Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. - Lord Buddha
Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host the innovative and irreverent new Saturday late-night series, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW. This series premieres TONIGHT!!!
A new weekly late-night series, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW will feature Sykes' personal take on the events of the week punctuated by field pieces and produced comedy segments. Everything from news, politics, sports and pop culture will get examined from a point of view not currently offered on television. Each Saturday, Sykes will lead a discussion with regular panelists, famous friends and whole lot of folks you wouldn't expect to find on television. In a wry and lively conversation about the overwrought, overlooked and the latest complete non-controversies, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW is a talk show for the rest of us...SO TUNE IN & FIND OUT WHAT WANDA HAS TO SAY…
"Time After Time" was nominated for "Song of the Year" at the 1985 Grammy Awards.[2] The ballad is considered a classic of the 1980s and is still played frequently on adult contemporary radio. The song is known for its numerous covers by a wide range of artists.
Lauper co-wrote "Time After Time" with Philadelphia rocker Rob Hyman of The Hooters, who also supplied backup vocals to the song. In a 2006 interview with Sound Off with Matt Pinfield (episode 212) on HDNet, Lauper related how the song was written. She indicated much of the lyrics were written about occurrences in the studio and her life at the time. The line "the second hand unwinds" referred to producer Rick Chertoff's watch which was winding backwards.
The video for "Time After Time" was about a runaway leaving her lover behind. The video opens with Lauper watching the 1936 film The Garden of Allah. Lauper sings (signs) the title of the song to the deaf as she is leaving the train station. The video was played in heavy rotation on MTV. Lauper's mother, brother, and then-boyfriend David Wolff appear in the video, and Lou Albano, who played her father in the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video, can be seen as a cook. The video was directed by Edd Griles. Portions of the video were filmed at the now closed Tom's Diner in Roxbury, the intersection of Central Ave & Main St in Wharton, New Jersey, and at the Morristowntrain station.
When I hear this song, it reminds how we should release ourselves and allow LOVE to unfold naturally. We often get so caught up in trying to direct and control it that we become frustrated when it doesn’t cooperate with our desires. Our willingness to step back and allow LOVE to orchestrate universe in our favor, can only come TIME AFTER TIME…
WHEN I WROTE THIS BLOG ENTRY, I THOUGHT LONG & HARD ABOUT WRITING THIS BECAUSE I HATE BEING NEGATIVE…MY GOING TO PLACES WHERE I SOCIALIZE WITH SAME-SEX INDIVIDUALS ALWAYS LEAVE ME WITH MATERIAL FOR MY BLOG. I DON’T KNOW THAT’S A GOOD THING, BUT IT IS WHAT IS…I HOPE THAT THOSE OF YOU THAT READ THIS CAN DO SO WITH AN OPEN MIND BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN WITH AN OPEN HEART…
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the only place that it was safe for GAYS & LESBIANS to gather was GAY bars. In the 1960s, the police would often raid these bars and arrest the patrons. Back then, there were laws on the books that said it was illegal to wear more than two pieces of clothing of the opposite sex. Police would arrest men for wearing dresses and women for wearing pants. One day in June of 1969, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York decided they were not going to put up with the police raiding their bars any longer. When the police came, the bar patrons fought back. That event has gone down in history as the Stonewall Riots. Ever since, GAYS, LESBIANS, BISEXUALS & TRANSGENDER people celebrate pride and call for basic civil rights by commemorating Stonewall. Across the US and all over the world, GAYS & LESBIANS remember the brave men and women of Stonewall in GAY PRIDE celebrations. However in Atlanta I feel that the celebrations there actually warrant the treatment of that in the 1950s and 1960s.
Atlanta is the capital and the most populous city of the state of Georgia, and the core city of the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the United States. Every Labor Day Holiday weekend thousands of SGLP gather for what in my opinion should be a celebration of the struggles those before us endured. I have heard stories about the things that go on @ events during this time in Atlanta and got an opportunity to see it first-hand. I find it sad that they honor STRONG N’ FIT bodies for SEXUAL reasons and not for the reasons intended by those that came before us. When an individual is seen as STRONG N’ FIT others within society does not see HIM/HER as a WEAKLING rather they are seen as the MEN & WOMEN that they are. The amount of CRUISING & FUCKING that goes on is rather SAD because I am sure @ least 80% of them are not protecting themselves. The homosexual of color is not involved in the events that non-colored folks arrange and get into. TOPS DOWN & BOTTOMS UP is the order of the day. @ The mall, the parking lots in the club and the parks are all used as opportunities to get off. I am aware that not every single MAN or WOMAN that go to Atlanta for GAY PRIDE get involve in such activity; after all I didn’t…I am saying that the majority of the persons there are seeking such activities. It’s as if they don’t know that GAY PRIDE refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity. I wish they understood that the movement has three main purposes: THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY, THAT SEXUAL DIVERSITY IS A GIFT & THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY ARE INHERENT & CANNOT BE INTENTIONALLY ALTERED.
