Tuesday, August 19, 2008

War

- By Sinead O’Connor -

Until the philosophy,
which holds one race superior
and another inferior,
is finally and permanently
discredited and abandoned,
everywhere is war.

Until there is no longer first class
or second class citizens of any nation
Until the color of a man’s skin
is of no more significance than
the color of his eyes,
I’ve got to say “war.”

That until the basic human rights
are equally guaranteed to all
without regret to race
I’ll say “war”

Until that day the dream of lasting peace,
world citizenship and the rule of
international morality will remain
just a fleeting illusion to be persued
but never obtained
and everywhere is war.

Until the ignoble and unhappy regime
which holds all of us through
child abuse, yeah, child abuse, yeah
sub-human bondage has been toppled
utterly destroyed
everywhere is war

war in the east
war in the west
war up north
war down south
there is war
and the rumors of war

Until that day
there is no continent
which will know peace

children, children

Fight!

we find it necessary
we know we will win
we have confidence in the victory
of good over evil

fight the real enemy!

Posted by Tommy at 12:57:41 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Friday, July 18, 2008

More Photos Of Fourth Of July Celebration…!

 

…Friends and family are part of what make holidays like July 4th memorable. In photo to left, (left to right): my dad Thom Sr., my partner Mike C., Yours Truly and friend, Mike Parlette…

My mom snapped a quick photo of my partner Mike C. and myself (photo to right)…

 
…Another group photo, this time Buffy the cocker spaniel and Mike Parlette’s life partner, Susie Autrey included…(Photo to left).

 
My beautiful mother, Joni, is joined by another family member, Snowflake (photo to right)…

 
This mother and daughter team, Snowflake and Buffy (photo to left), were on hand to make July 4th, a perfect day spent with loved ones…

Posted by Tommy at 02:32:47 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Fourth Of July 2008…!

Symbolic of Independence Day 2008, my good sport mother, Joni, (photo to left), displayed the American flag to show her patriotism. Let’s hear it for the red, white and blue!


Also in a celebration mode, my wonderful father, Thom Sr., (photo to right), was hosting the Fourth Of July by sharing a delicious barbeque dinner at his Fair Oaks home…

  …A Fourth Of July classic (photo to left) - barbeque hamburgers and hot dogs…!!

Everyone in attendance was smiling. Even the barbequed ones (photo to right) were a-glow in spite of their soon-to-be plight!

Good friend, Bonnie Breese, posed for my camera on the special day…

Posted by Tommy at 00:21:54 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Mike & Tommy’s Hollywood Adventure Part I


 
In spite of the enormous cost for gasoline these days (as depicted in the picture to the left), my partner, Mike, and myself travelled 400 miles to the Los Angeles area for what would be a five day adventure of sorts. Who would think that the LA sky would be blue and breathable as opposed to the smokey skies in northern California due to all the recent forrest and grass fires?

Once we arrived to our fancy schmancy Super 8 Hotel in the heart of North Hollywood on Laurel Canyon Boulevard, we got a good night’s sle
ep. Awake and refreshed, Mike snapped my quick photo (to the right).

 
Teetering precariously and yet in luxurious splendor alongside a cliff which borders Laurel Canyon Boulevard, an apartment building seems to peek out and over at those who drive by on the curvy road on which we maneuvered on our way to Hollywood. What price some pay for such status!

One of Hollywood’s major boulevards is La Cinenaga. (photo to right) We ate a scrumsious late breakfast/lunch at IHOP with this busy intersection being our vantage point.

 
The infamous Barney’s Beanery was right across the street from the IHOP where we had eaten our breakfast. (Photo to left).

 I snapped a photo of workers in downtown Hollywood. (Photo to right): While some of us are vacationing in the movie-making capitol of the world, still others are working for a living - toiling in the warm June sunshine as seen in this depiction of productivity…

 
The Hollywood landscape is most impressive from certain perspectives, as seen in this photo (to left) of the Captitol Records Building. Designed in modern-style architecture, could you just imagine the Jetson family dwelling in this skyscraper?

Through the murky smoggy air, the HOLLYWOOD sign can be seen on the distant hill (Photo to right); In closer view, an old church stands prominant amidst the hub of city life…

  Who would think it possible that little glimpses of natural beauty would peek out in the most unlikely of places, as this purple-pinkish flower growing then extending from a metal fence smack dab in the middle of the city center? (Photo to left); Beauty is everywhere: we simply must take a closer scrutiny….

Along the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, lo and behold, one of my heros of all time is honored with her own star….I LOVE LUCY!!!!  (Photo to right)…

 Patsy Clyne’s star adorns the famous sidewalk (Photo to lower left)

In the photo to right, I stop for a moment to take a stance on one of the most famous street corners in the world - Hollywood & Vine!

