Also worth watching.  I'm not glued to the inaugural events, but I am curious as to how it shakes out for our community.  I picked this up courtesy of Pam's House Blend.

You should read this.  You can't SEE it because HBO did not carry this portion of the inaugural event -- the part intended to pacify the homos -- and, according to reports from on-the-scene bloggers, the microphone was turned off during a portion of it.  Now I'm not one to see conspiracies, but really inauguation guys -- REALLY?  You screw up the mike and HBO doesn't broadcast the gay bishop?  Come on. 

This is precisely why you, dear reader, should be surfing over to the Post-Gazette to submit a snappy letter about their ridiculous coverage of the County ordinance hearing.  There's an analogy.  We can get an invite to the party, but if it doesn't feature poppers, sex and/or campaign contributions, no one is paying attention.  Sigh.

A Prayer for the Nation and Our Next President, Barack Obama

By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire

Opening Inaugural Event
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
January 18, 2009

Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin, but first, please join me in pausing for a moment, to ask God?s blessing upon our nation and our next president.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will?

Bless us with tears ? for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger ? at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort ? at the easy, simplistic ?answers? we?ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience ? and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be ?fixed? anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility ? open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance ? replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity ? remembering that every religion?s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln?s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy?s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King?s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters? childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we?re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand ? that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

This might be something fun for Valentine's Day with your sweetie.  Lesbian comic Jennie McNulty is rolling into Pittsburgh to perform at Club Cafe on Valentine's Eve ... a perfect chance to celebrate love or get some chuckles while you flaunt the commercialization of romance.  Either way, funny!  Plus, alcohol to wash down the bitter taste of the Hallmark Holiday.

(If you wonder, we celebrate each year by going out to dinner and then visiting Phipp's Conservatory for an evening stroll.  I know, I know.  We are sweet.  Last year, I spent half the time chasing a stray cat and pleading with staff that they would contact the humane agent -- which they did the next day.  It was romantic.)

Anyway, who is Jennie?  She's done the dyke circuit -- Olivia Cruises, Provincetown, vlogs at AfterEllen.com and she plays football for an all-women team.  I have done none of those things.  So this could be a meeting of the minds.  :-)   We'll be bringing you an exclusive Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondent interview with Jennie prior to her arrival. 

Seriously, it is cool to have something very lesbianish to do for Valentine's Day.  And Club Cafe is a nice spot -- we've seen a few shows there this past year. 

(I have noticed that a few more openly lesbian comedians are coming to town.  Lily Tomlin is here in February and there were a few shows at the Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead.  That's good news.  $10 is pretty reasonable so if you can turn out, you'll have a night of entertainment and send a message to the local entertainment booking people that we do have a market for LGBTQ entertainmers.)

Here's the official press release.  Yes, I am so unmotivated today that I am just going to cut and paste it.

For Immediate Release

As seen on MTV Network's LOGO TV and AFTERELLEN.COM

Comedian Jennie McNulty to perform at Club Caf? Pittsburgh, PA

Friday February 13, 2009 at 7:30 PM 

Jennie McNulty's humor is smart, quick and hysterically funny.  Her playfully sarcastic style and easy delivery engages every crowd.  Whether calling on crazy life experiences or something the audience just said, her material is refreshingly unique and her show is full of laughter and guaranteed fun.  The New England Blade called her "One of the premiere female comedians in the country."  Jennie was voted one of the Top 10 Funniest Lesbians in America recently also.

Jennie can currently be seen on the premier episode of the successful comedy series, "One Night Stand Up" on MTV Network's LOGO channel (http://www.logoonline.com/shows/dyn/one_night_stand_up/series.jhtml).  And she is also the host of the weekly video blog, "Walking Funny With..." on AfterEllen.com (http://www.afterellen.com/taxonomy/term/3789).  This unique new vlog is a walking talk show where Jennie takes a walk with fabulous women from the worlds of comedy and sports while she interviews them.  The viewer is encouraged to download the show and walk along.  Hilarious conversation, motivational fitness tips and comedy clips from Jennie's shows and clips from the guest's comedy or activity are all packed into one of the most exciting new video blogs to hit the internet.