Sunday’s Hike Photos

Last Sunday I went hiking again with some friends at Session Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington. I was beat by the time we were finished, the trail itself wasn’t that hard but the walk up the hill to the lookout tower and the walk down to the falls were a killer for me. Especially the walk up from the waterfalls, the falls were about a hundred feet below the trail and they had a crude stairs down the hillside. The stairs were irregularly spaced and the rise between steps was at various heights, making it strenuous climbing back up.

The leaves were just coming out, they were all different shades of green and the maple trees had their red blossoms in bloom. There were scattered wild dogwoods around the pond.

One of the geese on the pond looking for a handout.
Don’t be fooled by the size of the boulders, the waterfall dropped about twenty feet. The boulders were about fifteen feet high.

YES! YES! YES!

Dear Ms. L__

It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Committee on Admissions has acted to accept your application for admission as a master’s student in the University of Connecticut School of Social Work for the academic year beginning Fall 2008. You have been admitted as a regular with a major method in Community Organization

When I went to the mailbox to get the mail, I opened the letter and started to read and the sun started to shine after two days of rain. Tell me, was that a good omen or what!

Saturday Spoonfuls #1

{Ãñgê£}ä’s Saturday Spoonfuls #1

Have you ever been on a weekend retreat? How 'bout a Scrapbooking Retreat?
Kind of, I when to retreat like weekend workshop last fall. It was held at a commune in Northeast Connecticut, since there was no phone or television it seemed like a retreat.

What did you like best, and what did you not like about it?
You can read about my comments about it here.

Do you have any suggestions or advice for me?
Go with an open mind, with the idea that you are going to learn something new and have new experiences.

Saturday Six - Episode 210

Patrick’s Place Saturday Six - Episode 210

1. How many pairs of shoes do you own right now? Over the course of a single week, how many of them are you likely to wear total?
Oh about ten but four are summer shoes, some are winter shoes and I have a pair of sneakers.

2. At what store do you buy the majority of your shoes?
I tend to buy my shoes on-line at Massey’s, I have large feet and the selections in stores are limited.

3. How much did you pay for the most expensive pair of shoes you own? How much was the cheapest?
The spread is around $20 - $50 and the mean is towards the lower end.

4. Take the quiz: What do your feet say about you?

What Your Feet Say About You:

You are more expressive than most people. You let everyone know how you're feeling - the good, the bad, and the ugly. You are a very passionate person. You are highly charged and easily inspired. You are an assertive person at times. You'll pull out all the stops to get what you want, if it's worth it. You take a while to fall in love, but once you do, you stay pretty attached to your partner. You are not afraid of anything. You are brave and courageous, even when most people would be terrified. You are intellectual and philosophical. You are more concerned with thoughts than action. You are a fairly hard worker, but you are also a little spoiled. You like indulge yourself every now and then. You are not easily influenced by other people. You hold your ground and are true to your beliefs.

What Do Your Feet Say About You?

5. What’s your preference: dress, casual, sneaker, flip flop or sandal?
Sneakers. Most of the time I wear jeans and sneakers but as the weather gets warmer I wear sandals a little more.

6. Have you ever had or considered getting a pedicure?
Yes, but the price is keeping me back and the same for manicures. I can do it myself a lot cheaper.

Now Here's An Ad That You Will Not See On U.S. Television

Friday Fill-In #69

Janet’s Friday Fill-In #69

1. When I fell in love _the world stopped_!
2. _I love it_ when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside!
3. Oh no! The internet connection is down, _and I am starting to have withdraw symptoms _.
4. _Reality Shows _ are the craziest tv show ever.
5. Cheese and _tomatoes_ make a great meal!
6. _I am thinking about starting_ a garden.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight [Friday] I'm looking forward to _going to the 15 years of LGBTQ History in Connecticut reception at the Elihu Burritt Library at CCSU_, tomorrow [Saturday] my plans include _working my take home exam for class _ and Sunday, I want to _go hiking, of course_!

Your Personality at 35,000 Says...

Your Personality at 35,000 Says...

Deep down, you prefer spending time alone to spending time with others. You enjoy thinking more than talking. You are good with your place in the world. You are confident and comfortable with who you are. Your gift is having a good eye. You take amazing picture and have the natural talent for most visual arts. You are inspired by challenges. If something is hard to accomplish, you want to do it. You are happy as long as you are given some personal space. It's important for you to have your own private life.

