Top 9 of '09

Did you know that in Dhaka (Bangladesh) the New Year came twice. Once the clock struck midnight we had to roll them back for an hour and wait for the new year again. It was kind of wonderful, as impatient as I was for the new beginnings of 2010. I had a lot of time to think, for that extra hour. So I made a strangely specific list.

Biggest Issue: Healthcare Reform. It is going to be the make or break move of Obama's political career, and it feels like it may make or break most of us in our current situations. It's so strange that heads of state who don't have to worry about this kind of thing get to choose what works for the greater good.
Honorable mention: Gay marriage. 'Nuff said.

Most Keenly Felt Emotion: Disappointment. Let's be honest, we're the generation of loneliness, so that barely even registers. But because of the optimism of '08, we had some pretty high expectations for '09. I don't think they all worked out, but I'm grateful for what has. Honorable mention for what follows disappointment: determination to get back on track and not repeat mistakes.

Best Media Sneak Attack: Huffington Post has turned blogs into something that big media companies should be scared of. With pervasive presence in all subjects, most acutely, political. I'm just wondering what they might do next.

Best Apocalypse Story: In a Perfect World, by Laura Kasischke. While the rest of you may be 2012'ing it up, I am obsessed with the quiet bravery and fearlessness portrayed in this book. Forget feeling helpless as John Cusack survives earthquakes and floods. In a Perfect World has a much more realistic and therefore scarier end-of-the-world scenario. However, reading it made me feel like I can survive whatever may come.


Best DVD to Watch with Wisecracking Friends: Drag me to Hell. Don't get ready to be scared, get ready to piss your pants laughing.


Most Unlikely Internet Meme: Truly, the joy of internet meme-age is that it rarely makes sense. But David going to Dentist? C'mon... they are making t-shirts and money out of their kids drugged out freak out... I won't go into my child exploitation rant right now, but suffice to say, let it go. I'm trying...

Best New Television Show (despite AWFUL subway ads): Modern Family. Yes, those posters featuring Ed O'Neill and some other randoms, is laugh out loud funny. There is that heaping spoonful of dysfunction (which, face it, we can't live without) with a dash of good ole fashioned heart. Sounds cheesy? It is. Sounds utterly watchable? That too.

Best New Venture by Old-school Indie Darling: Taken by Trees album, East of Eden. Victoria Bergsman, formerly of the Concretes, and more recently female vocalist for Peter, Bjorn and John's Young Folks shows us time and time again that she makes great, refreshing pop tunage. But what is so great about Taken By Trees album is that it really, really sounds new. You can listen to it over and over as well.

Honorable mention: Julian Plenti, I've always had a bit of a crush on him, if his album featured fewer Interpol knock-off tracks I would have been duly impressed.

Best New Pop Enigma: Lady Gaga, you should have guessed! It has more to do with the fact that she writes meta-pop songs about just getting drunk and having sex and people taking pictures and shitty boyfriends, and less to do with the performance artist stage persona (though that helps). She will not have some strange anthem like Beautiful by Christina Aguilera which tries to sell some meaning but falls flat on it's face for sheer insincerity. This is a girl who does what she wants, and right now, I want it too!

Happy New Year!!!

-Kastoory

California should be banned

So what's the deal Californians? What's the deal with this proposition 8 nonsense. I would understand if there were studies that showed a decline in the sanctity of marriage connected to homosexuals getting married, I would understand if you saw a link between the high divorce rate and gays getting married, or a link between lowered marriage rates and gays getting married but it's just not any of those things. Straight people barely believe in monogamy anymore (thank you misogynistic media and men who write self-help dating books [that's right I blame you]), and fewer yet believe in a sanctified ceremony of marriage. Of joining two souls together in love and harmony forever and ever amen. If people who *do* believe in it want to get married then why the eff do we want to stop them? It's a gift, it's a beautiful thing that everyone else searches for and completely fucks up. If somehow two men, women, trans, men and women were able to stand the thought of getting married to each other I just don't understand why anyone in the world would have the right to stop them. I just don't get it, and I don't think I ever will.

This is the part about religion that always gives me pause, it's the self-righteousness. If you believe in something bigger than yourself, then shut up and hold on to your judgment. Stop looking at what's right and what's wrong, you're deluding yourself. It's never been that easy.



-Kastoory

Fight for your Right

Sunday brought the hope of gay marriage to 6th Ave in NYC. Sadly, the rally did not attract the crowds I had hoped to see. Come on people, didn’t you read my facebook status? Also, the spirit of the crowd was subdued. This is NOT the persona we need to show the world. The LGBT community needs to let their true colors fly in fabulous glory. I did just that. I brought a big rainbow flag to show my pride. To my shock and delight, Gov. Patterson made a personal appearance, emphasizing his positive stance for gay marriage in New York State. The LGBT community not only needs to rally ourselves, we must reach out to our straight family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Reach out to all who love and embrace the LGBT community. Go to Broadway Impact to find out who the state senator is for your district. Contact your state senator urging them to pass the marriage equality bill. Encourage all your loved ones to contact their state senators. We need everyone’s help to bring about change. Everyone can talk a good game, but now is the time for action! Make every effort to attend marriage equality rallies in your area. We need people on the street to show the world we are united in our stand against discrimination.

-Eric G.