Real Hartford

Caring for the Elderly

I was happy to read that there is a plan to care for the Old State House into the next century. Because if money can be found for all these new developments but not for caring for existing, historical structures, there’d be a lot of hate mail flying.

Sunday in the City

I walked downtown today solely to take pictures of things that I see during the week but don’t take photos of because that would mean being alert enough to remember to bring my camera when I leave in the morning. Continue reading Sunday in the City…

Storm Photos

I like snow storms because I get to see people shoveling out who would otherwise be hiding inside of their apartments and condos.

Continue reading Storm Photos…

More Evidence that Hartford is not Dead

It was great seeing Jude, Maurice, Sara(h), Audrey, and one former co-cast member from the Vagina Monologues (2006). It was nice meeting some different people who I would never cross paths with otherwise.

Write up is at Undercurrents.

Height of Excitement

Judging from what I saw while walking home from work, standing outside of 750 Main was the place to be. There’s just about a billion police cars and firetrucks, but not much going on that could be seen from the street. Apparently a floor of the building has been quarantined after receiving a “suspicious package.” When I went through a few minutes ago, Main Street was open to traffic–foot and vehicular.

One More Comment on Bodies Revealed

The Hartford Courant published a piece on the origins of the bodies.

Roving City Hall

Here’s something different– if you have trouble getting to City Hall, they can come to you. Sort of. This Thursday from 6-8pm the Mayor and other city officials will be in the West End at Noah Webster Elementary School on Whitney Street,

I am not sure exactly what the purpose of this is, but it sounds like a chance for residents to ask questions and gripe about whatever.

Pieces of Dead Bodies

If talk of blood and guts makes you squeamish, don’t read further

When I was 12 or 13, I climbed to the top of a water slide with my mom, got scared shitless, and walked all the way back down rather than go on the slide. That’s how I felt while waiting in the 1.5 hour line to get into the Bodies Revealed exhibit. I kept trying to talk friends out of it. Yes, I was bothered by the possible origins of these bodies, but I was also scared that I’d vomit, cry, or pass out. I have a pretty strong stomach normally. Tarantino blood bath films don’t faze me. But I was worried. Continue reading Pieces of Dead Bodies…

An Emma Goldman Quote Would Be So Cliched

Tonight is the monthly Shag Frenzy. It supposedly starts around 9, but it’s closer to 10. I don’t get this late late night stuff at all, but I’ll deal with it for a cool, free dance party.

I will be checking out the Bodies Revealed exhibit today, even though the bodies may have been obtained in controversial ways. I’ve heard rumors about how the people shown in the exhibit might have been executed political prisoners, the mentally ill, or homeless people whose wishes for burial/cremation were not respected.

I don’t do well with death, which is why I’m forcing myself to go and see this. Ethics of this aside, I have an easier time justifying the use of humans in this way than animals. In high school, I had a biology lab teacher who threatened to flunk me because I informed her I would be in the library all week when the class was dissecting fetal pigs. Since I was not (definitely, definitely not) going into the medical field, I felt like the practice was a morbid and self-indulgent one. What do 15-year-old kids really need to know about a fetal pig’s organs for anyway? It might be close to the human body, but it was not the human body.

There was a special on CPTV recently about mummies. In the 19th century, the bored and wealthy would sometimes purchase mummies from Egypt and have “unwrapping parties.” I guess that this is not much different. We’re probably being equally disrespectful of these (former) people’s last wishes by supporting this exhibit.

So, I’m hoping to purge myself of guilt by maybe going to the Shag Frenzy later, where the only damage done is to willing participants and Sweet Jane’s disgusting carpet.

Gender Identity and Expression Forum

The CT TransAdvocacy Coalition announces:

On Wednesday, February 20, 2008 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Anti-Discrimination Coalition will be holding an educational forum on the Gender Identity and Expression Anti-Discrimination Bill in room 2A at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, to be followed by a lobby day event. […]

This is your chance to learn about the Trans Anti-discrimination bill to be raised in the upcoming CT Legislative session and its impact on our state’s residents. Following the forum you will have the opportunity to talk to your representatives about the bill and why it is important, with materials provided by the Anti-Discrimination Coalition. See TransEqualityCT.org website for background information and bill updates to be released during the 2008 CT Legislative session.

The panel will feature Rachel Goldberg, Jennifer Levi, Virginia Levasseur and Jerimarie Liesegang. Panelists will discuss proposed legislation that would add the phrase “gender identity or expression” to Connecticut’s non-discrimination law, thereby prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression in education, employment, housing, public accommodations and lending. Should this bill pass, Connecticut will be joining 13 other states and Washington, DC in protecting its residents from this kind of discrimination.

Since this event is in the middle of what is a work day for many people, here are some links you might find useful. If you would like to get more involved, there are email addresses provided for the contact people:

Bill Q & A
Bill Info
People of Faith
TransEquality Connecticut