November 30...

the day my lovely wife was born. Happy Birthday love!

B gets to spend ALL day in the car with me tomorrow. Can you think of a more perfect birthday present for her... I sure can't.

Journal of a birthday wisher.

Wedding pic preview!

Today we got a few more pics from our photographer. Looking at them makes me fall in love with the day all over again. Thank you Ryan for doing such a fabulous job capturing the beauty and emotion of our most precious day.


Our Chuppah made by B's sister Sherry!





The best friend and wedding coordinator ever - Ms. Amy.




Journal of a Happy Thanksgiving!

One Month

This is what I find on my wife's blog today:

I can't believe I have been married for a whole month. I have to say, it is so wonderful to find the one person who can complete your life and make it all the more beautiful. I have found that in Leah. Everyday is amazing being with her. We have been together for almost 3 years, but it feels so brand new. Whenever I am near her I just want to be close to her. I want to be touching her in some way. I love that she likes to hold hands with me, all the time. So, this blog today is for Leah, my beautiful wife.

Leah,

All my life I have dreamed of you. Okay, not "you" but, you. I knew that this is what "it" was supposed to feel like, that this is what love really is. Everyday with you is special and oh, so amazing. When I wake each morning, I (first hit the damn snooze, heehee) smile because I know you are there. I roll next to you, hold you and kiss you good morning. You smile without really waking up. I love that. I love that we hold each other to sleep every night. I love how I feel when I am around you. You make me feel so loved and desired. Thank you, for everything, being you, loving me and for saying yes to marrying me. That day is one of the best days of my life. You looked so beautiful and you looked so happy. I was happy that day, too.

So, I promise to you, to always kiss you good night, kiss you good morning, hold your hand always, cry with you, take care of you when you need it and to love you with all my heart.

Happy one month anniversary, baby! I love you!!!!!

B.

eeekkk, she makes me so happy.

Journal of a one month survivor

Toss me my bathing suit....

A few photos to get me through the day.




Toss me my bath towel, I am heading to paradise...

Winter...already? Bring me my sandals

I've always liked Thanksgiving because I've always liked Fall. Fall, however, is a very different season in California than it is in New York. This year on Thanksgiving day in Troy, NY the weather prediction is a high of 39 and a low of 29 with rain/snow showers. Pleasant (Ha!). The weather for Fresno, CA is predicted to come in with a high of 63, a low of 45 with partly cloudy skies. Awesome!

While I was growing up Thanksgiving usually consisted of my parents, my sister, my grandma and one uncle, a dog, a couple of cats and an outside activity. We would often play a combination of ping-pong and football and up until high school age my sister and I would ride around and around on our bikes, sometimes partaking in some roller skating or hopscotch (by high school, I was, of course, too cool for those activities, and way too cool, especially, to hang out with my little sister).

This year B is spending her first Thanksgiving with my family. We aren't headed to the warmer weathers of CA (boo), in fact, we are headed to the freezing land from which my parents originated....Pennsylvania. The weather there will be a balmy 35 on turkey day with snow showers. I doubt any of us will be ping-ponging in the backyard. I picture myself huddled next to the fire place with B in one hand and a strong drink in the other.

BUT, there is a light at the end of this cold cold tunnel. The light has a name and it is called "B and I in Antigua in 17 days." The weather in Antigua hovers around the 82 degree mark in mid December. Pack the bathing suits and sandals...bye bye snow showers...hello white sandy beaches and swim up bars.

Journal of a girl already honeymooning in her head

I look best in black and white

Since I seem to be fresh out of wedding photos and protest photos, I'll take a step back in time and share a few of my secret little photos I had taken as a surprise for B. Known in the photography and wedding worlds as Boudoir photos, these little gems are sure to excite your significant other and build a little confidence in the object of the photo as well.

