It’s that time again! ALC 11 2012 is right around the corner. I have a few things planned this year that are going to be different than last year. First and for most I want to personally thank everyone who helped me accomplish my 2011 ride. 545 miles was a long way, but I tell you I enjoyed every minute of it. This year I’m back at it again. I did what I would call my 1st training ride of 2012 in the Blossom Train Ride.
So this year my plan is to raise as much money as possible as always. I have to raise a minimum of $3,000 to participate in the ride this year. Feels like the cost of the ride keeps going up and up and up. Last year I got asked allot about where the money was going? When I told many of you that the funds were going to the SF Aids Foundation you asked why was the money not staying in our community? The short answer is this event is put on by the AIDS LifeCycle foundation and the monies are dispersed between the SF AIDS Foundation and the LA Gay & Lesbian Center.
That said though I plan to do something a bit different this year. The long and the short of this fundraising event is that I need to raise a minimum of $3,000 for the event. However anything over the $3,000 will go towards directly to local organizations here in the Fresno community. I have not decided how I will disperse the funds, but anything in access of the $3,000 minimum goal will be donated to local organizations in the local community.
So this year to donate to the ride please use the donation button below or you can always drop me a check in the mail, in person, or send a paypal payment to ted.freitas@mac.com. If you have any questions on how to donate to my ride this year please give me a call at 559.241.9960 or you can always e-mail me at ted.freitas@mac.com.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Ted G. Freitas
ted.freitas@mac.com
Mobile : 559.241.9960
Here is the movie lineup for this weekend.
Jack and Jill @ 5:10p
Director: Dennis Dugan – Cast: Adam Sandler, Al Pacino, Katie Holmes, Allen Covert, Dana Carvey
Jack Sadelstein is a successful advertising executive in Los Angeles with a beautiful wife and kids, who dreads one event each year: the Thanksgiving visit of his identical twin sister Jill. Jill’s neediness and passive-aggressiveness is maddening to Jack, turning his normally tranquil life upside down.
Always… Patsy Cline – Friday Jan 27th @ 7:30p
Note: This is an optional event is a Always Patsy Cline Friday night @ 7:30p at the Visalia Ice House Theatre (410 E. Race Ave, Visalia, CA 93291) More information can be found at http://www.facebook.com/events/302869153098159/
Visalia Community Players Always … Patsy Cline By Ted Swindley Reservations Suggested – 559-734-3900
Okay here is the lineup for this weekend!
Quick Version
Friday Night – Urbanized Tower Theater @ 5:30p
Saturday Night – Tower Heist, UA Clovis Towne Center 8 @ 5:00p
Detailed Version
Friday Night – Urbanized Tower Theater @ 5:30p
This is an OPTIONAL movie cost is $10 – Again this is not the main movie that will be held on Saturday.
Synopsis – This American independent documentary frames a global discussion on the future of cities. Who is allowed to shape our cities? How do they do it? And how does the design of our cities affect our lives? The movie explores a diverse range of urban design projects in dozens of cities around the world, from massive infrastructure to temporary interventions. Featuring some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, and thinkers, including the extraordinary citizens who have affected change in their communities. Directed by Gary Hustwit, it is the final documentary in his design film trilogy that includes “Helvetica” and “Objectified.”
Dinner – Dinner is planned to be at Pino which is a new wine / tapas bar next to the theatre or we will head over to Million if people don’t want to goto Pino.
Trailer – Urbanized
Saturday Night – Tower Heist, UA Clovis Towne Center 8 @ 5:00p
Main Feature movie for 1/14, movie cost is $3.50 yes, it went up folks.
Synopsis – Josh Kovaks has managed one of the most luxurious and well-secured residences in New York City for more than a decade. In the swankiest unit atop Josh’s building, Wall Street titan Arthur Shaw is under house arrest after being caught stealing two billion from his investors. The hardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he was entrusted to manage. With only days before Arthur gets away with the perfect crime, Josh’s crew turns to petty crook Slide to plan the nearly impossible…to steal what they are sure is hidden in Arthur’s guarded condo. Though amateurs, these rookie thieves know the building better than anyone. Turns out they’ve been casing the place for years, they just didn’t know it.
Dinner – We will be having dinner at “I love Sushi” after the movie!
