Super?

So, I watched the game Sunday.  I was pleased at the outcome, and even more pleased that it was a fun game for a football fan to watch.  Overall I was disappointed by the commercials.  Halftime?  Well....it was halftime.  And I loved the Corvette that they presented to Eli Manning as MVP.  All things considered, though, it was a very pleasant Super Bowl "Experience" this year.  I ate too much, I only had one glass of wine to drink, and I got to bed at a reasonable time.  All good things.

In my continuing effort to expand my horizons I recently bought some dance lessons on Groupon.  Last night was lesson #1 and it was a blast.  We did some simple things - Cha-Cha and Waltz - but this particular instructor was great with me and went at exactly the right pace.  My next lesson is Monday and I hope I don't forget it all by then.  :-D

I've had a couple of people write about a friend who is appearing on a talk show today.  I do appreciate her as a friend, so for a number of reasons I'm adopting a strategy of "if you don't have something positive to say, don't say anything."  Therefore, I've got nothing to say.  I do hope things go well for her because the last time she did national media I think she was surprised by the negative responses (including mine).  My opinion hasn't changed, so all I can say is that I hope she's grown some thicker skin. 

A Facebook friend posted something on my page that I'm willing to share here.  She's in the UK and she's offering to perform at PRIDE events (read details here).  I don't usually promote things here, but in this case I'm making an exception. 

I had a conversation with someone the other day about being "out".  She asked if I've encountered any pushback from being out here in South Carolina.  My response was that although I suppose I'm out, I'm not really out.

Certainly, if someone googles me they'll learn all they need to know really quickly.  But in my day-to -day world it's not an issue.  It's not discussed.  It's not something I think about, nor is is something that needs conversation.  In the 9 months I've been here I've had "the conversation" 3 times.  Once with a guy I enjoyed doing stuff with (didn't see him any more after that), once with a neighbor (she was great with it), and once with a friend from work.  I've shared enough for others to find out on their own, but realistically - that's it.

So when people want to know what it's like to be "out", all I can say is that the key is getting to a point where it doesn't matter, nor do you care.  I don't know what more to say about it.  I live my life (which is, btw, very full).  I'm treated the way I like to be treated.  I get to do things I enjoy doing  Period.  And I've come to percieve this piece of information about myself as a pathway to intimacy, not something I owe it to explain to anyone.  That is, as I choose to share more with people (either we're becoming better friends, or there are other reasons to provide additional details on my life) you can't get past a certain point without sharing that.  And that's how I approach it.

Here in South Carolina, there are people ready to dislike me simply because I'm a Democrat.  Or because my father was Jewish.  Or because I'm a Yankee.  Ironically, those things don't typically come up in generally come up in day-to-day conversation either, not because I'm hiding them or that I'm ashamed of them but simply because they're outside of the context of the relationships.  And so, too, is being "out".

I don't know which of my friends might be gay.  We don't talk about sexuality, either. 

So back to being "out".  I've said before and it's as true now as it ever was - I'm out where I feel I need to be out, and I'm not where I don't want to be.  As far as I'm concerned, that's the best of both worlds.

I'm headed out to meet some friends for dinner this evening.  I'm hoping to be able to watch the sun go down over the ocean.  Those are some of the simple pleasures it's easy to take for granted when you live here.  The good thing is, it still hasn't gotten old for me yet.

My next "dream camera" was announced this week (specs here).  It's admittedly a bit pricey but if I could afford it I'd buy it, and I may start saving pennies for Christmas.  The thing that's harder for me to overcome than the price is that photographers are typically divided into Canon vs. Nikon people and I've been a Canon girl since I was a teen.  All my lenses are Canon.  All my other "stuff" is Canon.  So changing over isn't as simple as you'd think.  But that won't stop me if it's something I decide to do.  Some people are enamored by jewelry or clothes or shoes or purses.  For me - it's cameras, and this is one bad a$$ camera.

Gotta go.  Until next time....