January 2008
SNOW
A cold, crystal like, wet, blinding, beautiful whiteness blankets the ground that we walk on in the winter. It is almost perfect. Like God’s hand is throwing confetti at us. We look up and it sticks to our eyeballs! Each flake not resembling the rest, yet, binding together to become one big white ocean.
Winter brings snow, and lots of enjoyment and entertainment for children. There is sled riding, snowman building, skiing, snowboarding, and snowball fights. It is a relaxing weather phenomenon, but COLD–BRRRRRR!
As adults, however, we think of the signs of winter as a thief in the night. Snow means we will use more heat. Temperatures drop on the outside and go UP on the inside. Pull out the pocketbook and hope it is fat, because you want to keep your family warm this winter. Maybe bring out some extra blankets to keep the chill off of you, while sitting in front of your favorite movie.
Those glorious flakes also mean your car will suffer. No longer can you just start it up and take right off. Now a requirement to help maintain your vehicle is to let it warm up for a little bit. So, you trudge your ass out there in the few feet of snow (if you don’t have automatic start-the gift from the CAR GODS!), and warm it up for a little bit. There goes that $3.00 plus a gallon gas you just bought. Pocket book getting thinner yet? Blame it on the snow!
Snow also makes us become active removal agents. Snow shovels, blowers or any other fancy contraptions that help move that white mass makes us all athletic individuals when we’d rather be doing something else. You may also have to purchase salt so that no one breaks their neck falling on your sidewalks. Where are the snow removal gods to help us? There goes the money you were going to buy your next winning lottery ticket with. SALT…lottery ticket….hmm.
Protective warm weather accessories also become a necessity. If you have children, you will be buying new ones every year, due to the irreversible process of growing. You might have to go thru several pairs of gloves as well for the lil kiddies as they always seem to lose just the one. Money gulping white piece of crap this weather is.
Don’t get me wrong, I love snow just as much as the next guy, but when it requires me to leave early, bundle up like an Eskimo, use more gas, electric, or seek out warm entertainment, it sometimes hits a nerve. The truth is, I never really thought about it much till I became an adult. Oh, the old days of making snow angels got lost somewhere between my pocketbook and my extra blankets.
To all those enjoying this wonderful weather, God bless you! No, for real, cause that’s probably the cold you caught when you were out there busting icicles off your house. I’d like to magically turn myself into a penguin for the winter and waddle off to my ice castle for a few months! Enjoy the snow, pray for the sun and warmth to return soon cause I’m getting cabin fever!
Be Safe out there and Stay Warm
Greener
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Brokeback Mountain No More
This week marked a page in history with a well-known actor’s death. Heath Ledger, born April 4, 1979, died January 22, 2008.
Known nationwide for his active role in “Brokeback Mountain”, the gay and lesbian community will mourn him. His film changed the world and made people realize that we were out there. Though, he was just a symbol and became one of “us” for a brief moment with this film he ignited the barrier between the straight and gay community.
He represented love in this film, the love that we share each day with our partners and often get criticized for. I would not consider him a gay hero or anything because he was just doing his job. Ledger was an exceptional actor who bravely took on the role of a gay character and excelled at it. It’s his contribution to our society that he will be remembered for.
Ledger was human, and whether it was accidental or planned overdose should definitely be looked at. Here you have this successful actor and all the questions that are left behind? If it was intentional, what was his reasoning?
I’m sure it will all come out in the autopsy but it’s still going to leave a lot of questions unanswered. It just goes to show you that even a successful person can be burdened with overwhelming feelings of sadness maybe.
We all experience feelings of depression and don’t go to the lengths that some do to get over those feelings. Suicide is never the way to go. If his death is indeed a suicide, I wonder, where were all his friends and family and why didn’t they reach out to help him? They say that he had been turning down roles lately. Was it because the roles weren’t up to his standards or maybe he was just too depressed and didn’t feel like working? Whatever the reason, I know that he alone took it to his grave.
He was a great actor and stand up guy. I enjoyed his movies. My favorite was “A Knights Tale”. You would think it would’ve been the gay role that I liked him for, but it wasn’t. I appreciated his ability to be able to take on any role. His role in “Brokeback Mountain” was controversial, yet, it leaves a mark with our community so he will be mourned I am sure.
I’d like to think we will remember him as the excellent actor he was, and not make him the gay icon that the media is trying to portray. He left behind a family just as any other person that dies does. It is a tragic loss to our movie crazed society and he will be missed. I only pray that in his death he found peace. May God be with his family in this time of sorrow and unanswered questions.
A ledger is a book of final entry in the financial world, but in “our’ world, Ledger, left his final entry on the souls of the gay society with his role of a gay cowboy.
Peace and Love to all
Greener
