Archive for February, 2007


The Queens Rule a Most Unfabulous Oscars

As a whole, the Oscars were so totally boring this year. The only eye candy were the numerous candids of Leo (Di Capro), who did not won. The only things that rescued me from the three-and-a-half hours of torture were the reigning queens of the entertainment world.

Daytime queen, Ellen, did a fabulous job holding the show together and making us laugh as only she can. Most of the other bits, especially Will Ferrell’s, were pretty lame-assed. The exception being the dancers/mimes behind the white screen. That was awesome… especially the Prada shoe. Which brings me to my fav, Meryl Streep. I was sorry she didn’t win, but Best Actress was a tough category this year with Meryl, Helen Mirren and Judi Dench all nominated.

I adore Helen Mirren and her win was so well deserved. What an incredible year she’s had playing Queen Elizabeth I in a kick-ass HBO mini-series, for which she won an Emmy, and Queen Elizabeth II on the big screen. But her best performance was in the finale of her long-running PBS series, ‘Prime Suspect.’ Queen Helen will be sorely missed, but something tells me we’ve not seen the last of her. Yes ma’am, you are “the bloody Queen!”

Jennifer Hudson is another winner and her performance at The Academy Awards and Oscar for Best Supporting Actress has shot her up to being the reigning queen of American Idols. If Chris Daughtry and Clay Gaiken (oops – there I go channeling Kathy Griffin – love her but that is another story) Aiken weren’t proof enough that the best talent gets voted off the show, look no further. The girl won an Oscar, there is no better for a performer!

Speaking of American idols, I was quite pleasantly surprise to see Celine Dion perform! I haven’t seen her in a few years, but she is a favorite and all day I had been playing her CDs for some reason and was remembering the year she performed ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at the Oscar and nearly lost a priceless necklace when she slapped herself! She’s still got it. I’m glad her Las Vegas show is ending though. All the fuss going on behind her does not suit her. She is a performer who has no rival and I want to see her to see and hear HER, not all the other distracting stuff.

A performer who only needs a guitar and doesn’t need the circus act is Melissa Etheridge. I adore her deep, raspy sound and was jumping out my seat when she won. I thought for sure the Oscar would go to ‘Dreamgirls.’ How awesome was that! What a trooper Melissa is and now at the top of the heap.

To see Melissa Etheridge and Helen Mirren win Oscars was well worth the three-and-a-half hours I sat rootching in the big chair.

Bookworm

I’m a voracious reader, but don’t read much fiction. I do enjoy the occasional fantasy novel though and love ‘The Chronicles of Narnia‘ and ‘The Mists of Avalon‘ but am most often found hanging out in the garden or new age sections… or in the magazines. I have a magazine obsession and can’t get enough of them!

Favorite Authors
Mara Freeman: is a druid high priestess and has a storytelling ability that draws you in and hooks you on every word. Her book ‘Kindling the Celtic Spirit’ is a testament to that and excellent source of Celtic lore, myth and spirituality. Find Books

Christopher Penczak: a writer, a witch, gay – what’s not to like? His books have a voice that speak particularly well to gay men, especially ‘Gay Witchcraft’ and ‘Sons of the Goddess’ that illuminate the masculine in the path of the Old Ways. Find Books


Charles Dickens’:
the master storyteller! If you have ever read Dickens’ or seen a TV or feature adaptation of one of his tales, you know what I meant. No one else could create such plot twists and menageries of characters. Find Books

What is Romance?

Romance. The word instantly conjures up a dusky scene with the sky’s blazing evening color reflecting on a snow laden landscape. You both have just come in from playing in the snow, light candles and snuggle up in front of a roaring fire with soft music playing. You talk softly and peer deep into each others eyes and, well, you get the picture. But romance is much more than that. I believe it’s being able to teach each other new things and still be children at heart. It’s enjoying the simple things together like falling snow or sunsets or even the more deep and complex issues. Then just when you’re so pissed in a heated debate with him, he grabs you and pulls you out to dance in the rain or to have a snowball fight where you quickly forget why you were arguing.

Sex on the first date is always a… uh hum, hot topic! I think it really depends on the people and the situation. I see nothing wrong with sex on the first date, but not just for the sake of doing it because you always have sex on the first date. If the moment is right and you’re into each other, why not? Wait, this is a subject for another post! There can be romance without sex. Just like there can be sex without romance.

He’s a Survivor

The J.P. Calderon we saw come out on ‘The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency,’ and in the February issue of Instinct magazine, was a much different, humbler man than we saw on last season’s ‘Survivor.’ Is he hot? Hell yes! We saw that in every episode of ‘Survivor,’ but his adorableness wasn’t seen until he revealed his true self to us on Oxygen.

It’s not really a surprise that he’s gay, but what is a surprise is how some have been critical of his coming out. Okay, I’m the first to admit that I co-wrote the book on bitchy, opinionated queens, but everybody is different. Given the same circumstances, each person will deal differently. Should we not admire and respect those who have the balls to put themselves out there, opening themsevles up to the world rather than admonish them?

I suppose I have a lot in common with him and found his story to be very moving. He was clearly struggling with the decision that had to be made in an instant – whether to reinforce or shed the facade he had built up to protect himself. When you don’t like yourself, everything is augmented – how you think other people perceive you, how you interact with other people and basically obsessing over everything involved with interacting with others and the resolve to keep the walls up and the facade going of who you think others think you should be.

We all should have such courage and fortitude. WTG J.P., you d’man!