ABSILVER's World

So, the holidays are past, and I was asked last night at Christmas Dinner at Dan's have "I Missed" your blog entries lately?  Thank you, George! It is interesting, it comes and goes in general as to what to write, but I always try to come up with something interesting and entertaining for the end of the year.  But, I must confess, this year the idea of cheerfulness and joyous times as 2016 ends sometimes escapes me.  To say that I am disappointed in the election results would be comparable to prize fighter's feelings after getting knocked out.  I so thought I understood what was important, and that a majority of Americans would agree with me (which they did) but as we look at the Electoral College it is about that which chooses our president and so we have Donald Trump as the soon to be next president. First, I am not against the Electoral College, the idea of empowering each state to participate in our government regardless of their population is on

I am sitting here early at the Fort Lauderdale airport as I have done a fair amount lately.  As Frank, Daisybelle and I drive up to the airport there is a billboard for the Gulfstream Park Stores... and it is for a wedding registry and the couple on the billboard as we approach the airport is two men looking to get married.  I smile and remind myself how lucky I am to live in Fort Lauderdale at a moment of uncertainty. I fear, as I read on Facebook, that a gay male walking through Fort Lauderdale was taunted for being gay in a way that may have been shocking a week ago. That others are threatened, cars painted and some attacked and that could be me. A homeless person was holding up a sign looking for money, and someone shouts out the N word while telling them to get a job.  These hidden prejudices, are not new I am afraid, but what is new is that people feel emboldened to share them so freely.  Even though I hear from friends who vote for Trump, not to worry as they will protect m

Ok, I have tried, as someone commented here to be quiet politically.  People that know me well know what I stand for and who I will be voting for as soon as early voting starts. I am tired of hearing about the liberal press, when all major newspapers have endorsed Hillary Clinton. I am tired of hearing bias issues of the press, when the press has always been biased by their editorial staff.  I am reading Teddy Roosevelt's autobiography and he speaks of the different papers in New York in his era that all had a bias and voice. What I am voting for is simple: 1) I care about women's rights and women's rights to make decisions about their own health.  In short, I am pro choice.  I have heard discussions of the senior generation about the risk to women when their rights to their own health care choices was not a guaranteed right and I trust women to know what is best for their own body and health. 2) I care that many people I know have gotten married, and are co

Spoiler Alert: This blog is about the movie Florence Foster Jenkins with Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant among others. Short Review, overall I thought the movie was very good great.  What you expect from Meryl Streep as she inhabits Florence's bad singing and mannerisms.  You start laughing at the beginning of the movie at her, and continue throughout.  I also think Hugh Grant was quite good, even surprisingly so, as he plays her husband and does so in a soft and amusing way. For those that don't know, Florence Foster Jenkins really existed.  She was a patron of the music scene in New York, and believed that she could sing very well.  Apparently, she couldn't, but in the days of a printed press that took time to get out in the world her husband and the community around her kept her believing she could sing.  This continues for quite a while until she performs at Carnegie Hall, and the crowd laughed, and finally a reviewer from the NY Post refuses to support ruse and

Instead of waiting for miracle from the universe, I am Looking inside for my own miracles. This is my 200th blog posts with over 15000 reads.  (yes I know my sister is probably 5000 of them.. )  Amazing that almost 8 years ago I started with this adventure from a point of change.   I was changing jobs, recently single and trying to figure the next phase of my life. Describing me to the world and along the way discussed weddings, deaths, politics and a myriad of thoughts ranging from gay rights, religion, and politics with hopefully some humor along the way. I sat down a few times in the last week or two, to write the “200 th ” blog post.  I wanted some humor and fun most of all but with the events of the last few weeks I just couldn’t smile and laugh my way through.  I needed to look inside and thing a little bit more and this morning I decided to break this up this post into some key areas and ideas. What makes me mad? How can we ever find true equality with

  Happiness, dancing, smiles on a Saturday night can turn into carnage and terror. I want to learn to not be agitated by things out of my control or any such as: Delayed flights like this past morning.  The flight waiting to take off missing paperwork that seems quite straightforward to get it right. People who choose not to like me or decide all of a sudden not to...life and I are always changing. Traffic and drivers who don't move the moment the light changes. Drivers who turn and leave so much space between them and the car ahead that I miss the light. The person in front of me at Starbucks that is surprised by the choices or that there is more lemon cake than what is in the display case. The person in front of me who doesn't remember to take off their shoes, jacket or take out their laptop going through security at the airport. People who get up during takeoff or landing ... The in line skater at the beach who has bells on so we all get out of his way.

I wrote a poem... I think...  I don't always  know what to do... I can't change the past.  Today, I sit at home.  With my lover , my friend and more. In fear at times, wondering about tomorrow.  Will he understand?  The more he knows me.. The heart betrays me, or not.  I love without choice.  I don't know what to do.  Must trust others who have been chosen. Hope the world sees what I see... But, they may not and not know.  From a holy pulpit, they show hate.  From a love of God they abandon those who need their love. They must not know what to do.  Certainly their God of love must shed a tear. Love should be boundless.  Not bound by hate. We humans must know what to do.  Love each other as we want to be loved. Let your God judge, just love ! Let our hearts open our minds. Feelings are boundless.  Intelligence is not always logic.

