It has been said that I enjoy drama.  This is a truth.  I do love a great drama.  But the joy of escaping into an intense drama (books, movies, or otherwise) has always been deeply tied to the inevitable return to reality.  That’s what makes the drama enjoyable–it’s not reality.  But, I need reality.  We all do.  We all need to be connected to the reality of the world around us.  The problem is that we no longer can get the news without the drama.  Front page articles in major US newspapers are reading more and more like editorials and op-eds.  Less and less it seems that we are just given the facts and allowed to develop our own opinion.

The result is that I must read a wide variety of articles covering the same topic in order to get all the facts.  This isn’t a bad practice.  It’s just time consuming.  And, it means that I have to also sift through a lot of crap.  And, let’s face it, I just want the news.  I don’t want a writer’s opinion of the news.  Or a worse trend, writers filling their space with opinionated quotes from people.  Just the facts, please, just the facts.

I think this is a huge part of the downfall of American journalism.  They’ve lost the ability to investigate or report.  The newspaper companies like to blame the internet.  But, in reality, the newspapers are failing because they are crap.  People no longer trust them for the news.  The very fact that papers can be clearly divided into a liberal or conservative groups, is proof that good journalism is dead.  In addition, the belief of the reader that they can only read papers that have the same political sway as them is proof that we’ve settled for this truth.  Journalism is dead.

The whole situation has left me feeling frustrated with and apathetic about the news.  We don’t need to make the current issues seem any better or worse than they are.  They are what they are.  So please just report them that way.

This is just my opinion.

Pope Benedict XVI in all his Douchebagness

Just in case there was ever any doubt, Pope Benedict XVI is the single most out-of-touch person in the world.  And when you consider the other religious leaders and politicians that he is in competition with for that title, this is no small feat.  Congrats!

He secured the title during his trip to Africa this week.  In case you missed it in the news, here is a link to one of the articles covering it.  Here’s my summary of what went down:  The current Pope made his first trip to Africa and proved that he is completely out of touch with reality.  He said that condoms are not the way to stop the spread of HIV, they actually contribute to it.

Seriously.  The use of condoms actually increases the risk of HIV?!  What a jackass.  Someone who is this completely out of touch with reality cannot possibly understand the damage that is done by saying condoms make the problem worse.  He clearly is blinded by his own antiquated dogma.

Obviously, yes, with abstinence there is less risk.  If you aren’t having any sex then you probably are not ever going to come in contact with HIV.  But, that’s not the reality.  People have sex.  A lot of it.  Not only is it unrealistic to expect magnetic couples (one person HIV+, one person HIV-) to abstain from sex, it is also unrealistic to expect single people to not have sex.  All religious mumbo-jumbo aside, people are going to have sex.  Period.  So why would anyone actually take a stance that essentially guarantees the continued spreading of HIV?  Who would do such a thing?  A true douchebag.

If you doubt that condoms are a good means of having safer sex, then you only need to educate yourself.  Do your research. My preferred HIV/AIDS resource is at www.thebody.com.  A specific entry on condom use and efficiency can be found by clicking on this link.  The article may be a little old, but it is still relevant.  There are countless other resources that can be found by searching the web or going to your library.  If it is your own personal religious beliefs that prevent you from accepting the use of condoms, then I say to you, please leave that for your own relationship.  Don’t ever suggest to someone else that they should not use condoms or that their only option is to abstain from sex.

In conclusion, please do yourself and everyone around you a favor by not propagating the myth that condoms contribute to the spread of HIV.  And most importantly, please do not listen to the Pope.  He clearly supports creating an environment where people must hide their sexuality and live under a blanket of guilt and shame.  Coming from one you grew up in such an environment, I can say that guilt, shame, and self-loathing are some of the biggest threats to safer sexual practices.

Many of you may have already seen this clip of a Southwest Airlines flight attendant rapping his opening PA.  Clearly entertaining and creative, David Holmes has generated some cyber-buzz.  Kudos to David!  He’s entertaining people and sharing important safety information all in one.  He’s not the first SWA flight attendant to sing or even to rap.  So I’m not sure why a local Dallas news station found this to be news. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that he enjoys his job and that he works for a company that embraces this sort of thing.  If I had been on that flight, I probably would have been stomping and clapping right along with everybody else.

My issue is this:  Why do people need to be entertained in order for them to listen to important safety information? In the news article someone is quoted as saying, “That’s the first time I’ve ever listened to the emergency instructions.”  What???? I’m not sure that I’d admit to that if I were you.  This is essential information about the airplane and crew to which you are trusting your life.  As a flight attendant, I’ve never understood why people, in general, don’t pay attention.  I guess I should clarify, they do pay attention, but only after they hear about an airplane crash.  It’s sad, but just plain true.

