SHAKE IT UP

For those of you wondering (or who care) I am fine after the earthquake today. It was so fucking weird. The worst thing that came out of it was Polly being so upset. She was running around and finally came to sit next to me on the bed where she remained alert and shaking for about an hour afterwards.

It started off small, which you might not expect. At first I thought it was just someone running on the roof which (since I'm on the top floor of my building) I'd expect. Then it just got more and more. I had been laying in bed watching TV so there was really not a lot I could do.

This earthquake lasted long enough that I did, however, realize what was happening and even had time to wonder what I should do and where to go (they usually don't last that long).

Finally, I just gave in to the fact that laying in my bed far away from pictures on the wall and such was the best place to be. Also I am dumb and had no idea where to go.

There was a REALLY big shake at one point which knocked books off a bookshelf and actually broke a vase I had. The TV was also shaking a lot so it was hard to watch Will and Grace. Oddly enough, my internet access never stopped.

So yeah, that was me during Earthquake 08. Polly eventually calmed down. I eventually did too (and didn't feel an after tremor) and like any other disturbing event in time, just tucked it away in my brain as one of the things I've been through in life.

HEAD OVER HEELS

The kind of mood I'm in :



The tracking shot. The fast motion. The SONG. I didn't personally do coke in High School (although I'd have probably tried it if it was offered) but that too. The Sparkle Dancers. The Outcast Girl. Drew Barrymore.

There's so much to love about this, it's beyond giddiness. Work with me here. If you look at this and can't relate in any way whatsover, well, nice knowing you.

FRIDAY THANKSGIVING

There's a lot this week to be thankful for. Yay team!

1. Thanks to my dear friend Suzie for the great package she sent me (as she often does) full of all kinds of goodness for me and Polly. Every time I get one from her I get so giggly and Christmas morning. M-wah!

2. Thanks to reader Kara for her kind donation to our little pack here.

3. Thanks to my friends Charlus and Miss Xa-xa for the chance to contribute to their great blog and for those of you who went and checked it out. Charlus tells me the response has been great and I'm sending this weeks recap soon.

4. Finally thanks to all of you who went and "Payed It Forward" to the Social Worker who watches over my mother. She even posted on her blog about the emails she's gotten and I saw there were comments from several of you as well. She also was so kind to take a pic of my Mother and post it for me! Not the most flattering pic of my mom - she looks a little angry (WTF?) - but Kileen was so sweet to make the effort on my behalf. I'm so happy for her supporting my Mother.

You all have been so generous and thoughtful. I'm sending Love Waves out to you all.

GUESTING

For those of you who like a little Hugh Snark with your "Bible Versus", I have good news.

My dear friends Charlus and Miss Xa-Xa run a blog called "Pink/Navy" about Project Runway on Bravo. (They also write one about Top Chef named "Amuse-Biatch".) They have also made very generous donations to Polly and I via this site. Now that the new season of Project Runway has begun, they called and asked me to be a Guest Blogger giving my own (slightly bitchy and scathing) slant on new episodes!! They told me to write the whole thing "no holds barred" so I just let it rip.

They are quite well known in the Blog World for their brilliant commentary on these two shows and have written for New York magazine and have been interviewed by many others so I'm greatly honored and flattered.

You can go read my contribution here. Giggle and enjoy and leave comments!!

PAY IT FORWARD

My mother, who is 75, is currently suffering from what is named Pick's Disease. As far as I know, it's similar to Alzheimer's. She's unable to speak and her connection to the world around her is limited.

She lives in an assisited living home in Georgia. Apparently she was living in a home closer to my sister (who lives in Jacksonville, Florida) but that home was unable to accommodate her because of her disease. My sister, who is currently pregnant, tells me she tries to visit her when she can which is about once a month. I am unable, for many reasons, to go see her and assume I won't see her again before she (or I) dies. Once, when my sister was visiting her I talked to her over my sister's cell phone and my mother moaned loudly in response.

However I did a little research on the home where my mother is and in doing so came across this blog - Diary Of A Social Worker - written by a woman who works at the facility where my mother lives and she often posts pictures of the activities the residents get to enjoy.

So I wrote her :

dear killeen -

thank you for your blog about being a social worker at Sunbridge, my mother is a resident there. her name is Beverly Patrinely. unfortunately i live in California and am also disabled so i'm unable to visit her. however, my sister tries to go there when she can. I love seeing how much you and the other workers there do in order to give the residents some enjoyment. i often look at the many pictures you post for a glimpse of my mother.

thank you so much for the effort and care you put into making all these people feel active.

warmest regards,
hugh elliott

And she wrote me back -

Dear Hugh,

You are most welcome. Your mother is a very sweet person and we enjoy her company. I can take and email you some digital photos of her if you would like. I can also read to her any emails or letters you would like to send to her. Even though she is unable to form words, she communicates very well through her facial expressions and vocalizations - it lets us know that she understands. Her face just lights up when we talk to her about her family. You are also welcome to call the facility so she can hear your voice. We have a cordless phone that the resident's have. Just call the facility at 912-496-7396 and ask for her. They will transfer the call to the cordless and takeit to her.