The Personality Test at 35,000 Feet

12th Annual National Day of Silence

From the National Day of Silence web-site...

12th Annual National Day of Silence Honors the Memory of Slain Lawrence King

Hundreds of Thousands of Students to participate in Day of Silence for Safer Schools

NEW YORK: This year’s National Day of Silence on April 25 will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old California student who was shot and killed at school in February by a 14-year-old classmate because of King’s sexual orientation and gender expression.

The Day of Silence is held by students every year to bring attention to anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) name-calling, bullying and harassment. The senseless tragedy at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, Calif., brings even more meaning to a day that has brought hope to millions of students.

Hundreds of thousands of students are expected to participate by taking some form of a vow of silence for the entire day or part of it. Their efforts will be supported by hundreds of community-based "Breaking the Silence" events at the end of the day. Together, concerned students will create a powerful call to action in order to prevent future tragedies.

Students hand out speaking cards during the Day of Silence that read:

"Silent for Lawrence King:
Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence (DOS), a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. This year’s DOS is held in memory of Lawrence King, a 15 year-old student who was killed in school because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward building awareness and making a commitment to address these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today."


There are simple steps that all schools can take to make schools safer for all students and to end the endemic name-calling and harassment that LGBT students and their allies face every day. We need to act now so that Lawrence King and the countless others who endure anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment will not be forgotten, and so that we can create an enduring legacy of safer schools for all in their names.

GLSEN’s 2005 National School Climate Survey found that four out of five LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and 29% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety. The Day of Silence is one way students and their allies are making anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and name-calling unacceptable in America’s schools.

About the Day of Silence
The Day of Silence, a project of GLSEN, is a nationwide, student-led event during which thousands of high schools and colleges bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. For more information and a complete collection of organizing materials, visit www.dayofsilence.org.

Maine: Heath Proposes Law To Ban Civil Unions

Once again, bigotry on homophobia shows it ugly head, this time in Maine. The Christian Civic League of Maine is fighting to ban Civil Unions or Marriage Equality, plus the repeal of the human rights laws in Maine.

As reported in the Portland Press Herald by by Elbert Aull…

The sweeping initiative from the Christian Civic League of Maine would require the state to define marriage as the union between a man and woman and prohibit unmarried couples from adopting children….
… The measure would limit marriage to one man and one woman, allow only one person or a married couple to adopt children, and forbid the establishment of civil unions.

To ban unmarried couple from adopting is shear lunacy, there is NO scientific evidence to support any harmful effect from unmarried couple raising children. It is only a thinly masked attempt to ban Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender couple from adopting since they would not be able to enter into a state legalize Union or marriage. It is bigoted and homophobic.

The initiative asks voters whether they want to "protect traditional marriage and eliminate special rights in Maine law."…
… The proposal also seeks to remove the designation "sexual orientation" from the Maine Human Rights Act – overturning legislation enacted at the State House three years ago and later upheld at the polls. It would also eliminate state funding for an Attorney General's Office program that teaches public school students about the human rights act.

I am sick and tired of hearing “Special Rights!” What is so special about wanting a job so that we can support our families (Of course they don’t want us to have families.). What is so special about wanting a place to live? What is so special about wanting to go to a restaurant and wanting to get waited on?

Heath has protested the AG's civil rights teams for years, saying they indoctrinate impressionable teenagers with the idea that gay and lesbian lifestyles are acceptable.

And they willing to say anything in order to spread their propaganda of hate.

Attorney General Steven Rowe argued that the 220 teams throughout the state are meant to stamp out bullying, not drum gay-positive views into students.
"Every student has the absolute right to attend school where they feel safe," Rowe said.
He said the program, which will receive $215,000 in state funding next year, is student-run, so members – not school administrators – choose the causes of bias and harassment they want to address.

Another Sunday Hike

I went hiking again last Sunday with a friend along the Rails to Trials path from Bolton to Vernon; we walked about two miles and then turned back. Of course, I took my camera with me and captured some of the views along the way.

The Trail Head on the Bolton side of the trail as it goes through a rock cut, that was done by hand tools back in the days of the steam locomotive.

The moss growing on the sides of the rock cuts

One of the old telegraph poles that line the trails

One of the main little streams coming down from the clifts along the trail.


For a list of Rails to Trails in Connecticut visit the Department of Transportation web-site.

Manic Monday

Lisa’s Manic Monday, April 21, 2008

Who is the black sheep in your family/group?
I am.

