Isaac, Ron and Bill

Isaac (my brother), me and Bill (my spouse) - September 23, 2012

The photo above was taken by my good friend Mark Himes of "Our Simple Lives....".  The photo was taken last Sunday, at about 4:30 pm at my brother Isaac's home (our former family home) on Hopewell Road in East Brandywine Township, four miles north of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

I had just attended my 53rd high school reunion (Downingtown High School Class of 1959.)  Mark took pictures of at our reunion for me.  Bill wouldn't attend the reunion with me, to my great disappointment.  He still feels uncomfortable attending such a function in his role as my partner/spouse of 48 years.  He refused to go in spite of my pleas that "no one cares!"  Some of my classmates have met him one on one and liked him.  In fact, everyone likes Bill when they meet him.  I used to get a little jealous about that fact because sometimes it seems they like him MORE than they like me.  But I've gotten over that tinge of jealousy over the years.  At least I think I have.

So last Sunday, after the reunion, Mark brought me back to my brother Isaac's home so he could transfer the 518 photos he took to my flash drive so I could take them home with me.  While there I asked Mark to take a few photos of me, Bill and Isaac.  Who knows, at our age we may never see each other again.

Ike, Ron and Bill

Romney's "Too Many Americans" Ad

Thank goodness Mitt Romney made an ad countering that awful ad that the Democratic National Committee put out about Romney not caring about the 47% of Americans who don't pay taxes.

You all remember that statement taken out of context (according to the Kool-Aid drinking Republicans) that Romney called the 47% of Americans who don't pay federal income taxes "victims" who felt they were "entitled" to mooch off the government.

This ad by Mitt sets the record straight.  Mitt REALLY DOES care about 100% of the Americans.

Believe that and I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell to you.

Where Have I Been?

Bill, Mark and me at my brother's house in PA this past Sunday

Been busy folks!  I'm still trying to get my stuff together after all the activity of the past week.

Let's see, Sunday Bill and I traveled to Pennsylvania for my 53rd annual high school class reunion.  Yes folks, I graduated from Downingtown High School in June of 1959.  So I go to the class reunion and what do I see but a bunch of OLD PEOPLE!  Seems I'm the only one who hasn't changed.  I must be living right.  Believe that then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell to you.

Yes, I had a very good time at the reunion.  My friend and fellow blogger Mark of "Our Simple Lives" graciously acceded to my last minute request to come and take pictures of me and my fellow senior citizens while we traded stories about our medical conditions.  Mark took 518 pictures under difficult circumstances.  Our reunion was held at the Chicago Bar and Grill in Lionville, PA.  We were off to the side in a narrow room with a wall of backlight.  But even under those challenging circumstances Mark did a fabulous job of taking photos.  Thank you Mark!

Guess who is dominating the conversation at this table?

Bill and I had to get out of Pennsylvania to begin out 2 1/2 hour drive back to Delaware.  Neither one of us likes to drive in the dark.  We just made it through Newark, Delaware and all that road construction to hit Route 1 to home sweet home in Lower Slower, aka Sussex County, Delaware.  Once we hit Route 1, it's a straight shot to Casa Tipton-Kelly.

Wednesday, yesterday, I underwent my stress test at Cardiovascular Associates in Lewes.  I'm still recovering from that three hour ordeal.  Man oh man, talk about a stress test.  I was stressed when that was over.  I'm still exhausted from my TWO 20 minutes trips into the "tube" and the treadmill.  In addition I had all kinds of needles sticking out of the back of my right hand.  I'll write a separate blog posting about that fun time yesterday.  Now I hear I may have to get a catheterization.  THAT I hear is pretty invasive.

Yes, it hurt going in

After I had the stress test, Bill borrowed my car and visited my two long-time friends and to make amends for my blow-up in the parking lot last Saturday.  This was the first time Bill has seen them in over a year.  Bill agrees with me that both of them are pretty much in La La Land.  I don't have time for it.  Bill said the one who was on the receiving end of my fire-breathing dragon blast is going to call me.  I won't hold my breath.

