Author: Michael

There, I’ve said it. And I’ll say it again. Mary Cheney is a lesbian. Of all the many (and there are many, as we all know) crazy things about that other political party, the outrage of so many about that mere statement of fact as uttered by Senator Kerry during the final debate, has got to be the craziest. In context, the Senator was saying such nice things about Ms. Cheney and her father too. It’s rather mind-boggling. It’s not like Kerry said, Mary’s a dyke. Or Mary’s a rug-muncher. No, a simple statement of fact; one that Mary’s own father has already confirmed, is enough to get all sorts of folks up in arms. I just read that a recent poll of voters taken by The Washington Post, shows that 2/3 of voters felt that Kerry’s statement was inappropriate. Whoo boy. Even the log cabin republicans, gay men and women themselves (presumably) have gotten into the act.

Okay, that’s as political as I want to get right now. Next thing you know I’ll be talking about the Boston Red Sox making it to the World Series for the first time since 1987. If they win, it will be the first time since 1918. Isn’t it ironic that I was actually in New York (a conference in Rochester) on the night the Sox beat the Yankees for the American League championship? I have to report that one woman, a New York resident, said to me, “It’s about time they won. They deserve it. Just don’t tell my husband I said that.”

It’s really all about baseball and politics this time of year, isn’t it? Seen any good movies lately?

One of the biggest alternative bands of the late-80’s/early-90’s was the Boston-based quartet The Pixies (pictured left). Lead singer Black Francis went on to solo career under his given name, Frank Black. Bassist/vocalist had a successful fling with her new band The Breeders. I never really noticed what was going on with drummer Dave Lovering or lead guitarist Joey Santiago. Still, The Pixes combined Black’s screaming vocals, the bands crunching guitars, sci fi-influenced lyris, and strangely compelling pop melodies extremely successfully. Certainly the pinnacle of their pop success was the eminently catchy ‘Here Comes Your Man.’

Recently, as is the want of must musical acts, The Pixies reunited. Like me, lead guitarist Joey Santiago is half-Filipino (below). I never really thought we shared a resemblance when the band was in its heyday, but shave a couple of heads and grow a couple of goatees, and voila! I’m a member of The Pixies! I didn’t really notice this until Clinton (program director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre) saw the band on the cover of The Boston Phoenix several months ago and did a double-take. He was surprised to learn that I was moonlighting as a member of The Pixies! Well, I finally took a look at the newly shorn Santiago in a photo from the September 22-October 5, 2004 issue of The Improper Bostonian, and I have to say, the resemblance is a pretty strong one. Take a look for yourself below.

Scot and I were married on August 10, 2004, but we were almost married yesterday, September 25. When we first decided to get married, we planned the kind of ceremony and reception we wanted to have. I wanted to get married sooner rather than later (I was worried that the law allowing same-sex couples to marry in MA might be tenuous), but felt we would need about a year to plan (and save money for) the celebratory post-party. Scot wanted to have the party immediately follow the ceremony. So we settled on September 25 for a lovely outdoor ceremony and tent-reception at our friend Dee’s home. We would keep it relatively simple: cocktail party, smallish guest list, have our friend Diane officiate. We soon discovered that no matter how simple we tried to keep the wedding, it was coming up very quickly, and it was going to cost more than we had expected.

The icing on the cake was that our dear friends Susan and Chuck would be getting married in Provincetown on the same day. I have known Susan since 1979 (give or take a year) and we have stayed in touch (sporadically at times, but always genuinely) for the past 25 years. Scot and I now stay with her and Chuck each summer for getaways to P-Town. The thought that we would not be at their wedding, and they would not be at ours, was a huge disappointment.

As planning continued, Scot and I came to the realization that planning the ceremony/party we wanted for September 25 would be too much for us. We decided to elope in August. We had a lovely ceremony on our deck with only the handful of friends who were originally going to be part of the September 25 ceremony. Our reception will be held next April along with our closest friends, Gianna and Sarah, who were married this June. One fortunate side-effect of this decision was that we were able to attend Sue and Chuck’s wedding yesterday.

Sue and Chuck, a rare straight couple getting married in P-Town, had a lovely wedding overlooking the ocean at the Provincetown Inn. The weather was perfect, Susan was gorgeous (in a spectacular dress that she made herself), and the reception was lively. (Unfortunately, we had to catch the last ferry back to Boston and left early.) The ceremony was especially moving for me and Scot, as we both felt strongly attached to the date as our original wedding date. During the ceremony, it was almost as if we were renewing are still-fresh vows at a ‘phantom wedding.’

So, congratulations Sue and Chuck! We may not share the same anniversary as we briefly thought we might, but we were able to share in your glorious day and privately celebrate our own wedding day once again.