I had a great time posing for these shots - it was fun and freeing to take my clothes off in front of strangers (hmmmm, career possibility! Hey, I need all the ideas I can get since my career has sputtered and died). While taking the photos I channelled my best America's Top Model moves and decided that it is NOT as hard as those ANTM girls make it look on TV. Wimps.

Here are some decent ones...with clothes on...








I know, I know, you were hoping to maybe see some boobies, and while I do have some, you won't see them here. I wouldn't mind showing you, but then they may somehow get sent to my boss (wait, I don't have one anymore) my mom (hmmm, she wouldn't really care), my teachers (what? I don't have teachers)...well, whatever, you don't get to see them. Use your imagination (and make me look really good while at it).

Journal of [] the things I do for love

News Clips!

more to come...hopefully

Amazing Day!

Today was a very special and monumental day in our lives and in the history of the gay movement. I am so proud that this awesome movement was put together so quickly and was celebrated so widely across the country. No on Prop 8!

B and I woke up early today so that we could make signs and prepare for what we would say to the crowd in front of City Hall in Albany. We had been asked to say a few words about being married in California - to tell our story. B wrote down the sweetest speech and delivered it with emotion and inspiration:

My wife Leah and I got married on October 25th. It was beautiful and the best day of my life. Then, on Novemebr 4th, the voters in California decided to take that right away. I watched with tears in my eyes as bit by bit the percentage of votes for "yes" went up but the "no" percentage did not. I have experienced hatred before, someone yelling names at me on the street. But this felt far worse. It saddened me, and then it made me angry. To allow a majority to vote on a minority issue is infuriating. To allow discrimination to be written into the constitution is an abomination. I am here today to unite with others around the country who share this view. I am here today to ask NY to do the right thing and pass marriage equality legislation. I am here today to show that my marriage does not in any way threaten yours. I am here today to say that I love my wife!

I then grabbed the bullhorn and blabbed a little about being a native Californian and how proud I was when the CA Supreme Court granted me the right to marry...and how equally unproud I was of the people of California who then took that right away. My speech was not nearly as touching and crowd rousing as B's speech but together we stood up in front of the crowd and told our story. I was proud of us. I was proud to stand next to my wife and fight for our rights.







B and I will also be on the news tonight doing interviews as "the couple that got married in California". Check out this local article: The Record.

Journal of a girl filled with feelings of hope and community

City Hall in YOUR city - Be there this Saturday

Let's all join together as a country and as people who support equality. Come out and protest against prop 8 in your city! B and I will be in Albany this Saturday - we are hoping that by gathering together we will be able to heal some of the anger and sadness we have experienced since November 4. We've been mad at California, mad that people who used to be my neighbors and teachers would vote to take away our right to join a state sanctioned institution.

Journal of a protester and her wife

This is about Love

The best day of my life cannot be taken away from me....



(photos can be enlarged by clicking on them)

Journal of a (forever) married lesbian

[G]OLBERMANN

Tonight I watched Keith Olbermann for the first time and he surprised me with this touching plea to the people of the US. It is heartfelt and totally honest (it even made B cry). Go Keith! Thank you Keith!




Journal of a wife ready to be political

Let's laugh a little at the situation

I found this over here.

Prop 8? More like Prop Hate. My heart goes out to our friends in Cali. At this point it feels like you Californian gays are in an abusive relationship with your government. A few years ago you & Cali were all up on each other in San Fran. It got real hot & heavy, and then she threw you out. She was so into you a few months ago, but now the bitch has left you again. When will this back-and-forth be done for good? One minute you two are married, the next minute, she’s taking back her proposal and asking for an annulment. Who does that? California clearly has a lot of issues.

At least New York is like “Listen, I can’t marry you. I’m in a weird place. I understand if you need to go elsewhere. If you come back here, I’ll totally be your friend, but I’m not ready to get serious, so we can’t do this yet. If you’re ok with just hanging out, having great sex and kicking it with my friends, I’m totally your girl. But if you want more than that, you should totally move (on).” And she’s totally upfront about it. We know if we want a serious relationship, we can hop on over to CT, MA, or NJ. But NY is happy to be our steady, and she’s a GREAT TIME. She’s not hateful, she’s not waffling, she isn’t making promises she can’t keep. New York is taking it slow. I can dig that.