I think I have the next few days off.  No doctor's appointments or fence mending.  I spent most of the morning sorting through the 518 pictures that Mark took of my class reunion.  I'm telling you folks, if any of you have an event where you need a good photographer, Mark is the person to hire.  He's good!

Mark - photographer and friend

Mike Rowe Does a "Dirty Job"

Mike Rowe on the same stage with Mitt Romney today

Omigod!  I just saw where one of my favorite men, Mike Rowe of "Dirty Job" fame appeared on a stage with Mitt Romney today.  WTF?  See here.

My opinion of Mike Rowe just plummeted by at least 50%.

Mike, what are you doing?

Mike, where were you when Mitt Romney callously dismissed the 47% of the American public as "victims".  Mike, Romney was talking about the people who do dirty jobs.

Mike, what were you thinking?

Weekly Roundup

"Rounding the curve"

What a week it has been!  And it's still not over.  I leave today for my 53rd class reunion.  Yep folks, I'm one of the remaining surviving members of the Downingtown High School Class of 1959.  The Last Class of the Fifties, a distinction well worth noting.  I am very much looking forward to this reunion.  My friend and fellow blogger Mark of "Our Simple Lives..." will be taking photos for me.  It will be good to see Mark again.  This all occurs later today.

Where do I start with this week?  I'll start with yesterday.  I'll try to make this as brief and painless as possible.  Yesterday marked the end of a long friendship with three guys who I used to "pal around with" since the 70's.  In fact, the one guy (who I met when we were in the Army in 1960) was one of the main reasons I retired to Delaware.  Because of my visits to him and his "ranch" in the country outside Georgetown since the 70's, I grew to love Delaware.  Unfortunately he is now suffering from Parkinson's and memory loss.  He still knows who I am but that's about it. It is almost impossible to have a conversation with him.  Their is no input from him and I doubt he even understands what I'm talking about.  Talking with him is like talking to the wall.

For many years I used to go out for breakfast with him, his partner (who I have never liked, no has he liked me - he considers me a threat and is jealous of me) and another friend of their who is a non-stop talker and a major Bore.  A few years ago I stopped going to breakfast with them because I just didn't have the time or patience to deal with his non-stop talker friend or his partner, who is a major Drama Queen.

Recently they moved nearby so I thought it would be a good idea to renew our weekly "going out to breakfast" together.  Without going into the depressing details, the breakfast didn't turn out too well.  In fact I had a major blowup (which is rare for me) and ended the friendship or whatever shreds of friendship remained until my meltdown.  I simply do not have time for users and bores.  The only reason I tolerated the other two guys in the past was because of my friendship with my longtime Army buddy.  But he is so out of it now it really doesn't matter.  I thought my head was going to explode yesterday.  So the "friendship" ended with a dramatic scene in the parking lot.  Wouldn't you like to see that on a video?  No pictures this time though, my hands were too busy waving in the air while I was screaming.

So much for the "reunion" breakfast

The later part of the day fared better.  Another friend of mine, this one from school days, was in town.  I needed something to take my mind off of the early morning blowup so I called him to see if he wanted to catch up on gossip. He did.  I hopped into my red Subaru Forester and zipped on down to his cottage in Rehoboth.  Later that afternoon I took him to an early dinner to celebrate his 71st birthday.  We went to the Purple Parrot, the only place I know of in Rehoboth that serves a charbroiled hamburger that actually tastes like a hamburger.  We got caught up on all the latest juicy gossip, including the news that one of my gay neighbors here in my neighborhood has sold his house after he took it off the market.  He had decided not to sell his house after being given an offer.  The buyers came back and said they would pay his asking price.  I should have such luck.

