My 18th year

Hi guys.

I turned 17 today, and in my 18th year I hope to have a few wishes fulfilled.

Firstly, I hope this dragging out of equal marriage rights to all couples is finally ended and that every couple can have the same recognition under the law as any other couple.

I hope to achieve my academic goals, looking forward immensely to university (Hopefully Bristol or Durham).

That's all I can handle wish-wise at the moment.

However, just to let you all know, I have some pretty exciting experiences planned for the next few months.

Firstly, I am going to see Les Miserables next week!!! So. Excited!!!!

Secondly, I am going down to Bristol for the university open day on the 28th of June which is very exciting (Looking around the Archaeology, Anthropology, Sociology and Theology departments! (Theology...purely out of interest, not belief))

Once I break up from school, I am going on an archaeological dig in North Norfolk for a week in July...not sure what to expect, but if the weather is like it is now it should be wonderful.

In August time I will be heading off to Austria, hiking with a friend. I'll be taking my camera so lots of pictures will be uploaded onto the blog for a picture post! (in fact, after all of these activities I will post some photos.)

Anyway, speak soon! Off to Thetford Forest tomorrow for a nice Birthday picnic with my friends!

-Tom

Ellen - why I love her.

Hey guys! Over the past few months I have been watching Ellen clips on YouTube, constantly cursing her for providing me with the ultimate distraction from work. I could often be heard screaming at the computer 'Ellen!! It's midnight!!! I have to do homework!!'

Ellen has a very giving nature, and I think she is one of the best examples of using success and influence to benefit others. She has done a lot of work with families who have hit hard times, Whitney Elementary, teen suicide and LGBT issues.

Not to mention her dance dares!!!!

However, Ellen has not been welcomed with open arms by everyone. The group 'One Million Moms' (who are more like 40,000) started and then backed off from a failed campaign against Ellen's being hired as the spokesperson for the department store, JC Penney. Their grounds for this were that Ellen is an open homosexual. How bigoted!!!

This reminds me of that crushing story about Dominic Sheahan-Stahl, who was initially going to do the commencement speech at his younger brother's high school graduation...but was turned away once his homosexuality was known to the bishop.

BEING a homosexual is apparently grounds for discrimination. This is not right.

Anyway. My favourite Ellen segments have to be: Clumsy Thumbsy, Oh Come On!...in fact...I love them all.

But today was the first time I actually watched a whole episode (I live in England)....mainly because I only found out today that I had the channel it showed on in the UK!

As anticipated...I loved it.

Here is a Clumsy Thumbsy to chuckle over!

Here is the website for her show.

The New Institutionalised Homophobia

from Polari Magazine

The trend toward institutionalising homophobia to the east of Europe is on the march. The backlash against homosexuality in Russia, and the assertion that it is a Western malady, is now part of the political landscape in Ukraine. The Great Bear Russia still exerts considerable pressure on the country, which gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Ukraine – with its 24 provinces and one autonomous republic, Crimea – borders the Russian Federation. Its legislature is preparing to vote on a bill that will make it illegal to be homosexual in public. Last week a Pride Parade in the Ukrainian capital Kiev was cancelled, an action recommended by Amnesty International, which deemed it unsafe for the participants. A photograph of the beating of an activist by neo-Nazis all but confirmed that.

Nevertheless, the Ukraine wants to be part of the European Union. Its president, Viktor Yanukovych, has refused to speak out against the proposed bill, but is sending a delegation to the EU this Friday. All Out is running a petition to highlight this injustice. The choice for Yanukovych is simple: it is either the way of the EU or the way of Russia.

Sign the All Out petition here

Traditionalists are getting caught up on a word.

My uncle, although in favour of offering equal rights to gay couples in adamantly against calling same-sex marriages a marriage.

He said to me in a recent email, 'If you called it a ''civil union'' then I would be content.'

Separate but equal is not equality, and it is NOT good enough.

"Pretty much" meeting the requirements of a minority group has NEVER been good enough and it never will be.

Every citizen should be accorded equal treatment under the law.

This is incredibly similar to the segregation of African-Americans and White Americans in the 1960s.

'You can use a toilet, just not the same one as us.'

Thoughts and advice?

Christians Have the Right to Bully Gay Kids - What?!

Bullying is not acceptable, regardless of whether your religion goes against something.

Nobody has the license to bully someone for whatever reason.

Absolutely despicable this is even being considered.

UK Home Secretary Theresa May Is @Out4Marriage - Are you?

Well Done Theresa!!

Watch the other videos on Out4Marriages YouTube Channel here! Spread the word!!

The Miserables

A term that could probably be used to describe the hordes of students this time of year, traipsing to important examinations (I myself have just concluded the cycle of AS Levels.)

However, before my exam period, my school decided it would hold auditions for the musical, Les Miz, to take place next November. Of course my reaction was a mixture of uncontrolled glee and slight nausea from the prospect of singing in front of people at the audition. Now obviously my dulcet bass tones were set to impress, but I, just as much as anyone, get nervous!

So, when it came to my turn to belt out 'At the End of the Day' in a cockney accent, my hands were trembling...making it incredibly hard to focus on the words....but I think it went pretty well!

Les Miserables is an incredibly interesting musical. The way it explores the darker side of life is incredibly true to the story by Victor Hugo...not to mention it has some truly epic tunes!

My favourites are: At the End of the Day, I Dreamed a Dream (sung much better by the original West End Fantine, than by SuBo), Lovely Ladies, Master of the House, One Day More and Do You Hear the People Sing?

In fact, my obsession with this musical has led me to buy the entire soundtrack...watch exerts from the 25th Anniversary concert on YouTube...and now I am going to see it next week!

So excited.

Here are some videos!

This includes 'At the End of the Day', 'I Dreamed A Dream', 'Lovely Ladies' and 'Fantine's Arrest'. (yay!!!)

MASTER OF THE 'OUSE! QUICK T'CATCH YE EYE!

And the Finale (Including the Original West End Cast) - One Day More and Do You Hear The People Sing?

I love love love love love LOVE this musical!