PFLAG Capital Region New York Chapter: Albany/Schenectady/Troy

REMINDER - NOV.15th -PREMIERE MEETING-PFLAG-Capital Region NY

2006-11-08T07:56:00.000-05:00

PFLAG Capital Region New York Chapter: Albany/Schenectady/Troy: REMINDER - PREMIERE MEETING-PFLAG-Capital Region NY

REMINDER - PREMIERE meeting PFLAG-Capital Region NY 7 PM WED NOVEMBER 15th

2006-11-08T07:50:00.000-05:00

The PREMIERE meeting of PFLAG-Capital Region NY:Albany/Schenectady/Troy will take place at 7 PM on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15th, in the Living Room of the Women's Building, 79 Central Ave., Albany, NY. This will be an informal/get to know each other/celebration of the Chapter's birth! Anyone who plans to attend needs to RSVP by posting a comment below that includes the name(s) of those attending, email address(es) and an evening phone number so I may reach you in case the meeting time or date is changed. Since this is a "birthday celebration" as well as a FIRST meeting, I need to know an approximate number of guests for a birthday cake large enough for everyone to share. Please also indicate your beverage preference: coffee, tea, water, soda flavor (cola, gingerale, sprite, etc.)

NJ to OK Gay Marriage

2006-10-25T18:31:00.000-04:00

New Jersey to Recognize Same-Sex Couples
This afternoon, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the state Legislature must offer the same rights and benefits to same-sex couples that married couples currently receive. This ruling came after seven same-sex couples filed suit against the state when they were denied marriage licenses. This decision reflects the fair-minded values of New Jersey, where polls show that a majority of citizens supports marriage equality. Click here to find out more about this historic ruling as well as frequently asked questions about this ruling.

Poems

2006-10-21T13:25:00.000-04:00

WORDS
rip off your skin
get to the bare bones
of who we are.
Words expose
our souls hidden thoughts honest feelings
an contagious virus
spreading intolerance, hate and anguish
from germ infestedmouths ofdiseased minds, hearts and souls.
p.a.p. 2006

UNTITLED
What made you believe
I think like you?
What made you suppose
you could spout your venomous words
and have MY support?
What made you so sure
your bad jokes
your stinging hurtful comments
would make me laugh?
Why would you ASS U ME
because I'm straight
I'm also homophobic
LIKE YOU?
p.a.p.2006

Gay Bashing - October 8, 2006

2006-10-20T20:40:00.000-04:00

The following was emailed to me from the Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church, NYC, NY. (SEE ** BELOW)
"As you may know, on Sunday, October 8, Michael Sandy, a black gay man, was attacked in a gay bashing. As reported in the media, Michael was robbed and beaten by four men. During the attact he managed to escape but was chased onto the Belt Parkway where he was struck by a car. Michael died one day after his 29th birthday, this past Friday."
As a people of faith, we preach that injustice doesn't have the last word, and we commit ourselves, as individuals and as a community, to keep proclaiming the inclusive love of God that will transform the structures of oppression and death in our society.We believe that if we keep doing this work someday the words of John the Seer will become a reality in our midst: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And I heard a loud voice saying, 'God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' And I heard the voice saying, 'I am making everything new! Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" Amen."
"As you may know, on Sunday, October 8, Michael Sandy, a black gay man, was attacked in a gay bashing. As reported in the media, Michael was robbed and beaten by four men. During the attact he managed to escape but was chased onto the Belt Parkway where he was struck by a car. Michael died one day after his 29th birthday, this past Friday."As a people of faith, we preach that injustice doesn't have the last word, and we commit ourselves, as individuals and as a community, to keep proclaiming the inclusive love of God that will transform the structures of oppression and death in our society.We believe that if we keep doing this work someday the words of John the Seer will become a reality in our midst: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And I heard a loud voice saying, 'God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' And I heard the voice saying, 'I am making everything new! Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" Amen.
"As you may know, on Sunday, October 8, Michael Sandy, a black gay man, was attacked in a gay bashing. As reported in the media, Michael was robbed and beaten by four men. During the attact he managed to escape but was chased onto the Belt Parkway where he was struck by a car. Michael died one day after his 29th birthday, this past Friday."As a people of faith, we preach that injustice doesn't have the last word, and we commit ourselves, as individuals and as a community, to keep proclaiming the inclusive love of God that will transform the structures of oppression and death in our society.We believe that if we keep doing this work someday the words of John the Seer will become a reality in our midst: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And I heard a loud voice saying, 'God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' And I heard the voice saying, 'I am making everything new! Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" Amen.
** ALL are welcome in MCC...
MCCNY is one of hundreds of MCC churches world wide as part of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches...click here to go to the UFMCC site.
To find an MCC church in or near your area, go to:
http://www.mccchurch.org/usa/newyork.htm