 
What valuable real estate, huh? A souvenirs/grocery store on the corner of Hollywood and Vine…Only in America….!

Lights, camera, ACTION! - And don’t forget all the wigs, either! I mean, what would the entertainment business be without these personal adornments to enhance one’s natural beauty?! I’ve always wanted bluish purple hair…(Photo to right)

 
…And what would the Hollywood life be without the added style statement of high class elgegant boots and shoes? Only the best for the rich and famous….Hollywood Boulevard must be the place…(Photo to left)

Need we look further for the world of everything EXOTIC & ELEGANT? Only the high class and chic go shopping on Hollywood Boulevard…Yes, life amongst the stars…(Photo to right)

 
Hey look, there I am with Elvis!!! I just love elbowing it with the super stars…(Photo to left)

…And more wigs…

Huge wigs for the high class ladies….maybe a few drag queens…? If you want wigs, well…

…And then some folks (like this man here in the photo to left) are in need of a wig…But, it takes all types of characters to make this ol’ world go round, right?

Hollywood’s flamboyant citizens include the fat, skinny, tall, short, gay, straight, and monsterous (Photo to right) Hey look - it’s the world’s tallest man, believe it or not!

 
Look, it’s Walt Disney’s star on the walk of fame! (Photo to left)

Look at this interesting old building on Hollywood Boulevard! I found this structure an intriguing site, so I snapped this quick photo (to right).
 

Anywhere I go in the world, I always am most intrigued by the people who inhabit the place. Case in point, I found these two young people intriguing, unique, interesting…(Photo to left)

It seemed as though in every unlikely nook and cranny and an occasional building wall, there was something to catch the eye - such as this mural portrait painted elegently on the side of an old Hollywood building. Art is everywhere - we must simply look for it…(Photo to right).

 
The Pantages Theater, one of Hollywood’s great historic landmarks…(Photo to left)

No Hollywood Adventure would be complete without the spirit of the great Bette Davis. I found it a good luck omen when I spotted the star paying homage to my favorite movie actress of all time, as seen here in the photo to right….

stay tuned for part two…

Posted by Tommy at 05:25:47 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

I’ve Grown Up With The Inspiring Madonna…

Superstar Madonna first came on the scene in the mid-1980’s. With her trademark bohemian style and in-your-face-attitude
 toward subjects like a woman’s place in our society, marriage, sexuality, spirituality and even  teen pregnancy, she became an instant icon. Her fashion sense and daring dance style inspired thousands of young people all around the world. I was one of those who was - still am - inspired by the great Madonna.
 
I was an insecure, somewhat shy young gay person when Madonna’s first songs were released to the public. These included, “Like A Virgin,” “Express Yourself,” and ” Borderline.” Gay bar patrons all over the world listened, watched and danced to Madonna songs and videos. Especially gay men and lesbian women embraced the super-confident recording artist, for like them, she dared take on the status quo. She made being “different” a super-cool status in which to be.
 
Playful and almost taunting, Madonna seemed to share a secret with her gay fans. Finally, it was cool to be in on the “secret,” to love dancing in gay bars, to be stylish and yet on one’s own unique terms. While heterosexual men seemed to despise the unconventionally sexy Madonna, gay men and lesbian women got the joke - and we are still enjoying the show she always manages to put on with impeccable excellence!
 
No sooner had music critics and magazine writers thought they had figured out Madonna, then she changed her entire look, bringing on an entirely new facet to her stage persona and music style. While at first she was compared to other female legends, Madonna changed hair color to dark brown, only to alter her look time after time again, puzzling, sometimes bewildering her detractors who thought they had managed to pidgeon-hole the non-conformist Ms. M.
 
With each and every album release and concert tour, Madonna took on varying stage personas, often times inspired by those luminaries who came before -for example - Marilyn Monroe, Jean Harlow, and Marlene Dietrich. With her own added blend of sexual innuendo and edginess, Madonna tittillated and pushed buttons by using already established cliches which involved sex symbolism. Those of us who “got” the message, were inspired even more.
 

As the years progressed, Madonna shared with us her developing spirituality. Her songs from the “Ray Of Light” album conveyed a more enlightened Superstar, one who had now become a mother and wife. Not only were we having fun listening, dancing to Madonna songs, but we were being inspired…

At one point, Madonna took the stage in cowboy hat and having learned to strum the guitar, she sang psudo-folk songs about love and other potent topics of the day. Flanked by gay male dancers in cowboy leather chaps, Madonna once again altered the country western imagery by incorporating her own particular styling.


Whether she was dressed in cleavage-revealing couture or cutting edge bohemian attire, Madonna’s every new look made the news.

In 1996, Madonna starred in the Lloyd-Webber musical film production of “Evita.” Although the film was panned by some critics, she won a Golden Globe Best Actress award for the performance. 