Journal of an optimist

Boo on those...

I couldn't write yesterday because I was feeling sad and let-down. I share the feelings of many of my fellow bloggers; I couldn't even muster much happiness for Obama's victory.

On Tuesday the democrats in 7 counties in NY chose a new judge to sit on the Supreme Court. This saddens me because it wasn't an informed decision. Now a hard-working judge that has served New York honorably will no longer be a voice in our Appellate Division.

Boo on all the democrats who voted without educating themselves.
Boo on all those who voted us out of a job without knowing what kind of job we did.

Boo on all the Californians who voted yes on 8 without educating themselves.
Boo on those who believed the lies about marriage being taught in school.
Boo on those who believe in taking away another person's rights.
Boo on those who think it is a detriment to society when I marry, become monogamous to and build a family with the person I love.
Boo on those who do not understand the definition of equal.
Boo on those who fear their god and think I should fear mine.

Journal of a resounding Boo

While I wait patiently....

I want to see my wedding pictures! Yes, I do! But, I have to wait patiently for our photographer to work his magic on them...so, patiently I wait...

As I am waiting, I find out that B has won a cruise. Yes, my lovely wife won an Olivia cruise THAT WE CANNOT TAKE! The cruise leaves in 3 weeks, ummmm, really short notice. The notification of B's winning came 2 weeks after we booked our honeymoon, TWO WEEKS. Why couldn't they have told us sooner, just a couple weeks sooner, and then we would be going on an Olivia Cruise honeymoon, FOR FREE*! UHHHH, I am upset, and waiting for my wedding pictures gets harder and harder the more upset I get. I can't believe we have to say no to a free* cruise.

On another sour note, tomorrow is election day and I am nervous. Tomorrow holds the potential to knock me two blows; I may lose my job and I may lose my marriage.** I have high hopes that Obama will win...if that doesn't happen, well then, three potential blows for me. It would not be a good day.

It always makes me smile to see a noodle strategically placed on my nephew's head.


Journal of a patient (NOT) blogger

*Free, as everyone knows, does not mean free. It means $477/pp plus airfare. It actually makes me feel better that it would have cost us money.

**I will definitely lose my job if my boss is not re-elected, but I probably won't lose my marriage if Prop 8 passes. I said that mostly for affect. My educated guess is that my marriage will stand, even if other same-sex couples will no longer be able to enter into civil marriage as we were. Which, of course, blows.

Reaching out to voters

My B is in an awesome commercial for the judge; take a look. If you live in Albany, Schoharie, Green, Rensselaer, Columbia, Ulster or Sullivan County, please consider voting for Judge Carpinello. He is a hard-working judge and an honest and good man.



And if you live in California, please vote NO on Prop 8. My marriage to B is built on love and respect and it deserves the same legal rights and responsibilities as all other civil marriages. Do not take my right to be married away from me (or Ellen).



Journal of a voter excercising her right to have a say in things. Although I love the voting process, I read this quote recently: "I didn't get to vote on your marriage, why should you get to vote on mine?"

Halloween with my wife

Halloween is awesome! It was great as a kid and is now great as an adult. B's Halloween started out by accompanying our little niece Samantha to a party. B was a sailor (half of our couple costume) and Sam was a mermaid.


After the mermaid and the sailor collected lots of candy, they returned to our house to be scared by 2 very scary black cats trying to cross their paths...





Our costume was inspired by this awesome picture I am sure you are all aware of:

We tried and tried to duplicate it, but it really didn't work that well. I look like a paper sack, all blobby and ghost-like. But, here are the best shots.




Look at my wife flirting with the next wedding dress she sees, shame, shame, shame...




Journal of a Happy Halloween!