Thursday, June 29, 2006

Vacation is over, time to take a stand



Big shout out to Kelly! He posted a challenge for Pride month to post this picture. So here you go, Kelly.

Lobbying intensifies on Gay Marriage

Governor Mitt Romney and Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley called on the Legislature yesterday to hold a scheduled vote next month on a proposed ban of same-sex marriage, amid indications that gay-rights advocates are prepared to use procedural tactics to kill the measure.

On July 12th, less than two weeks from today, Massachusetts legislators will vote on a constitutional amendment that could ban same-sex marriage.
Opponents of marriage equality know this may be their last chance to take away equal marriage rights in Massachusetts. They need just 50 out of 200 votes on July 12th to advance this amendment that would permanently add discrimination to the Massachusetts constitution. Just yesterday, Governor Romney and Archbishop O'Malley rallied their supporters to take action. We know that legislators are receiving many calls. But with your help, we can protect marriage equality.

Last night, President Bush appeared at a big-ticket fundraiser for embattled GOP Senator Jim Talent in Missouri. Tomorrow, it's off to Ohio to raise funds for Mike DeWine, another GOP Senator that we have a solid chance to defeat come November.
The Republicans think they can sneak President Bush and Vice President Cheney in and out of these states under cover of darkness, and that vulnerable Republican candidates will pick up GOP special interest campaign dollars -- not Bush-Cheney baggage.
Make them pay a price for this most cynical of political calculations.

Take a stand! Join up with whatever political organization in your state is fighting the injustice against our gay citizens and the incompetence of the Bush administration. Remember Stonewall was started by the most gentle of drag queens.

Every voice counts. Something as simple as an email message or phone call to your Senator or Representative is effective. It lets them know how you feel about issues and that you, as a voter, care.

Countess Bedelia 6/29/2006 06:16:00 PM | 5 comments |

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Off to the Berkshires


The Countess is traveling out to western Massachusetts for a little vacation and reunion with some of her internet buddies. This is starting to become a tradition. Ladies come from all over this country, from England, Australia, Japan, and a few other countries.

Sometimes it seems strange that we met online but I guess it is like having a Penpal years ago; just instant communication nowadays, which is so much better. We keep in touch during the year and some of us even meet up for theater in New York City occasionally. But summer in the Berkshires is when we all make the time to be together in person.

The Berkshires has theater, museums, the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, a few good restaurants, and I'm sure there will be some drinking involved. Good times!
Countess Bedelia 6/22/2006 08:15:00 AM | 3 comments |

Monday, June 19, 2006

Reflections on 'The Wedding'


The wedding was all that big weddings are; too little food and too much of everything else. I am sure that there is a reason for “the bride cuts the cake, the bride feeds the groom, the groom throws the garter, etc.”, but it all seems a little dated in this day and time. When the bride throws her bouquet, it is no longer lovely young virgins who line up to catch it. Three-fourths of the women guests are single these days.

The best part of any wedding is reconnecting with family and friends that you don’t get to see very often any more. Most of us are scattered around the country and the globe, far from our New England roots. The Countess herself has lived in Japan, Germany, and in several states over the course of her life. So it is all good when everyone meets for a happy occasion.

The Dowager Empress was literally the queen of the ball. She looked absolutely beautiful and did what she loves to do best: Order her family around! And we obey with love. There was much dancing and drinking, hugging and kissing, laughter and tears of joy. The Countess even did a hip hop dance with her grandson, the baseball player.


The family after-wedding brunch by the pool at my sister-in-law’s manor finished off the festivities and gave everyone a chance to gossip about the wedding. Who was with who, Who did what, Who drank what, Who wore what, Who said what. What fun!!
Countess Bedelia 6/19/2006 12:13:00 PM | 8 comments |

Friday, June 16, 2006

All my Xs live in........




Tomorrow is the big society wedding of my X-niece with 1,000 people invited. The Xs have been flying in all week. First the X-mother-in-law, The Dowager Empress, then the X-husband, The Prince. Now, you might question as to why The Countess is involved at all in this wedding of the X-family. Suffice to say that I divorced the Prince but not his family….after all they are my children’s family too. In any case we are all simpatico and The Dowager Empress is a living doll whom I adore.

So today was spent taking The Dowager over to The Principe’s Palace (that is Son#1) for lunch and to see the X who is staying there. Lunch was a catered affair in which no parsley was evident, much to my relief. However The Countess did offer to make the coffee. Big mistake. It was obviously the coffee maker machine’s fault, but coffee ended up all over the counter and it was a total disaster. Now everyone knows that The Countess relies on the palace cook to do jobs like this, so after many raised eyebrows and condescending remarks, The Principessa made the coffee and all was well.

Tomorrow we all attend the wedding. If any of you are part of a large family, you can relate to the idea of a lot of people who no longer live near each other or even communicate with each other on a regular basis, suddenly being crammed into a function facility festooned with flowers and chintz. Over the past week the frenzy of visiting and meeting and greeting has grown to a fevered pitch. One of the nephews has flown his fiancé in from Japan. Another, who recently divorced, is bringing the new girlfriend. The gossip is flying fast and furious. People Magazine should have such good sources!

The Countess would much rather be at The Palace having a good scotch and hanging out with Mrs. Astor and friends.
Countess Bedelia 6/16/2006 07:13:00 PM | 8 comments |

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

A funny thing happened on the way to buy parsley...




BEHOLD the beautiful sprig of parsley in its native state. Have you ever seen parsley like this? That might seem a stupid question but I have only seen parsley in a jar with holes in the cover. Parsley has stems? Could have fooled me.