REMINDER - PREMIERE MEETING-PFLAG-Capital Region NY

2006-10-12T20:58:00.000-04:00

The PREMIERE meeting of PFLAG-Capital Region NY:Albany/Schenectady/Troy will take place at 7 PM on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15th, in the Living Room of the Women's Building, 79 Central Ave., Albany, NY. This will be an informal/get to know each other/celebration of the Chapter's birth! Anyone who plans to attend needs to RSVP by posting a comment below that includes the name(s) of those attending, email address(es) and an evening phone number so I may reach you in case the meeting time or date is changed. Since this is a "birthday celebration" as well as a FIRST meeting, I need to know an approximate number of guests for a birthday cake large enough for everyone to share. Please also indicate your beverage preference: coffee, tea, water, soda flavor (cola, gingerale, sprite, etc.)

Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Center

2006-10-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

Special events, ongoing events and support groups, information, news - a great resource for the LGBT community. You can also go to their blog at:
www.myspace.com/cdglcc - CHECK IT OUT!

register your blog now

2006-09-29T23:19:00.000-04:00

Get more mileage out of your blog. Advertise it...register it at www.popdex.com

SUPPORT GROUP for Familes & Friends of GLBT's

2006-09-28T19:43:00.000-04:00

I have personally attended this group and found it to be warm, welcoming and supportive. Check it out.....

The Capital Region Support Group for Families and Friends of GLBT persons, under the sponsorship of the Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Council - Website: cdglcc.org - meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireplace Room of the Unitarian Society Building, 1221 Wendell Avenue, Schenectady.

PFLAG Capital Region New York Chapter: Albany/Schenectady/Troy: Pride Agenda

2006-09-24T20:32:00.000-04:00

PFLAG Capital Region New York Chapter: Albany/Schenectady/Troy: Pride Agenda

http://www.prideagenda.org

Pride Agenda

2006-09-24T20:02:00.000-04:00

Here are some answers to some very frequently asked questions regarding the legality of gay marriage,and the significance of 'civil unions' and 'domestic partnerships'.

For more information go to: prideagenda.org

Are the marriages of same-sex couples legally recognized in New York?
According to New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and at least one trial court, New York government is required under longstanding legal precedent & practice to treat as fully married couples who have been legally married in another jurisdiction, including same-sex couples. In this way, a same-sex couple who has gone to Canada & gotten married is as married as an opposite-sex couple holding a New York marriage license.
The New York State Comptroller has recognized the legal marriages of same-sex couples for the purposes of the New York State Retirement System. Seven localities in New York State (Albany, Brighton, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Nyack and Rochester) have stated that they will respect the legal marriages of same-sex couples. The pension systems of New York City municipal (??) employees are fully respecting the marriages of same-sex couples, as is the Local 295/Local 851 Welfare Fund of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at JFK Airport. A number of private businesses and companies, including insurance companies like Allstate, Electric, Geico and State Farm, are also treating as married same-sex couples who have been legally married. What is the difference between civil unions, domestic partnerships and marriage?
Civil unions are an institution created by individual states (so far only Vermont and Connecticut) to give couples all of the rights and responsibilities that the state grants to civilly married couples.
Domestic partnership is the status granted by some public and private entities (such as an employer, or a local or state government) to legally recognize an unmarried couple. Sometimes domestic partnerships are catalogued in a public registry, like those offered in a number of New York localities including the City of Albany, Suffolk County, Westchester County and New York City. Some domestic partnerships create select rights and responsibilities for the couple. Other domestic partnership structures give no substantive rights at all other than having the partnership documented.
However, neither civil unions nor domestic partnerships are the same as marriage. So far only marriage has been explicitly recognized under federal law and among the states, and neither civil unions nor domestic partnership secure the federal rights and responsibilities such as Social Security survivor benefits, pensions, immigration rights and taxation advantages and obligations that come with marriage. It is also undetermined whether civil unions and domestic partnerships will be recognized outside of the jurisdictions that grant them, so that a same-sex couple who relocates or travels may not be able to take those rights with them as any civilly married couple does. There is also a far stronger precedence for private institutions like businesses recognizing civil marriage for benefits ranging from employee health insurance to bereavement leave to discounted health club memberships.

