Dreamers

/ fearsomebeard / 3 Comments

America is a place born of dreamers.

The United States of America is greater when it is open and accepting of new dreamers dreaming their own dream of a better life and a better world.

When we close our minds we cease to grow and we begin to live in fear. It is then when we begin to die and we become irrelevant.

The man in the photo above is a friend who is an immigrant, or as he prefers it emigrant. That photo is of him the day he was sworn in as a citizen in 2002. He came here with $92 in his pocket and before he could get permanent employment he was involved in a motor cycle accident and wound up in the county hospital on the state’s dime. He was told he would probably never walk again.

Today he is a multi millionaire many times over and owns the leading coaching company in the world. He lives here in San Diego and I regularly attend his seminars. Hit play on that video and don’t tell me you didn’t tear up at least once. It’s set to Neil Diamond’s Coming to America.

The point is he had a dream. He came here. He got off to a bad start, but like most first generation immigrants he succeeded. Also, like most of them, he succeeeded very well. He didn’t take an American born citizens job, he hires hundreds of them to run his company. His name is Brian Buffini.

Immigrants made the USA what it is.

Don’t let a small minded fearful bully stop immigrants from making us who we are.

Friendship

/ fearsomebeard / 4 Comments

Best friends for twenty years.

Clayton and I met one July night twenty years ago in 1997. I had stopped into Hamburger Mary’s for a cocktail (more like six or seven…probably more) and he was barbacking for Matt. A cute (hot) little  bear cub he was. We hit it off right away. We hit it off so well that when I woke up the in his bed the next morning I immediately asked “Where’s your phone” to which he replied “Why?”, “I need to call my husband” I replied, “Husband? You have a husband?” he said.

That was one hell of a hangover and I had more than some ‘splainin’ to do when I got home. Fidelity wasn’t my strong point and definitely wasn’t when I was gettin’ my drink on back in those wild younger days. The Better Half and I made it through, and so did Clayton and I.

Somehow, even though we were both quite young, Clayton and I were able to channel that sexual attraction, shit who am I fooling?… full on infatuation, into a friendship. Not only a friendship, but a best friend friendship. He and The Better Half became close friends as well.

I’ve stuck by him through his relationships, boyfriends, loss of his dad, bad roommates, good roommates, home-buying, work issues, personal issues, laughter, tears, moving, travel, car accidents, baseball games, many cocktails and many achievements. He’s stuck by me through depression, drunkenness, getting sober, death of friends, pets and family, laughter, tears, job changes, travels, bad behavior, good behavior, other marital infidelities, shopping, bar hopping, and he even rescued me from a possible DUI arrest.

Twenty years. Damn. I love him and I know he loves me.

Today’s Beard of the Day photo was taken in Puerto Vallarta some 16 or 17 maybe even 18 years ago. We need to take a photo in that position again to mark our enduring friendship, this time maybe with shirts on…then again maybe not.

Fearsome bakes Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa

/ fearsomebeard / 5 Comments

Fearsome is a war fuzzy beard. He loves him a good warm fuzzy flick. One of his favorites is Steel Magnolias. He saw it first as the play live onstage long before there ever was a movie. Great play if you ever get a chance to see it onstage, do yourself a favor and see it performed live.

Theres a scene in the shop where Truvy shares a recipe with Clairee called Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa. That exchange has always stayed with me.

I never really thought of making it. This week when all hell was breaking loose in Washington, I decided to do something for me. I decided to bake myself a cake. I remembered that scene and remembered Truvy sharing “I call it Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa and it’s so easy you don’t even need to write it down, a Cuppa sugar, a Cuppa flour and a Cuppa fruit cocktail.”

I didn’t google or you tube it as I’ve gotten quite used to making my cakes from scratch and know the basics to start most any cake. I wanted a layer cake with a nice butter creme icing so I did this:

2 cups of sugar, 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of fruit cocktail (in juice…not syrup), 1 stick of butter, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Throw it all in a bowl (do not drain the fruit cocktail) and beat medium to high for a good three minutes. The mixer will smash the fruit up a bit but that’s a good thing for an actual layer cake. Split into 9 inch round pans and bake at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes (check with a toothpick right when sides just start to pull away and if toothpick comes out clean you are good to go). Cool 10 minutes in pans and then dump out onto paper to fully cool.

When cool ice with a nice butter creme icing which is easy!

1 box powdered sugar, 1 stick butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup whole milk. Throw it all into a bowl and beat on high until smooth creamy and spreadable, add a few drops more milk if needed smoother.

Fearsome’s version of Truvy’s Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa

It’s delicious!