NOW @ THE WATERING HOLE…THE PLACE WHERE ALL HOMOSEXUAL COME TOGETHER AS ONE COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATION OF EACH TURNS OUT TO BE A PLACE THE MIRRORS THE WATERING HOLE IN NATURE. I feel that I came to Atlanta to PENETRATE THE DARKNESS & SHED SOME LIGHT on my fellow KIN BROTHERS & SISTERS. One would think that WE would recognize animals as teachers and see their traits as something that we should emulate entirely. After all we are the domestic creatures, the ones that a stepabove the animals. Nonetheless, the behavior displayed leaves a lot to be desired. I wish that HOMOSEXUALS knew that they are STRONGER than they know. We have the capacity to cope successfully with life's challenges far outstripping OUR feeling that we need to. We have the opportunity to spread OUR wings and fly. We are different but we display the bad things that make us this way to the world. Mere words cannot describe how I wish we could be right now; we should be the LIGHT that has conquered the darkness by pushing it out of the way. We have to go into the darkness and transform it with brilliant, positive energy. However, this is not the case GAY PRIDE is wasted every year and the community does not move forward. THIS EVENT IS USED AS A TIME WHEN WE EMBRACE OUR FELLOW MAN BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET IN HIS PANTS. WE COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS WHICH DOES NOT MAKE US ANY BETTER THAN THE OTHER. SO NOW I ASK HOW DO WE CHANGE THINGS? HOW DO WE TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL? HOW DO WE HONOR THE REAL REASON FOR GAY PRIDE?
Was there ever a time when lesbians were just lesbians? In the homosexual community most HATE labels, but lesbians tend to use them so often and follow the attributes of such labels to the point where they imitate a heterosexual relationship in a lot of ways. I pose this question, because I’ve been wondering if we are SO stuck in our own stereotypes that we have a misconstrued idea of what a relationship actually is?
A relationship is two individuals who relate to each other and grow into whatever they want it to be. If two women choose to be in a relationship with each other, and one of them is perceived as masculine and the other feminine, shouldn’t we ask ourselves what EXACTLY is masculine and feminine? Moreover, shouldn’t we ask who decides what is masculine OR feminine? Aren’t you tired of likening such a relationship to that of one that is heterosexual? In their quest to feel normal, do they need to be like heterosexuals to validate their relationship?
That masculine/feminine energy that we feel is needed is the same reason why SO many of us can’t sustain worthwhile relationships because we keep questioning ourselves when we know who we are AND who we want to be with. Aren’t we doing enough harm to our community? Aren’t we creating a taboo within a taboo? Can we stop bashing each other to the point of no return?
I am not a lesbian, but I can safely say that part of being a lesbian is about having a sexual attraction to women. I don't know when the labels or types of lesbian women started, but when you're attracted to a woman, whether masculine/feminine, she is still a woman…RIGHT? Thereis NOTHING written in stone that anyone should place themselves in roles that control what they should be in the relationship. And if we are to ever have a CLEAR understanding of what should be in a lesbian relationship, let us REMEMBER that a man can NEVER be in a lesbian relationship!
NOTHING touches my soul like watching a movie/documentary about the destruction HIV/AIDS has caused the GLBT community. So when I found out that HERE! (TV NETWORK) was premeiring the documentary called SEX POSITIVE, I knew I had to post this to my blog. This film is one that MUST be seen by us within the community! So those of you that are fortunate to have Gay Networks available in your countries, please DON’T hesitate to check out this film.
SEX POSITIVE explores the life of Richard Berkowitz, a revolutionary gay S&M- hustler-turned-AIDS activist in the 1980s, whose incomparable contribution to the invention of safe sex has never been aptly credited. Berkowitz emerged from the epicenter of the epidemic as a community leader, demanding a solution to the problem before anyone else would pay attention. However, it was not Berkowitz' voice alone that sparked contention.
Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, a controversial virologist and AIDS doctor, postulated that AIDS was more complicated than just a new virus. With Sonnabend's theory in tow, Berkowitz fought, alongside beloved activist and musician Michael Callen, for safer sex practices without giving up on sex altogether.
SEX POSITIVE explores the explicit bravery of this unrecognized triumvirate, and their dire quest to save lives in the midst of unwavering dissent. Now destitute and alone, Mr. Berkowitz tells his story to a world who never wanted to listen.
Through the eyes of Mr. Berkowitz, the audience is made witness to a graphic testimony of sex, death, and betrayal, while placing the invention of ‘safe sex’ in a fresh and compelling context.
