What have you done today...

...to make you feel proud?

The other night at Illuminations Project, Kimberly Anne O'Neil performed to Heather's Small Proud. It got me to thinking, is there one thing (big or small) that you can do to make yourself feel proud? It doesn't have to be something big or overt. It can be a random act of kindness that makes you feel proud. Think about it.

"Does every party have to have a theme?"

That was the question posed to me and Kevin one afternoon as we sipped Margaritas outside on an October Wednesday afternoon. And we replied, "Well yes. Otherwise it is just a party."

Yesterday, Krewe of Olympus-Texas had a brunch as a fundraiser. It wasn't just any brunch. It was Kicked Up A Notch...a Latin brunch.

If you want to see more photos, click here.

Every $1 helps

The email below was forwarded to me. I think it clearly speaks to the reason why Houstonians and non-Houstonians should contribute to Annise Parker's campaign for Mayor of Houston.

A group of my friends have been longtime supporters of Annise Parker. I am very proud of Ben and Jim who have worked in her campaign office, walked blocks handing out flyers, worked polling places on the day of the election, and worked the phones asking for contributions. After reading the letter below, if you would like to contribute and help make history, click here.


----- Original Message -----
From: "John Michael Gonzalez"
Subject: Why I owe Annise $5,000


I hope this email finds you well. I miss home and I miss you! But I need to get something off my chest...

Although we woke up this morning with a bigger House majority than we went to bed with last night, the news from Maine was pretty devastating. I have always thought that leaving the rights of the minority to a plebiscite is itself an outrageous miscarriage of justice. We would still have poll taxes, bans on interracial marriage, and segregated schools if those things were left to mob rule.

But from here in Washington, DC there was another great story of hope. My friend Annise Parker received more votes for Mayor of my great home town of Houston than anyone else. Think about it - a city with almost TWICE the population of Maine!

That news simply made it impossible for me to have a single discouraging thought today on the Maine Equality results. And it has everyone here in DC and around the country talking. Well, I am glad they are talking but as they say... talk is cheap!

I saw manifested what I have always known to be true of this great Texas city: in Houston, you are judged by your merits. By what you have accomplished and what you are capable of. And you don't need a patron or a machine or great wealth. If you are up to the task and prove your worth, Houston will give you a chance. And that is what the voters said loud and clear yesterday.
Richard and I cannot vote for Annise because we are registered to vote here in DC. But we can do our part. That is why we are giving $5,000 to her campaign.

I've had gay and straight friends come up to me and tell me they support Annise because she has the most competent, ethical, list of accomplishments in public service that we have seen for Mayor in a long time. And that nobody is better prepared than her to meet the big expectations for a Mayor after the great record of Bill White.

Well, sure. I agree. Not a single thing in that statement is untrue. And that is why she would have our vote if we still lived in Houston. And that is why we would give some money to her campaign or volunteer.

But as our good friend (and my old boss Chris Bell) reminded me, that is a good enough reason for everyone else to give BUT NOT FOR ME! The reason that we are making such a sacrifice and giving more money to her campaign than we have done for anybody EVER is because WE ARE A GAY FAMILY AND ANNISE PARKER REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. And if she is ultimately elected Mayor in 5 short weeks, she will represent as chief executive the largest constituency of any LGBT person in the history of this country.

I'm 45 and Richard turned 50 this year. We are ready to stop leaving the future of our civil rights to the goodwill of a mob. Like everybody we know, we have done our part to advance LGBT civil rights. Although not nearly enough but we try. We get to see so many of our friends from Houston come to DC for the HRC National Dinner. It is wonderful to celebrate such a big event and see all this energy. Sometimes I have so much fun at that dinner that I think I am done for the year! Well, I am not - not by a long shot. It is my sincere hope that every single person that makes the trip every year and every single person that goes to the wonderful Houston HRC dinner and all the incredible and loyal LGBT donors that Chris always had are all doing everything they can for Annise right now. And if they haven't yet or haven't enough, I hope they understand that this is the moment.

Does Houston deserve a great Mayor that is competent and ethical and watches the taxes and spending and keeps our streets safe? Absolutely. Does the nation deserve a new leader that speaks to our greatness? You bet. Does the LGBT community have a duty to make sure that we do everything we can to make this possibility a reality? I believe that with all my heart.

Can everybody afford to give Annise $5,000? Certainly not. Richard and I can barely afford it and we will make sacrifices to do it (Bell, sorry buddy but you are getting a nice card for your 50th birthday). But my hope is that every LGBT person in Houston realizes that this moment will come and go in 5 short weeks. That we can make history here. And that if ex-pats like Richard and I appreciate this moment and are willing to stretch further than we ever have before, other LGBT people can too. And should. This isn't your regular race. Annise isn't your regular LGBT-friendly candidate. This is history. And even from 1,208 miles away, we wouldn't miss it for the world!

Chris, thanks for whacking me over the head with the obvious. I hope others seize the moment too...

John Michael Gonzalez DC resident, Texan by the Grace of God...

Contribute to Annise Parker's campaign by clicking here.

Carrie Prejean, just shut up and go home why don't you?

Many of you will remember that during the Miss U.S.A. Pageant, Miss California Carrie Prejean gave a VERY unpopular answer to a question about gay marriage. She claims that the subsequent firestorm was due to the fact that Miss High & Mighty 2009 Miss Holier Than Thou was being persecuted for her religious beliefs. She was on every talk show and news show defending herself.

