Written: 6/23/2012
Towleroad has an article up about a new ad campaign:
I like it, I think it’s nostalgic enough to engage people to give it a second look, and I like the execution of the stickers themselves.
Check out the whole article here.
All my best,
The King of Spades
Written: 6/23/2012
Joe My God has an awesome infographic about the cost of marriage equality, you can check out the full version here.
All my best,
The King of Spades
Written: 6/23/2012
I’ve been thinking a lot about Pride this year.
I was really hoping that I’d have a new job, so I could go down and enjoy pride this year. I can only hope I’m in a better place next year (or the BSA is in a better place).
But NoFo has a great article about pride, and what it means. Check it out here.
We’re proud because we are smart enough to overcome the self-loathing that our increasingly venomous, mindlessly theocratic society forces on us, and we have the power to stop its destructive cycle by fighting back and by making intelligent choices involving sex and drugs and money and relationships and the way we live our lives.
All my best,
The King of Spades
Written: 6/23/2012
The New York Times has an amazing article written for Father’s Day. Check it out here.
I realized then that I was crying instead of laughing. I couldn’t explain it except to say there is nothing more overwhelming than seeing your child experience true love.
All my best,
The King of Spades
I somehow lost a post from yesterday, I’m going to keep searching and see if I can find it. I’m thinking I may have hit ‘cancel’ instead of ‘save’. We’ll see if I can recover it. Until then, check out this awesome billboard for The Dark Knight Rises:
This is pretty awesome, and it has changable heads, so you can keep the handle:
And this was floating around before, but I thought it was neat, the best excuse note ever:
Quick update for everyone, I”ll be back with much more very soon as well.
First up, this is just adorable, so if you’re having a bad day, prepare for it to turn around:
Stunning art made from plastic water bottles, you can see more pics here.
Also from Copyranter, an awesome ad for seatbelts and an incredible series for Child Abuse Awareness. He also has a cool ad buy for an S&M shop, but no one in Pittsburgh would have seen these, you don’t hit the bottom of the ketchup bottle, you smack the ’57’ near the neck with the heel of your hand.
I never even thought of this, but of course, it’s amazing:
Slog has a great post, “Band Names that double as ways I would want to die.” My favorite: Trampled by Turtles.
This chart is made from data collected this May (2012). Sigh.
And finally from Nerdist and PBS, a primer on 8-bit art:
That’s it for now, be back soon!
Written: 5/29/2012
I leave for camp in less than a week.
My life has been crazy leading up to this, my brother’s wedding, not to mention the merger, which has added a second summer camp operation for me to support, as well as the imminent departure of one of my bosses has created a spring I never even saw as it passed me by.
I can remember a time looking forward to going to camp to work for the summer. Now it’s something I dread.
I love being outside, I love that place. But I hate what it has made me become, what it does to my stomach, perpetually tied in knots.
I hate that I hate going to camp.
A big part of it is the fact that I’m overworked. Illegally most likely, as I’m learning. My bosses, who make two or three times (at least) what I do are at camp as well, I didn’t sign up to go back each summer. I have a life here, people that I take care of.
But instead, it’s another summer of missing so much here at home, being away from my friends, and constantly surrounded by fear.
Even those I’ve worked with for years, I am still wary of. One of these days someone will wonder why I never go out to the bar with everyone else. Yes, I am usually working late into the night (at least 9, but usually 11, just to start it all again back in the office by 6:45 the next morning), but I never go out because I don’t feel safe on the mountain, and I don’t feel safe with anyone.
This will be my eleventh summer. I am pretty far up there in terms of tenure (but there certainly are those with more experience), but it only seems to get harder.
Two years ago, I had reached a breaking point like this, I tried to leave, but my better judgement, as well as an offer by my boss convinced me to stay. I remember driving off of the property for what I thought would be the last time. And I cried so hard.
I am good friends with the rangers, we understand each other better than most since we work year-round, and I know they would let me come back and visit, but they won’t be there forever, and I would also miss them of course. But saying goodbye to what was such a big part of my life, what helped shape me, was torture, just like going back is.
I’m very tired. Tired of playing the games and putting on a show. But for now, I have no choice. We’ll see what happens, maybe something will improve soon, or maybe at least I’ll finally get some time alone where I can cry for a good hour and get it all out of my system, keeping it pent up inside me is wearing me down faster than anything else right now.
All my best,
The King of Spades
Couple things for you today, let’s see what we have.
First up, did you ever want to read all the Chuck Lorre Productions cards at the end of the credits of his shows? You can do that here!
A response to the Surprised Kitty meme of so long ago (in Internet years), but it’s fun:
Did you know you can use the Amazon app to do a quick home inventory? Pretty awesome! And your insurance company will be proud of you!
An artificial reef, made of statues of humans. Haunting and beautiful.
And, in following yesterday’s post, cool lights (that remind you to make sure your pipes aren’t leaking):
Here’s how to make a working sundial for wherever you are!
In the mood to travel? Try checking out Wanderfly to do all your planning at once.
That’s it for now, I’ll try to be back soon though!
Written: 5/27/2012
I give money to LGBT organizations when I can. I work for a non-profit, and don’t have much money to spread around, but I do what I can. i’ve donated to thinks like the AIDS lifecycle, HRC, Equality PA, Integrity and individual politicians as well.
Somehow, I got on a list and was contacted by Brad Schneider, who is running for congress from Illinois. I opened up the envelope and was rooted to the ground by what I saw:
While my situation is temporary (although more permanent than I’d like), hopefully soon, I’ll be working for a different company. And I will make sure that it is not another 501(c)3, which even with the passage of ENDA, would legally be able to fire me.
I always find it strange that sometimes people forget that not only can I be fired for my sexual orientation anywhere, anyone can. A business can be run which fires straight people. While I would not agree with that, it would be interesting to see the public reaction to that.
ENDA (Employee Non-Discrimination Act) is not the law of the land, and there is not an equivalent in Pennsylvania, although there is a similar law in Pittsburgh, it does not apply to charities, such as how the Boy Scouts are categorized.
It was certainly interesting to open that envelope, the reality is that I may get a letter like that which is not a fundraising appeal.
And again, I don’t write this for pity. I can cope better by writing, and I hope that eventually, when this all goes public, I can help people understand a little better what it’s like being a gay man in this country at this moment, and the struggles we all face because of hatred and bigotry.
All my best,
The King of Spades
