Originally uploaded by culturekitchen

I so love my people. They'll stretch spandex to proportions never imagined by Man.

What's so funny about this picture is that they're supposed to be dancing. I don't know but too many mickidees have affected their salsa gene.

These were the words that rolled off my oldest son's lips. It's funny, but Thing #1 seems to be deciding these days he is heterosexual.

His father is quite alarmed that I made this observation impassively, diagnostically. Well, I do look at pregnancy, mothering and the whole parenting thing as one big human Wild Kingdom experience. It's like I am looking at animals in the zoo but I am one of them.

And let me tell you, there's a couple of boys that by their choices are really hell bent on liking Peter and Paul waaaay more than Mary. It really is amazing to see, how some of us are just, well, gay from the day we were born. I think it's beautiful.

This, of course, takes me to the subject of our gayest of all New Yorkers, the penguins at various of our zoos. There's Squawk and Milou, Georgey and Mickey. Then there's the most controversial couple of the bunch, the then closeted bi-sexual Roy and the now forlorn and broken hearted Silo.

Roy and Silo became notorious during the 2004 election campaign as the poster boys for the equal gay rights amendment. They even have a children's book based on their love and parenting story. Then in 2005 Roy caught the eye of a homewrecker. After refusing for 6 years to mate with anybody else but Silo (females included) AND raising a chick with him, Roy walks out on him and starts building a nest for a hussy called Scrappy. Weirdest part of the story? Tango, their chick, is one half of a lesbian couple. Her mate's name is Tazuni.

So we talked about the gay penguins this morning; about how love knows no bounds. I reminded him of his friends two moms, of some of our friends (and some of his favorite people) who are gay and lesbian.

His answer? "Oh. Right. I totally forgot."

"You see, so boys can send valentines to other boys."

"I know, but mommy ... can I give my valentines to a girl?"

"Yes honey, it's your choice."

"Great."

Next month, they'll be reporting about their homeschooling classes at Central Park and their experience with the gayest New Yorkers of all, the zoo's penguins.

Happy Valentine's Day y'all.

This morning's New York Times reminds us our neighborhoods need help. And that the Bloomberg Administration is unbearably out of touch with many of the city's neighborhoods most in need.

A Times reporter followed up on the "Report Card on Parks" which gave failing grades to too many NYC Parks by going to those in-need parks where he found crack-smoking prostitutes, drugs dealers, piles of trash and homeless camps which had been there for 13 years.

And Bloomberg Administration's response?

"Just because something is in our inventory doesn't mean it's worth taking care of."--Adrian Benepe, Parks Commissioner

This is what the Bloomberg Administration believes!?

"Let nature take its course," Adrian Benepe said on behalf of Mayor Bloomberg. "Trees are growing, insects are buzzing, oxygen is being produced, and there's nothing wrong with that," he said.

Nature's course

From the Times article:

One of the park's residents is a heroin addict and prostitute who would give her name only as Joanne. Her makeshift house has a bed and a nightstand. She said she had lived there for 13 years. Men smoked crack cocaine a few feet from where a youth baseball game was being played.

--New York Times

It is not the job of 'Nature taking its course' to maintain the City's parks - it is the job of Government, specifically the Parks Department.

Ceding sections of our neighborhoods to Drug Dealers, Prostitutes, Violent Criminals and Crack is NOT acceptable.

More on the flip.

A fun, relaxing auto-free ride through Central Park. Enjoy the tranquillity of the park and its beautiful ponds and waterways: a nature lover's dream.

Totally safe. Bike guides front & rear.

###

TIME'S UP! is a direct-action environmental group that uses events and educational programs to promote a safer, quieter, friendlier, and more environmentally sustainable city. We're community-based,all-volunteer, and non-profit. It's easy to help: Join!

See www.times-up.org or call 212-802-8222 for more information and for bike repair workshop schedules.