Pulling from our Southern Roots, all great places have a name. Tara. Twelve Oaks. Ours is Morgan Terrace. At Morgan Terrace, modern class merges with Tara elegance and uban sophistication. A grand place, it's more than bricks and mortor — it's a concept. It's a place where all are welcome. A place where all are equal. And a place where all are respected. Come on in. The door is open.

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Saturday, February 28, 2009

News from Tim and Tony

The miracle of the journey in life are the people who you meet and become your guides along the way. The best are sometimes the most unexpected. When we crossed paths with each other in the summer of 1993, it was the beginning of an amazing trek with its surprising turns and unanticipated detours.

Throughout most of our relationship, we have been able to serve as each other's guide. This has not been without its challenges as each of us have struggled to stay true to ourselves while supporting the other. Over time, as each of us have grown, staying in sync as we share the same journey has been an increasing challenge.

We have reached a crossroads, and we have decided to change the nature of our relationship as it stands now. Together, we are beginning the process of building separate futures.

While deeply sad for both of us, we part ways with great satisfaction that we've given this partnership the most we are each capable of. We part honoring the deep respect and fondness we have for each other, and celebrating our time together: the shared memories, and the individuals who have encouraged us along the way.

As we work to create new possibilities for each other, it is with great hope that our paths will continue to cross, and we will honor and celebrate the deep friendship that exists between us. In this spirit, we are acknowledging that relationships evolve over time. When they can evolve together, it's magical, but sometimes they evolve away from each other. In either situation, we believe the healthiest thing to do is acknowledge the change and celebrate it for what it is.

No matter how you came into our lives, you now belong to both of us. We know that we will be able to count on each of you for your continued love and support and ongoing celebration of our lives' journeys.

With Love,
Tim, Tony

Labels: news

# posted by Timmy : 6:09 PM  0 comments

Thursday, December 25, 2008

When One Door Closes, Another Opens

2008 Annual Report to Careholders Posted

I sat by the fire, today, reading a pile of annual Christmas letters. I was multi-tasking, looking for inspiration to write our own 2008 Annual Report while trying to dry out my inner ear. It’s filled with water. I started swimming regularly this past year, figuring if our portfolio was rolling back the Bush years, then there is no better time to also lose our Bush Weight. Soon, we’ll be back to where we were in 2000, and the past eight years of fear and hate will be a distant memory. While we may very well be living in a global depression, the least we can do is look good while trying to hold on to hope.

Just as we are closing the door in an amazing chapter of our collective history, opening another door to unknown opportunities, 2008 has been a year of transition to new horizons that we look greatly forward to exploring and sharing in 2009.

Warm regards,
Timothy State & Anthony Dornacher

Continue reading our annual report.

Labels: Happenings, news

# posted by Timmy : 11:43 AM  0 comments

Merry Christmas from the Waffle House

"Merry Christmas" was spelled out across the glass door in a silver metallic plastic holiday script. Fake holly spruced the greeting, which was held in place by suction cups. It's the type of holiday adornment that begs you in from the winter wind we're experiencing today and makes you feel as if you've arrived at home.

And at home we were, for our annual Christmas dinner at Waffle House. With family scattered across the country and friends spending the day with their families, we've found our annual trip to Waffle House a refreshing break from the traditional spread of overeating, box wine and weather talk. For us, it symbolizes the end of the holiday season, culminating in a Double Texas Cheese Steak sandwich with hash browns: scattered, smothered and covered.

Today, when we walked into Waffle House, the entire Waffle House family was there. Not because the restaurant was busy, but because Waffle House had either just gone through a shift change, or they were about to go through a shift change. There were Waffle House Crew members hanging out everywhere, and with no rhyme or reason. Some littered the booths, while others had ponied up and saddled on the bar. A few just clung to a virtual space they had carved out as their own.

In hindsight, I should have sat down elsewhere. Not only was my back to the grill and most of the restaurant, I was also right beneath the air conditioning system. Generally, this is not a problem, but I was in no position to see or hear anything going on in the restaurant, which for me is just as much torture as time out is to a three-year-old. My efforts to better position myself were to no avail: I couldn't hear crap with that damn air conditioning running right above my head. And to make matters worse, the She-He manager came from the back and cued up "Christmas In Dixie" on the jukebox.

"I told you to never hang out here again," yelled the She-He as the vocal sounds of Alabama proclaimed peace on earth. The She-He had spotted a worker sitting at the bar, who apparently was not to be sitting at the bar, or in the restaurant for that mater. While I could not hear the entire discourse over the air conditioning, I did manage to pick up the gist of the conversation and a few quality sound bytes. I struggled to filter Alabama (apologies in advance to Alabamans everywhere) from the Alabama transplants, but the jukebox was blaring from the corner. I couldn't very well turn around and stare, or maybe that was my mistake.

