Thursday, May 17, 2012

2012 International Day Against Homophobia

"The theme of the 2012 International Day Against Homophobia campaign is: Sexual diversity in the workplace, it pays off!

The goal of the campaign is to point out thepositive aspects of sexual diversity in the workplace as well as its benefits for employers, companies, institutions and workers alike."


For more information visit International Day Against Homophobia

Focus on the Real Things

When I was up awhile during the night I logged into my SecondLife and went to Mirromere for a visit and talk with my Ars.

I still love that place so much and it holds so many treasured memories for me. Although I have a memorial site for Ars on Southern Charm, this is the place I return to when I want to feel really close to him or when I need to think things through. Strange maybe, but nonetheless true.

When I am there, I connect with Ars and can think through stuff that has happened or that I have experienced and do not fully understand or simply don´t know how to handle. From time to time, I get a thought that has a "timbre" of Ars or simply hear him laughing.

Before I went to the party I had had a quick talk with my sister Millimina, she was logging off as I came in-world. There are many similarities between Ars and Millimina and many disparities too. The most striking similarities are their solid and grounded personalities, their wisdom and their care and love for me. I could/can always depend on them telling me the truth. After the conversation with Millimina I already had her input on a few of the things that were troubling me, but I still needed to digest them.

What was at the top of my mind was my worries for a friend who is possibly facing some bad news. There are no definite results yet and the verdict is not in, which is the biggest problem right now.

The waiting is always the worst part, and if it drags out we sort of end up in a state of limbo not knowing what to do or say. We just feel helpless and prepare our-self for the - inevitable - blow. Once we get "the news" we can rave, rant, cry and go on to handle the situation or pick up our pieces again with a sigh of relief that we have a minor ailment to take care of.

What we as friends and family can do is try to be there as much as we can and are allowed, listen more than we speak and sometimes try to remind our friends not to take the bad news for granted in advance. However, we have all been in more or less similar situations sometime and know that that is easier said than done...

The other situation was a trifle compared to the first one.

I have not been proud of my own demeanor during the past days. It is a situation I often find myself in somehow, where I take the bait that is thrown at me and revert to childish behavior. Since childhood and youth I have been thought not to let people trample over me and to stand up to bullies. "Hell, if I don´t do it, who will?" is the thought that strikes me and I run off on a rampage.

Try as I may, to follow the kind advice I get from friends and family to me and whose advice I value highly, I revert to this immature childlike behavior and find myself laying on the floor of the department store kicking, screaming and yelling to no avail. What I must realize and  come to terms with is that in taking their bait I accept the game they are playing.

Instead of doing that, I must remember the things I know to be true about myself and act accordingly.

I am not and have never been a bully, neither do I use suppression or domination techniques against anyone, especially not women. I must also remember what actually happened from my perspective and hold on to that however someone else tries to distort the events. I am not responsible for their version and have no obligation to rectify or clarify anything they say, it is a futile struggle anyway and will only entrench their position.

Only if and when I see somebody else get hurt do I have an obligation to act. The rest is nonsense and other people role-playing. I should stick to what matters, real things and real people.

"It´s time to grow up, Bock babe, now focus on what matters!" *deep roaring laughter*

Elvis, Rock-n-Roll and I

My ex-wife-for-a-day Iendi Laville threw a rock themed party at her establishment The Grenouille Inn (nowadays mostly called The Frog) last evening, which I of course had to go to.

Preparing for the party I found that the only really 50s-60s themed object I remembered having in my vast Inventory were my Buddy Holly glasses with tape across the middle. When I saw Apollon Allen I remembered my panel shirts too, but by then I was already dancing.

The old place was completely redecorated for the occasion by Iendi and her staff, Mrs. Svessa Hax-Beornsen, Mrs. Annabella Lundqvist and Mr. Lelle Kidd. The place looked awesome and supplied the best animations for rock-n-roll dancing I have ever encountered in SecondLife. (Note-to-self, don´t forget to ask Annabella where she got those animations!)
Bock and Elvis/Apollon
As chance would have it I ended up dancing with an Elvis look-alike in the shape of my old friend Apollon with great moves while the ex-missus threw herself at one of her unsuspecting tenants, a gorgeous looking stud named Holy (I cannot recall his last name but I  think it is Charger or something like it) - who turned out to have a few good moves of his own.