Is civil marriage the same thing as religious marriage?
No. Civil marriage is a relationship sanctioned by & licensed by the state. It does not require the blessing of any religious institution. Religious marriage is the spiritual blessing of a relationship by a church, mosque, synagogue or other religious institution. A religious marriage in New York State is not legally binding on the married couple unless they also secure a state marriage license.

Supportive and Informative LGBT Friendly Websites

2006-09-24T00:31:00.000-04:00

Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
http://www.glsen.org

What is GLSEN?
GLSEN is comprised of the "parents, family members and friends of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. and members of the GLBT community, who are committed to ensuring a safe, equitable and inclusive learning environment for our loved ones and all children" (PFLAG, 2000)

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Lesbian and Gay Rights Project
212 549-2627 http://www.aclu.org

For residents of Albany, New York and surrounding area:
PFLAG Capital Region NY
Albany/Schenectady/Troy
for membership information send email to: ppanepinto@nycap.rr.com

Capital District Gay & Lesbian Community Council, Inc.
Regardless of your location, CDGLCC's website contains a wealth of information - it's well worth the trip. http://www.cdglcc.org

More websites will be added very soon.

PFLAG - Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays - Bisexuals and Transgendered

2006-09-24T00:11:00.000-04:00

Gay Pride Day Parade and Celebration- Capital District - Albany New York
2006

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PFLAG, AND TO FIND A CHAPTER IN YOUR AREA, GO TO THE THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: http://www.PFLAG.org

2006-02-19T23:35:00.000-05:00

2006-02-19T23:34:00.000-05:00

2006-01-30T18:14:00.000-05:00

WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Eugenia - my grandmother's name, the namesake of this Blog
Pronunciation: (yOO-jē'nē-u, -jēn'yu), [key] —n. a female given name: from a Greek word meaning “nobility.” Also,Eu•ge•niePronunciation: (yOO-jē'nē). [key]
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
Patricia -
The boy's and girl's name Patricia is pronounced pa-TRISH-ah. It is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "noble; patrician." Feminine form of Patrick. The Romans once were divided socially and politically into two major classes, the plebeians and the patricians. To be patrician meant one was highly ranked, an aristocrat. The name became popular when it was used for one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters. It is still popular nowadays in Spain. Singers Patti LaBelle, Patsy Cline, Pat Benatar; choreographer Trisha Brown; actresses Patty Duke, Patricia Neal, ; First Lady Pat Nixon; Congresswoman Pat Schroeder.
There are 21 variant forms for Patricia: Pat, Patreece, Patreice, Patrica, Patrice, Patricka, Patrina, Patrisha, Patrisse, Patrizia, Patryce, Patsy, Patte, Pattee, Pattey, Patti, Pattie, Patty, Tricia, Trish and Trisha.

