Growing Up

Lately I've been missing my friends who get me and see the world the way I do a lot. I had a tough conversation with someone about queer issues the other day and it really challenged me.

It hurt me

and scared me

and forced me to know exactly where I stood

and to listen to understand rather than change this person's mind

and to back down when I would have pushed before

and to not be dualistic in my thinking when that was my knee-jerk reaction

and to realize that I can never be as close to this person as I would like to be even though I'm trying to still respect and like the other parts of them

and to realize we have so much work to do to bring love into people's hearts when it comes to the queer community

and that, once again, religion has closed a heart rather than opened one

and that we might be on a futile quest for equality and respect and love

but I will not give up.

Things I Saw in London This Weekend

1. My cousin Jennifer. Willenbrock, not Barreca. The one married to my cousin Nick Willenbrock. Maybe I should call her my cousin-in-law?

2. The Star of South Africa diamond (a.k.a. the Dudley diamond) at the Natural History Museum's "Vault".

3. Rolf Harris. Yes, he of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" fame. Lovely man. Very gracious and let us take his photo with the two Aussie's in our group. One of them was my cousin(-in-law?) Jen. She's the one on the right.

4. A woman wearing flourescent green leg warmers.

5. Duran Duran at the Lyceum Theatre. Okay, it was on Monday night, but it was so amazing it deserves an addition to this list as it completed my weekend off quite nicely. Also, I am still in love with Simon le Bon.

Did I mention the fact that they did an electro set as an homage to Kraftwork that included the most interesting version of "Last Chance on the Stairway" I've ever heard (and the only time I've heard it live)?

The best. Absolutely the best. I am one very happy moxywoman!

(Thanks to Keith Willis, Duranie extraordinaire, who took the photos posted above from last night's gig.)