Kind regards,
Kileen

So here is how I want to pay it forward for all the kind donations you made to help me in my financial situation. I ask for those of you who can (and are willing to) e-mail Kileen or leave a comment on her blog and thank her for the work she is doing. Not just for my mother, but for all the residents at this home. She obviously knows who my mother is and cares enough about these people to make a blog with pictures and share what they do for them. I think any thanks she gets for her work would be both inspiring and useful to everyone.

I don't know anything about this woman. She may think my sexuality and my life are repugnant. Or not. I don't care. All I know is she's trying to provide a solace for someone I dearly love. Feel free to mention me or my mother's name or any connection you feel you need. Just let her feel known and appreciated.

I don't have money, so this is what I have. Take the appreciation you showed me, I show for you and Pay It Forward. This is what we can do. You are brave good people. I trust you can.

FRIDAY THANKSGIVING

Wow. Just WOW.

Your response to my plea for assistance in my time of need was overwhelming. Amazingly so. I was humbled, blind sided, awed, grateful and deeply moved at your support, Your kindness and outreach are true examples of what it means to exhibit compaassion for others.

There are so many people to thank, and many who wish to remain anonymous, so I will just send a heart filled thanks to all of you. From the smallest amount you were able to contribute to the most magnanamous donations, you made a difference and I love each and every one of you.

I especially appreciate the comments noting my conflict in asking for support and suggesting how humility can be seen as a character virtue. it's a lesson that even at my Old age I resist. I am so proud I have created such a small site that attracts such incredible people. This week, for once in a very long time, I can say the Universe loves me.

Again, thank you for your outpouring of support, I am in awe of your faith and your expression of who you are. You are heros, every last one of you.

xxx - Hugh + Polly

SWINGING

I heard this song on a commercial tonight.




I'll admit, I'm a total Swing Out Sister groupie. I love love love everything they've done. When I found this video (which I hadn't seen) I was floored. It made me a total 80s groupie again. The eyebrows, the lips are all so perfect. I am a child of whence i came.

So enjoy, If you are younger, god bless you. This was my environment at the time. Yeah, I am an Old.

UPDATE : I actually think this look is kinda Now. If I saw a woman sporting this today, I'd be like YEAH! Awesome defined eyebrows and red lips are the greatness. Female readers - Note.

I BEES

These are what the bees here in West Hollywood are like. In the mornings, Polly will frequently stop and smell the flowers and there are often bees buzzing around. Naturally I don't want her to get stung so I pull her away and she looks at me with some annoyance. We are not bees, I tell her, we are Wasps.



My own Bee Story is here,

HELMS

Elizabeth Dole, the Mommie Dearerst of the Republican Party tried to do this today :

http://atomicgaywonk.blogspot.com/2008/07/obscene-dole-tries-to-name-aids-bill.html

Despicable. Ignorant. Unfeeling. Her despicable attempt is a slap in the face to all of us who suffer from AIDS and a spit in the face of our friends and lovers who died of this disease while Jesse Helms obstructed any help for those in need.

It's disgusting and a cheap ploy. for me, who suffers from Helms hate filled diatrabes, please oppose this. I don't want the death of my close friends connected to this human abomination.

PSA

As much as I dread doing this (and I seriously avoid it) I am now going to make a pitch for donations to me and Polly.

I only do this because I have little recourse. I have no money and am having a hard time getting money to eat. I live on Social Security Disability and no longer have a car here in LA. It broke and I couldn't afford to pay the insurance.

Yeah, I know my posting here has been lame and I've seemed to abandon the Bible Thing which had many of you come here. Sorry. I had My Life to deal with. Jesus, I'm hoping, could wait.

So if it's at all possible for you, please click on the Paypal link to the right. Let me know if you want to be acknowledged (by first name only) here or not.

Finally, thank you thank you thank you. This is SO hard for me to do and I only post this as a last resort.

xxx - Hugh + Polly

TV DINNER

I don't have a cat but I'm now thinking Polly believes she's a cat. She actually LOVES cats and looks for the cat that lives around the corner every morning on the walk to breakfast. When Polly sees Waikiki (get it? Wai Kitty Kitty?) she runs over and sniffs her and Waikiki rubs against her.

Yeah, I have a cat in a beagle suit. This is exactly how Polly acts.

BIRDS

How cool is this?