After 9/11 people paid very close attention for a few weeks.  After US Airways flight 1549 went down in the Hudson, they paid attention to the life vest portion of the announcement.  However, if there is anything that we should learn from that accident, it’s that people do survive crashes.  I hear people say all the time that if the plane goes down “we’re all dying anyway,” followed by some other bit of “wisdom.”  That attitude is biggest mistake anyone could make.  I’m providing a link here to a site providing airline crash statistics.  The key fact is that people survive.  So why wouldn’t you want to pay attention?

Again, kudos to David for finding a way to make crucial safety information a must-hear event.  And shame on those of you who had to rely on being entertained in order to pay attention.

Possibly that’s exactly what caused the brouhaha at the New York City Top Model Cycle 13 auditions.  Evidently, there was a stampede after all the short pretty girls had spent the entire night waiting in line.  Several were arrested and a few were even injured.  Shit, Tyra knows how to start things off just right–girl knows how to put on a show.

I’m not sure what else to say about this.  I guess it cracks me up whenever I hear that quote about Tyra breaking down modeling stereotypes.  I mean, seriously, I would never expect to counter a bunch of catty, narcissistic, and just plain mean girls on a show about “models.”  To her credit, however, throughout the show’s history there have been contestants with Asperger’s Syndrome and epilepsy, a transgendered girl, plus-size models, burn victims, etc. etc.   My personal favorite is the self-proclaimed “street preacher” from this current season.  Definitely the best thing about Cycle 12 starting up is that I am guaranteed to have at least one thing a week that I absolutely must blog about.  Let the fierceness begin!

Here’s a little clip I found on YouTube that highlights some of the craziness from the that several cycles:

Lately I’ve grown tremendously weary of all of the negativity in the news and on TV. Doom and gloom. And frankly, a whole lot of complaining. It’s ridiculous. That’s the part I like best about the clip. We’ve lost perspective as a society. Or least I’ve lost perspective. I somehow have forgot what the world was like before laptops, iPhones, and websites like Facebook. Perhaps the iPhone is the real game changer. I have basically everything at my fingertips at all times. Which means that I have about 5 things going on at any given moment. No wonder I have a hard time putting my own thoughts together.

I guess what I need is some real balance and perspective. It’s essential to remember that none of my gadgets are essential for me to be happy. They can provide a real benefit, but they can also become an immense distraction. I think that a little discipline is necessary. I think I tend to negate technology’s benefits by abusing it. And, taking it for granted.

I don’t think that I’m alone in my technology addiction. Just look at any one of a thousand online forums. The ranting and complaining is unbelievable. You had to wait an extra 3 months for the update to your software…so what?! Apple still hasn’t added copy and paste functionality to the iPhone. I have a tiny computer that is also a phone and a portable music player, not to mention it can do like 100 other amazing things. Patience, people.

So, my beloved iPhone, don’t take it personal but today I’m going to take a walk in lieu of spending an hour searching for the next greatest application that I don’t need to spend 99 cents on. Although, I have become quite the multi-tasker. I could totally walk and search…

So, in that spirit, I’ve decided to share my top five favorite posts from 17thandSanchez.com, just in case you missed them the first time around.

5) Christians, Part 3 and Christians, Part 2 and, what the hell, Christians. These videos from YouTube did so “well” that they’ve been removed several times and then re-posted. I actually found a new posting of “The Renewed Mind is the Key” video, just in case you missed. It is a must see. Check it out, before it’s too late! There are even a whole bunch of copycat video responses. Writing the first post especially was cathartic. Good times…

4) 275 Smiles. I had fun with this post even though no one posted any comments. I mean who doesn’t love a good spontaneous photo shoot?

3) Meet my Children. I have several friends with blogs about their children. I was jealous. So I thought I’d introduce my own children to the world. All 9 of them.

2) The Wide-Eye Squint. ‘Nuf said. Well, not really. Definitely one of more “out there” posts. But again, who doesn’t love a good spontaneous photo shoot?

1) Modeling With Pain. People love videos. Especially when said video includes me making an ass of myself. Interestingly, when I posted this same video on Facebook, they took it down and sent me a nice little nasty-gram. I guess I violated their “terms of use.” Don’t even get me started about the inconsistencies on Facebook. Anyway, this was by far the most fun post.

electrified – With only 3 days left until the inauguration of President-Elect Obama, I am as giddy as a schoolgirl. Clearly, Obama has many seemingly insurmountable issues to address. The issues of the war in Iraq and the awful economy alone could take years to resolve. Still, I am exhilarated by the prospect of change.

nonplussed – A) I just love that word. B) I wonder if President Bush is as perplexed by his 2 terms as I am. Judging by his final press conference and national address, I doubt it. I still have an incredibly difficult time understanding how he was elected…twice.

aggravated - I saw a clip from CNN of Rick Sanchez. He was giving commentary on the whole Joe the Plumber/reporter situation. Initially, I thought, “Oh, I like this guy (Sanchez, not the fake plumber/reporter).” Then a day later I watched as Sanchez “interviewed” a survivor from the US Airways crash. It wasn’t so much of an interview as it was Sanchez talking over the poor guy. He would ask him a question and immediately talk over the guy, basically giving the answer that he was trying to get out of the interviewee. I am so tired of that kind of shit. So, for me, Rick Sanchez and I are through. It was a fun two days, after all he is strikingly handsome.

