Right now, the U.S. Senate is preparing for a vote that could have major consequences for gays and lesbians across America. If they approve President Bush's nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick to the Federal bench, they'll give tremendous power to a man who once helped remove a woman's 8-year-old biological child from her custody in part because the mother was a lesbian.

I hope you'll join me in speaking out at: >[link]

Southwick even signed an unnecessary additional brief in the case saying that losing her child was the possible consequence of the mother's sexual "choice." Excuse me? This kind of misinformed bigotry has no place in our nation's highest courts. Southwick's appointment would be for life.

Write your senators here: [link]

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I'm having a virtual yard sale. Check it out on my LiveJournal: [link]

A friend is looking for a relatively cheap apartment in San Diego and/ or, potentially a roommate near Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Any leads would be appreciated.

I'll be doing a reading/signing/Q&A at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena on Saturday, September 1st at 4pm.

[link]

Vote Results:

Question 1 - Establish a Broadcast Network Drama thread?:
Yes: 35
No: 39

Although it's a moot point here, I thought I'd post this as well:
Question 2 - If so, whitefont policy?:
None: 33
24 hours: 21
48 hours: 9
One week: 7
No vote: 4

x-post from bureaucracy:

Totally-unofficial-just-because poll on the upcoming tv season.

I split things up by day just to shorten the questions, and tried to axe anything that already has an established home. I also didn't split up comedy or drama in any way. Spoiler (not spoilery) questions at the end are combined because I'm a cheapskate and only get ten questions. Click Here to take survey

2nd link since some people were having trouble with the first: Click Here to take survey

(Asterisks mean it's a new show - take your best guess on those.)

It's that time again!

Drollerie Press is celebrating the release of Restless Shadows by Jennifer Cloud, and Provenance by Elena in chat tonight at 9pm EDT US. We'll also be pretty giddy that Still Life with Devils by Deborah Grabien is now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble for pre-order.

The chat will be here: [link] To enter it you only need to choose a name. No password is required.

After an extended writing vacation, a new essay is up on my site:"What I Did This Summer." This one deals with the myth of the perfect summer, all the things we intend to do but don't quite manage, and those anxiety-fraught essays elementary teachers used to make us write.

If you have any teacher friends/family, please share this link! I'm back to posting regularly now that school's starting up again. Check back soon for next week's essay: "Oh Crap! I Forgot How to Teach!"

As always, if you know anyone who would like to be added to the mailing list, just send me their email.