Let me qualify all of this by saying that there are reasons I will never run for public office or participate in a beauty pageant. I also do my best to be non-judgemental. So let me continue...

The following story is from CNN. Interesting how it all played out. Following the CNN story is the TMZ story. Who knew that TMZ self-censored?

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The sudden end to a legal battle between dethroned Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and pageant officials was prompted by the revelation of a "sex tape," according to a source familiar with the lawsuits' settlement.

Prejean was fired in June after lingerie-modeling photos of her emerged that pageant officials said were a breach of her contract. Prejean sued the pageant in August, arguing her firing was religious discrimination because of her opposition to same-sex marriage.

Pageant officials countersued last month, demanding their former beauty queen repay $5,200 in pageant money spent for her breast implants and give them all proceeds from a book she's written.

A settlement of both lawsuits was signed in New York Tuesday, but no details were made public. Lawyers and parties for each side were bound by a confidentiality pledge, according to the source.

The veil of secrecy was partially lifted Wednesday after celebrity gossip Web site TMZ reported the deal was sealed after pageant lawyers presented an "extremely graphic" home video involving Prejean.

TMZ Managing Editor Harvey Levin said during a webcast Wednesday that he obtained the Prejean video during the summer, but found it "too racy" to post on his site. He indicated Prejean was alone in the video.

The source with knowledge of the settlement talks told CNN those details were accurate.

Prejean's lawyer, Charles LiMandri, responded with a short statement issued through an employee at his law office. "It's a confidential settlement, and he can't discuss it," the statement said.

Several calls and e-mail to Prejean's publicist were not returned Wednesday.

Prejean's tell-all book hits bookstores next week, and she is scheduled for media interviews to promote it.

Pageant spokesman Kenn Henman said Tuesday the settlement means all lawsuit demands are dropped.

The pageant had claimed that the contract she signed when she entered their competition last year gave the pageant the rights to anything she wrote. The settlement ended that claim.

Pageant officials also dropped their attempt to be repaid for her breast enhancement, which was done before she represented California in the Miss USA competition, according to Henman.

Prejean, in exchange, withdrew her suit accusing the pageant of violating her privacy by confirming to reporters that her breasts were enhanced, Henman said.

"We are moving forward from the past and looking towards the crowning of two winners and the new look of the upcoming Miss California USA pageant, telecast live on November 22," pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis said Tuesday.

"We're back in the business of beauty," he told CNN.

There was nothing pretty about the public fight that began in April when Prejean, 22, stepped into controversy by declaring her opposition to same-sex marriage while answering a judge's question at the Miss USA pageant. Prejean finished as first runner-up.

While state and national pageant officials publicly supported her initially, their opinions eventually changed after she continued to make public statements about same-sex marriage.

She held onto her crown through May, despite a series of questionable photos that emerged on gossip Web sites. Those images showed a topless Prejean, photographed from behind.

She was dethroned in June by Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump amid growing complaints by state officials that she was uncooperative and not meeting her contractual obligations.

Prejean filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August, claiming that her firing was religious discrimination because of her stand against same-sex marriage.

The pageant's countercomplaint said what it called Prejean's belligerent behavior, lack of cooperation and contract breaches caused her firing, not her opposition to same-sex marriage.

From TMZ:
We have more info on Carrie Prejean's abrupt about-face during the settlement negotiations with Miss California USA lawyers -- when they showed her the X-Rated version of Home Alone ... starring Carrie herself.

When the video started playing, Carrie's first reaction was "that's disgusting" ... and Carrie denied it was her.

Then, the camera angle changed ... and panned up to her face. She was caught red-handed ... so to speak.

Carrie was rendered speechless and immediately began talking with her lawyer. We're told it took about 15 seconds for Carrie to drop her $1 million dollar demand.

Read more

Let's Hear It For The Girl

It's not often that a local race in Houston draws national attention but the election for Houston's next mayor made the national media put their eyes on Texas. To name a few, CNN and New York Times both did stories about Annise Parker.

Annise has the opportunity to become mayor of the 4th largest city in the United States. Yesterday, she received 31% of the vote which puts her in a December 12 run-off against former City Attorney Gene Locke.

Annise is the most qualified candidate to be be mayor. She served 6 years in an at-large council position and another 6 years as Controller for the City of Houston. If she wins on December 12, she will be the second woman to lead Houston and will be the first out lesbian as mayor of a major U.S. city.

To read the whole story about yesterday's election, read this story in today's Houston Chronicle.

To learn more about Annise Parker and to contribute to her campaign, click here.

Halloween 2009

It was sort of odd this year. Halloween was on a Saturday night and a people chunk of the peeps that I roll with were in New Orleans. Normally on a Saturday I can walk into a myriad of bars and know oodles of people; not this year.

Kevin and I ran around together on Saturday evening into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Jim & Ben joined us at one point.

Below are some photos and to see more, click here.

America's Next Top Pumpkin

I'm really trying to catch up with events of the past week. So, last Wednesday a friend of mine decided to have a pumpkin carving party modeled (pun intended) after America's Next Top Model. I do have have some friends with creative minds. ANTP was hosted by Not So Tyra.

Here are some photos. To see more, click here.