{Notes on Contemplation}

Joyeux Noël!

2010-12-15T15:31:00.000+01:00

Danse

2010-12-09T23:36:00.004+01:00

This is the second installment in what may or may not become a regular series of popular French music videos. Enjoy Danse, by Grégoire.

'Tis the Season

2010-12-08T21:32:00.001+01:00

Books Galore

2010-12-03T13:14:00.007+01:00

Another Book Club Update!

I just finished reading A Boy's Own Story by Edmund White. Story is White's best-known work and the first volume of White's autobiographical-fiction series that continued with The Beautiful Room is Empty and ending with The Farewell Symphony, which I read this summer. The series describes White's life as a gay man from childhood to middle age. He is a faculty member at Brown and Princeton, and has won numerous literary awards. White's prose is often dense, but remarkably beautiful. The series can difficult to read, not only because of the density of White's writing, but because the story itself can be hard to swallow, especially when one considers the semi-autobiographical nature of the series. Personally, I prefer The Farewell Symphony to A Boy's Own Story, but they are both extraordinary reads.

I've now begun reading The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon by Tom Spanbauer. It was actually recommended to me buy a gentleman who was working at Borders in San Francisco when I was looking for A Boy's Own Story. The story is of a bisexual half-breed Native American boy growing up at the turn of the 20th century in the fictional town of Excellent, Idaho. The novel is written in dialect and the story is told almost entirely in flashback. It had a very positive reception when it was released in 1991, so I'm looking forward to reading it!

Toi et Moi

2010-12-02T22:38:00.015+01:00

Just thought I'd share my new favorite French song with you all. It's called Toi et Moi by Guillaume Grand, and it's fantastic. If this song doesn't make you want to fall in love with a French man, nothing will.

Honoring World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T23:49:00.007+01:00

Click on the image for more information on World AIDS Day 2010

Walking in an Angevine Wonderland

2010-12-01T22:30:00.000+01:00

The Mamas & the Papas

2010-11-25T23:30:00.002+01:00

Here I am with my host parents, Xavier and Sophie, at Thanksgiving dinner! I have so much to be thankful for this year...

My Spoon Is Too Big

2010-11-24T23:45:00.001+01:00

Venice and Strasbourg

2010-11-18T18:22:00.002+01:00

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Planned Improvisation

2010-11-17T21:23:00.003+01:00

Camping... Indoors

2010-11-09T00:18:00.008+01:00

So, I'm currently sitting in the lounge of Paris Orly Airport. It's currently 12:06 (at night). Our flight departs at 7:40 tomorrow morning. This will be, I am proud to say, my first experience sleeping overnight in an airport. Fortunately, everything is very well lit, and I'm with Shannon and Maria (aka two huge BAMFs), so I'm not really worried about security, but my butt is already starting to hurt from sitting in these chairs for the last three hours. From here, it's on to Venizia. You have no idea how excited I am for the obscene amounts of delicious pizza and pasta I'm going to consume in the next two days.

Ciao!

Jason

I'm Off!

2010-11-08T13:15:00.002+01:00

I leave this evening for Venice, Zurich, and Strasbourg. Unfortunately, the weather forecast is awful. It's supposed to rain all week, but I won't let that spoil my trip! I'll be back next Wednesday with a recap of my adventures. Until then!

Jason

Choose Your Own Adventure

2010-11-03T21:32:00.000+01:00

Paris II

2010-11-02T01:24:00.001+01:00

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Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

2010-10-27T22:12:00.001+02:00

Book Club Update

2010-10-27T22:09:00.015+02:00

So, I know that I haven't updated the books I'm reading in ages, so here it goes: I just finished reading A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood. Fashion designer (and incredibly attractive human being) Tom Ford recently directed a film adaption starring Colin Firth (also incredibly attractive), which I saw earlier this Spring. The book is about a gay British college professor living in Southern California in 1962. I would highly recommend both the film and the novel, but they're surprisingly different. It's a very short book, so I thought it was a little odd that the two differed so much, but they're both very thought-provoking and highly lauded.

I'm now starting the last book in the Tales of The City Series by Armistead Maupin. I'm planning on reading Sure of You, the sixth and last book in the series, this weekend, while in Paris. I've read the third (Further Tales of the City), fourth (Babycakes), and fifth (Significant Others) books since coming to France, thanks to the fabulous (and free) English Language Library in Angers. The series is based on a group of friends (and often-times lovers) living in San Francisco starting in the mid-60's and ending in the late 80's. Obviously, this was a very influential and progressive time for San Francisco with the hippie movement, free love, gay rights, and the outbreak of HIV, amongst other significant social movements. Maupin's style captivates and each book promises to be a page-turner. His characters often get into some pretty ridiculous situations, but his writing draws you in to otherwise unbelievably crazy (and entertaining) scenarios. I would highly recommend them, but I must warn they are highly-addictive. I must say, the last two I read weren't as good as the first two, but once you start, you won't want to stop until you've read them all.

