Today's theme had to do with reflection and setting an intention for the coming year. Made sense to me. Tis the season, after all.

Class was packed. Apparently, that's how it is on holidays. I felt like I demonstrated progress today, as I was able to do both Warrior and Triangle poses without having to use a block. That was exciting.

Also exciting, I did a handstand. With a lot of help. But my hands were on the floor, my arms were extended, and the soles of my feet were pointing to the sky. I think that counts.

So 27 days to go in the challenge, and today I'm feeling like I can make it.

Labels: personal, yoga

I think having only about 14 hours between classes makes the second class harder.

Of course, having only been at this for two days, maybe that's just rationalizing.

Today's class was taken at the eastside location, and I was the only man in the class. I think it's also safe to say that most - if not all - of the women in the class had given birth at some point in their lives.

This meant that there wasn't much attention paid to those of us (OK, just me) who don't have very open hips.

Them: wide hips.

Me: tiny hips.

When I got out of class, my hips did feel incredibly loose, to the point that my legs were a little wobbly. It was kind of cool. Like being drunk without the dizziness.

So 2 down, only 28 to go!

Labels: personal, yoga

I decided to go for it last night. When I arrived at the studio, there was a sea of humanity. I had the choice of taking the larger class that was open to beginners or the class that was specifically for beginners. I opted for the latter because, among other reasons, the main class was packed solid.

Last night's class was definitely more intense than any of the handful of previous classes I've taken so far, few though they've been. I really questioned the wisdom of my decision to undergo this challenge.

But the theme of last night's class was endurance, the ability or strength to continue or last despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions. I realized that the entire past year for me has, in one way or another, been about my own endurance. So what's 30 more days?

The only way I haven't really endured is physically, but if I could endure in those emotional and spiritual ways, I can certainly give this a go.

And with that, I'm off to day two of the challenge...

Labels: endurance, personal, yoga

Moving to Tucson four and a half years ago was really the last major endeavor I undertook in which I really pushed myself outside by comfort zone.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to start pushing myself again, albeit on a much smaller scale.

I'm going to try the Maha Monthly Challenge. That's a class of yoga a day for a month. I'm an uber-beginner and I've just started a new job, but I think the physical, emotional, spiritual and disciplinary benefits could be huge.

Honestly, I'll consider it a success if I last a week.

So anyone interested in joining me for all or part of it?

I'll try and post regular updates on my progress. Stay tuned.

And no, there will be no pictures. At least not until this body gets whipped into better shape.

Labels: personal, self-care, yoga

I just got back from dinner at Maxim Super Buffet and Mongolian Barbecue. It was exactly what's to be expected from Christmas dinner for a Jew.

Of course, now I'm just going to be hungry again in an hour.

Labels: Christmas dinner

Oh! Calcutta! was terrible. Just awful. Poorly written, poorly acted, trapped in its own social milieu. And I imagine it was trite even in its time.

The one other interesting tidbit however is that one of the actors, Bill Macy, would go on to play opposite Bea Arthur in the television series Maude as her put-upon husband, Walter. He also still does guest shots on some present-day series.

That's the only redeeming quality of this dreck - getting to see this guy naked and giggle as you imagine Bea Arthur intoning, "God is gonna getcha for that, Walter!"

Labels: Bea Arthur, musicals, nudity, sex abuse, television, the arts

I also meant to mention that I made some changes.

First, in the middle column, the RSS feed and Lefty Blogs link is now above the archives, and is joined by a StumbleUpon recommend link and a bunch of Technorati functionality.

I also added an Arizona blogroll of the other local progressive blogs that I read on a regular or semi-regular basis. Lots of great work being done locally by these folks. You really ought to check out their sites.

Now I'm going to eat leftover latkes and watch some movies. Mmmmmm.

First, Merry Christmas to my many goyim friends.

Yoga Oasis was offering a free class this morning, so I figured I'd go. When I got there (only a couple of minutes before the class was about to start), the parking lot was packed. Busier than I'd ever seen it, though my frame of reference is admittedly small. Rather than staying, I decided to practice at home, which I ought to be doing anyway.

