LOOK OUT

by Tim Brookover

GOOD INTENTIONS

Making, then breaking, New Year’s resolutions is a tradition even more antique than Trent Lott’s notion of American history. Nonetheless, we launch 2003 by asking a few community folks about their plans:

Steven Jerome, Houston Black GLBT Coalition director and Gay & Lesbian Switchboard volunteer manager:

1. Quit smoking cigarettes. (Probably won’t.)

2. Devote more time to the African American GLBT community. (Probably will.)

3. Slow down and take time to smell the flowers and enjoy life. (Flowers are in my garden.)

4. Grow old gracefully. (Don’t know how to do that!)

B. K. Silva, peripatetic activist:

Resolved: I am going to continue to work to ensure that every member of our community who wants a home finds a safe and secure one—that goes for the Community Center, the Community Awareness for Transgender

Support Shelter Project, as well as for Rascal and myself!

Ken McLeod, Bering Support Network director:

1. I continue my resolution from past years: to eat as much chocolate as I can, as often as possible.

2. I resolve not to resolve again to exercise more, because everyone knows it just is not going to happen!

3. I also resolve to be more attentive to celebrating life every day. (This probably comes from having been in a major auto accident recently and being lucky enough to walk away from it when my car was bashed on all four sides.)

Mary Jean Tiernan, new executive director of Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston:

I do not make annual resolutions. My resolutions take place every morning before I get out of bed. Each day is a new start, another gift. Every morning I ask that I might be a more compassionate, considerate, understanding, and thoughtful person.

Nelson Vergel, founder of Program for Wellness Restoration, PoWeR:

To be able to show my love for friends in more than just words and to finish my second book and give as many seminars as I can to help people stay healthy.

Jackie Thorne, Miss Honeybee 2002:

I resolve to help out our community by raising funds, especially for the transgender shelter and the charities chosen by the new monarchs for the Royal Sovereign and Imperial Court of the Single Star—and have fun while doing it.”

REGAL EAGLES

Speaking of the Single-Star Court, Emperor XVIII Woody Stiner and Empress XVIII Shelby St. John crown their successors at the annual coronation on January 25. Elections for the new sovereigns of the majestic fundraising organization take place on January 18 at 502 Lovett Blvd. Any metro-area resident can vote. Just show your driver’s license and tuck in those hanging chads.

Sources remain mum on whether the Imperial Court of Houston, the breakaway, so-called “rebel court” led by Sean Carter, will stage a sneak attack. All we are saying is give peace a chance.

GOOD WORKS

On January 19, Bayou City Boys Club presents a kick-off party for the Jungle 11 event at Evin Thayer Studios. This year, the BCBC bash will take place on April 19. Fernando Delariva, Mike Collins, Jimmy Giacona, and Danny Pleason will co-chair the evening, a fundraiser for six AIDS-service organizations.

Bunnies on the Bayou is accepting applications from 501(c)(3) groups that wish to receive funds from the annual spring fling. The deadline is February 14. Proposals must include details of a specific project and other required paperwork. For more information, check out www.bunnies.org or call Greg Moye (713/214-4092 day, 713/629-4993 evening).JUST FOLKS

Missed crucial episodes of vintage Queer As Folk? On January 8, Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center volunteers Kendrick Johnson and GreenWitch begin hosting a twice-monthly viewing party of season one of the Showtime series. Episodes will screen on the second and fourth Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the center.SISTER ACT

On January 19, the field of runners in the hp Houston Marathon will include siblings Sandy Rodriguez (clockwise from front row l), Rachel Rodriguez, Irma Rodriguez, and Patricia Rodriguez. This is the first year the sisters Rodriguez—only one of them is nongay—have participated together in the event. Rachel and Sandy have run in the marathon twice before. Pat and Irma will be running for the first time. “We’re a pretty close family,” Sandy says. “Our goal is to finish together.”

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