Two Good Reasons

Before our last trip up to our new home country that actually honors freedom and equality the US legistlative branch was killing off ENDA (Employment Non Discrimination Act) for GLBT people in the US. Sadly, the bill came out in two versions, one without our trans family and one with. Frankly, I don't want it if we have to leave anyone behind because whenever that happens they never seem to ever catch up. The bill is dead for now.

This week the Hate Crime bill adding LGBT people is in jeopardy. Democrats are caving as usual to the insane right in the US. I can't believe the US keeps proudly proclaiming itself the land of the free the home of the brave. It's more like the land of inequality the home of cowards with bigger guns. I am so glad we will be out of here. I am barely going to be able to stomach visiting.

A great ending to the TO trip

Brunch with Lisa was great, she took us to a great little Cabbagetown restaurant called "Pear Tree"

Thanksgiving at Nick and Mason was awesome. They have such a great group of friends. I enjoyed talking with each of them. Plus the guys had a cake with "Welcome to Canada" on it. It was a really good time.

Other than being detained at the border for 45 minutes, the trip to NJ was long and tedious due to the weather. I was pissed at the agents again, just one small yell at Emilio by the border "toll collector" and I laughed at their pledge on a placard saying they will treat everyone with respect and dignity while a human sized dust covered Statue of Liberty eerily stands guard.
The agents sit before you like panelist on a game show clicking away on their computers with the back of the monitor facing you. Emilio joked "I bet they are playing Solitaire" which cracked me up. Anyway this was the last US re-entry for awhile and I am grateful for that.

Today my boss and I talked. I told her our plans to move in a couple weeks which is earlier than the original plan. She said "what if the company won't allow that?" I said "I don't care what the company wants I will quit". I told her basically I am getting no promises after all this time and the limbo is stressful, so I am going and that's final. Empowerment is a good thing!

Afterwards she was trying out different scenarios, all of which ended with me saying no matter what we are leaving as fast as possible regardless of what the company wants. I can't blame her she's been trying to get the damn thing through.

The house inspection is turning into an expensive nightmare, but I just want it all done, so today was a flurry of calling repair vendors and setting up appointments while trying to catch up at work.

The Ontario Theme song

With a little bit of humor...

Update

On Friday Nick and Mason gave us our PR and SIN cards. We filmed the event maybe I can convince Em to download it on here. It was a validating moment for me that I am on a good chosen path. I already am completely in love with Canada. That doesn't mean there aren't things needing to be done up North. We're not offering complacent love, but a grateful love I've never had the chance to give a nation.

We had a terrific time with Mason, Nick and their gang of friends. Cocktails at Jeff and Bob's and dinner at Sambuca on Church Street (Gracias for treating N&M) , then over to O'Gradys and finally to The Eagle for a short bit. I know I am not being gay PC when I say this but the guys all dressed in leather is humorous to me. There is no allure for me to walk around looking like a Nazi soldier, but to each his own. The highlight was having some of the guys sing "Oh Canada" and the Ontario theme song. Interestingly enough we ran into a binational couple, US and Canada this time.

Saturday Em and I went over to the condo to make our selections for flooring, cabinetry, counter tops...etc. Back in NJ we went hunting for what "Color Splash" calls color inspiration. We chose a pillow with colors and tones we like and used it to coordinate the entire unit. It worked out beautifully (we hope). It was so funny, there was this Asian woman who barely spoke english that followed us through our entire selection process learning what we were doing. We pain stakingly tried to explain about matching colors and tone and that you don't need expensive upgrades to make a place look good. I wish her well with her selections.

Last night we walked the downtown core and looked at the lights in Dundas Square, we wanted to see a drag show, so we went to George's Play on Church and then afterwards there was some latin music. Em and I did some awesome seat dancing. I am not brave enough to go on the floor!

Today we have brunch in Cabbagetown with the lovely Lisa and Thanksgiving in Leslieville at Nick and Mason's. Tomorrow we head back to NJ to close out that chapter in our lives.

Good Times In TO

We arrived on Wednesday at midnight. The last couple of hours of driving were a little scary, the rain was coming down hard and at one point the wind was so strong I could not hold the car in our lane on a bridge. Shortly after arriving the sleet started and finally the snow.

Yesterday we decided to spend the day the Royal Ontario Museam. We enjoyed it very much.
We covered 450 million year old fossils to modern life. It really put our move to Toronto into insignificance in comparison. Why stress? We're doing what people have done since...well...there were people. To any right wing Christian reading this, please go to a museam and learn the earth isn't 6000 years old.

