aGLIFF's new site is cute, I just love an organization that makes its goals clear. And on the website today the fest announced its own election results, as the organization says goodbye to current board president Alisa Weldon (L Style G Style publisher) and hello to Calvin Williams. From today's press release:

Calvin, a fan of gay films since he saw two men kiss in Making Love when he was 17, has avidly supported aGLIFF as a festival participant since 1989 and jumped headfirst onto the board only one week before the 2006 festival. He is thrilled to channel his experience as an educator and administrator into his role as President of an organization that brings the LGBTQI community together through film.

Additionally, the board has a new member in Hey Homo! co-organizer Chivonn Anderson. All this newly elected blood makes us thirsty… er… excited?

I know K8 already blogged about this, but I had to give an "Amen" entry of my own! Once upon a time I was a band nerd. Shocking news, I know. I played percussion, which meant, more often than I care to admit, I was assigned to ding the triangle or crash the cymbals once in a musical blue moon. I wasn't butch enough to play the snare drum. Le sigh. So it was with some interest that I watched the inaugural parade and noticed the inclusion of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association in the parade. On the musical programme: "Hold On, I'm Coming" (ahem) and "A Brand New Day" from The Wiz. If only I had known about the LGBA when I was a young'un, perhaps I would still be beating the shit out of that triangle. Good story.

I started my trek to Obamaland, trudging through Chinatown in the snowy dawn, loading into a stinky bus, groggy, but thrilled. An hour later, we were stranded on the Jersey Turnpike being chastised by a cop named Bernie, who ordered us to pray that another car didn't slam us over the overpass into our death bed. He accused us of being childish and also ordered us to behave like adults. Whoa. I hadn't even had my coffee yet. Luckily, the crazy Aussies in the seats in front of me had other plans. After offering me a shot of Absynthe (I declined), Kat and Larry busted out into their best rendition of "Single Ladies" by Beyonce and declared our bus trip "Woodstock 2009." Wondering why our bus driver hadn't called for back-up yet, Larry decided that we were actually starring in the negative sequel to the movie Speed, our driver playing the role of "the opposite of Sandra Bullock."

Our sweet friend Kim and her young daughter Maddie pulled together a last-minute trip to Washington, D.C. to witness the historic Inauguration of Barack Obama. They have finally landed away from the hustle and bustle and near Internet access long enough to send in these pics. Click the gallery link above and enjoy!

Sam Adams, a name no longer just for beer and history books. This Sam Adams, the openly gay salt-and pepper fox/mayor from Portland, Oregon, is making some infamous history of his own. As it turns out, the fine people of Portland are cool when it comes to the gay, but are not so keen on lairs, go figure. I think my feelings on the matter are best expressed in a direct letter to His Honor:

Dear Sam, Why couldn't you have just told the truth? I understand that some people probably wouldn't have believed that you started that interoffice fling with the unfortunately named, twinktastic Beau Breedlove after he was legal, but wouldn't it have been better then rather than now? Now you are investigated by the state attorney general, and gay publications are calling for your resignation, not to mention the porno-riffic pictures of your former romper room buddy that are now flashed all over the internet (seriously kids, stop putting your sexy photos on the Myspace). Don't you wish you had owned up in the first place? xoxo, Ash

At the moment Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of these United States, the reality of change went virtual. WhiteHouse.gov, the president's website, changed over to reflect the graphic and substantive difference of this new presidency. Under the banner Agenda appears a list. The first item on the list is a link to the page demarked Civil Rights. In a bold, breathtaking show of virtual and very real validation, a heartening header in blue, heralding a half page of text, outlining this new agenda, appears: Support for the LGBT Community.

The collective of local video artists Austin Video Bee and aGLIFF are presenting a nationally touring night of queer video art. CHANNELING: An Invocation of Spectral Bodies and Queer Spirits happens this Saturday, January 24, 8:30-10:00pm at the Hideout Theater on Congress. (NoCo? I'm sorry I even thought that was a word. Vomit.) The Cockpit on San Jacinto will host the afterparty. Sounds spooky, no? It's supposed to. To wit:

The intent of the program is to re-imagine film and video as occult technologies that allow us to connect with the bodies, experiences, and emotions that are often invisible – ghostly, even – in everyday life.

Boo! (Um, Yay!) It's a veritable who's who in young queer video art. It's the best five dollars you'll spend all winter. Even better than that fiver you spent on those Obama panties. We know you've got them… we've got them too.

Check it out: Our Gay Place 'mo-on-tha-scene correspondent, Dacia Saenz answers a question posed by CNN's Richard Lui. See if you can catch her sneak in a brief, yet effective direct camera address, reminiscent of another Internet star. We expect some posts from Dacia (hopefully tomorrow) once she settles into the relative sanity of NYC. In the meanwhile, check this embed from CNN (the Austin Tiger appears in the last third).

It was all kinds of fun watching the rich pageant of Americana kitsch and class that made up the inaugural parade, from the FAMU band to the Americorps Alum to the Tuskegee Airmen to the Mobile Azalea Trail Maids to the Carnaval de San Anto to the WHOA~! HOLD ON! The Lesbian and Gay Band Association?! YES! The Lesbian and Gay Band Association! Oh, Yes we did! This marks the first time an LGBT group has been invited to march in an inaugural parade. In the words of their website: YOU'LL WANT TO REMEMBER THIS, and if you click that link, it'll take you to their fabulous Cafe Press Page where you can buy some pretty freaking amazing "Inaug Gear" souvenirs, even if you weren't specifically there.