Truvy’s actual recipe is in the video and is simpler, I watched this video after making the cake. I’m happy with the full on cake I came up with.

Capital Treasures 5

/ fearsomebeard / 3 Comments

It certainly has taken me a long while to post all of the treasures I found during my late June travels to Washington D.C. There are a couple more post to come out of that trip. I felt that this one photo I snapped looking onto The Mall from a window atop The Hirshhorn toward The National Gallery was appropriate today. It seems someone had the foresight and the sense of humor to place this tent exactly where it is. If I had just taken this from a slightly different angle you would see it’s smack in front of the Capital building.

Circus tent on The Mall in preparation for the upcoming Independance Day celebration July 4, 2017

A copy of my e mail

/ fearsomebeard / 9 Comments

I sent a version of this letter below to all of my elected officials. I included in this previous POST an easy set click links where you can find and e mail some of yours. Feel free to copy and use my letter if you wish. I simply modified it as needed to each one.

Dear Governor Brown,
As you are quite aware someone has announced that Transgender persons are no longer welcome to serve our country. Then while the media is having a firestorm over that sudden announcement and as the senate -g o p- are dramatically playing out their “take the healthcare away from the poor and give the money to the rich” scheme, it seems the Department of Justice decides to submit an amicus brief stating that all LGBT Americans simply aren’t covered under the 1964 civil rights act because of who we are and who we love.
Whew, what a day of drama and side shows. I know that you and all of our governors, senators and representatives on the right side of history have your hands full. I want to personally thank you all for working toward a just, fair and equal society. I ask that you keep fighting for us and all of our rights as equal citizens no matter our sex, religion, race, sexual orientation, skin color, beliefs, age, pre-existing condition, income, social status and I think you know what I mean. Keep it up for us, for you, for the children and for our country. We need you.

What happens when we turn a blind eye to injustice

/ fearsomebeard / 1 Comment

First of all Fearsome asks that you please notice the change in the wording of our header above.

Fearsome will continue his quest of inner growth, increased knowledge and expansion of his understanding and empathy as before, however he must take a stand. When the rights of any one innocent person is tread upon by the injustice of unwarranted discrimination, our society is assaulted. When we stand by tacit as others are treated unfairly we will become just as guilty as the bullies themselves.

Let us review just what happens when a society allows injustice, keep in mind history can repeat itself.

Slavery

The Holocaust

Segregation

Japanese Camps

The genocides of Armenia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia, Darfur just to name a few recent ones.

Colonial genocide against native Americans

And let us not forget a few of the current injust societies amoung us today such as North Korea, Venezuela and Syria.

Inequality is injustice. Ignorance and fear breed such nonsense.

Will all earthly societies ever become perfect and just? Most likely not.

Can all earthly societies try to move towards perfection and justice? Yes, yes we can always improve, learn, grow, respect, understand, encourage, support and care.

Take a stand. Spread knowledge. Teach understanding. Lead by example. Grow yourself. Show you care. Help others. Speak kindly. Give freely.

Don’t be distracted by what they are saying, watch what they are doing

/ fearsomebeard / 3 Comments

Today while we were distracted by all the other flying bullshit…the justice department quietly filed an amicus brief in a federal U.S. Court of appeals stating that the 1964 civil rights act DOES NOT PROTECT LGBT citizens.

Read more HERE.

By taking this stance the Department of Justice is saying that LGBTQ can be descriminated against in housing, employment, healthcare and beyond. The DOJ is saying that I can be descriminated against simply because I don’t fuck the opposite sex, that essentially I do not have any civil rights.

They are going after ALL of us and all of our civil rights. They are doing it right now. They aren’t doing it tomorrow, they are doing it now.

First it was the Muslims, then the Mexican & Central Americans and the immigrants, now the Trans and all LGBT. Who’s next? Almost everyone is next. Unless YOU take a stand for justice now you, YES YOU, are either under fire now or you are next.

What can I do?

/ fearsomebeard / 5 Comments

1) I can call a friend who needs support and give them mine.

2) I can become a member of the ACLU … or if I already am … I can donate more.

3) I can contact both my SENATORS.

4) I can contact my REPRESENTATIVE.

5) Contact my GOVERNOR.

6) I can donate to or volunteer for the DEMOCRATIC Party.

7) I can stand for justice, equality and righteousness.

8) I can speak out ( ….remember…Silence =Death).

9) I can talk, enlighten, rally and share with others around me.

10) I can donate my time, attend rallies and be visible.

What can you do? Pick one, or preferably all, of the above and stand up for humanity, equality and dignity for all.