I Miss My Dad

Take one if you miss your dad too.

BEAUTY: Art--Dani Torrent

Oh my god, COLOR ... COLOR! Look at how artist and illustrator Dani Torrent uses color to portray beautiful, tender scenes of closeness and intimacy between men. He executes these glorious narratives in acrylics and colored pencils, creating a dazzling rush of emotion. These are from his series My Best Friend and In The Arms Of Sleep.

https://www.danitorrent.com/

I Miss My Mom

Take one if you miss your mom too.

In Love: Happy Valentine's Day 2026

Happy Valentine's Day!

If I asked you now
Will you be my prince
Will you lay down your armour
And be with me forever

When you open me
All the power in me moves
How you want to see
All the depths of me real

When you open me
All the power in me moves
I feel real

I love you
Love you

When I look into your eyes
There's a danger inside
When I see the edge
I can never hide

See me runnin', runnin', running...
...to you...
...from you...
...to you

There's a strange love inside
It's getting louder, louder, louder, louder, louder
There's a danger I can't hide
Who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!

https://linktr.ee/theirrepressibles

"Heaven Up There" by Palace

"Heaven Up There" by Palace. One more chance to hug, to say I love you, to say goodbye...just one more.

 

Well the night is gone

And the shadows clear

When I hear my song

Will the grave be near?

See what you want

But I'm the rising tide

I'm no force of god

I'm a thousand lives

I take what I want

'Cause I'm the frightening sky

I'm a selfish man

Designed to die

But is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

'Cause it's hell down here

Believe in existence spent

To separate us from them

To know that your blood runs thin

Is to live with the truth within

So scrape up the bruise I wear

And eradicate all my fears

Prepare me to walk these stairs

I don't know where my future is

I don't know where my future is

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Say I've been blind

For the use of my time

Wanna be a better man

On the ground that I stand

There's something out there

Just know that I've cared

Do this side by side

Motion with the tide

Ooh ooh ooh Ooh ooh ooh

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

'Cause it's hell down here

Yes, it's hell down here

Is this heaven up there?

I know there's heaven up there

I know there's heaven up there

'Cause there's heaven up there

https://www.wearepalace.com/

Happy birthday mom. Is it heaven up there?

I Miss My Mom

Take one if you miss your mom too.

I Miss My Dad

Take one if you miss your dad too.

Spirit Day 2025!

Today is the fifteenth annual Spirit Day and I'm wearing purple to participate...and I hope you will too. The movement was launched in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan in conjunction with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) as a day to remember the young people who have taken their lives due to homophobic bullying and soul-destroying lies perpetuated by homophobic groups, both political and religious in nature (and some who think they are above the law and combine both without paying any taxes!). To show support to the LGBTQ+ youth still with us and to combat the rampant bullying and frantic hatred that still infects our country at cultural and political levels, today is a day to wear purple and demonstrate to anyone who might be feeling alone and worthless that there are many people in the world who believe in the value of their lives and souls. As a past victim of homophobic violence, physical attacks, and bullying, this observance is very close to me.

GLAAD's website says:
#SpiritDay is the world’s most visible anti-bullying movement inspiring LGBTQ youth, especially transgender and nonbinary youth to live their lives in their truth and authenticity. This year, on Thursday, October 16th, GLAAD will organize thousands of celebrities, influential voices, news & media outlets, tv & film studios, brands & corporations, landmarks, sports leagues, tech leaders, influencers, faith groups and so many more to go purple and support LGBTQ youth by creating clear possibility models for them to thrive and be represented in the world.

While GLAAD research shows that LGBTQ acceptance is at an all-time high, so too is anti-LGBTQ discrimination and bullying. As online hate continues to foment real-world harm, coupled with the anti-LGBTQ climate of our day — from book bans to bans on drag, bans on LGBTQ history and bans on healthcare — America’s youth is particularly at-risk and has never needed our support more than right now. #SpiritDay gives LGBTQ youth, their parents and allies an opportunity to see what’s possible when we lead with acceptance.

Take the #SpiritDay pledge now to commit to going purple on Thursday, October 16th and showing LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs! Learn more at http://glaad.org/spiritday and @glaad across all social media.

These are frightening, disappointing statistics.

- 49% of LGBTQ+ students experienced bullying.
- 60% of LGBTQ+ students reported discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
- 23% of LGBTQ+ students report being physically harmed or threatened simply because they were perceived as LGBTQ+.
- 90% of LGBTQ+ students, a truly staggering number, reported that their well-being was negatively impacted by recent politics.
And the most disappointing, heartbreaking statistic of all:
- 39% of LGBTQ+ students seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

No wonder gay teens take their lives at much higher rates than the national average.

Anti-LGBTQ groups are using this deliberately misleading and harmful message to spread hate: "Protect our children." But of course they don't mean protect all children from harassment, bullying, and discrimination...their form of "protection" just increases the damage done to children as evidenced by the statistics above.

