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As the federal immigration debate rolls on, it's a timely moment to remember the person and the movement who taught me to pause when eating a grape or strawberry. Grapes because of the historical boycott. Strawberries because I can never remember whether we're supposed to boycott them...
That said, I must remind myself that, “The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.” -- Cesar Chavez.
Rock on.
I'm posting a tune to commemorate DJ Ang's feedback. Da Ang is my DJ mentor. Together with our crew at Restless Produxns, we rocked many a party. One of the many things he and The Squeak shared w/me is their generosity with their music. These are two peoples who know their tunes and are happy to share it with others. I owe them big --as do many grassroots orgs they've donated their time and skillz to.
Over in the Yay Area, I once returned after a weekend away to find two crates of old skool hip-hop and classics sitting next to my turntables. Suz the Record Fairy decided to pass on just about her entire record collection. I'm still digging and discovering gems, but it's just so...nice. I mean when was the last time someone decided they just wanted to give you a bunch of music? In the spirit of sharing, since everyone who comes by picks up and "aaaawws" about this 45 of Breakout by Swing Out Sister here it is for your enjoyment.
This is a Britpop classic and why they haven't had a statewide "breakout" will remain one of life's big mysteries.
After being robbed of victory in their game against the U.S., Japan comes back to win it all against Cuba!!! Probably not the turn of events Bud Selig hoped for. I was able to catch the last inning at my favorite ramen shop in J-Town. Although I did not eat a single noodle, I did enjoy a classic starch on starch on starch dinner--potato croquettes, rice and potato salad. My dad called me on my cellphone then again at home to share his glee and my grandma reports that her church-lady friends stayed late to watch the game with her. Ahh...to call two baseball obsessed countries home...
If it weren't for the film above, Eddie and I would have been kickin' it w/some beers and snacks to watch this historical baseball moment. Instead, we watched Gaijin 2, an epic diasporia movie about 4 generations of Japanese Brazilians. Just thinking about all those years makes me tired. It was good though, checkkkkked it out.
And last night, in addition to being privy to the Q Strings' film debut (see post below), I got to stalk--I mean talk to--Lisa Asagi about her chicken hatchery book. She assured me that it is almost complete. I then realized I should probably not be harassing writers I've barely met about their projected timelines for completion. No, really...I'm not a stalker.
The closest I get to fulfilling my not so secret fantasies of leading an Asian boy band is to punish my friends with Shania Twain ballads in the karaoke box. Christine, of course, has some serious plans in place. OK, so perhaps the viola is not quite the boy band instrument, but it's definitely Asian. har har. Christine and Arham form half the Q Strings quartet. Q Strings wrote and peformed the soundtrack for the movie above--premiering today at the Asian American Film Festival. They are good. Very good. So good that I'm glad that they agreed not to call themselves the G-Strings, because that would just be hard to explain when accepting the Oscar for Best Motion Picture Soundtrack.
This show is sold out, but there is talk of a second showing. Q Strings will also be performing at the Festival's closing gala. Check 'em out!
It was an evening of eats, peeps, drinks, and about 200 mangos and mango related items. I am grateful that despite the presence of a number of queer women of color, there was a notable absence of mango related poetry recitations. However, I did appreciate the heated showdown between the Manila and Peruvian mango.
Hey, but it wasn't all fun and games. While most of us were carelessly tossing food down our gullets and enjoying Vivian's vibrating floor (!), Theresa, Tami and Eddie -- all bona fide Japanese B-list celebrities, were carefully reviewing each dish for presentation, delicious-ness, and mango-ness.
My personal favorites were Tam and Matt's black bean and mango salsa, and Tina's rainbow beef. Since Tina is a professional culinary scientist--she actually develops recipes for a living, she graciously removed herself from the running.