Trailer – Tower Heist
Well it’s always nice to just take care of yourself! Since I left Florida in Dec and tried Vegan food for the first time, I’ve been dying to recreate a dish I had at VE, Cauliflower Steak.
Cauliflower Steak was a 1” slice of Cauliflower on a bed of brown rice with a portobello mushroom on top covered in a marinara sauce. Side of grilled vegetables, and a salad. So tonight I wanted to try my own version of this. So here is what I came up with!
Ted’s Cauliflower Steak Devine
1 1 1/2-pound head of cauliflower
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional for brushing
1 bag of instant brown rice
1 yellow squash
1 green squash
4 slices of egg plant
2 medium sized carrots
Preparation
Preheat oven to 250°F. Using sharp heavy knife and starting at top center of cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch-thick slices of cauliflower, cutting through stem end. Set cauliflower steaks aside.
Cut enough florets from remaining cauliflower head to measure 3 cups. Combine florets, 1 1/2 cups water, and milk in medium saucepan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook until cauliflower florets are very tender, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Spread florets on large rimmed baking sheet, and bake 10 minutes until slightly dry. Transfer florets to blender. Add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Return puree to same saucepan and increase oven temperature to 350°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brush cauliflower steaks with additional oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cauliflower steaks to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake cauliflower steaks until tender, about 10 minutes.
Rewarm cauliflower puree over medium heat. Divide puree between 2 plates; top each with cauliflower steak.
Rice
Boil the instant rice for 8 minutes.. TADA done!
Vegetables
Cut all the vegetables diagonally for presentation. Place 2 – 3 tables spoons of olive oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot add the carrots first as they will take the longest and then the squash and then finally the egg plant.
So here is how it comes out!!!
The new year is upon us. I know everyone has been busy for the holiday’s and of all people I’ve been busy as well. I think December was the busiest month of all for me this year. As I was sitting down to recap the 2011 year and formulating a plan for 2012 I realized how much of an impact/success I had in 2011. I can only imagine how much better 2012 can be!
As some of you may or may not know personal growth is a huge thing for me as I think it should be for everyone. I attended a conference down in LA called the New Years Mental Cleanse that was put on Byron Katie. Let me tell you I don’t think my brain has been more cleansed ever before. The reason I bring Byron Katie up is that I think her work “The Work” could be useful to EVERYONE. I’m currently in talks with Katie to see if she would be willing to hold a specific LGBT event. I’m hopeful that I can get Katie to host such an event, but if not I know I will be successful at getting her support in putting together a workshop to share her work with everyone. I encourage everyone to check out Katie’s website at http://thework.com, her work has forever changed my life!
So what are your plans for 2012? Do you have or need an accountability partner? For me accountability has been a challenge at different points in my life. Ever write something down on your New Years Resolution list like “Keep finances on track to buy a new home in 20XX”? Well I’ve been there, done that and still don’t have my house. With that said I’m calling 2012 the year of Accountability. I’m willing to help 2 or 3 people keep on track with their 2012 goals thru monthly telephone, Skype or e-mail or even in person meetings. I say I can only take on 2 – 3 people as I don’t want to over commit myself. I was thinking if we can each take on 2 or 3 friends to help them monthly to keep on track just think of how much more positive of an outcome we can have for 2012 as a whole! I think the key to making this work would be to keep the Resolutions / Goals simple and obtainable within your means. I have some guide lines below let me know what you think.
- Meet in person once a month with your accountability partner
- Skype, e-Mail, Phone conversations could be a backup method.
- Meeting Locations : Starbux, Revue, Library, Lunch, Teazer’s
- Exchange 5 – 10 goals you would like to keep on track with for the 2012 year
- Keep goals online via Google Docs, Dropbox or just plain e-Mail
- Agree how often reminders should be sent between each other
- Weekly, Bi-Monthly, Monthly
- Clearly define the terms of engagement to not offend one another.
- If you are not on track, what are the consequences if any?
- If things between you and your accountability partner are not working, what is the exit strategy.
- If you are tired of being reminded about a certain task how do you ask your accountability partner to back down without offending them?
Happy New Year!
