On Vacation, Holidays and Taking Some Time Off at the Request of the Management

I received the following memo from the management here at Welcome to My Truth.

MEMO
To: Dr. Sparky Louise Veronica Horton Brady
From: Welcome to My Truth Management
Subject: Vacation Time

It has come to our attention that since the conception of Welcome to My Truth on January 10, 2005, you have yet to take one vacation day. Since that time you have diligently posted each weekday without fail.

We are aware that you did take two leaves of absence in that time. The first of these you took between July 14, 2006 and August 21, 2006. We have noted that you used this time to relocate from Portland, Oregon to your current home in Chicago, Illinois. The second leave of absence occurred between October 5, 2007 and May 19, 2008. While no official reason was given for this time off, we have come to understand that your mental well-being was in jeopardy and that you needed to step away from your responsibilities here at Welcome to My Truth. We are pleased that you were able to find the rest you needed and return to your post.

This memo is to inform you that as of December 5, 2008, you have accrued exactly 20 vacation days. Should those days not be taken before January 1, 2009, you will lose them. We encourage you to consider utilizing these days as soon as possible. While we are highly impressed by the dedication you have consistently shown Welcome to My Truth, we believe that the site will survive without you should you decide to submit for time off. As it is the holiday season, readership is liable to drop. In addition, your posts during the holiday season are usually not up to par with the brilliance you submit throughout the rest of the year.

Should you decide to take these vacation days effective immediately, you will be free of all responsibilities until Monday, January 5, 2009. We sincerely hope you consider taking this time.

Have a restful and joyful holiday season. We hope not to see you until the new year.

And I hope the same to each and every one of you out there.

On Popularity, Ceremonies and The Grammy Award Nominations

Raise your hand if you knew that the Grammy Award nominations were out.

Now raise your hand if you care.

Yeah, that’s kind of what I thought.

There was a time in my life when I really enjoyed award ceremonies. I looked forward to finding out who was up for a Grammy. I made a point to stay in and watch the Oscars. I even noted both the daytime and primetime Emmy Awards on my calendar.

Sadly, those days are gone.

My love affair with awards shows started to die in 1997. That was the year that Titanic took the award for Best Picture at the Oscars. I’ve nothing against Titanic. I saw it when it came out and, for the most part, I enjoyed it. I would not, however, say that it was the best picture I saw that year. That’s just going a bit overboard. Awarding Titanic the Oscar was basically telling the world that popularity could triumph over art.

And that’s exactly how I feel about the Grammy Awards. That ceremony is just one big high school pep rally where the most popular kids in the school get even more attention thrown at them. All the while, those people who are working hard to do something significant or different are completely ignored.

If you don’t believe me, check out the list of winners from 2005. That’s the year Britney Spears won a Grammy.

This year, however, things look promising. Yes, Coldplay took home a boatload of nominations much to no one’s surprise. But at least there isn’t even one real nod for Mariah Carey. And while Leona Lewis did show up on the list a few times, she was kept out of the category for Best New Artist. Instead, a spot was held for Adele, which pleases me greatly. Here’s hoping she doesn’t lose to The Jonas Brothers. That would put the last nail in my Grammy coffin.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not a music snob by any stretch of the imagination. I listen to all kinds of crap pop music, and I love every last computer-generated note. I just don’t necessarily think that’s the kind of music that should win Grammy Awards. If we are going to give out awards for the best in music, then let’s give those awards to the best.

And as much as I may unwillingly love her, Britney Spears is not the best.

On Horoscopes, Inspiration and Wondering Where my “Good Times” Are

“Nothing can stop you from getting on with the good times today – your creativity and ingenuity can help you make fun out of anything. Even waiting for a dental appointment can be a good time when you’re on the case! Your mind is wide open, you’re thinking positively, and you are ready to connect with other people in a new way. You are seeking inspiration, but it’s not a frustrating quest – it’s a joyous exploration, full of adventure and celebration.”

Don’t you just hate it when your horoscope lies? I know it’s all a lot of nonsense, but sometimes it rings true. Sometimes it makes me look at things a little differently. Sometimes it even scares me. But today’s prediction is just a big bunch of hooey.