After our early dinner, I went down to the Olde Timey Photo Beach Tourist Trap Too Expensive photo place and had my annual fake photo taken (you'll see it later).  Camille (the proprietor) remembered my name which greatly impressed me.  This time I posed as a fur trapper.  Can you believe it?  I'm about as far from a fur trapper as you can get.  I'm considering posing as a western salon girl with the big ostrich feather next year.  Whaddya think?

Earlier in the week I had my three doctor's appointments.  My life is becoming a series of doctor's appointment.  Wednesday I wore my Holter heart monitor.  That was an annoyance and I almost bungee dropped the monitor in my toilet the first time I visited my bathroom with it on.  Thank goodness the cord wasn't long enough and the monitor stopped just short of the "water."

Friday I visited my dermatologist and had two more spots burned off of my face.  My poor face, it's beginning to looking like a Pennsylvania country road full of potholes.

Also on Friday I received my annual flu shot at the Georgetown VA.  My arm still hurts from that puncture.

My body and psyche took a lot of hits this week.  I'm looking forward to a pleasant, relaxing day with my former classmates from yesteryear.  Always fun to get together with them even though they are all to a man and woman conservative Republicans who are still going to vote for Romney.  Don't worry, the woman who organized the reunion sent an e-mail out front that there would be no political "discussions."  That's fine with me because I don't think I could take one more comment about how Obama is a radical, socialist, Muslim who pals around with terrorists.  One blowup a week is enough for me.

A few door dings here

Paul Ryan Booed Throughout AARP Speech

Paul Ryan was booed numerous times during his speech today in New Orleans before AARP.  Representative Ryan was telling his lies again and they weren't buying it.  See here.

Ryan repeated the lie that President Obama is "raiding" Medicare $716 billion dollars to fund Obamacare.  NOT TRUE.  President Obama is NOT REDUCING BENEFIT PAYMENTS but instead cutting payments to providers and eliminating unnecessary duplication of payments.  Ryan of course neglects to mention that his budget cuts Medicare benefits payments by 716 billion dollars.

Ryan lies.

Karl Rove and his ilk may think if they put a pretty face on the lie that the gullible seniors will believe their lies.

Ain't happening.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell - One Year Later

Me (on the right) and my gay friends at Ft. Devens, Mass. 1960

Well, it's been a year since "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has been repealed and the sky hasn't fallen in.  Did someone think to tell the angry old man  John McCain?  He said it was a "very sad day" when DADT was repealed.  See here.

When I joined the Army in 1960, I was the only gay boy/man in the world.  I didn't meet other gays until I joined the Army.  Ironically, it was the Army Security Agency were we all had top secret clearances and we could get kicked out if we were found out (we weren't although a lot of our friends were).  

I enjoyed my three year tour of duty in the Army.  I made a lot of friends (gay and straight) and had a great job at the National Security Agency in Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, right outside Washington , D.C.

Sal De Rosa and Ron Hampton - two of my best friends at Ft. Meade.  Yes, they were both gay and put on a Broadway (what else?) type show at the Ft. Meade service club  - that's my sign!

I would have stayed in the Army or even transferred to a civilian status and continued to work for the NSA if it wasn't for the fact that I was gay and could lose my job at anytime if exposed.

National Security Agency Headquarters, Ft. Meade, MD

The reason I would lose my job was that homosexuals (the quaint term used back in Those Days for gays) was that I would be subject to blackmail.  Of course there was never a documented case of a gay man or woman ever being blackmailed to reveal secrets but that didn't prevent this very discriminatory law to stay in place.  I couldn't even transfer to a civilian status to work for the NSA because they had the same law, no homosexual could hold a top secret clearance.  Of course it was a Catch-22 law because if gays were acknowledged and accepted they wouldn't be subjected to blackmail.

I am glad this country has finally done the right thing and repealed this stupid, discriminatory law.  I'm still waiting for John McCain to admit he made a mistake.  Where is all your courage now Senator McCain?

1945 - 2012 - my, how times have changed!