 
“Madonna And Child” became the headlines when the super star gave birth to her first child…a little girl name Lourdes.

In more recent years, Madonna has taken on other causes which include the plight of AIDS in Africa
and anti-war sentiments directed toward the Bush administration.

As Madonna turns 50 years old this upcoming August 18, she just becomes more and more interesting. Whether she is travelling in Africa and establishing a special school for poor orphans or continuing to titillate us with provocative dance moves or taking on still another image, Madonna never hesitates to push the envelope just one further step ahead. Always pushing those buttons, Madonna is one of my heroes…!

Posted by Tommy at 13:01:35 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Alias Christ Child

- By Tommy Skiens -

I work hard to keep ‘em in business
i’m exploited, but i’m soulful
is that an impossible thing?
i’m alias christ child
just call me alias christ child
cuz that’s who i am
that’s who, that’s all we are
alias christ child

a tiny thing
they loved me to death
he threw me in the air
i vomited in his mouth
such a wicked baby
blue eyed blonde, a wicked thing

alias christ child with the sparkle in his eye
what does he know that we don’t get?
but we love him to death
cuz he’s our little alias christ child

i snuck and wore those girly things
secrets a boy will keep
what’s wrong with day dreaming you’re marilyn monroe?
let the boy look at ink spots
tell us what they are
tell us who they are
who they are - alias christ child
cuz i’m alias christ child
cuz i’m alias christ child
cuz i’m alias christ child

i’m a bleeding heart
a kindly soul with flesh that’s soft
i paint my nails and look to the sky
i sing a song and pray for rainbow nights
i skip across the garden and talk to the deer
i hang out nude and write a sonnet
cuz i’m an alias christ child

i tumble and turn like cotton in the dryer
i’m vanilla pudding at the edge of the spoon
i’m the cotton candy that sparkles at the fair
i’m that creature who lurks in the pink lagoon
i’m alias christ child

Posted by Tommy at 23:04:40 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

What Is Your Secret For Being So Youthful At Your Age?

       In the past several years I have made my living doing the thankless, sometimes glamourless work of telemarketing. I call homeowners and try to persuede them to take a look at our company’s home improvement products. Amongst the folks I converse with, many of these are the elderly, men and women in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. When these nice people tell me they are “old”,  a senior citizen, I ask them, “WHAT IS YOUR SECRET FOR SOUNDING SO YOUNG AT YOUR AGE?” The following are the answers to this question:

“WHAT IS YOUR SECRET FOR SOUNDING SO YOUNG AT YOUR AGE?”

“I meet the challenges as they come!” - 80-year-old man

“I don’t even look it! I wanna live to be 100! My doctor says I’ll outlive him!”
                                     - 88 year old woman -

“My mother had good genes!”
                               - 87-year-old woman -

“I keep laughing…and love everybody!” -86-year-old woman

“I’m just finishing up a manhattan cocktail!” - 90-year-old man

“It’s a camoflage!” - 88-year-old woman

“”Oh hell, I walk 11 miles a day!” - 87-year-old man

“A healthy father, good genes!” - 92-year-old lady

“A lot of sex!” 74-year-old man

“Drinking hardly!”  - 86-year-old man

“The good lord has been considerate to me!”  - 86-year-old man

“Good thoughts”  - 86-year-old woman

“Lots of good vodka!”  - 79-year old man

“I’m deaf and blind. I’ve been that way for years. I simply cannot die! That’s the problem - I want to die, but I won’t!”
                                           - 93-year-old man

“Because I don’t want to end up in Rockville - under the ground!”
                                             - 99-year-old man

“Good living; a good marriage. These are things older people say that makes them feel blessed. I was married for 63 years until I lost my husband”
                                                                - 90-year-old woman

“I work every day!”  - 90-year-old man

“I’m fine and doing well’, I tell people; and by this time in the afternoon I actually believe it!”
                                       -85-year-old woman

“My cook!” (his wife he was referring to)  -90-year-old man

“I just keep a-goin’!”  - 99-year-old woman

“Just good genes, I guess!”  - 91-year-0ld woman

“I’ve got arthritis, a wooden leg, and bones crackin’ - but doin’ great!”
                            - 98-year-old woman

“I drink a lot of milk!”  - 85-year-old woman

“Walking, working and volunteering!”   - 85-year-old woman

“Whaddya mean? I’m in a wheelchair!”   90-year-old man

“I’m awnrey, I guess; If you’re healthy and happy, that can do the rest!”
                                       - 80-year-old man

“Positive thinking!”    - 81-year-old man

“Go, go, go! I don’t stay home!”    - 77-year-old woman

“I was born in Texas - They never shut up there!”
                                                     - 88-year-old woman

