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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!bbncca!msimpson
From: msimpson@bbncca.ARPA (Mike Simpson)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Handling holidays
Message-ID: <461@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 9-Jan-84 10:49:07 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.461
Posted: Mon Jan  9 10:49:07 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 10-Jan-84 00:38:09 EST
References: <172@ihu1e.UUCP>
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 41

***
01/09/84

        Having just (!) come down from a frantic eight weeks
of partying, I'm ready to wade into the discussion of
handling holidays. 

        Christmas is a bittersweet holiday for many of my
friends.  My lover and I worked out a compromise for the
weekend:  we spent Christmas day together and went to our
respective families on the day after Christmas.  (Since my
parents are separated, that meant still more driving.) There
is an almost delicious tension in dealing with my parents,
since they have not admitted to me that they know about my
homosexuality, although I told them eleven years ago.  My
sisters, however, know and accept the situation.  To
compound the matter, the first question from my mother after
the 'get-reacquainted' hugs and kisses was "Where's Jim (my
lover)? " It pleased me that Mother would acknowledge his
presence that much.  My father, however, does not discuss my
sexuality at all, which hurts. 

        We have a close set of friends with whom we
socialize frequently.  The "question" of sexuality comes up
fairly often, but it's not skirted in any way:  this crowd
knows that Jim and I are lovers, and we have a spirited
give-and-take.  (Anyone need a spare BUNS calendar?  My
friends gave me several .. )

        I suppose that, like may other areas, there is no
substitue for careful planning.  If this Christmas was not
what you expected, start for next year's NOW -- letters,
phone calls, and conversations can do a lot. 

		-- Mike Simpson, BBN
-- 
		        -- cheers,
			   Mike Simpson, BBN
			   msimpson@bbn-unix (ARPA)
			   {decvax,linus,wjh12}!bbncca!msimpson (Usenet)
			   617-497-2819 (Ma Bell)