September 27 - October 14, 2001.
Memorials, Birthdays, Demos, Concert & TV.

I suddenly realize I haven't updated the diary in a couple weeks. But that's because I've been REALLY busy making music. As a consequence of being on the TV show, Talk Or Walk (which aired Oct. 12th), I was able to buy a new motherboard and CPU for my home computer, which meant I now had the juice to turn my upstairs computer into a digital recording studio -- which means I've turned into a hermit, working on music 14 hours a day. I can't make myself stop..

In three short weeks, I pumped out five demos of brand new song arrangements. For anyone who would like to hear them, I've posted them at http://www.bonusround.com/mp3 and they are (for now) free to download and critique. It's my birthday present to myself (and anyone who wants to listen)! New music!

But our two weeks began with on a difficult Sunday morning where we mourned the passing of our friend, Kathleen Freeman, lifelong TV star and current Broadway star and Tony nominee. The Wilshire Theatre was packed solid.

Steve posing with a cut-out of Kathleen Freeman.
Jam-packed memorial service.

I had a great birthday on October 4th because I was singing! I drove down to Irvine with my friend Ernie from the El Portal to sing a concert for medical students and faculty at University of California at Irvine. It was an emotional concert with a great response. Especially afterwards cuz they had prepared a nice buffet and a birthday cake! I was happy to see my friend Ruth there. She is a flight attendant for United and, like many of her fellow workers, has been devastated by the events of Sept. 11.

Steve with Ruth. And with Lynn Hunt and birthday cake.

Students going through the dessert buffet.

Hanging out at home. Jimmy and Todd. Todd and Steinbeck.

Jimmy's and my "adopted son" Todd -- he refers to us as his "gay parents" -- has come back into town from Nebraska. He comes here just about every night and hangs out playing cards with Jimmy and messing with the cats (while I'm upstairs in my perch making music).

On October 10th, Wednesday I combined the Jewish holiday with three mini concerts at California State University Northridge. My friends the Alperts live close to there so they invited me to celebrate Sukkot with them.

Students at Cal State Northridge Religion class

Professor Juan Herrerro found me on the internet in the spring of '96
and I've been singing for his religion classes every year since then.

The Alpert daughters are very intelligent and also very beautiful.

This is the inside of the Sukkah they built in their backyard.

 
I rushed from the morning concert to the Alperts for lunch. In their backyard they had built a "sukkah," a temporary dwelling made of straw and branches, filled with cards and other little pieces of merriment. At the start of the meal they sang something in Hebrew and then passed around a goblet filled with a sweet drink. Then they told me about the tradition of Sukkot. Among the meanings are:
 

• Festival of Booths-- commemoration of temporary huts Israelites dwelled in during 40-year desert trek

• Commemoration of old harvest festival

• Show of trust in God's protection

October 12 was the big day for the broadcast of Talk Or Walk featuring yours truly confronting the exgay minister, Tom Cole. You might remember reading about the day of the taping. How they shot it twice trying to get us to be more "confrontational." Well, Friday was the day and sure enough, there we were!

I remember being afraid that I'd come off looking really stupid but actually I think I did okay. No one will ever mistake me for a polished talking head Media Whore -- I stumbled over words and I have an antipathy to the kind of infantile fighting one sees on daytime talk shows. Email reaction has ranged from "You looked nervous" to "You looked passionate." I suppose nervous and passionate are not mutually exclusive.

Looking all mean and stuff!

L: Tom Cole tells his story.
R: Me explaining that I feel exgay theology is inherently destructive.

Here I tell Tom that I will continue our friendship
on the basis that the cultural war itself is worse
than any single theological divide.

 
I think though that I have to accept the fact that I am a songwriter and musician first, an advocate for "causes" second. I feel like I do better just expressing my heart and making music. Okay, I know this was a boring diary entry but as I said, my head is elsewhere. This week I fly to Kentucky for the Peace with Justice Weekend, a meeting of progressive faith-based activists. In fact, I'm going to be staying at a guest house recently set up for PWAs who need housing. No internet access!!!

I don't suppose this means I'll have to start reading again??
 

[ Diary Index ]
[ Book 7 ] -- [ Pt 1 ] [ Pt 2 ] [ Pt 3 ] [ Pt 4 ] [ Pt 5 ] [ Pt 6 ] [ Pt 7 ] [ Part 8 ] [ Pt 9 ] -- [ Book 9 ]

 

[ Hannah, Hospice Social Worker ] [ Shawn Decker's positoid.com ]
[ Jimmy's Sunday Sermons ] [ My Lynchburg Diary: Meeting Jerry Falwell ]

Subscribe to THE LAST SESSION fan and support group

© 2001 by Steve Schalchlin. .
You have permission to print from this diary and distribute for use in support groups, schools, or to just give to a friend. You do not have permission to sell it.