Sticks and stones will break my bones but words can kill! I sit here on Tuesday morning.. in between moments at work I watched Anderson Cooper  share the names and some of the information about the victims of Sunday mornings horrific attack.  One name after another, of people from 18 and on, who were in a club having fun in what they believed was an accepting and safe place. I then scroll through Facebook and see Pat Robertson says “Orlando Shooting Is God’s Punishment For SCOTUS’ Same-Sex Marriage Ruling”.  I see a video of Christian pastor calls Orlando massacre good news because 50 faggots died.  Orthodox Jew Posts Facebook Rant Celebrating Orlando Massacre: If An Arab Did This, Good For Him.  I see the link to the LT Governor of Texas quoting the bible about Reap what you Sow. And these words scare me not just for what they say about us today but about the children who are listening. They hear the words in their father's voice about don't play with do

I sit here at 1pm on a Sunday, and I must say to just feeling pissed off. In this world, at this moment there are families of at least 50 dead and more than 50 injured who have to wonder how their loved ones could have been shot and or killed by one man early on Saturday morning in Orlando home to Disney, home to Universal Studios and home to my niece and her husband. (they are safe thankfully) Yes, it was a gay night club and does that really matter unless you are the lt governor of Texas ?  As a gay man I should be madder that it was a gay club, but honestly I don't think I could be more outraged. What makes me so mad is that this ONE man could get his hands on AR15 assault rifle that allowed him to kill, and injure so many people in such a short period of time.  Can any one justify that to me? Thankfully, I discovered there is already a bill in Congress to ban assault weapons, again!  https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4269/text  with 125 co-

The Power of Love: 57 and Going Strong Fifty Seven years ago, in a small town of Anderson, SC a wedding took place between two very special people.  I won’t keep you guessing, these special people are my parents.  They took their vows in a synagogue built by my Mom’s Grandfather surrounded by family and love. Sorry for the faded picture, but my Mom made a lovely bride and Dad a handsome groom!!! Their love and dedication to one another and their family is a model of how a relationship should be and through that love they have taught their family and many more the true power of love. Short history, they met in Savannah, GA by my father’s Aunt Sady and my Mom’s Aunt Gloria who were best friends.  They could have met a few years before at UGA at what I hear was a party at the TEP house called Shipwreck that my Dad helped create including finding decorations.  The story I heard is that my mom sat on a starfish which I assume if she had known was put there by my Dad may

Three years ago a group of friends made a commitment to join a gym and work out.  I was listening to them and realized I needed a lifestyle change as they say, but couldn't pick myself up to go to the gym.  I had gone to the gym successfully in New Jersey, but living in South Florida the idea of going to the gym inside every day seemed to me to not take advantage of the climate and beauty of my surroundings. So, I made a commitment to me to get into better shape but do that one step at a time.  First, I started to walk to the beach from home.. about 2 miles.  I would stop on the way for coffee and even a scone at times but at least I got myself walking. Second, I gave up the scone and kept the coffee.  I was beginning to feel better about myself and I realized that exercise was good for my mind and body. Third, I felt bored with my hands.  At the time I was walking about 4 miles a day and decided to add weights to my wrists and walk with them.  Started o

I admire Mark Zuckerberg.  He is young, successful, and rich and has a vision for the value of a connected world. As part of that vision, he is building Facebook and its associated apps and platforms to support a world where everyone is connected, and everyone shares content about their lives and interests.  Is this desire to share our every thought, action and moment a native human trait?  Have we as humanity considered the effect this may have on our future? It could be a great idea.  We know the more we see, hear and talk to others that are different from ourselves that we lose our fear of them.  We learn about our differences, but realize in the end of the day that a mother and father love their children, that we all pursue happiness based on our unique culture, and hopefully all desire a peaceful planet.  We all focus on some of the same day to day priorities and so this sharing and online social world will help build a more tolerant world. I do worry, as someone who

I am not against Bernie Sanders, and I am grateful for some of the focus he has brought to the campaign. But, for the time we live in, I must agree with the New York Times that Hillary Clinton is by far the best candidate running for president and I am more than hopeful she will be our 45th president. Here are my top three reasons: Global Economy Destabilization by Lowering Oil Prices:  Yes we as a global community need to address the harms of global warming.  Yes, we need to reduce our dependencies on fossil fuels, but make no mistake this continuing to lower the cost and value of oil will destabilize the world especially the middle east.  Countries ranging from Russia, Venezuela and yes Iran are going to learn the impact of lower oil prices have on their economy. We need  a president who understands the global community, understands the proper role for the United States as the strongest nation militarily, economically and in leadership and will help protect us while also

Fortresses are nice at times, but home truly is where the heart is. . My world operates on a different plane sometimes.. Here I sit in a home that I once built as my fortress.  Close the door and all was in my control and everything I saw was me.  I had the condo remodeled.  This is my kitchen.  I do appreciate the appliances.  I remember the choices, my concessions, and the delight as the remodeling was complete and this became my home and fortress. I even know why some things don't look perfect.... I shared a story with Harry this week I have not shared with many.  I knew the gentleman who lived here before me.  He was a nice guy, and a good condo board member.  He worked with the sheriffs department, but also as many gay men, lived an estranged life from his family.  He died and the passing was one that everyone in this building took hard.  When I remodeled the condo I wanted it to be visibly not his place any more, but I also did not want to erase his karma from th