If you were a character from a book, what character would you be?
Don Quixote – I am “tilting the windmill”

What's your favorite accent?
French, I think it is so sexy.

I Apologize

I apologize; there was someone from the HRC at the NTCE Lobbying Day. I didn’t realize that he also represented the HRC, when he was introduced at the lobbying training and the Reception that night, they only mentioned two organization he was representing. I didn’t know that he was the HRC's Boston Steering Committee Diversity Co-Chair and on its Business Council, that he was representing the HRC and was there in an official capacity.
I am sorry for any wrong information, as I said, "that I knew of”

To All Those Who Say That ENDA Only Protects Trans-People

Annie's Mailbox

Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar
Dear Annie: I am a 40-year-old single woman who happens to have broad shoulders. In my 30s, people occasionally joked that I looked like a guy, and over the years, it's gotten progressively worse. Although I do my best to be feminine (hair, makeup, nails, dresses, etc.), it doesn't help because folks sometimes think I'm a drag queen.

Annie, it's awful. I've experienced harassment at work. Although I reported it, my former boss fired me out of fear of being sued. When it happened at my next job, I didn't say anything, but I can't stand it any longer. One of my co-workers told everyone I had a "secret gay life." Human Resources is aware of the harassment, and everyone had to sit through classes on discrimination. Still, one of my managers tried to override the password on my voice mail after the latest round of rumors in order to find out what I was hiding. I've even shown co-workers my birth certificate and pictures of me growing up, but it hasn't made any difference.

I am a Christian woman and a virgin. This is incredibly offensive to me. I rarely go out anymore. I'm tired of the stares, the offensive remarks and the unfortunate things people think about those living as transvestites -- even though I am not. My parents can't believe people could be so cruel and assume it's all in my head. Believe me, I wish it were.

I've gone to counseling to get a handle on the stress. How do other masculine-looking women cope with the stares, the smirks, the giggles and the offensive comments? -- Never (Ever) a Guy

Dear Never a Guy: The harassment you are getting at work may be actionable under the law, so please discuss it with an attorney. No one should be permitted to bully or treat you so shabbily (or fire you!) because of a perceived impression of your sexual orientation. As for the rest, try to be less defensive. You cannot control what others think, but you can learn acceptance and develop confidence in your own body -- whatever it looks like. Since you are seeing a counselor, ask to work on this.

The Gender Inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) protects EVERYONE!

[Inclusive] Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 - Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived [Emphasis added] sexual orientation or gender identity by covered entities (employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees). Prohibits preferential treatment or quotas. Allows only disparate treatment claims.

The inclusive ENDA will protect anyone who people see as looking different from what might be considered normal, from a woman like “Never A Man” or a man of slight statue or a man who might like to wear his hair long. Nowhere in the bill is there any wording that says it covers only transgender individuals.

Saturday Six - Episode 209

Patrick’s Place: Saturday Six - Episode 209

1. You’re ordering a hot fudge sundae. Do you order it with nuts or without?
Nuts! Anything less would not be a Sunday.

2. You’re buying a jar of peanut butter: which brand do you buy most often? Creamy or crunchy?
Crunchy, as I sit here writing this eating a glob of crunchy peanut butter. I buy the store brand.

3. What was the last kind of nut you remember eating?
Almonds, not counting peanut butter.

4. Take the quiz: What nut are you?

You Are a Brazil Nut

To most people, you seem exotic, unusual, and even a bit scary. But you're really quite normal. You're just hard to get to know. If people leave you alone and let you do your thing, you really shine. But you tend to get lost in a crowd, especially if it's filled with big personalities.

What Nut Are You?

Wow! Too, close for comfort (except for "just hard to get to know" I think I am easy to get to know.)
For question #2 “How do people tend to react to you?” * People are not sure what to make of you. Yeah, people tend not to know what to make of a six foot trans-person in the room with them.

5. This one will do a lot to indicate where you’re from: when you hear someone refer to “boiled peanuts,” are you intrigued or grossed out?
“Boiled peanuts”? I never heard of them, what are they boiled in?

6. What is your favorite synonym for the other kind of nut, as in “a lunatic?”
None, I wouldn’t describe a person that way.

