Because Silence is Sometimes Considered Assent: On Charlottesville

So, therefore, I’m not silent. August 12, 2017

In case anyone had any question:

We are not with you, torch-bearers, in Charlottesville or anywhere.
We do no consent to this.
In fact we stand against you, alongside the very beautiful diversity that you fear.
We stand with people of every color and of all faiths, people of every orientation, nationality, and native tongue.

We are not going to have this. This is not the country we’ve built together and it will not become what you intend it to become.

So you can kiss our diverse, unified, multi-colored behinds because your racism and your terrorism will not win the day.

Believe it. — John Pavlovitz

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Los Angeles Gay Pride #ResistMarch 2017

I need a new phone!

I was going to bring my camera to this event but I forgot it, what with the sign and all. So, my apologies, the phone ran out of juice about halfway through. I couldn’t even call a Lyft to go back to the subway once it was over. Yes, I know, #Firstworldproblems. I have failed today.

I did love that the Pride Celebration in LA returned to its protest roots. Energizing and energetic, it was great to see the 100,000 people come out to march in the streets in resistance to the “not normal in any way” times we find ourselves in, to reaffirm our equal rights as gay, lesbian, trans, bi, queer, unsure, whatever. We’ve fought very hard for a very long time and honey, we’re not giving an inch. Not. one. inch.

Enjoy the photos and the one video I did manage to take.

And a video snippet:

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Tax Day Protest: April 15, 2017

Never got a chance to post these to the blog, since I left on the month-long train trip just a week after this event. (hint – I have lots of photos and video of the trip, coming in subsequent posts).

What this was: Trying to keep Trump honest. A task in and of itself, to be sure. I’m not certain that’s even possible, but we Angelenos, and thousands of our compatriots around the country, the Resistance to this Pompous Ass, tried to remind him of his promises to release tax returns. So far, bupkis. Anyway, enjoy the photos and the one video. DTLA, April 15. See me in my red ITMFA hat (Impeach the Motherfucker Already)? Normally red’s not my color but I made an exception.

https://youtu.be/w2r7DkMSRaY

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Stickers Have Arrived!

And who does not like stickers? From your first gold star in kindergarten, a sticker on your work signified something really special. And so it is with the Reader Views Literary Award, which “Kept” has won for 2017 (for books published in 2016) in the Gay/Lesbian/Erotica category.

KEPT and Award Stickers!

Kept is available at amazon here.

If you’d like a copy with a sticker, please contact me here: Email Jim Arnold Communications

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Publishing My Road Trip Diary

I’ve mused about calling it “Wanderslut.”

You know, because: sex sells. That’s what they tell me. And at least in this personal blogosphere of mine, I can relate, because of all the many many posts I’ve written over the years, those having to do with sexuality in some way get the most views.

It’s not even close. No one, apparently, wants to know much about my political leanings, or my views on public transportation, or all the helpful posts I’ve written as a guide to my fiction, or much of anything else (well, occasionally).

So I thought the road trip diary, which was written after a road trip 20 years ago, would be of interest. As it’s a real slice of life, and as an aside, it contains real sex, which, of course, can be elaborated on. One of the guiding principles of that trip was that I’d meet people through the internet, because that whole idea was still very fresh then. And the nice thing is, sex never gets old, even if it’s 20-year-old fooling around. Right? ‘Cause you’re still hearing it for the very first time.

I’ll put it on amazon and sell it here, maybe, electronic version only. Maybe “Wanderslut: The Road Trip Diary” followed by “Wanderslut: The Train Pass Story” coming up, as I’m doing this trip again, though by train this time. No more driving.

What do you think? Would you be interested in reading such a thing?

Here’s a photo from that trip, though not a sexy one, more of a wistful one:

Me with my parents. I think it’s Mother’s Day, 1996. We were in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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KEPT Reader Views Book Award Sticker

I got my sticker (digitally; soon to be actual sticky stickers I can put on books) for the award KEPT won — First Place, Reviewers Choice Gay/Lesbian/Erotic for 2016/2017. Pretty cool! Thank you, Reader Views!!



KEPT, by Jim Arnold

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Trump Lies feature and “I am not a Bro” Rant

‘splaining the anti-bro

OK, well sometimes you just try things that don’t work. Like the “Trump Lies” feature I had going for a few weeks here on the blog. Honestly. I can’t keep up with the consummate lying professional. That, plus there are many many people whose job it is is to keep track of what the President says and decide on the truthfulness (or lack of it) and then write it up.

So I’m gonna bail on that idea. I’ll leave the posts already done up; pretty much you can read any newspaper in the country to catch Trump’s lie of the day. Pretty much everything he says 24/7.

The other part of this post is my “I am not a bro” rant, which I wrote the other day and thought to put at the head of my LinkedIn bio. But I haven’t as yet. I wrote this after reading this article about bro culture at startup companies.

I am not a bro. Far from it; you could call me the anti-bro. In fact, I am a 62-year-old single gay male with 50 years in the workforce, if you count my first paper route at 12—and why wouldn’t you—as it was work (so there, you have answers to those nagging questions that came up when you saw my head shot).

            I have many skills from those 50 years no one puts on their resume which include: knowing how to talk on the phone, knowing how to write a memo, knowing how to spell (and knowing how to look a word up that I’m not sure about), knowing how to show up to work on time and behave in a corporate or small business environment, knowing how to accept a task and complete it within the required time frame.

            I’m just really sick of ageism; hence the rant before the qualifications. I do believe, however, there are companies out there that value the experience, competence and wisdom a lifetime of work will give to someone.

            I don’t want to retire; I like being busy and I’m most like my aunt, who died at 92 still an active employee of a huge bookstore chain. Would consider relocation. Now on to the qualifications:

But, I didn’t post it. Wonder if I should. Too petulant? Or is it funny?

 

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KEPT wins Reader Views Literary Award

Hey blog readers and book readers! I’m thrilled to announce that my novel KEPT has won First Place in the 2016 Reader Views Literary Awards, for the Gay/Lesbian/Erotica category.

Here’s a link to the list. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up. It’s quite the chore to be the one-stop shop for all in the world of self-publishing, and I have great respect for all who entered into the award contest, too. OK, now back to writing the sequel to Benediction.

KEPT, by Jim Arnold

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Trump Lies, Update #5

Here we are again, update five, and I’m beginning to think this president can’t open his mouth without legions of lies falling out! OK, I take that back. I’m not beginning to think it. I’ve thought it all along.

Here’s a couple off the top of my head.

  • Today he said “who knew that health care could be so complicated.” Oh, really? I did think you knew that, or maybe that’s not a lie, it’s just ignorance? If so, you can’t ask us to believe you’re some great businessperson and in the next breath claim ignorance about the sector that takes up so much of the American economy. So let’s call it a lie. Link.
  • Over the weekend, the Democrats elected a new committee chairperson, Tom Perez. Bernie Sanders favored Keith Ellison, who was also running for the post. So the Donald insists that this election was rigged, folks. Without providing a shred of evidence. No evidence? Then you’re lying, Trumpinocchio! Here’s the link.

And the best fib of the week:

  • Trump claimed Sweden had apparently suffered a terrorist attack, when they did not. Link here.

Back next week!

 

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