On my way home, I stopped by Casa Video to see if there was anything there I wanted to rent. For my four-year anniversary at the Center Against Sexual Assault, some of my colleagues chipped in and bought me, among other things, a Casa gift certificate. I've only used it once, so today I figured I might as well take advantage of my credit.

I rented Oh! Calcutta! and the second season of Little Britain. I was going to rent this other movie with Elijah Wood (who I've had a little crush on for years, Lord of the Rings nonsense notwithstanding). But the cover said it had extreme violence in it, and I'm not in the mood for that right now.

Side note: Hair is often credited as being the first Broadway musical with nudity, but it was actually Oh! Calcutta!. My high school chorus teacher frequently pointed that out for some reason. Also noteworthy, Oh! Calcutta! counts among its authors John Lennon and Sam Shepard.

So I came home (after nearly an hour of wandering around Casa), laid out my yoga mat, and proceeded to practice as best I could. I did all right. In fact, I did better than all right: I did a backbend rather effortlessly! Backbends are supposed to be good for stimulating the thyroid and pituitary glands and for heightening mood. Given how I feel right now, I'm inclined to believe it.

As I was typing this, Miriam called me to ask for a ride home from the airport later tonight. I'm so excited to have her back (for however long it lasts till she moves to NYC for good). She's usually my birthday buddy - what else would two Jews do on Christmas Eve but spend it together going to a movie?

This year I went to see The History Boys at the Loft by myself. I did enjoy the movie. I especially appreciated the reminder of the future subjunctive tense - that which may or may not happen. Seemed rather a fitting concept for me to think about on my birthday.

I also want to thank Hillary for spending so much time with me this weekend. She had an extra ticket to see the Arizona Theatre Company production of Ella on Thursday, came to my party on Friday, and went to yoga class with me on Saturday, after which she treated me to brunch at the Blue Willow for my birthday. And then she sent me a happy birthday text message yesterday.

I feel really blessed - as blessed as an atheist can feel - to have such light and love in my life. In the year ahead, I commit to remaining open to grace.

Labels: birthday, British comedy, celebration, Hillary, Miriam, musicals, New York, personal, relationships, Tucson, yoga

And since I turn 29 today, I just know this will be a prime year.

Happy birthday to me!

Discuss.

Labels: birthday, hope, personal

Still not really wanting to be absorbed into the MySpace evil empire, I popped over to see if I could find my friend Miriam's blog to read it without signing up. As luck would have it, I can read up on her adventures in NYC without selling my soul.

I always knew Miss M could write, but I never knew what an incredibly talented scribe she is. She's in New York visiting her sister (hi Ryvka!) and all her friends who she claims have deserted her by moving to the city. And now she's contemplating moving there too.

I'd miss her terribly, but I think it could be a good move for her. New York City is a frenetic, vibrant metropolis that I think would really suit her. I'd of course be terribly bitter and jealous, but I can also be a supportive friend. Really. I know I could.

I anxiously await Miriam's return to Tucson so she can regale me with all her wild tales of adventure and drunken revelry. Until then, keep living the dream, Miss M, keep living the dream!

Labels: Miriam, New York, personal, Rupert Murdoch's evil empire, social networking

Since I'm Time's Person of the Year, I might as well take advantage of my newfound fame and embark on new projects.

I had what I think is an original idea during my morning meditation, but I'd need somebody with a lot more techno-savvy than me to help pull it off. If I'm correct, this new web-based networking tool could dramatically shift the way people give and receive gifts for holidays, birthdays and other occasions.

So if you want to get in on the ground floor and you have some programmer or developer knowledge, please get in touch with me: michael -at- m2powered -dot- com

Labels: gift giving, social networking, web developers

In the comments to my post below about the City Council election, Tedski helpfully points out that Ted Downing lives in and votes in Ward 3, that City Council election eligibility requirements are more rigid than for the state legislature, and that Ted is ineligible to run in Ward 2.