Last night we went over to Lisa's (the sublet aparment) and had a terrific time. I don't ever remember 4 hours going by so fast with someone we just met. The conversation was great. Lisa is wonderful and we will be very happy staying in her home. I also got my cat fix in, which is always a good thing. We also got to meet Lisa's friend Rachel who will be our point of contact for her while she is away. Another lovely Canuck. What makes Canada great are the Canadians.

Today we have some banking and Mason and Nick invites us to have dinner with them and their friend Scott who is visting from Colorado.

Everything is working out great.

Farewell USA party

We had a busy weekend. Friday night was a family wedding where we got to say bye to extended family and Saturday was our farewell to the US party with dear friends who we will miss so very much. I am still hungover.

Today my Director (she's my bosses, bosses, boss) stopped by to speak to me about how hard they are working on the transfer. It was nice of her to offer encouragment. Also my bosses boss said something similar on IM. It's nice to know I am important to them. I am still peeved it's taking this long for a fortune 100 international company to work out one dude moving to Toronto.


Tomorrow we leave for TO again. We found a great sublet in Cabbagetown. We're having dinner with Lisa the subletee on Thursday. It was quite a forunate crossing of paths. I answered her Craigslist Ad and it turns out she too is in a binational relationship and is going to Brazil to be with her partner. We've been e-mailing and we're excited to meet her.

We're staying at the ever helpful Dennis' apartment again this trip. He and PG are going to Atlanta for T-Day. We're also dropping off some things to store at our MTC family Mason and Nicks place and we get to celebrate with them on Sunday with some new friends. (Woo Hoo!)

Telebeggers

I have a telebegger story that happened to me here at home.

I am elaborating her greeting because I don't recall the name of the organization

Woman "Hello, I am calling from a right wing organization that thinks patriotism is a car magnet and a flag lapel pin, we think supporting the troops is sending them into a Bush created civil war with bull's eyes on their backs"

Tom: "uh Hello"

Woman: "Are you ready to enlist" (Laughs uproariously)

Tom: "No maam the US military doesn't allow openly gay people to serve"

Woman: "I am just kidding"

Tom: "I'm not"

Woman: "Would you like to make a donation"

Tom: Maam I am in the process of moving from the US to Canada because my partner has been threatened with deportation and I as a gay American cannot legally sponsor him, So no I don't have spare money at this time"

Woman: "God Bless You" in the fakest tone you could possibly imagine

Tom: "God Bless You too" in the exact same phoney tone she gave me.

"click"

Back Up To Toronto Next Week

We're going back to Toronto next week to secure a sublet, open a US Dollar account and to have Thanksgiving at Nick and Mason's house. Guess which of the three we are actually looking forward to? (Hint: it includes two great guys who moved from the US already).

I can't believe how badly the US dollar is doing. We're going to have to hold our savings and the house sale proceeds into a USD account until it gets stronger, or at least even with the CND.

We found out our condo contract is iron clad so we are going to squeeze out some lemonade from that lemon and make it great. Nick reported our SIN cards and PR cards are safe at their house waiting for us. So cool! I love saying I am a permanent resident of Canada.

Hey everybody, meet Teri and M. Gabriela

Teri and M. Gabriela are the new addition to our blog family pursuing the wonderful north dream of freedom. Let's welcome them!

 

http://chasingthemapleleaf.blogspot.com/

 

Good luck guys! 

Congratulations to Maria Gabriela!!!

I had to bring Maria Gabriela's post from the comment section to the top posting. This is just the greatest news and we are so happy they will become permanent residents in Canada and live a secure and fulfilling life as a family. Our blogs are making a difference. The best gift you can give is hope.

Big hugs to you and your wife Maria Gabriela!

mgbadaracco said...
Hi guys:My attorney submitted my application today!!!. He did not go with the "simplified process", instead we gathered all the doc and he prepared them for submission so the only thing I worry about later is the Medicals and Background checks whenever they request them.We gathered so much stuff, pictures, affidavits, letter of recomndations, contracts, life ins policies. w2's ..well you already know the whole 9 yards.No I have to patiently wait, but I am so excited that we finally sent it out, that is finally getting donce!!!!I had to let you guys know :), and thank you so much for all the advices and the help you offered me.Prior to finding you guys on the web it had never even crossed my mind that this could be possible, so I owe you so much for having opening up this door of hope that I didn't even think existed.

Kisses for you both!

Maria Gabriela.

My name is Joe and I am Canadian!

Ya got'u luv'em!