For more information, to take the anti-bullying pledge, or to donate to GLAAD, please visit their website.
https://glaad.org/spiritday/


Here is a letter I wrote to anyone who needs to hear it:

Dear gay teen contemplating suicide:

You are not wrong. You are not "bad.” You are not sick, defective, or evil.
You are perfect and beautiful just the way you are.
You have done nothing wrong and you have done nothing to deserve being humiliated, punished, or hurt, either physically or emotionally.
Bullying and discrimination are never, ever innocent: the bullies are the ones who are wrong, bad, and sick for hurting you.

Don’t believe anyone who tells you that you are any less of a human being than they are. Don’t believe anyone who tells you being gay is a choice or that being gay is about behavior; you are who you are. Embrace yourself and be proud of being alive.

You have value. You have as much right to be here on this planet as anyone else.
It may seem like the world is against you now, but know there are people for you out there, there are places for you out there. You will be happy, you will get to live YOUR life the way YOU want to, without having to pay any attention to the bullies or whatever “bible” nonsense some people might throw at you… you are not "impure," "immoral," "unnatural," or "against nature." Those are just ridiculous, ugly lies they tell to mask their hatred, fear, and prejudice.

You will survive and thrive! You get to live here. This is your RIGHT.
You might turn out to be an important author, a doctor who cures a disease, a famous designer, someone who invents a new type of metal alloy, an inspiring performer… or you might end up working with kids who need to hear that they have value and are perfect the way they are.
Please stick around.
Please.
We need you.

Keep yourself safe.

Love,
JEF

To help, please visit:
The Trevor Project
And please spread the word about this issue and these sites--you never know who might need to hear about them.

"This Song" by Conan Gray

The deeply moving video for Conan Gray's new song called "This Song" shows the kind of innocent, fearless love so many of us were denied when we were growing up. It is lovely to see here...

https://shop.conangray.com/

I Miss My Dad

Take one if you miss your dad too.

I Miss My Mom

Take one if you miss your mom too.

In Love: Happy Valentine's Day 2025

To my husband: Happy Valentine's Day. I love you...

If I asked you now
Will you be my prince
Will you lay down your armour
And be with me forever

When you open me
All the power in me moves
How you want to see
All the depths of me real

When you open me
All the power in me moves
I feel real

I love you
Love you

When I look into your eyes
There's a danger inside
When I see the edge
I can never hide

See me runnin', runnin', running...
...to you...
...from you...
...to you

There's a strange love inside
It's getting louder, louder, louder, louder, louder
There's a danger I can't hide
Who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!
I'm in love!

https://linktr.ee/theirrepressibles

"Heaven Up There" by Palace

"Heaven Up There" by Palace. One more chance to hug, to say I love you, to say goodbye...just one more.

 

Well the night is gone

And the shadows clear

When I hear my song

Will the grave be near?

See what you want

But I'm the rising tide

I'm no force of god

I'm a thousand lives

I take what I want

'Cause I'm the frightening sky

I'm a selfish man

Designed to die

But is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

'Cause it's hell down here

Believe in existence spent

To separate us from them

To know that your blood runs thin

Is to live with the truth within

So scrape up the bruise I wear

And eradicate all my fears

Prepare me to walk these stairs

I don't know where my future is

I don't know where my future is

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Say I've been blind

For the use of my time

Wanna be a better man

On the ground that I stand

There's something out there

Just know that I've cared

Do this side by side

Motion with the tide

Ooh ooh ooh Ooh ooh ooh

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

Is it heaven up there?

'Cause it's hell down here

Yes, it's hell down here

Is this heaven up there?

I know there's heaven up there

I know there's heaven up there

'Cause there's heaven up there

https://www.wearepalace.com/

Happy birthday mom. Is it heaven up there?

I Miss My Mom

Take one if you miss your mom too.

I Miss My Dad

Take one if you miss your dad too.

Spirit Day 2024!

Today is the fourteenth annual Spirit Day and I'm wearing purple to participate...and I hope you will too. The movement was launched in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan in conjunction with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) as a day to remember the young people who have taken their lives due to homophobic bullying and soul-destroying lies perpetuated by homophobic groups, both political and religious in nature (and some who think they are above the law and combine both without paying any taxes!). To show support to the LGBTQ+ youth still with us and to combat the rampant bullying and frantic hatred that still infects our country at cultural and political levels, today is a day to wear purple and demonstrate to anyone who might be feeling alone and worthless that there are many people in the world who believe in the value of their lives and souls. As a past victim of homophobic violence, physical attacks, and bullying, this observance is very close to me.

GLAAD's website says:
#SpiritDay is the world’s most visible anti-bullying movement inspiring LGBTQ youth, especially transgender and nonbinary youth to live their lives in their truth and authenticity. This year, on Thursday, October 17th, GLAAD will organize thousands of celebrities, influential voices, news & media outlets, tv & film studios, brands & corporations, landmarks, sports leagues, tech leaders, influencers, faith groups and so many more to go purple and support LGBTQ youth by creating clear possibility models for them to thrive and be represented in the world.

While GLAAD research shows that LGBTQ acceptance is at an all-time high, so too is anti-LGBTQ discrimination and bullying. As online hate continues to foment real-world harm, coupled with the anti-LGBTQ climate of our day — from book bans to bans on drag, bans on LGBTQ history and bans on healthcare — America’s youth is particularly at-risk and has never needed our support more than right now. #SpiritDay gives LGBTQ youth, their parents and allies an opportunity to see what’s possible when we lead with acceptance.