So this begs the question, are there any other well-known Democrats with some experience running for office that actually do live in Ward 2? Am I being a little silly asking this question so early in the game? Is the big prize really the Mayor's race? And does any Democrat have a chance of beating Bumbling Bob?

Labels: 2007 City Elections, City Council, Mayor, Tucson

I meant to add this question to the end of last week's post about Ted Downing's testimony before the City Council on vote-by-mail.

With Carol West not seeking another term next year, is it possible Ted may be considering running for her seat on the Council? They're temperamentally similar, but Ted is certainly more progressive. There's enough of an overlap between Ward 2 and Legislative District 28 that, even if Ted doesn't live in the Ward, he could justify representing it.

This is certainly not an endorsement of a prospective candidacy, just idle speculation. I'd like to see the Dems reclaim the seat (Carol, as you recall, declared herself an independent more than a year ago). The Dems would need to run a strong candidate, preferably one with some name ID and experience running for office. I know Clarence Boykins' name has also been floated as a possible contender.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but it's fun to speculate.

Labels: 2007 City Elections, City Council, Tucson

As near as I can figure (or remember), I came out of the closet for the first time ten years ago today. And what a long, strange trip it's been.

I was just finishing my first semester in college, a difficult and confusing period of adjustment. I was very sheltered and isolated before I left the nest, and spent most of that semester in the dorm's TV lounge, moping around and being anti-social.

But I did manage to make a few friends. One of them, a fellow Freshman named Rose, was in a committed relationship with another woman. She was the first lesbian that I ever met up close and personal. I had never been raised to hate the queers, but I did come from a rural/suburban community, so many of my peers growing up had been.

I remember having latent feelings for some of the guys I knew back home. I just tried to dismiss it as...I don't know what, really. But it was easier to dismiss than risk getting beat up or totally ostracized. Though I was class and student body president, I still wasn't exactly what I'd call popular.

Rose changed my perspective. For the first time, I realized that queer people could be safe, healthy and happy. She was the first person I came out to, going to her room that Wednesday evening before we were to leave for winter break, and confessing that I was bisexual (an identity I would cling to for a couple more years before bringing my other foot out of the closet too). She warmly embraced me and thanked me for finally being honest with her. Like my sister when I would later tell her, Rose already knew - it seemed everybody knew.

Coming out is an incredibly freeing and healthy experience. As Ted Haggard and Michael McGreevy learned over the past few years, doing so in public after repressing your true identity for years can be both painful and destructive. Coming out is also a lifelong process. I no longer identify as bisexual or gay, but as queer. But no label could ever accurately or totally define me. And I honestly don't put a lot of thought into how I present my identity anymore. I don't worry that I'll be judged for or strive to be defined by my sexual orientation. It's just one part of who I am, one brushstroke in the bigger picture.

So how does one celebrate his homoversary? The traditional 10th anniversary gift is tin or aluminum. The modern gift is diamond jewelry. There's a joke to be made in there somewhere, but it's pre-dawn and I'm not in the mood to do that yet.

So today is my homoversary and my last day at the old job. Tomorrow is the first day at my new job, and my birthday is on Sunday. It seems I have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to celebrate this week. Please join me.

Labels: celebration, coming out, homoversary, LGBT, personal

I had a lovely time at a dinner party tonight. It was pot luck, and I made Kitchari, which is an Ayurveda cleansing dish. I used all organic ingredients, and it was well received by everyone, regardless of their doshic composition (I'm Vata Kapha).

For the past week or so, I've been getting these massive twinges of pain along the left side of my head. They'd mostly be flashes of sharp pain followed by some dull aching. Seriously, it felt as though I could dash my head against some rocks and a grown woman would spring forth from the gash in my head (yes, that's Greek myth nerdiness). Since mid-day today when I pulled myself out of my funk, the head pain hasn't come back. I really think it had something to do with the wave of depression that I saw coming on and that hit me Friday evening. Once I got over the heartache, I got over the headache. I'm not generally that prone to such somatic symptomology, but I think it's a good thing.

