Warning: This is another personal, non-promotional blog. I'm sure it will be a little off center and full of random rambles. ;)
What a week in history this is - for the world and for me personally.
Today, July 13th, marks the 25th anniversary of the Live Aid concert. Put together by Sir Bob Geldof with the help of Midge Ure, Live Aid was a massive concert that followed in the footsteps of Band-Aid (and it's offspring USA for Africa, amongst others) to raise awareness and money for famine relief in Ethiopia and Africa. Held at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, artists including Queen, U2, David Bowie, Phil Collins, Duran Duran, Madonna, Bryan Ferry, Paul Young, Elton John, Tom Petty, Simple Minds, The Pretenders, Neil Young, Patti LaBelle, and MANY others played to a combined 170,000+ fans, while millions of people watched on tv worldwide.
I was one of those that watched. I was two days shy of my 13th birthday and I was riveted. So many artists I loved were performing. It was amazing. The day was slightly interrupted by a smoke detector going off in the apartment two floors down from us. After being evacuated from the building by the fire department for a short bit (it wasn't a fire, just someone who left a pot of water on their stove top - boiling - while they were not at home) I was able to get back inside to continue watching. As I remember it was a gorgeous summer day, but I wanted to stay inside to watch this amazing event.
Of course we had Live 8 a few years back (also held in July - July 2nd to be exact), but where are these massive concerts these days? Wow.
On July 15th I came into this world. Of course this should be a national holiday (hahaha, yeah right), but since it isn't, I'll just wish myself a Happy Birthday and call it good. ;) One nice thing this year is I *may* have won a Sex Pistols t-shirt, and that would be a really awesome birthday present. Feel free to send other birthday gifts to Stacy L...uh, nevermind. :)
July 16, 1990 - amazing to think that was 20 years ago - I saw my first of two shows on Depeche Mode's World Violation tour. It wasn't my first DM show ever, that came in May of 1988. But to celebrate 20 years of Violator, my favorite DM album, along with the WV tour, is incredible. I went to the show on the 16th in Vancouver, BC. Two days later, on the 18th, I traveled to Portland, OR for another show. What a great way to celebrate my 18th birthday by seeing my favorite band in two beautiful cities.
Another thing I'd like to do in this blog today is wish all of my July baby friends and family a very Happy Birthday! For so long I was one of the only people I knew with a July birthday. When I fell in love with Depeche Mode and found that former member Vince Clarke and founders Andy Fletcher and Martin Gore all had July birthdays, I was a giddy little fan girl. Now with Modies, Zazzlers, family, and friends, July is full of AWESOME people celebrating their special day!
***Special shout outs to Debbie, Tricia, Shannon R, Shannon J, Jenn, and Tina - HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADIES!!! ***
I guess that's about all the rambling I want to do for now. Celebrate the people in your lives with birthdays, remember the good things that have happened to make this world a better place, and appreciate the people and things that come into your life ~ they are pieces of the puzzle that make up who we are and this life we lead.
Thank you for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Grateful & Blessed - One Music Fan's Feelings
As a lifelong music junkie, I've often been envious of the people I hear about that can travel to and attend multiple concerts by my favorite bands/artists. Now, I'm not saying I haven't done that myself, to a point. In 1990 Depeche Mode could not play in Seattle because of the Goodwill Games, so I traveled to both Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR to see the World Violation tour. And in 2003, I traveled to Portland to see Dave Gahan's Paper Monster tour a night before also seeing him in Seattle. But to travel to multiple shows/states/countries to see an artist play is something that I can't do now - financially or as a parent of a young child.
I thought about it, though, after seeing She Wants Revenge and The Psychedelic Furs live last week, and realized that I have been incredibly fortunate and blessed to have been able to meet and have my picture taken with my favorite artists. This is big for me, as I care so much about music and the role it has played in my life.
In 1990, while in Portland for the DM show, a friend and I got the opportunity to meet and photograph Bon Harris from Nitzer Ebb (they opened for DM). Of curse we didn't think to ask if we could take pictures with him, so I don't have a picture of me with him, just a picture of him alone. He was very nice and later waved at us and pointed us out to Douglas McCarthy as they walked past us into the stadium during sound checks.