This was shaping up to be a real family dinner. The two yelled back and forth at each other. The She-He manager made it clear he was not supposed to be there. He pointed out his mama didn't give him bus fare. She-He said it wasn't her-his fault his mama didn't give him bus fair. He was not supposed to be there.

Our server, Mary, set my Texas Cheese Steak Plate in front of me. "You want ketchup with that?" "No," I replied, waving her off and at the same time silencing her with a hand gesture. My Texas Cheese Steak sandwich was more than well-done, but to complain at this moment on this day to a woman named Mary seemed petty.

"If I ever see you here again," piped the She-He manager, "I'll fire your slack-a** so fast you'll never get home to your Mama."

"Now get you're a** out of here before I call the po-lice." He got up, pulled his over-sized black jeans to just below his waist, and walked towards the door. He announced his departure, slamming his weight against the door, making a huge dramatic bang, underscoring his rejection by the Waffle House. The force knocked the "Merry Christmas" sign from its suction cups, leaving the word "merry" dangling upside down in poignant commentary as holly hit the floor.

"Did you want a refill on that sweet tea, hon?" asked Mary.

Labels: Holiday

# posted by Timmy : 9:25 AM  0 comments

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Granted, Today is Day for Thanks

On Thanksgiving Day in 2001, we sent out the last of what had become an annual Thanksgiving Greeting of Thanks. In hindsight, it just seemed that each year was stagnant, if not worse that the year before. Sure, we've both achieved individual successes of which we are grateful and thankful for through the years. But they were small victories overshadowed by what was becoming a darker, more divided world.

It's hard to believe that for almost a decade now, we've lived in a world dominated by fear that others are out to get us. That, as a society, we must kill others before they kill us. Today, we are most thankful that this world order is rapidly crumbling and fading into our past. We hold out hope that, collectively, we're coming to recognize our greatest power comes from within us, through loving each other. As we reflect on the past year and ponder our future, it appears that what we wrote in 2001 is just as relevant and important today as it was eight years ago.
Granted, Today is Day for Thanks

When you're a gay man, there are certain aspects of life you can't take for granted. Others sometimes do, but we can't.

As a gay man, you can't take your family for granted. So many of our friends have been banished from their homes, cut-off from their family, simply because they are gay. Simply because Mom and Dad don't believe it's right. Simply because their family has become so distracted by living up to the expectations of others, they simply have forgot what it means to be a family, to love unconditionally, and to accept what you cannot change.

You can't take your friends for granted. People you connect with deeply are so rare. When you do come across a person who touches you, life moves at such a quick pace, we've come to learn you must work hard to keep them because tomorrow, they may not be there.

You can't take health insurance for granted. Or right of survivorship, or housing or employment for that matter. Any of these can be taken away from you without notice, or denied simply because you're gay. Most people don't know the basic rights we all take for granted that can be denied a man simple because he lives with another man.

You can't take your life for granted. Matthew Shepard. Fred Martinez, Jr. And this week, Aaron Webster. The list of names goes on. It's a list of talented, capable people whose lives have been taken by another so filled with hate, they can rationalize killing another person. Every week of the year, we read of another gay man whose life has been taken in a beating or slaying not because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but because they were gay.

So on this day, we take a moment as gay men to give thanks. There is plenty for us to be thankful for.

We are thankful for the family we create. We are thankful for all the Moms and Dads out there. Even though you are not our Mom and Dad, your love and acceptance has touched us at the deepest level, and it gives us great comfort to know that we don't just have to rely on our Moms and Dads who brought us into this world. We are thankful for the entire network of Moms and Dads who open their doors and their hearts and welcome us into their lives. And of course, we are thankful for our true families, who are unconditionally supportive.

We are thankful for the friends who stand by us. You are our foundation. You give us strength when we have none. You make us smile when we feel nothing but a frown. The ups are twice as high when you're around, and the downs half as low. We are thankful for all the time you give us, and the moments we share.

We are thankful there are people in our lives who value the contributions of others over what goes on in their personal lives. We are thankful we don't have to live in the constant fear our job will be terminated simply because a superior cannot evaluate our performance, and feels the need to make a statement about their personal prejudices. And we are thankful there are experts who can help us to protect what others naturally have, so that one unfortunate moment will not unravel our lives forever.

We are thankful we have our life and we are able to live our life to the fullest without narrow-mindedness standing in the way. And that we are able to reach out, touch and move others. We are thankful that our life and the way we live it makes a difference in the lives of others.

Because of our families, our friends who are like family, and those around us in our daily lives and interactions, our life can and does make a difference in the world. That might just be what we are most thankful for.

Best,

Timothy State & Anthony Dornacher

Labels: news

# posted by Timmy : 8:55 PM  1 comments

Saturday, November 08, 2008

An Open Apology to Boomers

This article that showed up in the Salon today captures exactly how I feel, and my overall world view. It's so on target, I'm jealous I didn't write it.

Labels: Gen X, Politics, Salon

# posted by Timmy : 9:00 AM  0 comments