-Ted
Interesting situation this morning — So I ran into a man in the elevator and I could sense he was upset about something. I said, “Good Morning how are you doing?” He motioned with his hand saying okay and he paused for a second and said, “I’m pissed off right now!”. For a moment I was taken back by his comment and thought, my god here I am trying to be nice in the “Awkward Space (The Elevator)” (Thanks for the name Zachary Bradley LOL) but I thought, I have to respect his feelings Ted. So I pressed, “What’s bothering you?”. None of your businesses! Wow, he was upset. He said, “I’m going to goto the gym and work it off.” “Ya, that always works for me! Are you going to go run the treadmill?” “No, I’m going to walk the treadmill as I don’t run that much!” he said as he exits the elevator and walks out the front door of the hotel.
So why am I blogging about this? Well I am kinda of proud of myself in a few areas.
1) I recognized the gentleman was in pain and instead of me standing by I actually engaged with him. Which everyone is probably saying, you always do Ted! Well yes I do sometimes, but there have been some situations where I have not said anything out of fear or un-comfortability.
2) I didn’t take on his pain or problem. Typically I would feel sorry for the person and let their mood affect my day and overanalyze their issues and try to help them. Some would say your doing it now? Okay, maybe to an extent but I feel that I’m just documenting how I felt at the moment as a reflection of his situation and my interaction. But I left his business as his business as I have my own issues I’m dealing with and I don’t need to take on someone else’s problems.
I look forward to running into him again later today to fine out how is walk went!
Seems like it was just yesterday that we were watching 50/50, but it’s that time already! This week there are three options at two different locations. As many of you may or may not know I will be out of town for both of the upcoming movie night weekends. My schedule is a bit hepatic so I’m going to need some help gathering the troops for the next two movie nights. 50/50 was a great movie if you missed it I highly recommend that you get it when it comes out on DVD. So this week there is movie night at UA Clovis Towne 8 and there is also a Jewish film over at Temple Beth Israel (6622 N. Maroa Ave. Fresno CA 93704). Personally I would suggest attending the Jewish film as I love foreign films but to each their own. Below area all the details.
If someone in the group would like to volunteer to be the coordinator for Dec 10th and someone else on Dec 24th I would greatly appreciate it! I love to rally the troops, but I need a bit of help this month.
Jewish Film Festival
Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg @ 7:00PM – Documentary – Trailer
his is an engrossing documentary portrait of a once-beloved radio and television star who died in 1966 and today is barely remembered. The film explores the wonderful cultural significance of a creative, energetic Jewish woman, Gertrude Berg, and how her vision and drive broke cultural boundaries in the 1930s and beyond. Berg created a character, Mrs. Goldberg, a lovable and loving Jewish mother, shaped in the immigrant neighborhoods of New York City, who became a national heroine and one of the first true pop culture icons of the 20th century. The signature gesture of the homey, gregarious Molly was to lean out her apartment window and call out “yoo-hoo” to neighbors with whom she exchanged the urban equivalent of back-fence gossip.
UA Clovis Towne 8
In Time @ 7:30p – 1hr 49min – Rated PG-13 – Scifi/Fantasy – Trailer
Director: Andrew Niccol – Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Alex Pettyfer, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde – :
Welcome to a world where time has become the ultimate currency. You stop aging at 25, but there’s a catch: you’re genetically-engineered to live only one more year, unless you can buy your way out of it. The rich earn decades at a time (remaining at age 25), becoming essentially immortal, while the rest beg, borrow or steal enough hours to make it through the day. When a man from the wrong side of the tracks is falsely accused of murder, he is forced to go on the run with a beautiful hostage. Living minute to minute, the duo’s love becomes a powerful tool in their war against the system.
Abduction @ 7:40 – 1hr 46min – Rated PG-13 – Action/Adventure/Suspense/Thriller – Trailer
Director: John Singleton – Cast: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs – :
“Abduction” focuses on a youth who discovers the parents who raised him aren’t his real folks, a revelation that triggers events and leaves him running for his life.
Now this is one of those times where I wish I lived in NYC. This really ties into my recent Giving Back 2011 Article that I wrote a few weeks back. If anyone is in NYC reading this I would highly recommend going to this Home for the Holiday’s concert benefit as it sounds amazing!
EVENT DESCRIPTION
“Home for the Holidays” is a star-studded benefit concert on December 4th at New York City’s historic Beacon Theatre to help raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth homelessness. The evening will feature music from Cyndi Lauper as well as special appearances by Norah Jones, Amy Lee, Cassandra Wilson, Rosie O’Donnell, Wanda Sykes, Jon Secada, Carson Kressley, Chely Wright, Skylar Grey, Vanessa Carlton, Angelique Kidjo, Harvey Fierstein, Deluka, Debbie Harry, Alan Cumming, Randy Fenoli and Clay Aiken.