I am pleased to report that the grilled shrimp and mango that I almost did not make won :) Thus, I am now the happy owner of two snazzy margarita glasses which I will soon fill with...mangos. The people's choice award (and my vote) went to Larissa's crispy on the outside and soft of the inside--Bread Pudding. And most laudable lobbying effort goes to Sheila and Paul's mango and sea bass on a butter cup lettuce bed.
Click here to drool over pictures from this tasty event.
I know I shouldn't give these fools the time of day, but they make me so tired.
Reverends bemoaning the homosexual agenda and the privileging of hot gay sheep herding sex over the holy institution of marriage. If that's how they read this movie, then it's no wonder their interpretation of the Bible is so straight and narrow--har har.
What is it with these Chinese American churches and their obsession with us queers anyway? Several years ago, the largest anti-marriage equality rally ever held in San Francisco was organized by Chinese American churches. You can't get 6 people to show up to save the In-Home Supportive Services for seniors. Notably, in San Francisco, the IHSS client base is over 80% elderly Chinese American. However, these churches will rally 6000 --that's right 6000 people to hate on queers. There's also a coalition of Slavic churches who have made preserving institutionalized homo-hate a top priority. They're organizing a super-fun event called Marriage Sunday whereby congregants devote an entire day not to feeding the hungry, loving their neighbors, nor chatting with their own families. Rather, they will spend the day gathering signatures to qualify a statewide ballot initative that would not only deny same-sex couples the right to marry, but also dismantle the current domestic partnership system. What is wrong with these people?
For those of you who actually know me, I am no fan of marriage. Even when I was a wee young straight identified woman (never was a womyn/wimmin), the idea of joining an institution that facilitated categorizing wives on par with furniture and farm animals was not very appealing. And as I came out and found my queer family and community, the idea that "real" and "devoted" families sprung from marriage was at best out of sync with my reality.
Of course, the marriage equality advocates will quickly point out the thousands of material property rights that flow from marriage. I'm not knocking that utlitarian and systemic discrimination argument. It's very real and in all seriousness, the studies (oh, those "studies")show that ending marriage discrimination will have the largest financial impact on low-wage queers of color who choose to get married. That said I cannot deny that marriage creeps me out.
So, I'm trying to conscientiously navigate my place in marriage equality debate. Not because I want to say "I do" and get lots of presents. Oh wait...maybe that is what I want, at least the present part.
I digress. I'm trying to figure out my place since this is how so many people--and especially faith based folk--are entering the debate over the broader homosexual agenda. (Which notably includes my right to pee without being harassed by the gender police.) And also because my job is increasingly positioning me as a professional homosexual.
Someday, I hope to articulate my own principled and nuanced position on marriage, family, state power, religion, and institutionalized discrimination. It will surely account for the all the pieces of my life and will include presents for everyone, a blog, photos, a large gray cat, and my iPod. However, given that it's the tail end of National Procrastination Week, all of that will have to wait...
I've been lame about posting recently. No excuses, just lameness. If I had been on top of it, I would have written about:
How Brokeback Mountain should have won Best Picture.
Tamu's tofu diet
Deep hatred--yes, hatred towards legislators in abortion banning South Dakota.
My disbelief at the non-outrage over Bush's extension of a nuclear arms deal with India.
Contemplating running Bay to Breakers with Jen in May
OK I confess, I have had an obsession other than Lunamania.
I've spent the 2 weeks probing Vivian's eating habits (loves dessert and mole of all sorts, hates onions) and cataloging her allergies (crab and lobster.) No, I'm not planning to ask her out on a date. She's hosting an Iron Chef party tomorrow night and I've been sleuthing for the secret ingredient. I narrowed it down to 3: chocolate (a mole and dessert enabler--where the hell is the accent key on MT?); mango; chili/peppers. Last night, I dreamt it was chili, but alas I was wrong and clearly obsessed. Mango it is.
Spent the last 2 days in Sacramento. That place makes me tired...so tired that I'm not going to write anything more and I'm going to head to bed at 8:30.
