I thought I'd share it with you.

You're welcome.

Gender Blank as a superhero

I went here and turned myself into a hero of some sort. I got to choose all sorts of things - skin, nose, companion, colors, insignia and pretty much everything else you see there. Note the hairy legs. And the hair in a low ponytail. And the gray cat. I never wear shirts that fitted, but mostly everything else is spot on. Except the weapons. I'm not into weapons. Also, I don't have an aura of leaves following me around. I don't think.