Transgender Lives: The Intersection of Health and Law Conference

The conference was a great success, we had about 130 people pre-register (about 110 actually showed up) with about 40 walk-in. We just barely had enough meals for them and all the rooms were full to capacity. I didn’t attend any of the workshops but stayed at the registration desk all day and helping out where ever I was needed. It was another long day, I had to pick-up three people who needed a ride to the conference so that meant that I had to leave my house by six-thirty in order to get them there by eight. I didn’t get home until after six I had to drive them all home.

I was on the closing panel discussion…

National, State and Community Legislative Advocacy regarding Gender
Identity and Expression; 3:30 – 4:15 PM
Massey Auditorium
The Closing Plenary will be a panel discussion and open community dialogue around the Legislative and Policy issues facing us at a National, State and Community level. This four member panel is composed of a broad cross-section of advocates who will speak specifically to the legislative landscape and political dynamics that directly impacts the lives of trans and gender non-conforming individuals. Given the on-going controversy and struggles between many long time activists in the Trans Community with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), we felt it imperative that the community be provided an opportunity to engage in an open and honest dialogue regarding a United ENDA and the opposition being shown by HRC. HRC has kindly agreed to provide a representative from national to listen to and dialogue with the community about these issues. The four member panel will be: Jeremy P, HRC Deputy Field Director, Diana L, Ct TransAdvocacy and Ct Outreach Society, M. Dru L, TransPride organizer, transgender activist and attorney and Jerimarie L, Ct TransAdvocacy Coalition and Queers Without Borders. [There was a fifth panel member added to the panel, Rachael G, GenderPAC]
http://www.transadvocacy.com/documents/program.pdf

One thing I have to say about the HRC representative is that it took guts to face such a hostile audience; I do not think that there was one question that was friendly towards them. About two thirds of the way through the questioning someone in the audience asked, “How many here believe him?” and no one raised their hand.
They said that they came to the conference to assess the mood of the community; well they sure got an ear full of what we thought of the HRC.

Update 11:55
In the order that we were speaking, I spoke just after Jeremy. One of the topics that he spoke about was the need to go out an educate Congress and that there are very few people who are lobbying from the mid-west. I was asked to speak about the NTCE Washington DC Lobbying Day and my experiences with NTCE Lobbying Day, one of the points that I made was that we had people from Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas there to lobby and that there were about 200 people there from around twenty-seven states.
All of the questions but one that were asked during the 45 minute Q&A session were directed to Jeremy, the one question that wasn’t asked of Jeremy was asked to me, “Was the HRC present during this year’s Lobbying Day?”. My answer was, “No, there was not anyone from the HRC that attended the lobbying effort that day, that I knew of”. I forgot to mention that there were other organizations that were present at the meetings like the representative from Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) who attended our meeting with Sen. Dodd staff member.

Real Art Ways Creative Cocktail Hour

I went to the CCH last night with some friends and they had this neat video show presented by Aerostatic and Forward Motion Theater, they used video projectors to project through gauze to give it a kind of 3D effect. They projected random patterns that changed with the music and then later they did a chandelier dance. It was a dance with a swinging chandelier as a partner; it was an interesting interpretive dance.

Friday Fill In #68

Janet’s Friday Fill In #68

1. The last time I lost my temper I _was so long ago that I can’t remember_!
2. _Aggressive drivers_ is what I'm fed up with!
3. The next book I'd like to read is _Whipping Girl_.
4. _Summer at the cottage_ is what I'm looking forward to.
5. If you can't get rid of the skeleton[s] in your closet, _donate them to medical school_!
6. The best thing I got hope I get in the mail recently was is _my acceptance to grad school_.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _helping stuff folders_, tomorrow my plans include _working at the Trans Health & Law Conference_ and Sunday, I want to _go hiking_!

Update On HB5723, An Act Concerning Discrimination

Just a quick update on the Connecticut Gender Inclusive Anti-Discrimination bill, it is on the House Calendar and time is running out! There is only fifteen days left in this year’s legislative session and the opposition is using fear tactics to try to kill the bill. So if you haven’t called your legislator yet and asked them to help move the bill to vote in the House, please call them now or send them an email (To find you legislators contact information, click here.).

