New York, New York Redux

Not the only straight one in Dupont Circle.

So my sister Marylee came up for a surprise visit this weekend and in between all the tourist-y stuff that you normally do with a 14-year-old visitor I took her to the Capital Pride parade, the annual parade of gays, lesbians and their supporters in the haven of DC's Dupont Circle.

Much different than the pride parades I've seen in the past which are normally attended by the faithful few and their followers, this was an all-American, family oriented event. The mayor was there marching, as was the DC Delegate to Congress and even a representation of Hillary Clinton (apparently, the LGBT community supports Hillary overwhelmingly because no other presidential candidates were represented).

The biggest cheers from the crowd came for the large construction worker float (above), which featured weight lifters and chin-uppers, among others. Christian groups marched in the two-hour-long affair, proclaiming their acceptance and chanting that "God loves you Gay or Straight." Families with gay children, gay couples with adopted children and anti-AIDS marchers also received high praise.

Marylee and I had a great time this weekend and I was sorry to see her go. Next weekend I'm off to New York City for my friend Patrick's bachelor party. The extravaganza will include expensive dinners, more expensive drinking (trust me) and a four-on-four football game in Central Park's famous Sheep Meadows. Stay tuned for more details, but until then here's some more pictures from this weekend.


Which state am I from? Who knows?




Marylee at the exorcist steps in Georgetown.

The only Republican worth voting for in 2008 is...

This man right here. Ron Paul. The only Texan with a shot of eliminating George Bush as our last Republican president for a long time.



From his own presidential Web site, Ron Paul for President.
Brief Overview of Congressman Paul's Record
He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.
He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

Wow. This guy is a freaking winner. He's exactly the kind of president I want. The stay-the-hell-out-of-my-life president. Not only that, but as I watch the debates I find myself more and more thinking he is what John McCain used to be.

New York, New York

This past weekend I took the Amtrak train to New York City for both business and pleasure. I took the train Thursday evening and enjoyed the 3 1/2 hour trip. It's a beautiful journey, until you get to New Jersey. Those of you who know me know my general disdain for the entire state of New Jersey. The view from the car doesn't help.

Thursday night I had dinner in NYC with three of my fraternity brothers, Tim, Jay and Brad (who was also in town on business). Friday I spoke to a small convention of college editors-in-chief along with a lawyer from the West Coast who does consulting work for the SPLC. Friday evening I moved from my Morningside Heights Hotel (which my room, incidentally, was truly New York Small) to my friend Jay's apartment on the Upper East Side.

We spent the weekend drinking, eating good food and generally doing New York things. Although there are no pictures, the camera battery died after taking this one above. Jay and I went to see "A Chorus Line" on Broadway, which for those of you who don't know, is about a casting a Chorus Line on Broadway. What a coincidence! It was great. I love Broadway shows.

Sunday morning I picked up a Lox bagel at a deli a few blocks from Penn Station and ran to the train. While eating that bagel, the quintessential Sunday morning meal for me, I finished reading a book "Under the Banner of Heaven," by one of my favorite authors, Jon Krakauer. The book is about violent Mormonism and the general history of the religion. Let me tell you, that will make you think twice about voting for Mitt Romney. Although I will say that if someone had written the same kind of historical novel about my religion (or any religion, since Mormonism is the true modern American religion), I believe many readers would think similarly.

My little sister Marylee is coming to visit this weekend, I just found out. and next weekend I'm set return to New York for a friend's bachelor party.

More later.