It Gets Better!

2010-10-21T00:45:00.015+02:00

If you haven't seen the It Gets Better Project, do it now!!!

www.youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject
This is the first video of ~~hundreds~~ thousands on the It Gets Better Project site. It features the project's founder, Dan Savage, and his partner telling their stories about being victims of bullying and hope for the future.

For more videos, click on the link, and prepare to be overwhelmed by inspiration and hope. For any friend, parent, or sibling of an LGBT person, these videos are meant to show that your loved one has an amazing future ahead. For any LGBT person struggling with feeling welcomed and accepted, these videos are proof that you are loved and wanted. Watch them, learn from them, and as the French say, "profitez bien."

For anyone struggling with thoughts of depression or suicide, check out The Trevor Project. These people are simply amazing. They not only staff a national crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth, but there are forums and a number of other resources for anyone who is struggling with feeling welcome and accepted due to their sexuality or gender expression.

www.thetrevorproject.org866-4-U-TREVOR

Vive la Grève!

2010-10-21T00:38:00.000+02:00

I'm Alive!

2010-10-13T18:48:00.000+02:00

Paris I

2010-10-12T21:02:00.000+02:00

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Happy National Coming Out Day!

2010-10-11T21:09:00.012+02:00

Today, October 11th, is National Coming Out Day! National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 to celebrate the Second National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. It is observed by LGBTQ persons and their "Ally" supporters to raise awareness and encourage open dialogue about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. More than ever, people the world over are encouraged to come out. The Human Rights Campaign (in addition to hundreds of others LGBT organisations, including the Core Council) are working for equality for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.

In light of the recent suicides of more than six LGBT young people, it is crucial for anyone who is closeted or struggling with their sexual identity to see that there is a large and diverse (and fabulous) community that is waiting to welcome them with open arms. So, on this National Coming Out Day, I encourage everyone to come out. Come out as LGBT, come out as a supporter, a parent, a sibling, a mentor, or a friend. Show the world that you care, and that you desire a better society in which all people are welcome and accepted.

In his tape which he recorded to be played in the event of his assassination, Harvey Milk said, "I ask this... If there should be an assassination, I would hope that five, ten, one hundred, a thousand would rise. I would like to see every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out -- If a bullet should enter my brian, let that bullet destroy every closet door."

One blogger for the HRC posted an excerpt from a letter written by his mother in an email to school nursing staff members, family, and friends:

" I am personally blessed to have a son who was able to “come out” to us his freshman year in college. I am blessed because he must have felt that he had accepted himself and could risk being accepted by his family and friends, even though I know it was very scary and he didn’t know how truly accepting all of his family would be. I am also blessed to work in a place where I can “be out” as a mother of a young gay man and not have to lie about him having a “girlfriend” and can openly discuss the jobs and lives of both of my wonderful sons, as it should be.

I am indeed blessed, but many are not.

My heart breaks thinking about the young people that have recently taken their lives because they must not have felt that they would be loved or accepted or couldn’t even accept themselves and couldn’t see a future ahead of them without pain and fear. I can’t help but wonder if there wasn’t a school person such as yourself that they could have confided in or knew believed in them and maybe it would have resulted in a different ending. I also realize that even if someone at school had supported them, it may not have been enough, but if more and more people would be open about their support for all of our youth and take a stand against bullying, then maybe it would truly feel like people cared enough about them to get them through the tough times so they could envision a future with hope and love and acceptance. "

For more information about National Coming Out Day, check out:

The HRC's history of National Coming Out Day

A Resource Guide to Coming Out (written by the HRC)

A Straight Guide to LGBT Americans (for all those straighties out there, also written by the HRC and PFLAG)

Photo Update

2010-10-07T18:45:00.000+02:00

For those of you who have been looking at my pictures, I've just made it much easier to view them full screen (you can thank me later). Now, if you want to view them full screen, just click on the link below the slideshow that says "Click here to view these photos larger" (I know it's confusing), and a full-window slideshow will open, saving you a few click-throughs on the Shutterfly website.

Happy viewing!

Jason

Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille

2010-10-07T09:49:00.001+02:00

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Sleeping with Strangers

2010-10-06T21:31:00.001+02:00