In 2003, at the Portland show of the Paper Monsters tour, I got to meet Kenna (who opened for Dave Gahan). At that time I just got to talk to him and had him sign my cd insert. But the next night, back home in Seattle, my husband and I got the opportunity to talk to him both before and after the show. At our encounter after the show, a friend of ours took a picture of us with Kenna. Jump forward to 2007 and Kenna opening for She Wants Revenge. To our great surprise, when we went to say hi to Kenna and have him sign my t-shirt, he remembered us. 4 years later, Kenna remembered us. How awesome is that? Again, we got to have our picture taken with him.
In 2005 the most amazing thing happened - thanks to my husband, my friend Stephanie and I got to go backstage to meet Depeche Mode at a meet & greet before their Touring The Angel Seattle show. Steph and I were amazed enough to have gotten 4th row seats to the show. But to get to meet the band - I don't think you could wipe the shocked smiles off of our faces the whole day/evening. It was brief, but magical. Dave, Martin, and Andy are even more beautiful in person and were very warm and friendly. Stephanie and I even got hugs from Andy!
In April of this year, I got to have my picture taken with Io and Leo of Io Echo. I've been a huge fan of them since 2007 when I saw them open for Kenna and SWR. I got to briefly meet Joanna (Io) at that show and she signed my cd cover. I've followed them since, and was given the wonderful gift (by Joanna) of being put on their guest list when they played in Denver, opening for A Place To Bury Strangers and The Big Pink. After their set, I went up to the merchandise booth and got to talk to Joanna for a bit. She is such a sweetheart and seriously one of the nicest people I've met. She and Leo took a picture with me, which was awesome.
Finally, last week, after missing out on seeing She Wants Revenge for years (yes, even though I saw Io Echo and Kenna open for SWR in '07, I missed their performance because we had to leave - crummy, I know), I FINALLY got to see them live, thanks to Adam from SWR. He, like Joanna, gave me the most amazing gift of putting me on the guest list. After being completely in awe of their live set, I got to meet and thank Adam in person for putting me on the list. And, of course, I got a picture with him.
I think I've finally gotten over my envy of people with money, who have the ability to save money, and have the time, or the ability to make time, to see their favorite artists multiple times on a tour. Because, quite honestly, I'm proud of opportunities I have had and am more than thankful for each and every one of them. I'm sure to some out there, the meetings I've had are miniscule to what they've done and who they've met. But to me, they mean the world and I couldn't be happier with the experiences I have been blessed with. I loved all of these artists before meeting them, so they were all special moments that I will never forget.
If you don't know these artists, here are some links for them all:
Depeche Mode
Nitzer Ebb
Kenna
Io Echo
She Wants Revenge (who also have a shop on Zazzle, btw - She Wants Revenge)
I thank them and the other people involved in our meetings and photo ops. You won't find a more grateful or devoted fan.
I thought about it, though, after seeing She Wants Revenge and The Psychedelic Furs live last week, and realized that I have been incredibly fortunate and blessed to have been able to meet and have my picture taken with my favorite artists. This is big for me, as I care so much about music and the role it has played in my life.
In 1990, while in Portland for the DM show, a friend and I got the opportunity to meet and photograph Bon Harris from Nitzer Ebb (they opened for DM). Of curse we didn't think to ask if we could take pictures with him, so I don't have a picture of me with him, just a picture of him alone. He was very nice and later waved at us and pointed us out to Douglas McCarthy as they walked past us into the stadium during sound checks.
In 2003, at the Portland show of the Paper Monsters tour, I got to meet Kenna (who opened for Dave Gahan). At that time I just got to talk to him and had him sign my cd insert. But the next night, back home in Seattle, my husband and I got the opportunity to talk to him both before and after the show. At our encounter after the show, a friend of ours took a picture of us with Kenna. Jump forward to 2007 and Kenna opening for She Wants Revenge. To our great surprise, when we went to say hi to Kenna and have him sign my t-shirt, he remembered us. 4 years later, Kenna remembered us. How awesome is that? Again, we got to have our picture taken with him.
In 2005 the most amazing thing happened - thanks to my husband, my friend Stephanie and I got to go backstage to meet Depeche Mode at a meet & greet before their Touring The Angel Seattle show. Steph and I were amazed enough to have gotten 4th row seats to the show. But to get to meet the band - I don't think you could wipe the shocked smiles off of our faces the whole day/evening. It was brief, but magical. Dave, Martin, and Andy are even more beautiful in person and were very warm and friendly. Stephanie and I even got hugs from Andy!