’When I first learned that up to 40 percent of all homeless youth in this country identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender I was shocked and saddened,” remarked Lauper, co-founder of the True Colors Fund. ”For far too long homeless youth have not received the attention, resources and funding necessary to bring an end to this epidemic. My hope is that through this inspiring evening of music and comedy we can raise awareness and much needed funds to help these young people.”
It is estimated that 20 percent to 40 percent of all homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, yet of the general youth population, only 3 percent to 5 percent do the same. The True Colors Fund is committed to doing what it can to raise awareness about this issue and develop resources to help these young people, most of whom are homeless due to family conflict.
Lauper was inspired to help after meeting an extraordinary group of young homeless gay and transgender people at a photo shoot several years ago. Already a longtime advocate for the LGBT community and equality, she co-founded the True Colors Fund in 2008 as a first step in this effort. Last year, the True Colors Fund launched the Give a Damn Campaign (www.wegiveadamn.org) to educate the straight community about the many issues, especially youth homelessness, impacting the LGBT community and inspire them to get involved.
Furthering her personal commitment to this issue, this past September the True Colors Residence was opened. In partnership with the West End Intergenerational Residence and her manager, Lauper co-founded this 30 studio apartment permanent housing building that is the first in New York dedicated to serving LGBT homeless youth. 100% of the net proceeds from “Home for the Holidays” will benefit the True Colors Fund so that Lauper and the organization can continue to further its mission to help homeless LGBT youth.
http://www.truecolorsfund.org/homefortheholidays
I received this letter via e-mail this morning. I typically don’t like to share these types of things, but something about this struck a cord in me. I hope you enjoy it as I did and hopefully it will make you think too. It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking..
… and the story goes
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room’s only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end.
They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
It faced a blank wall..
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’
Epilogue
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.
‘Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .’
The origin of this letter is unknown, but it brings good luck to everyone who passes it on.
World AIDS Day is right around the corner on Dec 1st. There are a few events around town that I would recommend attending. One of the most notable is the World AIDS Day event down at the Tower Theatre. Another event that is a MUST attend would be FREE HIV Testing at the Fresno LGBT Center. I find it personally very concerning that the majority of people in our community either don’t know their status, don’t want to talk about it or just flat out refuse to ignore the reality of HIV/AIDS. With the HIV being 100% PREVENTABLE I do not understand why so many people don’t protect themselves or know their status. Why would you want to endanger someone else’s life? It’s beyond me, but I guess that’s how some people want to run their life. The only advice I can give that I know works is to 1) Get tested and know your status. Yes it’s scary, but you know what why not know what you are dealing with and head it off in the beginning instead of finding out when you have multiple opportunistic infections and you can’t fight anything off 2) You HAVE to protect yourself, they say abstinence is the best but we all know that is probably not going to happen or if it does it’s short lived. Condoms are freely distributed around town and if you are afraid to ask for them tell me and I’ll mail them to you!
Event Details
FREE HIV Testing @ Fresno LGBT Center — This event is being put on my the Fresno County Dept. of Public Health. Typically they will bring their mobile testing center and park it in front of the LGBT Center and you can get tested for HIV and get your results within approx. 20 minutes. The LGBT Community Center is always open and I encourage you to stop by and see the AMAZING work they are doing in our community!
LGBT Community Center
1055 Van Ness Ave
Fresno,CA 93721
Jason Scott
559.325.4429
jason@gaycentralvalley.org
World AIDS Day Event @ Tower Theatre – This event starts at 5:30p and ends around 8:00p and the event is 100% free. While the event is free there will be a Viewing of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, Local & Live Entertainment, Informational Booths, Several Guest Speakers, Luminary Display and a Reading of the Names. I was not able to attend last year, but I will be there this year for sure!
The Tower Theatre
815 East Olive Avenue
Fresno, CA 93728-3332
(559) 485-9050
World AIDS Day Videos – Taken by GayFresno.com
World AIDS Day 2010 — GayFresno.com
World AIDS Day 2010 — GayFresno.com
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