“Nothing can stop you from getting on with the good times today – your creativity and ingenuity can help you make fun out of anything.”

Is that so? By “good times,” do you mean getting out of bed with a dry mouth and a sore throat? Or do you mean sitting at my desk with nothing to do? Because I have to tell you that neither of those things constitutes “good times” in my book. And there’s really nothing I can do to change that.

As for my creativity, I think it’s pretty obvious that’s shot. A man brimming with creativity does not blog about his horoscope.

“Even waiting for a dental appointment can be a good time when you’re on the case!”

I do have a bit of a toothache. Perhaps I should call my dentist.

“Your mind is wide open, you’re thinking positively, and you are ready to connect with other people in a new way.”

I’ll give you that one. I have been rather positive since turning 30 last week. And I am certainly ready to meet new people in new ways. The old ways blow chunks.

“You are seeking inspiration, but it’s not a frustrating quest – it’s a joyous exploration, full of adventure and celebration.”

And here we have more lies. Yes, I am seeking inspiration. The quest, however, is excruciatingly frustrating. It’s so frustrating, in fact, that I finally gave up and decided to publish this sorry excuse for a post.

Take that, you damn horoscope.

On Roadblocks, Bumps and Finally Realizing My Dream of Having a Book Club

Roughly a year ago I decided I was going to establish a book club for gay men. The idea was to create a group that would meet monthly to discuss an assigned book. The underlying goal was to have an outlet for meeting new people. I placed an ad online, received a bunch of responses and eventually gave up on the dream.

I gave up the dream last year because the group became a lot more than I could handle. I had over forty men interested in joining the club, and there was just no way I could facilitate such a group. Even if only half were actually committed to showing up, I was left with the task of finding a location for 20 people to meet. The whole idea spooked me. I decided it just wasn’t worth the hassle. I gave up on the group before it even formed.

Well, I am at it again. And this time I know I will succeed!

How can I be so sure of myself? For one thing, I limited the poll of potential members and ended up with only ten guys. Dealing with ten people is a lot more manageable then dealing with forty. In addition to this, I’ve already planned the first meeting and I have a location at which to hold it. I’ve spoken to a number of the interested parties on the phone. I’ve got some rather firm commitments. It all seems to be falling into place nicely.

In other words, I have learned for my past mistakes. I’ve figured out which roadblocks to avoid and I’ve navigated the essential bumps with a moderate amount of success. By this time next week the group will have met and chosen a book. The club will officially be called to order.

It looks like after years of trying, I will finally have my book club.

On India, Language and Witnessing a Miracle in the Form of a Dream

Last week tragedy struck India. Islamist gunmen from Pakistan attacked luxury hotels and other landmarks, killing over 150 people. The effects of these attacks were felt throughout the world. They were especially felt here in Chicago.

On the day of the attacks, a group of performers from India were preparing to take to the stage for the opening performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The production is an once-in-a-lifetime experience. It consists of eight languages: English, Tamil, Malayalam, Sinhalese, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Sanskrit. The cast combines actors trained in classical and folk traditions. The production includes live traditional music, folk performers, traditional dancers, martial arts experts and street acrobats from across India and Sri Lanka. The show is simply a marvel.

All Photography: Tristram Kenton

As fear and panic reigned in Mumbai, these performers decided that the show must go on. They graced the audience with their joyous performance and, while the situation across the globe was never far from anyone’s mind, they helped everyone find some beauty and magic amidst the tragedy.

I was a part of the audience that witnessed this miracle.

This production truly is like no other I have ever seen. I work in theater and so I see a lot of productions from all over the world. Nothing, however, has been quite as mystifying and enchanting as this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In so many ways, it really is a dream.

Never did I think that I would find myself understanding Hindi and Bengali without really understanding Hindi and Bengali. But as this production weaves its web and entangles the senses, it becomes clear that language is not the only way to communicate. Movement and emotion and music can serve us just as well.

And that is the beauty of the entire situation. That night in that theater there was only one culture. There was only one language. There was only one consciousness. There were no terrorists. There were no bombs. There was no division.

There were only people and a dream.