In April of this year, I got to have my picture taken with Io and Leo of Io Echo. I've been a huge fan of them since 2007 when I saw them open for Kenna and SWR. I got to briefly meet Joanna (Io) at that show and she signed my cd cover. I've followed them since, and was given the wonderful gift (by Joanna) of being put on their guest list when they played in Denver, opening for A Place To Bury Strangers and The Big Pink. After their set, I went up to the merchandise booth and got to talk to Joanna for a bit. She is such a sweetheart and seriously one of the nicest people I've met. She and Leo took a picture with me, which was awesome.
Finally, last week, after missing out on seeing She Wants Revenge for years (yes, even though I saw Io Echo and Kenna open for SWR in '07, I missed their performance because we had to leave - crummy, I know), I FINALLY got to see them live, thanks to Adam from SWR. He, like Joanna, gave me the most amazing gift of putting me on the guest list. After being completely in awe of their live set, I got to meet and thank Adam in person for putting me on the list. And, of course, I got a picture with him.
I think I've finally gotten over my envy of people with money, who have the ability to save money, and have the time, or the ability to make time, to see their favorite artists multiple times on a tour. Because, quite honestly, I'm proud of opportunities I have had and am more than thankful for each and every one of them. I'm sure to some out there, the meetings I've had are miniscule to what they've done and who they've met. But to me, they mean the world and I couldn't be happier with the experiences I have been blessed with. I loved all of these artists before meeting them, so they were all special moments that I will never forget.
If you don't know these artists, here are some links for them all:
Depeche Mode
Nitzer Ebb
Kenna
Io Echo
She Wants Revenge (who also have a shop on Zazzle, btw - She Wants Revenge)
I thank them and the other people involved in our meetings and photo ops. You won't find a more grateful or devoted fan.
Thanks for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Pleasures Remain, So Does The Pain
...words are meaningless and forgetable.
Yes, those are Depeche Mode lyrics. No, that's not really a surprise coming from me. But there is a significance to using lyrics from Enjoy The Silence.
ETS was released in 1990. Another thing released in 1990 - me - from school. This year marks my 20 year high school reunion. It's a hard number to swallow at times, because I don't feel that old, and sometimes it just doesn't seem that long ago that the pleasures and pain of high school took place. My reunion doesn't take place until September, so I'm hoping that between now and then I can come up with the money to go back home and (let me) take (you on) a trip (around the world and) back to see everyone again. The Depeche Mode lyrical inspiration just never dies - not even after all of these years. That's one of things the people I went to junior high and high school with probably still remember about me - even if they don't remember anything else.
I worked at a record store during my senior year of high school - a dangerous place for a music junkie. I was on the yearbook staff (boy did we get some flack with the 89/90 yearbook). I was in drama and I filled up on art classes throughout all of junior and senior high. 20 years later I'm still a music junkie and I still love art. I love to be creative and create. My days on the stage, however, ended with my high school career.
So much has changed in our country in the last 20 years.
Gas in 1990 averaged $1.34 - oh to have those days again!
A new home averaged $123,000. Now you're lucky to get a total fixer upper for that!
George H.W. Bush was the US President and in 1990 his "no new taxes" statement from 2 years earlier went completely out the door.
We entered Operation Dessert Storm in 1990.
Ghost, Home Alone, Edward Scissorhands, and Pretty Woman were popular movies.
It's easy to long for the simpler days of youth sometimes. Spending my formative years in the 80s was an adventure and while I'd never want to go back for good to relive it, I certainly wouldn't mind a visit - and I especially wouldn't mind some of those prices again!
However young or old you are - cherish each and every day. Respect the people who come in and out of your life - even if you disagree with them. Their influence for the good and their differences that make you think will shape you and the person you become. And even if you hated school with every ounce of your being, consider revisiting your past when your high school reunions arrive. Thanks to Facebook I am in contact again with people I used to be friends with but lost touch with. And I'm now acquaintances and friends with people I knew but didn't exactly hang out with 20 years ago. Life is a roller coaster, school is a necessary evil, and growing up in inevitable (maturity, on the hand, is an option...lol). Learn from it, grow with it, and carry on!
Happy 20 years KM Class of 1990 and GO ROYALS!
Yes, those are Depeche Mode lyrics. No, that's not really a surprise coming from me. But there is a significance to using lyrics from Enjoy The Silence.