I often find it amazing how humans are like stained glass windows. When the sun is shining through them, they glow brightly and sparkle…But when the sun goes down, and it is dark and gloomy outside; their true beauty is revealed…only if there is light from within. And each one of us was born with this light, but somehow…someway over time we find that we have become THE epitome of the wounded child, which leaves us damaged as adults…If only leaving our childhood homes and embarking upon the journey of adulthood, resulted in us effectively removing ourselves from harmful and self-perpetuating familial patterns…
I’ve met a lot of wounded persons over time, but none has struck me HARDER than the gay man. Much of our emotional sensitivity towards each other is based on our past experiences instead of our present reality. If we are to look @ ourselves, we will find that our behaviors and beliefs are still those that were impressed upon us during our youth by our parents, grandparents, and the generations that preceded them. We undoubtedly perpetuate the fear of NOT being enough, NOT knowing who we are AND establishing secrecy patterns. Is it a BIG mystery that we treat ourselves the way we do?
We’ve been blindsided by life, and are afraid to close our minds to all we know as children, but is that serving us as the adults we are? The courses we undertake in earth school are both painful AND pleasurable, and as taxing as they are, we OWE it to ourselves to reap the rewards! I know that struggling with the cumulative effects of being who are isn’t easy and there is NO easy way to be alive, but what choice do we have really?
I know that each and every one of us is different, but if we want to heal and be okay with ourselves, we need to divest ourselves of all dark forms of familial energy and carry forth a new loving energy day by day. This is THEONLY way we can transcend the long-standing patterns of limiting beliefs, irrational behavior AND emotional detachment. We HAVETO question the values that others put on us AND earnestly examine what impacts they have on our souls…It is only when WE understand the HURTCHILD inside, we can begin to heal the WOUNDEDADULT we are…But in order to make this change, you have to give your permission to change…
ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME THAT WE DEAL WITH THE HURT SO THE WOUNDS CAN NOW HEAL IN ORDER FOR US TO STOP LIMITING OUR INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL? THERE ARE TOO MANY OF US WHO ARE TRUE PIONEERS, BUT WE CANNOT FACE OURSELVES BECAUSE IT HURTS TOO MUCH, BUT AS THEY SAY “NO PAIN, NO GAIN.” IF WE CAN LEARN TO LOOK WITHIN & HEAL OURSELVES, WE CAN GAIN A GREATER CONTROL OVER OUR LEVEL OF PEACE N’ HAPPINESS…THIS CAN ONLY HELP US TO INTERACT MORE DECISIVELY WITH EACH OTHER…
Submitted for weekly debate, is my singular, personal, private opinion that organized religion is the bane of the world’s society; does that make me a threat to religion? Many of us, myself included have endured and grimaced at fiery homophobic sermons, nervously breathing as our fellow congregants stood in overzealous applause, proudly beaming with joy, and reveling in their heterosexuality as the preacher rabidly screamed, ADAM & EVE NOT ADAM & STEVE! Withstanding this, I’ve decided that OUR silent response will NO longer suffice.
Religious folks LOVE citing the bible to give credit to their beliefs; but even so, their basic belief are all based on the premise that they'll be protected and rewarded by God. I'm sure it has occurred to them that they're just kidding themselves; but perhaps it's easier to believe that than the rebel alternative. Nonetheless, way TOO much progress has been made in the arena of GLBT rights and mainstream inclusion to allow our community to continue to slip through the cracks of social progress and change. Today we must finally begin to individually and collectively stand up against religion! And while I am NOT disparaging any particular religion in any way, I contend that the concept, the institution as a whole is suspect and needs a serious overhaul OR abolishment.
One can't read the Bible with all of its bizarre rules on sexual morality, and not find them to be almost a crude parody of humanity. The theory put forward by religious zealots on sexual morality CLEARLY implies that our concepts of right AND wrong are subjective; and they are NOT universal absolutes handed down to us by some father-figure god. Consider how much humanity AND morality revolves around sex…isn’t most of our sexual morality based on the need to promote population growth AND guarantee male paternity of children in order to promote two-parent child rearing? And since we are seen as individuals that cannot procreate we are null and void. Does this then make a mockery of human moralityANDreligion? As far as I'm concerned, the belief should be null and void because there are countless men and women who cannot procreate…but because they choose to make a life with the opposite sex, does that mean that they have a right to torpedoes our lives?
HOW CAN WE? WHY SHOULD WE? THE RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT HAS HAD AN ENDLESS AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAKE ITSELF USEFUL FOR ALL OF MAN-KIND; YET THEY CONTINUE TO BRING ON THE AIMLESS MALAISE IN THE FORM OF MORAL RELATIVISM THAT HAS TAKEN OVER SOCIETY. HOW DOES ONE TAKE SUCH MOVEMENT SERIOUSLY WHEN IT DOESN’T LEND ITSELF TO PROVIDE THAT WHICH IT IS SUPPOSE TO? DAMN, TALK ABOUT TOO MUCH SELF-AWARENESS BEING A BAD THING…HUH? HOW ABOUT FOR THE GOOD OF SOCIETY THEY TRY TO CONQUER THEIR LIVES BEFORE INTERFERING IN THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT TIPTOE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SWISHY WATERS OF HOMOSEXUALITY? WE LIVE IN AN EVER-CHANGING & COMPLEX WORLD, & I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I CANNOT ALLOW THIS MOVEMENT TO DESTROY SPIRITUALLY…
