122/365 If you really knew me

Last week, as you know, I was in Tahoe for the City Clerks Association of California annual conference. Overall it was a good conference and it ended on an exceptionally high note. Speaker Mike Robbins, who was not only funny, left me thinking about quite a lot (http://www.mike-robbins.com/). If you know me at all (and we will get to more of that later) you know that except for rah-rah meetings the only thing I hate more is touchy feely group activities. Welcome to Mike's class - okay it isn't quite like that, he is someone I could totally lunch with and then catch a game later (especially cool since he was an MLB major leaguer and I love baseball). We did an exercise called "if you really knew me you would know..." I was paired up with someone I work with so this was an especially good exercise for me. A wise woman (ms. sherri furniss) once told me that the more you get to know someone the more tolerant you get of their issues. She thinks really getting to know someone is an investment and one of the most valuable things you can do. I hate to say it, she is right.

This week I am hoping my pictures will reflect - what you would know  if you really knew me and here is the first one.

If you knew me you would know that I love black and white photos (doesn't matter if they are old ones or ones that I take and convert)

If you really knew me you would know that I love old signage, particularly neon, and I love love love the study of typography.

If you really really knew me you would know that I also love Hamburger MARY'S as it will always be to me but is not Hamburger PATTIES (boo) for two reasons - 1 the half load nachos, and 2 is because it is the place that a close friend of mine disclosed to me many years ago that he was gay. It broke his heart to tell me because he didn't know what I would say. He had sort of found a refuge in this very gay friendly place. Of course I loved him as much as I did before he told me and quite frankly was relieved he told me because I had suspected that for years.

If you really really really knew me you would know that I don't think we choose who we love - the heart is fickle and it loves who it loves, that we should be free to love who we love and be permitted to marry and live with them for the rest of our lives if that is our heart's desire, that who someone else loves doesn't change or diminish who I love, and that the world would be a much much more wonderful place if we focused on real issues instead of who I sleep with when I turn in at night.