ETS was released in 1990. Another thing released in 1990 - me - from school. This year marks my 20 year high school reunion. It's a hard number to swallow at times, because I don't feel that old, and sometimes it just doesn't seem that long ago that the pleasures and pain of high school took place. My reunion doesn't take place until September, so I'm hoping that between now and then I can come up with the money to go back home and (let me) take (you on) a trip (around the world and) back to see everyone again. The Depeche Mode lyrical inspiration just never dies - not even after all of these years. That's one of things the people I went to junior high and high school with probably still remember about me - even if they don't remember anything else.
I worked at a record store during my senior year of high school - a dangerous place for a music junkie. I was on the yearbook staff (boy did we get some flack with the 89/90 yearbook). I was in drama and I filled up on art classes throughout all of junior and senior high. 20 years later I'm still a music junkie and I still love art. I love to be creative and create. My days on the stage, however, ended with my high school career.
So much has changed in our country in the last 20 years.
Gas in 1990 averaged $1.34 - oh to have those days again!
A new home averaged $123,000. Now you're lucky to get a total fixer upper for that!
George H.W. Bush was the US President and in 1990 his "no new taxes" statement from 2 years earlier went completely out the door.
We entered Operation Dessert Storm in 1990.
Ghost, Home Alone, Edward Scissorhands, and Pretty Woman were popular movies.
It's easy to long for the simpler days of youth sometimes. Spending my formative years in the 80s was an adventure and while I'd never want to go back for good to relive it, I certainly wouldn't mind a visit - and I especially wouldn't mind some of those prices again!
However young or old you are - cherish each and every day. Respect the people who come in and out of your life - even if you disagree with them. Their influence for the good and their differences that make you think will shape you and the person you become. And even if you hated school with every ounce of your being, consider revisiting your past when your high school reunions arrive. Thanks to Facebook I am in contact again with people I used to be friends with but lost touch with. And I'm now acquaintances and friends with people I knew but didn't exactly hang out with 20 years ago. Life is a roller coaster, school is a necessary evil, and growing up in inevitable (maturity, on the hand, is an option...lol). Learn from it, grow with it, and carry on!
Happy 20 years KM Class of 1990 and GO ROYALS!
Thanks for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
Monday, April 12, 2010
White Light Spins Through the Fog
Last night, April 11th, was date night for me and the hubby. It's been a long time since we've had a date night. And last night gave us a great reason for one. One of our favorite bands, IO Echo, was playing in Denver at the Bluebird Theater, opening for A Place To Bury Strangers and The Big Pink.
We first saw IO Echo in Seattle in October of '07. They and Kenna were opening for She Wants Revenge. I had never heard of IO Echo, but by the end of the set I was a fan. I bought the cd they were selling at the venue and soon became my own street team for spreading the word about this incredible band. I had done the same with Kenna after hearing him for the first time in '03. When I fall in love with an artist who doesn't get the radio airplay or media attention that others get, I tend to go into uber-fan mode and do what I can to get people to notice them. It's the music-addict-geek in me, I guess, that makes me do it...
Anyway, since moving to Denver, I wasn't sure if and when I would get to see IO Echo live again, and once I saw that they would be playing here, I knew I had to go. I wasn't sure how we would do it as every penny we have is watched pretty carefully these days. But then by pure chance and luck, an opportunity came to me that I could not and would not pass up. We were going to see the band! Thank you Joanna for that gracious gift.
We got to the theater early-ish and got a spot dead center in front of the stage, not on the floor as it's about 4' below the stage, but on the first tier up - maybe 5 feet from the stage. Perfect. When the band came out I was one of just a few people to scream and whoop, but by the end of the set, the whole audience was clapping and cheering. And it's not a surprise.
Starting out with some new songs that will hopefully find their way onto a cd in the near future, I was totally impressed. Then Joanna announced that she had been battling bronchitis - you would have NEVER guessed, she sounded great. Soon came "While You Are Sleeping" which started with Joanna down on her knees on the stage and worked her way up to bouncing around. "I'm On Fire" started and my hubby said to me, "this is where she wins over the crowd." And she did. This song starts "quiet, they're all so quiet." It lingers and then like a kick to the face the drums and guitars assault the senses while she wails "I'm on fire!" - only to go back to the soothingly soft sounds of the beginning of the song. The set ended with "Doorway" which is one of my favorite songs. Still no signs of the bronchitis Joanna had been fighting - she sounded spot on. They left the stage to a cheering crowd, as it should be.