“I don’t know, but it’s not that great to be old.”    -woman in her 90’s

“Good livin’”   - 97-year-old woman

“Pretense!”    - 82-year-old woman school teacher

“We’re always keepin’ busy!”  - a couple: her 92, him 91

“I worked full time until I was 70. I’m still the president of my own corporation. I retired two years ago.”    - man in his 90’s-

“I never smoked; I never drank; I never even drank coffee! No bad habits!”
                                     - 82-year-old woman

“Good old Italian blood!”   - 87-year-old woman

“Well….I’ve worked hard, played hard!”  -86-year-old man

“Good vodka”  - 93-year-old Russian man

“I think I sound kinda old!”    - 75-year-old woman

“I have my mind, but that’s all!”  -92-year-old woman

“My secret for what?!”  - 91-year-old man

“I may sound youthful, but I don’t look it! I have bad knees….I just keep goin’”
                                        - woman in her 80’s -

“Keep goin’, keep keep workin’!”   - 83-year-old man

“”I try”   81-year-old woman

“Hard work”    -84-year-old woman

“Keeping a sense of humor!”   -90-year-old woman

“After I lost my wife this year I’d rather think of only positive things - and so that is what I do!’
                                 - 83-year-old man-
                                      

                       
                  

                                                                       



Posted by Tommy at 13:58:42 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Thursday, June 5, 2008

JUNE 3, 2008 - A HISTORICAL MOMENT FOR AMERICA!!!

 
For the first time in United States history, almost 18,000,000 American voters have nominated the first black man as a presidential candidate!

OBAMA ! OBAMA ! OBAMA ! OBAMA !
After several grueling months of competing against the wonderful Hillary Clinton, Mr. Obama has successfully achieved the nomination as the Democratic Party’s candidate for President of the USA!

Who would’ve ever dreamed that such a reality is upon us ? - that a black man would achieve this leadership status in our life time?!

I am beyond excited at this historic revelation! I had a dream the other night while I was deep in slumber: I shook hands with a tall, intelligent, articulate black man who gleamed with a gentle yet firm demeanor; he spoke about unity; he promised a better tommorrow for those of us who have not always been included in the Great American Dream; he spoke of health care for all; he proclaimed that he would bring an end to the needless mindless war in Iraq; He was so gentlemanly and wise that he thanked Hillary for being, likewise, a symbol of sorts for the women of America; As I shaked this man’s hand and looked up to him with admiration, a twinkle emitted from his eyes.

Like Obama, I am also 46 years old. It was 40 years ago that some of our greatest heros were struck down; not until then, have we been gifted this extraordinary leader, Mr. Obama…

HOORAY FOR AMERICA!

Posted by Tommy at 10:46:32 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Thursday, May 15, 2008

A Historic Decision On This Date

Today - a historic landmark event for the civil rights of gay and lesbian citizens of California:
The ban on same sex marriage in our state has been struck down by the state’s supreme court. In other words, it is now legal for gay and lesbian couples to enter into legal marriage. We are one more step to achieving equaulity in this Golden State. As the Mayor of San Fransisco stated, “If California, then so goes the nation!” And Amen, it is about time…

Posted by Tommy at 21:41:14 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

My Own Breathing Echoes The World


 - By Tommy Skiens -

laying in bed
listening to the 5 am news
the world is suffering
i’m safe in my place
block out the noise
if i can
i can hear my own breathing
i’m alive
the calm is here in this mountain wood
retreat
i am in the guilt bed
i am helpless or so it seems
i will not be moved and yet i know others are dying
while the forrest jays sing carefree tunes
from protected places on branches high
others who live lingered lives are in pain
their mothers, their fathers,
their sisters, their brothers,
their children
are dying
how can i exist here
while such pain and sorrow?
what can i do?
oh what can i do?
i can hear my own heart beat
i can hear my own breathing
i can block out the newscast
i can turn the channel
i can tune out
and it still exists
not a drug, not a religion,
not a politician, not a talk show,
not a film actor, not a self help book,
not a fad diet, not the evening news,
not a bloated ego
can solve the big dilemma
my own brething is ernest
the huge conflict twirls about me
all about me and yet i pull the covers up over my head
i cannot tolerate the dread
while so many people are
dying
what can i do?
like others in the world, i feel helpless
i can hear my own breathing
and it echoes the world

(I wrote this poem recently during a sensitive emotional moment one morning after I was woken, then hearing the international news, which conveyed stories of natural disasters the world over : tornados across the mid-west and southern United States, a cyclone in Myanmar, and now a 7.9 earthquake in China killing an estimated 50,000 people. With all this suffering, how dare those of us with priveleged lives moan and groan over slight discomforts…)

Posted by Tommy at 21:22:12 | Permalink | Comments (2)