Howdy Friends!

It has been some time from my last update. Please let me explain….
About 3 days before I was leaving for NY I found out I needed to move out of my apartment in Stapleton when I got back - which is a blessing- but harsh timing. So, I needed to go on a fast apartment hunt and try to get the lease and everything set up before I left so I had a place when I returned.

So there I was, the morning of my flight, sitting in the leasing office of an apartment frantically trying to get a lease written up, signed, the whole bit. I was down to the last 5 min before I had to simply walk out to make my flight when we finished. WEEHOO!! I will be moving to Westminster when I return. It will make for a rough commute to work but that will be short lived, as my last day at The Center is Aug 29th anyway.

Off to the airport I went. Well, I have never been on a flight that went smoothly and that was not about to change now. I was on the plane ready to go when they unboarded it because there was no pilot. When you put 100+ people on a plane how do you NOT KNOW you need a pilot?!?!?!?!?!?!?

So I ended up not leaving Denver until about 7pm. I wish I had known, as it would have made my morning a lot less stressful. So anyway, I missed my connecting flight in Chicago. However, 98% of my flight was in the same situation so they needed to put up our whole flight in a hotel. They knew this in Denver BEFORE we left. One would think they would have been ready for us in Chicago… well no.

We got there at about 10pm Chicago time and there was ONE, count them, ONE United employee in the WHOLE FLIPPIN terminal to serve us and other flights. How this happens, I will not know. So, there is a line at the customer service desk that goes half way down the terminal. It was exactly 29min before I took my first step. Lets just say… I was not a happy camper.

Luckily, one of the other people in line who were in a group went to one of the other terminals to complain and they sent over 2 more people. So now there was 3 but still moving rather slow. So by the time it was my turn of course there were no hotel rooms left in places close to the airport. So, they put me up in a hotel, which was quite the little shuttle ride. By the time I got checked into the room it was about 1:30am almost 2am and I needed to be up by 4am to leave at 5am for a 6am departure.

Anyway- I finally made it to Albany a day late. Many of you know that I was going home to cater my brother’s engagement party. It was my gift to them. Plus- after $80,000 of "culinary school" they expected it to be darn good. So I was not happy to be a day behind on my preparations.
I cooked for 4 days straight to single handily feed about 125 people. It was wonderful and everyone loved the food. Now, I do not want to cook again for at least a week or so. LOL
Now, I have the week to relax, visit friends and family and figure a few things out before I go back to Denver on Monday. I miss my NY life at times but I miss my Denver life so much more. I love Denver, the people in it and almost everything about it. There is a lot of pressure for me to move back here next year but I do not know. It is a hard decision.

I have less than a year to figure out what to do with my life and it can be frightening at times. I have a lot of ideas but no real direction, but… that’s what life is all about right?! If you actually read this whole entry I am sorry. It is a novel but I had a lot to update on. I hope all is well and thanks for reading! Until next time…

Peace, Love & Apple Pie-
Ryan

Fireworks

Tonight I was supposed to go to a BBQ but decided not to as I am feeling a little under the weather.

From my apartment window I can see the lights and scoreboard of Dick Sporting Goods Park. They are supposed to have a fireworks show tonight after a game. I figured it would be OK if I stayed home b/c at least I would be able to see them. They have not yet come. I am patiently waiting.

I can hear fireworks going on in other places. it is making me miss my family. I was never really crazy about fireworks but my family would always go watch the show. We used to go to the college, sit out in the cold and wait. The show always went fast but they are good memories.

Then I guess the town moved the fireworks to the fairgrounds. This time last year I was back in NY and we did the same routine, just at the fairgrounds. It was probably about 10 years ago now that we took a family vacation to Washington DC to see the fireworks show. We sat on the steps of the capital building, watched a concert with Dolly Parton, The Pointer Sisters and it was all hosted by Tony Danza. Those were the best fireworks i have ever seen in my life!

Now, I am sitting here wanting more than ever to see them as they make me think of my family.

I wish I was in NY right now to have the same experience. But- in a little over a week I will be! yay! If you actually read all of this entry- I apologize!

Peace, Love & Apple Pie-

Ryan

Facts about SB200

SB 200 became law when Gov. Ritter signed the bill on May 29, 2008.

SB 200 adds sexual orientation and transgender status to state laws prohibiting discrimination in housing, public accommodations, advertising, consumer credit and about 2 dozen other areas of state law.

The word “restroom” never appears in the text of SB 200. The bill is about preventing discrimination, not bathrooms.

19 other states have laws prohibiting discrimination based upon sexual orientation in places of public accommodation. Of those 19 states, 12 also cover gender identity or transgender status.

Focus on the Family spokesperson Bruce Hausknecht has admitted to reporters that they are unaware of any crime that has been committed in a public restroom because of SB 200 or similar laws in other states (Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, June 26, 2008).

Focus on the Family knows they are lying – but they just keep repeating their lies.

Take Action!!

This just released from Equal Rights Colorado:

Focus on the Family is Waging a Fear Campaign

Focus on the Family Action has begun running a new round of radio advertisements attacking state legislators who supported SB 200.

These malicious ads prey upon the misinformed and suggest that prohibiting discrimination based upon sexual orientation and transgender status will permit sexual predators to molest children in public restrooms.

Their tactics are shameful and their claims are ridiculous, but they think they can keep repeating their lies often enough to scare people into believing them.

Later today (Wednesday, July 2, 2008) Governor Bill Ritter will appear on the “Caplis & Silverman” radio talk show from 3:00 to 6:00 pm on KHOW, 630 AM. Focus on the Family has been plotting an ambush for Gov. Ritter and has sent out numerous action alerts urging their followers to call in to the show and ask Gov. Ritter preposterous questions about SB 200.
We must fight back!

Please listen to the radio program this afternoon and call in to ask these questions:
- Isn’t it true that SB 200 simply prohibits discrimination in public accommodations and says nothing about restrooms?
- Isn’t it true that 19 other states have similar laws and Focus on the Family cannot point to any crimes in their public restrooms that have occurred because of the anti-discrimination law?
- Isn’t it true that nothing in SB 200 creates a defense to any criminal behavior?
- Isn’t it true that criminal behavior in public restrooms is already illegal and SB 200 does nothing to change this?
- Isn’t it true that people were using public restrooms before SB 200 became law and that nothing in SB 200 has changed the way people use public restrooms?
- Isn’t it true that the Focus on the Family ad campaign is based upon ugly stereotypes with no basis in truth or reality?
Call today between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
The studio call in line is (303) 713-8255.

Take Action!
Call Focus on the Family and ask them to “Quit Focusing on Fear!”
Their attempt to stereotype GLBT persons as sexual predators is demeaning and offensive.

Their attempt to bully Gov. Ritter and state legislators is nothing more than a smear campaign.

Call Focus on the Family at 1-800-232-6459 and demand a stop to their fear campaign.

Call Governor Bill Ritter and thank him for signing SB 200 and standing up to the fear-based tactics of bullies like Focus on the Family.
Our opponents have flooded the Governor’s office with thousands of phone calls.

We need your voice of reason to be heard – please thank Gov. Ritter and our friends in the state legislature for supporting equal rights.

Call Governor Ritter at 303-866-2471 and thank him for signing SB 200.