I got some pictures from the set, here are a few of them:
After the set we headed up to the merch counter, in hopes that they would be there. Leo was behind the counter, and the other band members, plus a few others were there talking. Finally, Joanna came up. She talked to the boys for a minute, then as I was going to go say hi, she turned around, saw me, said hi to me by name (uh, yeah, super cool that she knew who I was), and gave me a hug. We talked for a bit, I bought a limited edition t-shirt, then I got a pic with Joanna and Leo. We then went and watched A Place To Bury Strangers (which was good, albeit too loud - the guitars were way too loud and the vocals way too quiet - but still good music and a good set), and then headed home.
I had the best night - out with my wonderful hubby, an amazing live show in a great little venue, chatting with Joanna - couldn't have asked for more from date night! Thanks to IO Echo for their great performance!
Check out IO Echo on Facebook and MySpace. Listen to the music, become a fan. And if you get the chance to see them live, do!
Thanks for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
We first saw IO Echo in Seattle in October of '07. They and Kenna were opening for She Wants Revenge. I had never heard of IO Echo, but by the end of the set I was a fan. I bought the cd they were selling at the venue and soon became my own street team for spreading the word about this incredible band. I had done the same with Kenna after hearing him for the first time in '03. When I fall in love with an artist who doesn't get the radio airplay or media attention that others get, I tend to go into uber-fan mode and do what I can to get people to notice them. It's the music-addict-geek in me, I guess, that makes me do it...
Anyway, since moving to Denver, I wasn't sure if and when I would get to see IO Echo live again, and once I saw that they would be playing here, I knew I had to go. I wasn't sure how we would do it as every penny we have is watched pretty carefully these days. But then by pure chance and luck, an opportunity came to me that I could not and would not pass up. We were going to see the band! Thank you Joanna for that gracious gift.
We got to the theater early-ish and got a spot dead center in front of the stage, not on the floor as it's about 4' below the stage, but on the first tier up - maybe 5 feet from the stage. Perfect. When the band came out I was one of just a few people to scream and whoop, but by the end of the set, the whole audience was clapping and cheering. And it's not a surprise.
Starting out with some new songs that will hopefully find their way onto a cd in the near future, I was totally impressed. Then Joanna announced that she had been battling bronchitis - you would have NEVER guessed, she sounded great. Soon came "While You Are Sleeping" which started with Joanna down on her knees on the stage and worked her way up to bouncing around. "I'm On Fire" started and my hubby said to me, "this is where she wins over the crowd." And she did. This song starts "quiet, they're all so quiet." It lingers and then like a kick to the face the drums and guitars assault the senses while she wails "I'm on fire!" - only to go back to the soothingly soft sounds of the beginning of the song. The set ended with "Doorway" which is one of my favorite songs. Still no signs of the bronchitis Joanna had been fighting - she sounded spot on. They left the stage to a cheering crowd, as it should be.
I got some pictures from the set, here are a few of them:
After the set we headed up to the merch counter, in hopes that they would be there. Leo was behind the counter, and the other band members, plus a few others were there talking. Finally, Joanna came up. She talked to the boys for a minute, then as I was going to go say hi, she turned around, saw me, said hi to me by name (uh, yeah, super cool that she knew who I was), and gave me a hug. We talked for a bit, I bought a limited edition t-shirt, then I got a pic with Joanna and Leo. We then went and watched A Place To Bury Strangers (which was good, albeit too loud - the guitars were way too loud and the vocals way too quiet - but still good music and a good set), and then headed home.
I had the best night - out with my wonderful hubby, an amazing live show in a great little venue, chatting with Joanna - couldn't have asked for more from date night! Thanks to IO Echo for their great performance!
Check out IO Echo on Facebook and MySpace. Listen to the music, become a fan. And if you get the chance to see them live, do!
Thanks for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
It's Time To Give a Damn.
The semi-famous Stacy Soap Box has been pulled out today because I have something to say.
I am mad. I am disgusted. I am sad.
I was 7 or 8 years old, I think, the first time I heard the word "gay" in reference to people. I'm sure at that time I didn't fully understand it, but I do know I didn't seem to have a problem with it. By junior high and high school I had formed my outspoken attitude toward acceptance and equality.
