I don’t do this very often, but this has gotten stuck in my head and it’s feeling a bit appropriate:
Just a quick note, I’ve added World Cup widgets to the sidebar on the main page, as well as over on the blogs. The first will follow Ghana, who I pulled in our World Cup pool at D’s, the second will follow the U.S. And on that note, congrats to the U.S. for their draw and Ghana for their win (first for any African country in this year’s tournament)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE
And in case you need a primer, The Onion has you covered.
Just in case you forgot, tonight is the season finale of Glee! And now, Jane Lynch takes on the iPhone 4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QzmtZQMqso
You’re welcome.
Written: 6/8/2010
I previously mentioned that I would be fired if I came out, if I told the truth. I work for the Boy Scouts, and we operate under a pseudo-“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy (lets keep going and ignore the fact that I think I just butchered grammar).
Working for the Boy Scouts, we don’t have the official DADT, but that is how we operate, and how we reference the policy. Now, there are a few special circumstances that set our member policy apart from that of the US Military. First, youth members do not fall under it. From National’s perspective, a youth member is never gay (or more accurately, non-straight), they are just questioning and experimenting. At least until they register as an adult, which can be 18, or can be 21. So I did a little bit of digging, and I was wrong (it happens a lot, don’t be surprised), although it was a more recent clarification, which is why I missed it I think. Youth members cannot come out of the closet either. Which again, is a shame. Although I think, at least around here, you would be hard pressed to find a Scoutmaster who would kick a kid out of the program.
All my best,
The King of Spades
Written: 6/5/2010
I am the King of Spades. It’s not a great name, but it will work for now.
Obviously it is not my given name, but a nom de plume. How did I choose that? Do I have an obsession with royalty? Far from it. And besides, Spades is not a country (note to self: buy an island and name it Spades, then proclaim myself King, but you know, a benevolent one). The name came from a series of connections in my head, and I actually keep finding more connections and uses for it, so I’m keeping it.
I don’t want to keep the name though. I don’t want any of this to be hidden, to be a secret. I used to always pride myself on the fact that my life was an open book, at least to my friends. But life has gotten in the way I suppose. And in order to protect myself, I’ve kept myself bottled up, kept myself in the closet. If I were to tell the truth, to say that I am gay, I’ll be fired.
Even in a city with a non-discrimination protection, there are enough loopholes and addendums that for being honest, I would be fired on the spot.
Which leads me to one of the great ironies of my situation: I work for the Boy Scouts. The first point of the Scout Law is trustworthy. But every day, I lie. Every day I live a false life. Every day it feels like I die a little bit more inside.
This leads to all kinds of realizations, thoughts and craziness inside my head. I’ll do my best to get them all out. But first, a quote from one of my favorite authors, the dedication from House of Leaves:
This is not for you.
Sorry to be blunt. But this is for me. Yes, I love writing, and I’m sure part of me wants people to read this and understand me more, maybe even take something positive away from what I’m going through, but it is more important for me to see these words, to put them down on paper so to speak (that’s another conversation, probably best left to The Great and Secret Show).
I think a good portion of this would make more sense if I explained how to came to this place in my life, how I came to understand and accept myself. But that is for another day, I do apologize.
Some people will say that I brought this on myself, and they would be right- if they didn’t know my whole story. So I’m sorry dear reader, I probably will put all that down at some point, but not today, I can only take so much catharsis at a time. I may be strong, but I’m not that strong.
So I carry on, as I must I suppose. To what? Some sort of misguided and self inflated purpose I think. Can I turn this around somehow and make this all into a positive? I like to think so. After all, I am an eternal optimist.
So I write, and I look forward to seeing where this will take me.
All my best,
The King of Spades
We’ll start off this update with an awesome video:
As well as another I told you so moment. Although this one, I think most sane people knew already, it’s fun to see how deep the crazy can go! I’m also thinking that if this ploy hadn’t worked, the next idea would have been cough syrup. Why not?
To everyone that reads That’s Church, you know about Ginny’s hatred of pigeons. Well, a writer in Seattle has the same reaction to crows. Fair warning, it contains foul (fowl) language.
According to Palin, environmentalists caused the oil disaster, by not letting us drill for oil. I can almost, almost grasp her reasoning. But then I remember that I have a brain and am usually grounded in reality.
I think the Student Flush might be the best named event almost ever. At least this month. Good luck to everyone participating!
I don’t think I’ll be able to pull a team together in time, but how much fun would this mini-golf fundraiser through the South Side be? Also, why have I not know that this happens every year?
Here’s an article about online ads, and specifically, why they suck.
And finally, here’s an article detailing the worst Pope’s ever. To be fair, it does include the soon-to-be-famous Pope Lando, so don’t take it too seriously. And here’s a follow up about whether or not the Vatican is a State or not.
Pope Lando (913–914)
History’s turncoatiest pope. Sold his best friend to a bounty hunter for a couple of lousy space-bucks. Loved Colt 45. Died like immediately.
PBS released a trailer for the Video Games Live documentary they will be airing in August:
When it comes to Pittsburgh, I’ll be going to see it (for the third time), I love the suites from Myst (of course, but have yet to see it live), Civilization, Warcraft, and total highlight of the last concert, what was used to close Act I: Zelda. I’m still surprised that two songs (MGS4’s Theme of Love and Portable Ops’ Calling to the Night) didn’t make it into the Metal Gear Suite, but I cannot recommend this concert series highly enough. Make sure you watch it on PBS this summer!