Music was supplied with style and flourish by this evenings DJ, Ms. Betty Idler.

Time for some party pictures!




For more pictures from the event - and a far more extensive coverage of the people there - please see Blanche´s Arena; 50-tal på Grodan,

We Love Norway!

May 17 is the National Day of Norway.

Norway and Norwegians are undoubtedly the country and people Swedes love most in the world, feel closest to - and love to joke with and about the most also.

As has become my tradition on this blog I give you the most loving joke with Norway and Norwegians ever produced with this classic clip from Swedish television in the early 1960s, "The Helmer Bryds Eminent Five Quartet" with their protest song "Norway".

The Norwegians don´t appreciate us as much we do them, but then love isn't always mutual, is it?

Happy birthday Norway!



"Norway" - the protest song
(translated from Swedish by Bock McMillan)

It is said that one should not gene-ra-li-ze,
and say for example that "Germany is not good"
One really shouldn't generally do that, I don´t think, but this doesn´t apply
to the country where Norwegians live.

Norway, Norway,it is a rotten country.
Norwegians, Norwegians, a fucking band of robbers.
Norwegians, Norwegians, they fish bad cod.
So if you see a slob, and he stinks like rotten fish
He is undoubtedly Norwegian.

Yes, the Norwegians they are terrible,
so ugly and so small.
With ties that are disgusting with Norwegian flowers on.
They fool around and fuss, and yodel and go on.
One wonders when one see´s them, how stupid can you be?

Norway, Norway, it never rises "frem".
Norway, Norway, with the thousand "hjem".
Norway, Norway, you stain on our earth.
We can feel the stench all the way down to the Dogger Bank
from your Norwegian smorgasbord.

We should give a real blow to Norway as a nation,
because they have so ugly mountains and have bad pensions too.
They don´t make cars and the bikes they make are lousy
and their only great poet, he is named Peter Dass. (Note: Dass is slang for toilet in Swedish)

Norway, Norway, is the world's worst country.
Norwegians, Norwegians, they should be taken care of.
Norwegians, Norwegians, the people that the Lord gave
a hopeless mind and a forehead that is so low
so that the hat keeps falling off"



On this day my loving thought go to my ex-lover (and now friend) Erik, my friends Erik, Sophie, Linn and Magnar and my ex-son in law in SecondLife Haakon. Love you all!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

"It Could Happen To You"


Thomas Lee Bridegroom (1982-2011) was an American film and commercial actor, television host and photographer.

Tom died on May 7, 2011, after a fall from a rooftop during a photo session. In May 2012, a year after his death, his partner for six years Shane Bitney Crone released this clip in which he tells us his story in order to speak out in favor of rights for same-sex couples.
...

Please follow Shane´s sound advice, "Whatever your sexual orientation, I plead with you to take the necessary steps to protect yourself and the ones you love.". That advice applies in both your first and your second lives.

I first saw this clip about a week ago on Joe.My.God. and was deeply moved by it, but still I hesitated to re-post it here for reasons of my own. After speaking with my friend Kahvy Ewing-Sands in SecondLife about it last evening I decided to post it anyway. The video is worth all the attention it can get.

I am indebted to Kahvy for convincing me this was the right thing to do!

Quote of the Day

"I don’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member!”
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (1890-1977)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

I Am Sorry, Vanadis

"Vanadis,

I am truly sorry you feel the need to project your insecurities on me.

I understand that living with low self-esteem can be very difficult and it might make you feel better inventing inaccurate and fabricated stories about people who do have real friends and a real life. I can understand why that would have a certain fascination for you. Wanting the unattainable and all that.

For a while I have condoned your behavior hoping it would help you in some way. Sadly I have to conclude that in condoning this, you have in fact become worse.

As a result, I now have to ask you to stop doing this. It is obviously not doing you any good and the fun has long since gone for me.

From now on you and your minions will be ignored and blocked.

I apologize for any inconvenience this will cause you.

Sincerely,
Bock"

....

Well she asked for a public apology this is what she gets. I posted the same as a comment on her post today