So I find this recipe and it calls for fresh parsley. I send the scullery maid to the store for fresh parsley and what do I get? Fluffy green leaves with stems. Is this parsley? The Countess is not too sure but there is one absolute authority that we can consult.....da..da..duh..da.. The Marquessa Patrice, gourmet cook and sister to The Countess.

The Marquessa patiently tells The Countess to wash the parsley to get all the sand out.....EEEK, SAND? Like DIRT?....Yes, Contessa, wash the fucking parsley to get all the sand out. Then when you want to use the fresh parsley, cut the stems off and put the leafy fronds into your pot.

OK, now we get to the purpose of the parsley, which is the Stuffing. No, no, not a great ass, you philistines. This stuffing is a sort of casserole thingy that someone suggested which sounded good to The Countess at the time until she actually saw the fresh parsley.

The punch line of this whole post is.......do not cook unless you are prepared to deal. Now I owe the Marquessa a tutorial on how to use her digital camera ... just because I did not know what real life natural parsley looks like.

p.s. The Marquessa can be a bitch to her sister...LOL!

Countess Bedelia 6/14/2006 09:16:00 PM | 9 comments |

Monday, June 12, 2006

Animals in the News



In New Jersey Jack, the cat, chased this big black bear up a tree according to this story in the AP.

Jack is the little orange thing at the bottom of the tree. Jack is the family watchcat.

Here is a Funny Animal Video for your enjoyment.

Bees do it, Birds do it, even Central Park Zoo penguins do it, let's fall in love.....Gay animals don't need legislation.

The National Geographic has an interesting article on this phenomenom in nature.

How cute is this? My friend, Ian, has made a card with the beautiful Mai-Ling as 'The Lady' and scruffy little Bodoke as 'The Tramp'. If they were at my house today, I would make them a nice meatball and spaghetti dinner. (Isn't Bodoke adorable?)

In other news, no people were killed by alligators in Florida today. However Paris Hilton told reporters she was sending Nicole Ritchie to investigate.

Countess Bedelia 6/12/2006 03:02:00 PM | 2 comments |

Saturday, June 10, 2006

PROUD !!


Today I am proud to live in Massachusetts where gay marriage is legal and all the Democratic candidates for Governor support this freedom.

Proud to attend the Boston Pride Parade.

Proud to be a member of MassEquality.

Proud that my good friend, Cat, is co-chair of Albany Pride Parade which happens tomorrow.


Nothing has been purchased more dearly than the little bit of reason and sense of freedom which now constitutes our pride.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Countess Bedelia 6/10/2006 11:45:00 AM | 4 comments |

Friday, June 09, 2006

Another nail in the coffin......















A friend pointed me in the direction of this CNN news item. It is an interview with Michael Berg whose son, Nicholas, was beheaded by masked terrorists in 2004. The man wielding the death weapon was supposedly Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Mr. Berg has some interesting observations about our President:

"I'm not saying Saddam Hussein was a good man, but he's no worse than George Bush. Saddam Hussein didn't pull the trigger, didn't commit the rapes. Neither did George Bush. But both men are responsible for them under their reigns of terror.

...... Iraq did not have al Qaeda in it. Al Qaeda supposedly killed my son.
Under Saddam Hussein, no al Qaeda. Under George Bush, al Qaeda.


Under Saddam Hussein, relative stability. Under George Bush, instability.


Under Saddam Hussein, about 30,000 deaths a year. Under George Bush, about 60,000 deaths a year. I don't get it. Why is it better to have George Bush the king of Iraq rather than Saddam Hussein?"

Michael Berg is running for Congress in his district in Delaware. I hope he gets elected.
Countess Bedelia 6/09/2006 08:20:00 AM | 2 comments |

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

I'm in a State of Depression


After yesterday's disgraceful speech by our President concerning the Marriage Amendment to our constitution, I retreated to the Huffpo just so that I could be among friends. There I found this very interesting article by Hilary Rosen, "Are straight Republicans fit to be parents: Where do Gay Babies come from?".

Hilary points out that "What do Phyllis Schlafly, Randall Terry, Sens. Arlen Specter and Richard Shelby, former Vice President Ford, and countless other prominent Republicans have in common with Dick and Lynne Cheney? They are parents of gay and lesbian children."

When is all of this going to stop? When is the separation of church and state going to come back? Why do churches want to tell me how to live my life?

The President of the United States is making me depressed. Thinking about my friend's son who is in Iraq is making me depressed. Getting gas for my car is making me depressed. My nephew who got married two years ago ... to a woman ... is now getting a divorce and that is making me depressed.

The US government is bad for my mental health.
Countess Bedelia 6/06/2006 08:48:00 AM | 5 comments |

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Today we welcome our new knight, Sir Rick, Defender of the Bandidos. Rick has an entertaining blog, Bandit Talks. That is a bit of a misnomer because his dog, Bandit, only gets to talk some of the time. Rick tends to take over a bit, like yesterday when he left Bandit at home and took a yoga class. Rick is now taking recommendations for fashionable crash helmets.

Sunday morning cartoons on YouTube features "The Ambiguously Gay Duo". Gay superheros who drive the Penismobile and fight crime and dastardly villains. Tonight's episode: "Trouble Coming Twice".


In keeping with our bandidos theme today, who knew that Cisco and Pancho had a thing for each other?

And in 1931, The Bum Bandit, was released by Fleisher Studios, starring Betty Boop.

Countess Bedelia 6/04/2006 10:45:00 AM | 7 comments |