Today, in 2010, you would think homosexuality wouldn't still be seen as a disease. You wouldn't think that the GLBT community would still have to live in fear of being disowned by family and friends or of being the victim of horrible hate crimes. You would think that the rampant discrimination they face at home, at work, at church, in society in general would have faded away. But sadly these are still daily issues.
I understand that a lot of people have issues with homosexuality because they don't understand it, or for morality sake. I get that. What I don't get is why that means it's okay to treat family, friends, and total strangers as if they should not be allowed to be loved and treated with respect, dignity, and equality. I guarantee you that whether you know it or not, there is at least one gay, lesbian, or bisexual person in your life - it could be a family member, your co-worker, former college roommate, a classmate, mail delivery person, hairdresser, a member of your church, your dentist - anyone.
Do they suddenly change when they tell you they are gay? No. They don't change, YOU do. You suddenly have other places to be, people to see, things to do. You are too busy to take their phone call. You are feeling under the weather so that lunch date has to be canceled. You change. They don't. They are still the same person who helped celebrate your birthday. They are still the same person who helped you conquer your fear of heights. They are still the same person who held your hand when your boyfriend broke up with you. They are still the same.
I've been following the case of Constance McMillen. If you don't know, she is a young lesbian woman who wanted to take her girlfriend to the prom. Her school said no and canceled the prom. Then it was announced a prom would be held and Constance could go and take her girlfriend. But it was a fake prom. There were 7 students at this fake prom. Besides Constance, the other students in attendance were kids with disabilities. Where were the rest of the classmates of these kids? Oh, yeah, they were at another prom that the parents (and probably the school officials) put on, the "real" prom. It angers me to no end that they did this. What does that say about them as people, as a community? Not only did they discriminate horribly against Constance, but they discriminated against those with disabilities. They essentially said that if you are different from us, then you are not allowed to be with us and enjoy the things we enjoy. That is cold, heartless, and despicable.
I've also been disgusted by the reports of kids and teens committing suicide due to bullying. This is slightly off topic because not all the cases have to do with the child being gay or perceived as gay. But the fact that it's happening at all, for ANY reason is sickening. The kids doing the bullying can't take all the blame. If they are learning this type of anger, hate, discrimination, or behavior from their parents - then the parents need to have their parental rights stripped away. If you think it is okay for your kids to act this way, then you deserve to be punished as much, if not more, than your children that are doing these awful acts.
Here are a couple of organizations that are bringing attention to the issues of the GLBT community:
We Give A Damn
Human Rights Campaign
Get involved. Speak your mind. Show your support.
Even if you disagree with the lifestyle, but support the people in your life who are gay or lesbian, you can get involved. You can still show the ones you love, and the world in general, that you stand behind them and that they matter - as family & friends, as important members of society, as human beings. Just take that step. It could help open hearts and minds everywhere.
Okay, I'm putting my soap box away again...for now. Please be kind. Please show love. Our differences do not make us good or bad, better or worse than anyone else. Our differences make us stronger, better people when we can learn to live with and accept those differences for what they are.
Thank you for reading from Rdwnggrl's World.
I am mad. I am disgusted. I am sad.
I was 7 or 8 years old, I think, the first time I heard the word "gay" in reference to people. I'm sure at that time I didn't fully understand it, but I do know I didn't seem to have a problem with it. By junior high and high school I had formed my outspoken attitude toward acceptance and equality.
Today, in 2010, you would think homosexuality wouldn't still be seen as a disease. You wouldn't think that the GLBT community would still have to live in fear of being disowned by family and friends or of being the victim of horrible hate crimes. You would think that the rampant discrimination they face at home, at work, at church, in society in general would have faded away. But sadly these are still daily issues.
I understand that a lot of people have issues with homosexuality because they don't understand it, or for morality sake. I get that. What I don't get is why that means it's okay to treat family, friends, and total strangers as if they should not be allowed to be loved and treated with respect, dignity, and equality. I guarantee you that whether you know it or not, there is at least one gay, lesbian, or bisexual person in your life - it could be a family member, your co-worker, former college roommate, a classmate, mail delivery person, hairdresser, a member of your church, your dentist - anyone.
Do they suddenly change when they tell you they are gay? No. They don't change, YOU do. You suddenly have other places to be, people to see, things to do. You are too busy to take their phone call. You are feeling under the weather so that lunch date has to be canceled. You change. They don't. They are still the same person who helped celebrate your birthday. They are still the same person who helped you conquer your fear of heights. They are still the same person who held your hand when your boyfriend broke up with you. They are still the same.