I've very consciously avoided commenting on the House Ethics Committee report about the Page scandal, particularly when it comes to Jim Kolbe. I know I hinted about a lot of dirt leading up to the elections last month. When I started receiving e-mails from other bloggers asking me to divulge my information, I had reservations because all I really have is rumor and innuendo. I happen to trust my sources (yes, there are multiple sources), but I am reluctant to print what I've heard without concrete evidence or a first-person account. So sorry folks, but I really don't think it would be appropriate of me to put on the interweb what I understand to be fairly well-known in at least some segments of the local queer community. As far as I know for sure, the man is a paragon of virtue who did not act appropriately when confronted with the misdeeds of one of his colleagues. Or something like that.

Yes, I know I made you read through two paragraphs of personal stuff for the anti-climactic good stuff. Cut me some slack, it's after midnight on a Saturday night and nobody else is up for me to talk to. It's the Vata in me.

I spent a few hours cleaning out most of the rest of my office today. The back seat of my car is now filled with boxes. I'm way too much of a packrat. I should work on simplifying. That goes for every aspect of my life.

Finally, my friend Miriam, who dragged me kicking and screaming onto Friendster a few years ago may succeed again in dragging me onto MySpace. I've been boycotting it because it's now owned by Rupert Murdoch and I just know he's going to find some way to use it for evil. Also, pedophile predators. On the other hand, it seems like a good way to stay in touch with friends who I don't get to see on a regular basis. Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments. I suppose my use of the site doesn't necessarily have to constitute an endorsement.

All right, time for some meditation and then sleep. I think I may have a busy day tomorrow.

Labels: Ayurveda, Friendster, Kolbe, LGBT, personal, Rupert Murdoch's evil empire, sex abuse

Just wanted to follow up on my post from last night.

Last night and this morning were pretty rough for me. I fell back into old patterns of sadness and confusion.

Then I read some Rumi and began to understand how truly blessed I am.

So I am doing much better now and am going to continue on this path of following my bliss and seeing where it takes me.

That's all.

Labels: hope, personal

I've just been made aware of something I'd been slowly suspecting all week. I've just repeated an interpersonal relationship series of behaviors that I engaged in almost exactly five years ago. I thought I was getting my shit together, especially with the new job, but it's clear I have miles to go. Miles to go.

I won't let all the joy I've worked to bring back into my life just disappear though. I'm going to figure this out and keep working on it. I refuse to let this spiral me into depression.

I'm sure this makes virtually no sense to all but a small few who read this blog. To those of you who know what I'm talking about, please give me your feedback.

For the rest of you, just ignore this post. I'll post something for you soon.

Labels: hope, personal, relationships

Hermaphroditic deer with seven legs ‘tasty’

(And for the record, the accepted term is 'intersexed')

Labels: intersex, journalism

Regular readers of this blog will know that I'm not a big fan of Ted Downing. That said, I am grateful for his advocacy for election integrity. I received an e-mail today through the Sonora Progressives listserve that included testimony Ted gave before Mayor and Council last night about their rush to move the all-city elections next year to an all vote-by-mail system. Ted's assessment is absolutely correct, and I will reprint his testimony below. But I first want to highlight one point.

The stated reason for this rush to vote-by-mail is that the Justice Department has ruled that all but a handful of Tucson precints are ADA-compliant. The Americans with Disabilities Act provides for all public accommodations to meet certain minimum standards of physical accessibility. That is not to say that ADA compliance equals accessible; a building could be 100% compliant but still be virtually inaccessible for certain individuals. Switching to VBM is not the solution to this problem. Instead, the city, as Ted rightfully suggests, should select polling locations that already do comply with the ADA or at least provide some technical assistance to polling places to help them get up to spec.

Here is the full text of Ted's testimony. Please contact Mayor and Council and let them know that VBM is NOT the solution to lack of ADA compliance at polling places.