Did you ever think about why you were given your name?
Have you ever felt a closeness to or a dislike for your name? There are those who believe that our names signify our 'selves' , our destiny, what we will become. Others claim that changing their name helped to change their lives!
Take a minute to look up the meaning of your name at one of these websites:
http://www.infoplease.com and http://www.thinkbabynames.com

Quote of the Day

2006-01-25T22:27:00.000-05:00

"Before you can break out of prison, you must first realize you're locked up." ~Author Unknown

Does this quote relate to your own life situation(s)?

Are you out of the closet? Do you need help with coming out to a loved one?
Post a comment - I can help.

Have you ever felt like a prisoner in your own home? How about in your own body? If so, why, how?

Do you feel imprisoned by your role in life - mother, father, student, daughter, son...? What could release you?

Have you "broken out" of a self imposed prison or "broken free" from a controlling situation, relationship, marriage, career.....? How? Do you need help doing so? Post a comment - I can help.

"I AM" a memoir by Patricia P

2006-01-24T20:39:00.001-05:00

I AM
Patricia Ann
lovingly (prophetically?) nicknamed Patsy
The "you look exactly like your mother" only child of Sam & Madge.
Obedient daughter, good Catholic straight A student high school graduate no college needed to get a secretarial job buy a car go on dates find a husband.
i Am
Tony's wife, the electrician's wife, la mugliere di Antonio (verbally Abused)
chief cook and bottle washer, courtesan (slut),
household bookkeeper & payer of bills (disinterested)
gift buyer/giver (disinterested)
home decorator (tasteless)
i am
Anthony and Tina's mother
giving & getting love,
nurturing, changing diapers, potty training, kissing boo-boos
giving & getting love,
chasing bogey men, reading fairytales, playing games
giving & getting love,
drying tears, bandaging wounds
emotionally and mentally Abused
giving & getting love,
rewarding, punishing, comforting, healing (Ice Queen),
giving & getting love,
baking cupcakes, cheering, going on school trips (uncaring),
giving & getting love,
helping with homework, college applications, giving advice (dumb),
giving & getting love,
sparing the time, lending an ear, lending the car, (selfish)
Doing The Best I Can ... a bad mother.
Physically Abused
i am
nothing
nobody, transparent, an empty vessel, a shell
non-existent, neither seen, heard nor felt
A Patsy
mindless marionette, manipulated, dangled, used and abused ALL USED UP.
LOST, in a pitch-black never-ending tunnel, blind, confused, terrified, weak, hopeless.
i Am
A Survivor
Running toward the light, fleeing, escaping
missed, misunderstood, breathing, hopeful, determined - FREE!
i Am
Surviving
struggling & juggling
mother, domestic engineer, bookkeeper, bill payer
school aide, candy store clerk, college student
studying, writing papers, taking exams
I Am
A Success
New job Principal's secretary, new status, some college
New look, new friends, admiring looks from
young lover, great sex, feel young, feel loved, I'm a fool, he's a con
assessed my needs, won my trust, I fell victim to a gambler
Patsy's back, "use and abuse me", stole my money, stole my pride.
i am
crying, hurting, disillusioned, crying, confused, frustrated, crying, guilty, angry, crying
Scattered about like Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz? Can't Focus! Where's Dorothy?
Broken into a million pieces like Humpty Dumpty! Where's the King's men?
Thepieceswon'tfitbacktogetherlikebeforewhat'swrong?ialwaysdiditbeforeisapiecemissing
ican'tdoitanymore i need help.......
i Am
in Analysis
Searching
for the missing piece, the key to my sanity and happiness
Searching
looking inward, digging deep, agonizing
Seeing with my blind eyes
it was always right there in plain sight
unobstructed from view
The Elusive Piece, the All Important Key that unlocks the internalized negative emotions
of shame, insecurity, guilt, unworthiness, anger, blame
preventing me from loving myself and being loved
Self Forgiveness

I AM
Patricia Ann
I AM FREE
I AM EMPOWERED TO
Love Myself - Love Others
I DESERVE
To Be Loved - To Be Happy
I AM a Successful WORK IN PROGRESS
Dedication 12/22/02

In loving memory of my grandmother, Eugenia . "Grandma, I broke the cycle".