And did I mention more old photos…

…there’s going to be a slew added here today, but first I had to put up a batch of them that my mom took when I was six in Coronado — all absolutely lovely. Thanks mom.

Gotta watch out for that esprit decor in the military

The deep, deep amusement this story causes me. Please be sure to read it all — but while Ms. Donnelly is the one who digs her own grave most completely, credit must be given to her compatriot for a real winner:

Donnelly was followed by Jones, a tough-talking businessman who suggested that the military’s tradition of “selfless service” would be undermined by gay men and lesbians. “In the military environment, team cohesion, morale and esprit de corps is a matter of life and death,” he said. His written statement spelled it “esprit decor”; it also warned of “a band of lesbians that harassed new females,” and noted his own military experience when “the only way to keep from freezing at night was to get as close as possible for body heat — which means skin to skin.”

Honestly, ‘Esprit Decor’ sounds like it should be the name of a second-string cross-dressing MC introducing Kiki and Herb. Actually for all I know it is.

It’s worth noting that a number of the panelists were also veterans — and that they weren’t impressed much. The conclusion of the article is telling:

Shays, his voice rising with Yankee indignation, continued to lecture Donnelly: “I think the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy is unpatriotic. I think it’s counterproductive. In fact, I think it is absolutely cruel.”

Donnelly said something about her respect for the service of gay veterans. “How do you respect their service?” Shays demanded. “You want them out.”

Donnelly seemed to have unified the lawmakers — against her. The next questioner was Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), a retired Navy vice admiral. “I couldn’t ask it better than you did,” he told Shays.

Quite.

So allegedly I look like Tucker Carlson in this shot

This is why I don’t wear bow ties.

It’s ‘The Music Man’ — and yes I was Mayor Shinn, junior year of high school in Coronado, spring 1987. It was the biggest non-singing role, you see. (You don’t want to know my singing voice. Really.) Sean, Parker, Travis and Steve were my much-abused city council. And I don’t know why my hat was being worn so far back on my head, really.

I still remember my sister saying something how the role of a blustering loudmouth was not that much of a stretch for me.

I still have the whole production on videotape. It isn’t on YouTube. Yet.