Statement by Ted Downing to the Tucson City Council in response to their proposed adoption of an All Vote-by-Mail Election for the 2007 City Election (includes Mayor and Council) .

The Resolution has not been subject to a public hearing.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor and fellow honorable city council members.

My name is Ted Downing, resident of Tucson, Arizona 85719. I am State Representative for LD28 who has focused on election systems. I chair the Arizona Democratic Party’s Election Integrity Committee – that focuses on protecting the integrity of the election systems statewide.
I oppose a decision to limit the 2007 Tucson city election to only vote-by-mail ballots even with the modification that 30-60 polling places will available to drop your mail in ballots (the precise Resolution was not ready at the time I prepared this statement).
The proposed resolution is against the will of the people as expressed in last month’s overwhelming rejection of almost the same proposal, Proposition 205. Proposition 205, in contrast to what was presented in study session, included a provision that people could drop off their ballots and vote at a limited number of sites.
Proposition 205 was overwhelmingly rejected by Arizona and Tucson voters for the same reason as the proposed City resolution should be rejected. It takes away a right – the right to vote in one’s precinct. Voting by mail is already a Tucsonan’s right. It limits the expression of the voter’s will – if a voter mistakenly votes for too many candidates, our polling equipment rejects your ballot and gives you another chance. An all vote by mail doesn’t offer the voter this choice. It removes critical checks that we currently lose to detect election system malfunctions and manipulations (for example, by comparing vote-by-mail results to ballots cast at the same precinct and exit polls). It slows ballot counts and transfers the cost from the City to the County Recorder’s office – who must verify a significant increase in signatures.
An all mail-in-ballots system increases the chances for fraud and corruption. It exposes vulnerable electors to privacy violations – including those of well meaning domestic advisors. Political operatives can and have picked up ballots from elderly, disabled and naïve voters and either provided incentives for their vote or “misplaced” the ballots. It reduces the certainty your vote is counted. This concern is evident from the tendency of voters in a heavily VBM system to deposit their ballots at the polls rather than mailing them in at the last election.
Whether or not it increases turnout is questionable. Oregon witnessed a 10% increase in 2000, but 16 other states saw higher increase in turnout using our current system. The jury is out on whether or not the proposed City system will actually save money.
And it may lead to people making premature decisions on misleading information – as recently happened in a Paradise Valley city election when people were lamenting the fact they could not get their ballots back after casting them for a Democrat who campaigned with a picture showing him, in uniform, shaking hands with Ronald Reagan.
This is not the time to pass this resolution – listen to the people. Without a public hearing on this topic, voices are not being heard. The people resoundingly reject this idea just a few weeks ago.
I share your concerns about compliance with the Americans with Disability Act in our voting system. On that score, it would show political sound judgment for the Tucson City Council should encourage compliance with ADA through its selection of polling places, not pit the rights of those wishing to vote in polling place against those with disabilities.

Ted Downing
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Labels: accessibility, ADA, election integrity, vote by mail

My work e-mail has a sophisticated filter that screens out as much spam as possible, then compiles that list into an e-mail sent to me every few days to review and make sure that nothing of import got snagged along the way. If every e-mail caught by the filters is indeed spam, I can just go delete them all from the quarantine without them cluttering my inbox.

Not surprisingly, most of the e-mails are for all kinds of prescription drugs - more for Rx's than even for porn (which, given my line of work, is really remarkable).

So I have a solution. The flood of prescription drug spam is likely attributable at least in part to the astronomical cost of prescription drugs through traditional channels. That's of course assuming that the spammers are honest, which I admit is a stretch. But if the pharmaceutical companies would just lower their prices to affordable levels, or the health insurance companies would adjust their price indexes, or the federal government would make reimportation and price negotiation legal again, not only would we be able to afford our medications, but I bet it would cut down on the sheer volume of spam clogging our inboxes.

Eliminate the market conditions causing the intrusion, eliminate the intrusion.

Just a thought.

Labels: health care policy, prescription drugs, spam