May 1989

12 May 1989 Friday

I was so tired from the cold I’m catching that I didn't go to any of the opening workshops at the DMSC. I did rest and go out at 8:00 to the Marriott Hotel for the Reception. . Steve Oldroyd was the pianist and about 75 people mingles around. I didn’t see any posters for Beyond Stonewall buy did bring lots of flyers. Bobbie Smith was there and we had some Greyhound so I was getting sort of high. Meeting this young ex-marine named Matt who was interesting. I thought Jim Hunsaker was going to drool over him. I met Carmen Vasquez and Rob Ikeberg the keynote speakers. It was a nice evening. I walked home with David Sharpton about 11:00 pm. He was all mad about something- perhaps not getting laid. Mett some Lesbians who have signed up for Beyond Stonewall.

13 May 1989 Saturday

I got up at 7 am to be down at the Marriott by 8 am. Started off with a continental breakfast before the keynote address by Carmen Vasquez. She was excellent, strong radical rhetoric saying that we need a new dream and a new stream because mainstream is too narrow for us. She and strong anti-separatists  views which I agreed with. Chris Brown said that 161 people have registered for the conference and they were only expecting 150. The first workshop was my own, “Building Community” I had a much larger attendance then I expected. I wish I would have had handouts but I was doing the best I could. Many people came up afterwards and said that really got some “Good ideas” from the workshop so that was great. I met Craig Miller who does Utah Traditions at KRCL right after Concerning Gays and Lesbians. He’s darling. The next workshop I attended was Rocky’s Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Utah. Excellent as always with a large turnout of perhaps 50 people. Because the weather was so in climate, the luncheon was held inside with the Saliva Sisters performing. Wonderful as always. Joe Brown from Albuquerque who reminds me so much of Billy was at the conference again this year. Whenever I’m around him its hard for me to take my eyes off him.  After lunch there were two more workshops, Gay Men's Spirituality which was not as good as Discovering the Faggot Within from last year. It was basically just meditation and touching. After that I went to Brent Cochran's Workshop on the Mormon Church. I felt like he was too apologetic but otherwise informative. For dinner Jim Hunsaker, Robert Austin, and this boy named Rob from Albuquerque and I went to LaFrontera to have some Mexican food. I had a guacamole salad. Our evening entertainment was moved form the Marriott to the Red Lion because the Utah National Guard was having a formal ball and said that Gays and Lesbians couldn't even be at the hotel or they would take their business else where so we got pushed out. At Red Lion the Love Birds were the opening act for SuZ and the Grateful Heart, a gospel country folk singer. They had performed at the Thanksgiving dinner Unconditional Support had. They were really good. When that was over I called it a day and walked home with David Sharpton. I got home at midnight feeling kind of blue. Don’t know why. Not the same excitement as I had last year with John Reeves in Denver. I guess Iwould like to have someone special in my life. Who wouldn’t?

14 May 1989 Sunday

Rode my bike to the Quaker Meeting because I was the greeter and had to open up the place and make coffee. Weather is so cool and cloudy. I hate it. Stayed for business meeting with Rocky. The meeting approved the use of the Quaker Meeting house for the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Utah. Rocky shared that when he called his mother to wish her a happy Mother's Day, she hung up on him after hearing his voice. That made me incredibly sad and I called mom and was so grateful that she isn’t like that. She said Uncle Milton had surgery for colon cancer but is suppose to be recovering fine. Aunt Mattie Lee had a mastectomy after a lump was found in her breast. Other than that everyone else is suppose to be fine out there. Michael Anderson finally brought a Beyond Stonewall ad over for the Triangle. He said his truck was stolen and life has been hectic and that’s why he hadn’t got the posters down for the conference. Oh Well. Jim Hunsaker ran me up to Satu’s with the articles I had written for the Triangle on Beyond Stonewall, Overeaters Anonymous, Unconditional Support, and Gay Father’s which is now defunct for lack on leadership. Spent much of the afternoon visiting with Jim. I was going to go to Affirmation in the evening but the weather was so uncertain that I decided to stay home and watch TV. I still have a cold. Jim said the Conference next year will be held in Las Vegas. I watched the final episode of Moonlighting before doing up my dishes I had left for a week. I was in bed by 10 pm. Billy B isn’t worth my tears. Let go Let God.