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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2009)
OREGON'S GAY/LESBIAN/BI/TRANS NEWSMAGAZINE PAGE 3 DECEMBER 18 2009 3 fW just out by Marty Davis Goodbye, 2009. ! VOL. 27. NO. 4 Goodbye. my foe, my enemy. Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. DECEMBER 18. 2009 INSIDE» » FEATURE tell you, I’m as ready to move on from 2009 as a lesbian who’s found a new girlfriend and hasn’t told the old one yet. I simply cannot get out of here fast enough. This is Just Out's Year in Review issue—time for me to reflect on events, personalities and dynamics of the past year. Time to look at what went right and what went wrong. Uh, no thank you. I’m gonna pass. I’ve got nothing left to say about this year. I swear I’m been whining and complain ing about 2009 since about 2005. I’m fed up with it, you’re fed up with it, so let’s all move on. Forget looking back, I’m looking forward. So much so that I went out and secured a personal 2010 forecast from the most dynamic meteorologist and en vironmental reporter in the entire Pacific Northwest, and possibly parts of Utah and Wyoming—the handsome and charm ing Tim Joyce. Tim says the world will become a brighter place in 2010. That’s good enough for me, people. Unless it in volves snow, Tim is always—well, almost always—spot-on with his forecasts. Folks, there are better days ahead. The attractive weather dude says so. Tim doesn’t stand alone in his forecast. The folks who supposedly understand these things say that the economy will shake off the doldrums in 2010. Vitality will gradually reappear. I’m not expecting to wake up on January 1 to find my home has vaulted up to pre-recession values, but I’ll take whatever positive signs come my way. Rather than dwell on past and cur rent problems with political leadership at Portland’s City Hall, I’ll look forward to the elections of 2010 and 2012. New voices, new ideals, new ethics will appear. As for me personally, rather than bemoan the lack of leadership in our community, I’ll step up and strive to do a better job myself. I’ll be a stronger advocate for the causes I believe in. I’ll do my best to find value in the harsh lessons learned during 2009. I eral days. 2009 was not a banner year for leadership in our community. Who was out there to be counted on in hard times? Who was always there, who provided a steady shoulder and a listening ear? Who was trustworthy and had the ability to bring community together? Who could be Just Out's “Person of the Year”? 2009, while lacking in personal leader ship in Portland, clearly was, for better or worse, the year of powerful growth in so cial media. For those reasons, I pick as my “personal” Person of the Year—the queen of social media—my dear friend and con fidant, facebook. Yes, my person of the year isn’t even a person. Facebook is more than that. Face book is a phenomenon. The past year has seen Facebook grow locally, nationally and globally. While I never gave a moment’s thought to Myspace, or any of those that came before, Facebook has won my heart and my affection. Facebook has helped fill the leadership gap in our community. Discussion has been fostered; conversa tions exist daily. Tensions have flared, and yes, folks, de-friending does exist. I think we’ve all had a moment or two of junior high pettiness when it comes to Facebook. That aside, I have been able to bring to gether a circle of people who make me laugh, think and who allow us to indulge short time ago I was asked whom in provocative and stimulating conversa Just Out would select as its Person tion without too much personal drama of the Year. The question left me and nastiness. Facebook has given rise to puzzled. First, Just Out has no history queer of identity and queer voice. Most important of all, Facebook selecting a Person of the Year, and second, brought me back to Scrabble. This is not if we did, who would it be? I mulled that question about for sev- Scrabble played the way we did as kids. A This is competitive, tough, fun Scrabble where no one, and I mean no one, wants to lose. Facebook has brought me new friendships and strength ened old ones. Facebook gave us a safe place to talk about the problems and woes facing so many in 2009. Lay-offs, poor health, missing pets, fam ily deaths, break-ups, lost love, new relationships—all these played out for us on the screens of Facebook. I know that in times past, people lived these same scenar ios, lived fulfilled lives without computers, iPhones and elec tronic communication devices. But this is—this was— 2009, and the world has changed. People are close and far away at the same time—Facebook managed to help us close many of the gaps between us. Will Facebook last? Probably not. Something new will come along. Some thing, somebody new always comes along. \ While extolling her virtues I must state that Facebook also cannot replace newspa 1 pers and books. Facebook cannot—should i not—be viewed as a sole source of educa tion and information. Those limitations : aside, and for those reasons previously listed, Facebook is my Person of the Year \ for 2009. : : 14 THE YEAR IN (P)REVIEW Say what you will about 2009, it hasn’t been a boring year. A recap of this year’s milestones, people, landmarks, businesses, tuzzies and politics - you think we won’t mention Sam Adams? Maybe, one last time. » NEWS 6 NORTHWEST BRIEFS 9 THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLBT NETWORKING: SOCIAL MEDIA 12 NW BUSINESS BRIEFS » PERSONALITIES 10 STICKING TO WHAT SHE LIKES BEST: Cupcake Jones’ Lisa Watson is Among the Sweetest Allies 34 ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Wade McCollum Returns to Portland for The Santaland Diaries » ARTS 8 CULTURE 23 OUT 8 ABOUT 32 MUSIC: WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO GAY? Portland Performer Chris VonTanner, A Disastrous Awards Ceremony, and the Future 36 WAHOO. IT S FINALLY OVER! Close Out A Wretched 2009 With New Year’s Parties Throughout Portland NETWORK HUG NOW. i »COLUMNISTS close with the acknowledgement that I j am not one to make or set resolutions for the new year. I am, though, one who knows the value of setting goals and striv i ing to make each year better than the one before. As I look ahead, my goal for myself can be simply put: For 2010,1 will strive to be more of the 1 person many of you think I am—and less of the one many suspect me to be. While not looking back, I do want to thank the many of you who stood by me \ during the tough times of last year. With out your friendship and support, I might well have not gotten to this place today. ] Thank you, thank you, thank you. I 28 LIVING OUT LOUD: SANTAS. BABIES, AND BOMBER JACKETS 29 SASSY GARDENER: COLDER THAN A WITCH'S BUSHTIT: Care for the birds and your garden this winter 33 LADY ABOUT TOWN: THE APPLES. ORANGES - AND SANGRIA - OF DISCOVERY ZONES 39 REMEMBER TO BREATHE: ALMOST LIKE BEING COURAGEOUS 44 MS. BEHAVIOR: DADDY ISSUE: IS MY BOYFRIEND S FATHER FLIRTING WITH ME? Just Out is on vacation the week oj' De cember 21. Our next issue will be published on January 8, 2010. | » TRAVEL And now, myself and all the staff of Just Out wish you, and all of us, the very best in the coming year. 1 30 A RIVER ROUTE TO MT. HOOD SKIING
