Great Story From My Hometown

The Lane Game: Seniors participate in Wii bowling tourney

The thundering roll of balls helped turn the multipurpose room of the Sally Griffin Senior Center into a virtual bowling alley Friday.

It sounded like bowling. It looked like bowling. All that was missing was the pin setter, the beer and the garish shoes.

Dozens of seniors from the Peninsula gathered for a Wii video game bowling tournament that pitted teams from The Park Lane Residence by Hyatt in Monterey, Meals on Wheels drivers from Pacific Grove, and the Griffin Center against one other

Super Duper Tuesday

I love my California brothers and sisters, but last night they really dropped the ball. Last night California had the opportunity to be at the forefront of change and instead they mostly voted to keep things the same. I assumed twenty-four years of two families running our government is everything that most Californians are against. Fear of the unknown, fear of the uncertainties that were to come with an Obama ticket kept Californians voting against the majority of the country. Minnesotans voted with the maverick and against the establishment. To be expected, I guess, with a state that voted Jesse Ventura governor. Hillary had most of the DFL establishment on her side, the state's best organizers, and yet at the grassroots level Obama had community involvement across the state.

Here, in Minnesota, the caucus system was a sight to be seen. I’ve never experienced hands on version of democracy like this. I can only harken back to my days on the student council in high school. Well crafted, while at times hilarious, resolutions were rose, which in turn were voted up and down, volunteers to be senate delegates at the state caucus while others volunteering to be school board delegates.

I love my neighborhood more now than at any other point. Watching my neighbors of ALL races; sexual orientations; young and old waiting in line; running out of ballots yet remaining calm when new ballots were made; with only one goal in mind – to participate in representing his or her neighbor.

The presidential portion went smoothly. I along with the help of our observers from in Obama campaign head quarters was able to help the convener. She in turn allowed us to hang our Obama posters. Hillary’s campaign seemed to give up on Minnesota a long time ago. Maybe her campaign saw the larger prize in the bigger states, but by ignoring much of the Midwest, she also showed where her loyalties lie.
I live in a truly unique neighborhood, and I’m more proud now than ever to call these people my neighbors.

NE Minneapolis, Precinct 10 ward 1:

Barack Obama: 136
Hillary Rodham Clinton: 62

Friendships and more

I've always had female friends. At that, I've always had more female friends than male friends, at a 60/40 clip. But never before have my female to male ratio been so askew. I have 6 friends here in Minneapolis. Five females and one male. The male friendship is something recent. It's never been so difficult to click with people of the same sex before. And a conversation I had today with Mike confirmed why.

Last night my friend Rebecca's band played at the Dinkytowner. I've never been the biggest fan of their music, but she's a good friend and I've seen them perform many times now. There was no way I was going to miss the CD release party.

Mike asked how last night went. I explained that it was nice seeing Rebecca, even though I'm not a fan of her band's music. He queried me on who Rebecca was, though he's met her recently, and when I explained that she was a friend, his response captured the answer to my male-male friendship struggle, "oh, your new crush."

Nope, Rebecca has never been a crush. I explained I could be friends with woman without wanting to date her. My struggle creating friendships comes down to the Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal's conversation in When Harry Met Sally. Crystal's character explained that men and woman can never be just friends. That sex will always get in the way. I just don't buy it. I know from my experiences here, though, that that train of thought is prevalent in my age bracket. I can't pretend that all Minnesotans think this way. I just don't know if that's the case. To say all of anything or even most wouldn't be accurate without more research.

But I do know that through my experiences here - on more than one occasion - men have assumed I was interested in dating them if I showed interest in building a friendship. I also know that - on even more occasions - women have also be believed I wanted to date them under the same situation. I've had to explain to both sexes that I have no interest in dating them. I'm not gay. I just don't know anyone here. And I'm capable of being friends with a female without sex getting in the way. And on two occasions, women have believed that I was gay because I didn't make a move on them when the opportunity arose. The cultural transition to Minneapolis has been more difficult than any adjustments my body has made to the weather.

I guess I could have told Mike that, "sure, Rebecca's a crush, but not in the way you think it." I crush on people - men or women - that I meet and think are amazing. They are platonic crushes, with no sexual desire behind them. Sometimes I meet someone and I think, "Wow, this person is great. We view things very similarly." I'll want to get to know them better. But this desire to learn about my new friend can be misinterpreted as non-platonic interest. This never happened in California. My feelings were never misconstrued. Someone showing interest in you as a person was flattering, but not a sign that they wanted to sleep with you.

Can men and women be just friends? From my over all experiences, yes, without a doubt. From my experiences in Minneapolis, yes, it's definitely possible but it takes more communication to lie out the ground rules of the relations.

The same can hold true for friendships between men. Making your intentions clear heads off much of the confusion that can cloud things later.