I've been following the case of Constance McMillen. If you don't know, she is a young lesbian woman who wanted to take her girlfriend to the prom. Her school said no and canceled the prom. Then it was announced a prom would be held and Constance could go and take her girlfriend. But it was a fake prom. There were 7 students at this fake prom. Besides Constance, the other students in attendance were kids with disabilities. Where were the rest of the classmates of these kids? Oh, yeah, they were at another prom that the parents (and probably the school officials) put on, the "real" prom. It angers me to no end that they did this. What does that say about them as people, as a community? Not only did they discriminate horribly against Constance, but they discriminated against those with disabilities. They essentially said that if you are different from us, then you are not allowed to be with us and enjoy the things we enjoy. That is cold, heartless, and despicable.
I've also been disgusted by the reports of kids and teens committing suicide due to bullying. This is slightly off topic because not all the cases have to do with the child being gay or perceived as gay. But the fact that it's happening at all, for ANY reason is sickening. The kids doing the bullying can't take all the blame. If they are learning this type of anger, hate, discrimination, or behavior from their parents - then the parents need to have their parental rights stripped away. If you think it is okay for your kids to act this way, then you deserve to be punished as much, if not more, than your children that are doing these awful acts.
Here are a couple of organizations that are bringing attention to the issues of the GLBT community:
We Give A Damn
Human Rights Campaign
Get involved. Speak your mind. Show your support.
Even if you disagree with the lifestyle, but support the people in your life who are gay or lesbian, you can get involved. You can still show the ones you love, and the world in general, that you stand behind them and that they matter - as family & friends, as important members of society, as human beings. Just take that step. It could help open hearts and minds everywhere.
Okay, I'm putting my soap box away again...for now. Please be kind. Please show love. Our differences do not make us good or bad, better or worse than anyone else. Our differences make us stronger, better people when we can learn to live with and accept those differences for what they are.
Thank you for reading from Rdwnggrl's World.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Kids That Care Do Great Things!
It may be April 1st, but today's blog is no joke.
There is a young man named Tyler Chilcote who is raising money for the Diabetic Youth Foundation. His family (himself included) has been affected by Type 1 Diabetes. And as a family they are participating in the Families In The Forest Walk and FUNraiser in Sacramento. The event starts on April 18th and Tyler has set a goal of raising $3000 for the DYF.
PLEASE help Tyler and his family reach their goal. Their personal donation page for the DYF is HERE. Giving and helping is easy! Just click on the Sponsor Us Now link toward the bottom of the page. Enter how much you want to donate, your info, and you are set! It doesn't matter if you give $5, $50, or $500 - every little bit helps!
I would also like to suggest that you visit Diabetes Dog from Peticular Fashions on Zazzle. All proceeds from sales of Diabetes Dog products will go toward DYF.
Here are a few of the great products you can find there:
Sully Diabetes Dog from PeticularFashions by PeticularFashions
Create a canvas tote bag at zazzle.com
Also, if you would, join the Peticular Fashions Facebook page. You will not only get to see some of the great products available at their Zazzle shop, but you will hear updates about Diabetes and other causes that they support.
Thank you for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
There is a young man named Tyler Chilcote who is raising money for the Diabetic Youth Foundation. His family (himself included) has been affected by Type 1 Diabetes. And as a family they are participating in the Families In The Forest Walk and FUNraiser in Sacramento. The event starts on April 18th and Tyler has set a goal of raising $3000 for the DYF.
PLEASE help Tyler and his family reach their goal. Their personal donation page for the DYF is HERE. Giving and helping is easy! Just click on the Sponsor Us Now link toward the bottom of the page. Enter how much you want to donate, your info, and you are set! It doesn't matter if you give $5, $50, or $500 - every little bit helps!
I would also like to suggest that you visit Diabetes Dog from Peticular Fashions on Zazzle. All proceeds from sales of Diabetes Dog products will go toward DYF.
Here are a few of the great products you can find there:
Sully Diabetes Dog from PeticularFashions by PeticularFashions
Create a canvas tote bag at zazzle.com
Also, if you would, join the Peticular Fashions Facebook page. You will not only get to see some of the great products available at their Zazzle shop, but you will hear updates about Diabetes and other causes that they support.