Lobbying Day Down in Washington

The Lobbying Day was a success! I think there were people here in Washington DC from something like twenty-seven states for the National Center for Transgender Equality Lobbying Day. I went down to Washington DC with a friend and we met with the staff from Senator’s Dodd and Lieberman and the staff from Representatives Larson and Murphy. The Connecticut delegation support the inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) but they voted or are voting for the non-inclusive bill, we had to make them aware of how important it is to have an inclusive bill.
We got down here Sunday afternoon and that night there was informal cocktail party at the hotel bar, it was a nice time to network and I met up with a number of friends that I hadn’t seen in a while to renew friendships. It was an early night because most of us were tired from traveling; it took me about six and half hours to drive down to Washington DC from Connecticut.
Monday was training day, there was a full eight hours of training. They went over all the details of the bill who was for the bill, who was against the bill, what was the opposition arguments against the bill, what points we should emphasis and what we should not emphasis. Then at night there was a reception to honor six Representatives who voted against the Non-inclusive ENDA, they lost their perfect score in supporting LGBT Rights from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) because they voted against the way the HRC wanted them to vote. The reception was covered by the Washington Blade and you can read the article and see the photos of the reception.
Tuesday, we got to the Capital bright and early to have our pictures taking (I will post them once I get a copy of them.) and then we walked up to the Dicken’s Senate Building cafeteria were we made a corner of the cafeteria our office. I hung out there until it was time to meet with Senator Dodd’s staff at 12:30 and then we went back to the cafeteria to fill out contact reports. At 2:00 we met with Senator Lieberman’s staff, at 3:00 with Representative Larson staff and at 4:00 with Representatives Murphy’s staff. So it was a long day running from one office to another. All of the legislators staff that we met said that the congressman was in full support of the gender inclusive ENDA, BUT would vote for the non-inclusive bill if it came up for a vote. We told them about New York and the passage of Sexual Orientation Employment Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA) and the promise to pass a gender bill, but that it has not passed in the six years since SONDA.
We left from Washington at about a quarter of nine and I got home at four, the traffic was light with only two traffics jams. One because of an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike and the other at the Tappan Zee due to construction.

I Am Off To Washington DC

I am off to Washington DC to lobby for the Gender Inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and for the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime bill. I have my appointments made already with my Senators Dodd and Lieberman and Representative Larson for Tuesday and I am all fired up
I am going to be out of touch because the hotel wants $9.95 to connect to the internet, I find that outrageous! That just about what I pay for a whole month of high speed internet connections.
So I will be out of cyberspace until Wednesday evening (I will probably be have withdraw symptoms by then.)

Saturday 9

Crazy’s Sam Saturday 9

1. Have you ever been in a serious accident? If not, how about any accident?
Yes, when I was about ten. Somebody threw a lit cigarette onto the grass alongside a highway and it caught fire. The smoke from the fire blew across the road blinding the drivers, a seven car piled-up resulted sending my mother and me to the hospital. I think I was in a total of seven accidents, most of them just fender benders.

2. Have you ever been ticketed for an accident and if so did you pay it or fight it?
Yes, when I was a teenager, for following to close. I was stopped at a light when a driver didn’t even try to stop hit my car from behind and drove my car into the car in front, this time it was only a four car accident.

3. What kind of insurance do you have and would you recommend it to your friends?
I have a mutual insurance company.

4. Did the accident cause you to change the way you drive?
No, after all I was stopped at a light. I am not about to drive through red lights just so some idiot who wasn’t looking where she was going won’t run into me.

5. Did you need a rental car? If so, did you get a better car or worse one than you had? If not, what did you do for transportation?
Yes, I got a Camaro and I was driving a Focus

6. Have any of the mishaps you've experienced with your vehicles given you impressions of the quality or safety of certain vehicles?
Yes, I now make sure my car has a five star rating and it has side airbags.

7. Have you had to hire an attorney due to an accident?
No, the other person's insurance covered all of the losses.

8. When in an accident were you alone, with someone, with your children, etc. Did that make a difference in the situation?
In four accidents I was with friends and two accidents I was alone. All but two accidents were very minor and were the result of a car striking the back of my car.

9. Finally, if you could drive any vehicle you wanted, what would it be?
Toyota Prius, it has a five start crash rating and it fantastic mileage.

Friday Fill-In #67

Janet’s Friday Fill-In #67

1. I love springtime in _Washington DC_! [I wonder if the cherry trees are still in blossom.]
2. _A western omelet and sausages_ are foods I love to eat for breakfast.
3. It seems I'm always searching for _my wig_!
4. _Reading another chapter_ is a great way to end the day.
5. I think I _therefore, I am_!
6. _Chocolate_ is what I've been craving lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _packing fro my trip_, tomorrow my plans include _moderating the support group_ and Sunday, I want to _drive down to Washington DC_!