Personal Bill of Rights

I have a right to cry.
I have a right to all my feelings.
I have a right to make mistakes.
I have a right to change my mind.
I have a right to change and grow.
I have a right to be my own judge.
I have a right to say, “I don’t know.”
I have a right to say, “I don’t care.”
I have a right to take time for myself.
I have a right to feel proud of myself.
I have a right to feel normal and healthy.
I have a right to have choices in my life.
I have a right to my joys and achievements.
I have a right to say, “I don’t understand.”
I have a right to be assertive and confident.
I have a right to be angry at someone I love.
I have a right to not have to please everyone.
I have a right to test the water before I jump.
I have a right to be noticed, valued and loved.
I have a right to notice, value and love others.
I have a right to set limits for myself and others.
I have a right to have disagreements and conflicts.
I have a right to be relaxed, playful and frivolous.
I have a right to be healthier than those around me.
I have a right to know that I am probably not guilty.
I have a right to ask for help, support, and guidance.
I have a right to not let others use or manipulate me.
I have a right to not have all the answers all the time.
I have a right to trusting, open and honest relationships.
I have a right to my own understanding of my higher power.
I have a right to be motivated by feelings other than fear.
I have a right to be a little selfish to take care of myself.
I have a right to refuse to feel guilty when others feel bad.
I have a right to refuse destructive criticism and namecalling.
I have a right to refuse to be loyal when loyalty is undeserved.
I have a right to attention, approval, appreciation, and affection.
I have a right to see things in a shade of grey, not black or white.
I have a right to live my own life and make my own dreams come true.
I have a right to live free from the fear of hurting someone’s feelings.
I have a right to my disappointments, fears, hurts, angers, and criticisms.
I have a right to refuse to allow someone else to assume responsibility for me.
I have a right to refuse to accept another person’s logic or thinking as my own.
I have a right to be independent of the goodwill of others before coping with them.
I have a right to refuse to assume responsibility for someone else, or his happiness.
I have a right to take care of myself, physically and emotionally, in any circumstance.
I have a right to say, “NO!” to anything when I feel that I am not ready or it is unsafe.
I have a right to my own opinions, and to their expression without forcing them on others.
I have a right to my actions, desires and goals, without explaining/justifying them to others.
I have a right to terminate conversations with people who make me feel put down or humiliated.

I do not have to read minds.
I do not have to fit everyone’s mold
I do not and cannot control the behavior or others.
I need not fear rejection from those who may not like or admire my behavior.
I do not have the ability to create mental stability, well-being or happiness for someone else.

Help!

Okay, I'm a little too tired to be messing with this and trying to learn something new, but can you not copy and paste photos into the body of a blog? My "Eureka Springs" entry (originally posted on my yahoo 360 blog) had some pics in it.

What's the deal?

Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs, located in northwest Arkansas, is a beautiful little town nestled in the Ozark Mountains. I've been a handful of times for Diversity Weekend, but there are many reasons to visit this quaint little village, for homos and heteros!
Perhaps best known by the non-gays for its production of the Great Passion Play, Eureka Springs also offers lotsa shopping, dining, lodging (from grand to economy), entertainment, and incredible scenery. Located just 48 miles south of Branson, Missouri, you can easily slip across the border to pick up some Powerball tickets. Feel like going horseback riding? Well, I forgot the name of the place we went to, but it was real nice. Lesbian owned ranch. They also have some snazzy cabins if you want to make it a romantic weekend out in the woods.
Living in Little Rock and feeling like the gay community offers you nothing but shit to do besides going to the same old bars? Head up to Eureka Springs for one of their three Diversity Weekends and visit some new bars and meet some homos from Oklahoma, Missouri, and even Texas, Tennessee and Illinois.
Did I mention the shopping?
Book reservations early for a stay at the Basin Park Hotel. But their elevator is regularly on the fritz, so pack lightly in case you have to lug your stuff to an upper floor. Make sure to try the Basin Park Restaurant...FABULOUS wait staff and food that's delish! Shoot, I was hoping they had their menu posted on their website. I wanted to recommend a sandwich, but I can't remember the name of it. It's battered and fried and has jelly on it! My goodness, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
If you like to indulge in some liquid nourishment, check out Copa Cabana. Again, I can't remember the exact name of the beverage I really, really like to get, but they prepare a Corona like a marguarita! Salted rim, lots of lime juice. Mmmm!
Oh, and for your day of shopping, wear comfy shoes. Do NOT try to scale the steep streets in $200 biker boots you pick up at Nelson's Leather. You'll look great, but your poor feet will hate you for it.

My Mom, Part I

This is a photo of my mom in 1964. I love this photo.
I don't know the story behind it. I don't know where she was or what she was doing. She's holding my oldest brother when he was just over a year old.
She looks a little sad, maybe irritated that someone was trying to take her picture. But I'm sure she was gracious about it. She always tries to accomodate people, even if it means doing something she doesn't want to do.
My mom is my best friend.
___________________________________________________________
P.S. I guess sometimes all you have to do is ask:

From: Mom

To: Tony

Sent: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:06 AM

Subject: Re: photo

I can tell you that is was made in front of the duplex we lived in at 411 Root Street,Killeen,Texas.And I can tell you I think we had just returned from downtown Killeen where there was a 5 and dime store [dont recall the name of the store]that Janet,David and I went to sometimes.There was a snack place in the store and we would go get a hamburger there[occasionally][highlight of the month,for us]!!!!!!Does this help? Hope you are having a good day.Keep sweet cause I LOVE YOU. ''Maw''

----- Original Message -----

From: Tony

To: Mom

Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:55 AM

Subject: photo

Hey Maw,

Could you tell me a little about that photo I have of you where you're holding David and you're looking off away from the camera (the one I showed you Sunday)? Hope you're having a good day.

Love you lots, Tony

introduction

I've only recently started blogging. I have one going on my yahoo page, which I will be happy to share the link to with anyone who's interested.

Maybe I'll copy/paste a couple of my favorites here so the Blogger people will have something to read.

Please say hello and post whatever comments you wish. If you 're rude, I'll just cancel this account and go play somewhere else.