Our Latest Column in Curve :: How to Rekindle the Spark

Apple Announces ipad

Like many of you, I was excited to hear about Apple's launch of the ipad today. I can't wait to get one. I heard about it on MadTV.

Goodbye Grandma Daggett!

I've been off the radar. My grandmother--our beautiful Italian Matriarch--Nora Elaine Daggett died recently. I'm headed home for the funeral this week and have been working on her eulogy. I'm lucky enough to get to write and present her life on behalf of my big family.

For those of you who follow this blog, you also know I lost a cousin in Iraq in 2008: Kyle. The photo below is of Grandma and Kyle at Christmas a number of years ago. Grandma was so proud of Kyle and so devastatingly heartbroken when war took him from our family. I'm not sure she ever fully recovered after losing such a young bird in her flock.

I am embedding this song, Mama (Il Divo), which we'll be using in a video we're making of her life for the memorial. Her parents were born in Bologna, Italy and moved to the US right before her birth. Her Italian heritage was very much a part of her life in America and continues to be woven into our family.

We miss you and love you Grandma!

Getting Ready for the Gay Games

You may know Kaia Wilson as the hot guitar player currently touring with Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls and formerly of Team Dresch, the ultimate dyke rock band of the 90s. What you may not not is that Kaia is also a world class athlete. And she's in heavy training for the Gay Games to be held this summer in Cologne, Germany. She's documenting her progress as she trains for this high caliber event.

"Journey to the Gay Games 2010" part two from Kristina Davies on Vimeo.

Are you an athlete planning on competing in the Winter Olympics, Gay Games or Outgames this year? Send us a video or photo of you getting ready. We'd love to share your training tips with the world.

Help for Haiti

Like many of you, we have been shocked and saddened by the devastation the 7.0 earthquake caused yesterday in Haiti. I want to donate to help, but don't want my money to go to any religious or conservative organization that also is against gay rights. I found out about the Rainbow World Fund.

This is their mission statement:

Founded in 2000, Rainbow World Fund (RWF) is an international relief agency based in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and friends community. RWF’s mission is to promote LGBT philanthropy in the area of world humanitarian relief. RWF works to help people who suffer from hunger, poverty, disease, oppression and war by raising awareness and funds to support relief efforts around the world. RWF provides a united voice, a large visible presence, and a structure to deliver LGBT charitable assistance to the larger world community.

As to how efficient they are in spending donations vs overhead costs, this is from their 2008 annual report:

Of every $1 RWF received (monetary donations, grants, interest income and contributed
supplies), over 96.1¢ went to programs and services that directly benefited those most
in need. Nearly 1.3¢ went to educate people about issues of humanitarian need and just
over 2.6¢ went to administrative and fundraising costs.

There are many other places you can donate to make a difference. I don't know if this is the best place or not, but I wanted to let people know about it.

Gay 'Ol Portland

Thinking about moving to a gay-friendly city? Consider Portland.

The Portland Tribune today has an article about how queer Portland is becoming.

Recent U.S. Census data show Oregon now has the third-highest proportion of same-sex couples in the nation, behind only Maine and Massachusetts. It's a place I'm happy to call home.

Do You Like to Ski?

Then this fabulous weekend is for you and it's sure to be an AMAZING time! Check it out...

POWDER 2010 is only 4 weeks away! A women's snowboard/ski weekend in beautiful Mammoth Mountain. Our host hotel is Mammoth Mountain Inn, located directly across from Main lodge. This is a ski in/ ski out resort. Friday night is filled with six funny comics to keep you laughing, and Saturday enjoy a live performance from "That's What She Said", this hilarious duo will keep you talking for weeks! All discounted tickets MUST be purchased before Jan 21st, after their will be no more discounted tickets. To purchase tickets visit: http://powder2010.eventbrite.com/ Reserve your room today at Mammoth Mountain Inn 1-800-mammoth Discount code: 10027, also mention POWDER for 50% off! rooms start at $99/night

Juneau Singing

Still thinking about Juneau today. I forgot to mention yesterday what a good singer she was. Here she is teaching her brother Rocky the words to her favorite song.

Still Miss the Girl

It's been a year since we said goodbye to our sweet old dog. Juneau was an old soul. She was never one to let her guard down and took her role as guardian and protector seriously.

She was quite a beauty in her day. And she knew it. She loved to pose for photos. This is the shot she sat for that won us the grand prize in the Oregon Human Society photo contest. When she got older and her hair began to fall out, she never really got that her youthful beauty had left her. She pranced around the park like she was the prettiest thing anyone had ever seen.

She was stoic and could be quite grouchy. She never liked to cuddle and tolerated pets for only so long. Yet, she loved to be the center of attention. Whenever we would have a party, she would park her self in the middle of the dining room floor, sprawl out and fall asleep.

Her favorite places were Mt. Hood and Yachats, Oregon. A true snow dog, she would get a dance in her step whenever there were flurries in the air.

She loved children and whenever she saw a baby carriage she would make a beeline for it. Often scaring the wits out of parents who only saw a big scary dog barreling toward their child. Any chance she got to lick a child or a man's beard, she would take.

Yes, she had her quirks and yes we spoiled her. From the day we brought her home, she had to have her head out the window while driving, or she would howl and howl. This made for some cold winter driving. But that damn dog won out most of the time.

She drove me crazy and I miss her everyday.

It's a New Day in Houston

If it can happen in Texas, it can happen anywhere. Houston has a new mayor and she's a big ol' dyke. Check out her giving her partner a kiss after she is sworn in. Love it!

The Perfect Dinner Party

This comes from our November/December column. If we could invite anyone in the world to dinner, this is who Lipstick and Dipstick would choose. What about you? Add you guests to the comments section below:
The Perfect Dinner Party—Five People We’d Like to Have Over For Dinner

DIPSTICK

• Pat Summit, head coach of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team, the winningest coach in college basketball history, male or female. She might have to step out to take a call from a recruit.
  
  
• Suzanne Westenhoefer, who is the funniest lesbian in America and will help keep conversation flowing (and will make jokes about Pat, while she’s out of the room).
  
  
• Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, who will inspire us to get active.
  
  
• Michelle Obama, who will appreciate my homegrown organic salad and might get into a debate on DOMA with Kate and Rachel.
  
  
• Rachel Maddow, who every lesbian in America (and plenty of straight folks, too) wants to sit next to. She’ll bring an excellent bottle of bourbon.
  

LIPSTICK

• Rachel Maddow, political watchdog and host of MSNBC show, whose femme wife will tag along so we can discuss winter fashions.
  
  
• Anne Murray, love song crooner/possible closet-dweller, who will break out into song in-between dinner and dessert.
  
  
• Ellen Degeneres¸ animal advocate/talk show host, who will bring several mutts to entertain our dog Harvey during dinner. I’ll sit her next to Sarah McLachlan, as they’re best friends and probably haven’t seen each other in awhile.
  
  
• Sarah MacLachlan¸ singer/songwriter, who lives nearby and can bring an Indian appetizer (her children are half East Indian). After some wine, maybe she’ll sing a duet with Anne by the roaring fire.
  
  
• Wanda Sykes, comedian, who will appreciate the wine we’ve poured Sarah. “The David” from Del Dotto, a winery I saw Sykes at last summer in Napa Valley.