So, I’m just going to take an extremely pretentious approach to this situation. Listen up! I, too, have a list of favorite things. I won’t pretend that you’ll get excited about anything on my list. Frankly, that’s your problem. And, don’t expect to receive anything from me in the form of a gift. The only thing you are only going to receive from me is a link to Amazon or Wikipedia or wherever the fuck I decide. You can buy my favorite things yourself. So here they are in no particular order…Tyler’s Favorite Things:

**The Flip. Oprah also included this on her list. But let me be clear, I was first. I saw a review of it in the New York Times and bought one. She was way behind the curve on this one. Simply put, The Flip is a relatively inexpensive and easy-to-use video camera. It’s tiny and you can pull it out of your bag and start recording in seconds. There are only a few buttons on this very hip device. Don’t forget to also check out all of the very cool accessories.

**The iPhone 3G. Really, enough said. I absolutely love mine and wonder on a daily basis how I ever lived without it. I will admit that the 3G had a rough start. I can tell you from personal experience that the cell phone service and device’s bug issues have improved immensely over the last 6 months. It still may not be perfect and may not be for everyone, but I am in love. It’s cool and it’s got like 1,000 uses.

**Eva Cassidy. I am embarassed to say that I didn’t even know who Eva Cassidy was until I started to investigate David Archuleta (American Idol runner-up, Season 7). He performed a cover of “Imagine” that was very similar to Eva Cassidy’s version. I stumbled upon her and ended up buying every available recording. She is no longer alive, but left us some incredibly amazing music.

**Skagen watches. I accidently discovered these amazingly thin, yet sturdy, watches while I was looking for a new Fossil watch. They are made by a Danish company and are very sleek. I love my Skagen watch.

**Ketel One Dirty Martinis. mmmmmmmm. Do I really have to tell you why I love Ketel One Dirty Martinis?

**Twitter. If you don’t like it or don’t get it, this one is definitely not for you. Twitter is a social-media website in which you answer the question “What are you doing?” For those of you who have a Facebook page, Twitter’s function is similar to the status update feature. The uses of Twitter have broadened immensely over the last year, however. All kinds of businesses, websites, bloggers, etc. use it to share important updated information. The personal aspect is still there, but the site has grown beyond its initial “tell me what you’re up to” purpose. I actually use it to update my Facebook status as well as to keep current with numerous friends, blogs, and businesses that I follow.

You may not be rushing out to buy or sign up for my list of favorite things. But, I had fun thinking about the things I have discovered over the past year that really made me happy. Check them out.

I first came out about 10 years ago. I came out to friends and family about 8 years ago. Yet, after all this time, I am amazed at how many people still don’t take it seriously. Folks, I’m gay. Sure, I went to Bible College and even “dated” a few girls, but, let me be clear: I am gay.

In reflecting over the last 16 years since I went to college, I felt like many of my friends from that time deserved to know what happened with me. After all, I spent a lot of time in college lying to myself and to them. We all deserved some honesty. Why did I leave the Church? How could I be gay? Over the last several years, I have spent a lot of time explaining myself to my friends from Bible College. For the few that actually read this blog, let me say: I’m moving on. No more apologies for past lies. No more sugar-coating things to make you more comfortable. With the passing of Prop. 8, I’m officially done. I tried to do the right thing and apologize for any hurt I may have caused. I’ve realized that you cannot always trust people to do the right thing. Now, hopefully we can trust the court system to protect us.

I realize that very few of my college friends actually live in California and couldn’t even vote on the proposition. But, many have made their feelings clear anyway. They don’t want equality. They don’t even want to validate gay relationships. They do this every time they call Jeff my “friend,” every time they suggest that I “date Jesus.” Whenever someone whispers “gay” as if it’s an inappropriate or dirty word only to say it loud and clear when they are using it to mean “stupid” or “dumb,” that is offensive.

Please understand that we will eventually have the right to marry. One day it will be considered completely normal for some people to be gay and society will not force that same part of the population to make unrealistic and devastating decisions about their sexuality at such a young age. I hope that when it happens and you feel for the 1,000th time that this country is falling apart; I hope that you remember you contributed to those struggles. I hope that you look up and see your weapon of choice, the Bible, aimed aggressively at me. Maybe then you’ll realize that you can’t make everyone see the world as you do.

Actually, I’m not asking for your acceptance or support. You don’t even need to agree with my beliefs. I’m just asking for you to cease fire. Stop attacking in the name of God, country, and, family. I can’t think of anything that would be more productive to your cause.

I should mention that some of the most supportive and loving people that I know are friends from Bible College. I am so thankful for those few. You right the wrongs with your love and kindness toward the gay community. Thank you.

Please take 6 and 1/2 minutes and watch Keith Olbermann’s eloquent, passionate, and powerful commentary on the passing of Prop. 8.