Thank you for reading from Rdwnggrl's World!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sweetest Perfection - Violator at 20
March 19th and 20th marked the 20th anniversary of the release dates (UK & US respectively) for Depeche Mode's Violator album. For many it was their introduction to Depeche Mode thanks to the success of the songs "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy The Silence." For others it was the next step for a band who had just about 2 years earlier had put on the concert of a lifetime at Pasadena's Rose Bowl with the 101st show on their Music for the Masses tour.
By the time Violator was released in 1990, I had been listening to Depeche Mode for 6 years. My introduction to their music came in 1984 with the song "People Are People." I still remember going to the record store and buying Some Great Reward on cassette. Soon after that came the purchases of Speak & Spell, A Broken Frame, and Construction Time Again, where I learned that I had also heard "Everything Counts" and "Just Can't Get Enough" on the radio long before PAP. I just never knew who sang them and was, I guess, too young at the time to have really formed a deep connection. But I soon became a devotee. Walls that were once covered in posters of Duran Duran became covered in posters of Depeche Mode. My first live show was on May 2, 1988 at the Seattle Center Coliseum on the MFTM tour.
I eagerly awaited the release of the follow up album, but I will confess that the first time I heard "Personal Jesus" I was less than impressed. It took me a few listens to warm up to it, but once I did, I was hooked. When Violator was released I was working at a record store so I was able to buy it right away. I was also able to play it when I worked - over and over. And over and over again I did. I loved this album. From the opening beats of "World In My Eyes" to the closing notes of "Clean" there was something special about Violator. The only song that didn't wow me was "Policy of Truth" - which to this day is still my least favorite song on the album. I don't dislike it, but it doesn't touch me in a way the rest of the songs do. Three of my Top 10 DM songs are on this album (Halo, Enjoy The Silence, & Waiting For The Night) with two others (Blue Dress & Clean) creeping in depending on my mood.
I wish Violator a very Happy Anniversary. It will always be a special album that will fill my life with incredible sounds and fun, exciting, and emotional memories. The subsequent tour found me traveling to both Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR to see them perform, and again, I was not disappointed. They remain, to this day, one of the greatest, yet most underrated (to non-fans) live bands around. And 20 years on, "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy The Silence" remain concert staples - with occasional appearances by "World In My Eyes," "Policy of Truth," and "Halo" - always crowd favorites.
Thanks for reading from Rdwnggrl's World.
By the time Violator was released in 1990, I had been listening to Depeche Mode for 6 years. My introduction to their music came in 1984 with the song "People Are People." I still remember going to the record store and buying Some Great Reward on cassette. Soon after that came the purchases of Speak & Spell, A Broken Frame, and Construction Time Again, where I learned that I had also heard "Everything Counts" and "Just Can't Get Enough" on the radio long before PAP. I just never knew who sang them and was, I guess, too young at the time to have really formed a deep connection. But I soon became a devotee. Walls that were once covered in posters of Duran Duran became covered in posters of Depeche Mode. My first live show was on May 2, 1988 at the Seattle Center Coliseum on the MFTM tour.
I eagerly awaited the release of the follow up album, but I will confess that the first time I heard "Personal Jesus" I was less than impressed. It took me a few listens to warm up to it, but once I did, I was hooked. When Violator was released I was working at a record store so I was able to buy it right away. I was also able to play it when I worked - over and over. And over and over again I did. I loved this album. From the opening beats of "World In My Eyes" to the closing notes of "Clean" there was something special about Violator. The only song that didn't wow me was "Policy of Truth" - which to this day is still my least favorite song on the album. I don't dislike it, but it doesn't touch me in a way the rest of the songs do. Three of my Top 10 DM songs are on this album (Halo, Enjoy The Silence, & Waiting For The Night) with two others (Blue Dress & Clean) creeping in depending on my mood.
I wish Violator a very Happy Anniversary. It will always be a special album that will fill my life with incredible sounds and fun, exciting, and emotional memories. The subsequent tour found me traveling to both Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR to see them perform, and again, I was not disappointed. They remain, to this day, one of the greatest, yet most underrated (to non-fans) live bands around. And 20 years on, "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy The Silence" remain concert staples - with occasional appearances by "World In My Eyes," "Policy of Truth," and "Halo" - always crowd favorites.
Thanks for reading from Rdwnggrl's World.
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