Take the #SpiritDay pledge now to commit to going purple on Thursday, October 17th and showing LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs! Learn more at http://glaad.org/spiritday and @glaad across all social media.

These are frightening, disappointing statistics.

- 68% of LGBTQ+ students feel unsafe at school.

- 60% of LGBTQ+ students reported discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

- 53% of LGBTQ students report being verbally harassed simply because they were perceived as LGBTQ+.
- 66% of LGBTQ+ students said that hearing about potential state and local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQ+ people at school made their mental health a lot worse.

And the most disappointing, heartbreaking statistic of all:

- 41% of LGBTQ+ students seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

No wonder gay teens take their lives at much higher rates than the national average.

Anti-LGBTQ groups are using this deliberately misleading and harmful message to spread hate: "Protect our children." But of course they don't mean protect all children from harassment, bullying, and discrimination...their form of "protection" just increases the damage done to children as evidenced by the statistics above.

For more information, to take the anti-bullying pledge, or to donate to GLAAD, please visit their website.

https://glaad.org/spiritday/


Here is a letter I wrote to anyone who needs to hear it:

Dear gay teen contemplating suicide:

You are not wrong. You are not "bad.” You are not sick, defective, or evil.
You are perfect and beautiful just the way you are.
You have done nothing wrong and you have done nothing to deserve being humiliated, punished, or hurt, either physically or emotionally.
Bullying and discrimination are never, ever innocent: the bullies are the ones who are wrong, bad, and sick for hurting you.

Don’t believe anyone who tells you that you are any less of a human being than they are. Don’t believe anyone who tells you being gay is a choice or that being gay is about behavior; you are who you are. Embrace yourself and be proud of being alive.

You have value. You have as much right to be here on this planet as anyone else.
It may seem like the world is against you now, but know there are people for you out there, there are places for you out there. You will be happy, you will get to live YOUR life the way YOU want to, without having to pay any attention to the bullies or whatever “bible” nonsense some people might throw at you… you are not "impure," "immoral," "unnatural," or "against nature." Those are just ridiculous, ugly lies they tell to mask their hatred, fear, and prejudice.

You will survive and thrive! You get to live here. This is your RIGHT.
You might turn out to be an important author, a doctor who cures a disease, a famous designer, someone who invents a new type of metal alloy, an inspiring performer… or you might end up working with kids who need to hear that they have value and are perfect the way they are.
Please stick around.
Please.
We need you.

Keep yourself safe.

Love,
JEF

To help, please visit:
The Trevor Project
And please spread the word about this issue and these sites--you never know who might need to hear about them.

"There is no answer. That is the beauty of it."

“Since you must have love as a human being, what will you do? There is no time. You can't say, ''Well, I can't have it. I can live without love because I have lived without love for two million years, and I will live another two million years without love'' - that means perpetual sorrow for the next two million years. So what can you do? You understand my question now? Sorrow cannot be put away or be resolved through time, nor can love be invited through time. And time is: ten days ahead, or the next minute, or the next second. What will you do? Will you jump in the lake? Unless you find love, you are already in the lake. And you have to find it, as you have to find food. This is a much more demanding, much more strenuous thing that demands intense vitality.

So what will you do? If you say, please tell me what to do, then you are missing the bus entirely. But you have to see the importance, the immensity, the urgency of that question - not tomorrow, not the next day or the next hour, but see it now while you are sitting. And to see that, you must have energy. So just see immediately - the catalyst that makes the liquid into solid or vaporizes it immediately does not take place if you allow time, even a second. All our existence, all our books, all our hope is tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. This admittance of time is the greatest sorrow.

So the issue is with you, not with the speaker from whom you are expecting to get the answer. There is no answer. That is the beauty of it. You can sit cross-legged, breathe rightly, or stand on your head for the next ten thousand years. Unless you have put this question to yourself - not superficially, not verbally, not intellectually, but with your whole being - you will live with it for two million years - those two million years may be only tomorrow. So problems and time are intimately related - do you see it now?”
--Krishnamurti, in Rajghat, India from his Fifth Public Talk, 1964

https://jkrishnamurti.org/

I Miss My Dad

Take one if you miss your dad too.

I Miss My Mom

Take one if you miss your mom too.

"Time" by EELS

Well, this must be the season for profound songs...with Guster's lovely "Keep Going," and yesterday's new song "Boys" by Amen Dunes...here is "Time" by EELS. Oh, where do I start... where we come from, who we love, who we must leave behind, how we miss them, our own journey, the limitation of our presence...you'll need a tissue for this.

Time, it's all about time now
Tick-tock I rock, but then I look at the clock
Knock-knock, who's there?
Well, I don't dare...
Open the door

Time, there was nothing but time there
Click-clack riding down the tracks
Never worried about coming back
Anyplace looked good to me
Why not stop and see...
What's there?

Time, there isn't much time now
What's the fear, well, I like it here
With the ones I love so near
Maybe there's just somе way
Dear god...
I can stay

https://www.eelstheband.com/