Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Episode # 246 - December 30th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Holidays!





















This time of year always seems to bring up strong emotions, doesn't it? (Good or bad ones...or a combination of both, I'll let you decide). One thing is for sure, unless you're living in a very remote area, you cannot escape the onslaught of the holiday machine, bearing down upon us, constantly questioning us if we really have bought all the right stuff, decorated in all the right ways, are wearing all the right clothes, are celebrating the holiday in question, (take your pick), with all the right people/family members/etc in the right place, with the right food, with the proper reverence, and, oh yeah, made sure you got all of your cards out to all of the people you need to on your list, (which, God help you, was updated properly this year!).

Kind of exhausting, isn't it?
I don't mean to be cynical. Certainly, what I wrote above was not meant to be an indictment of the holidays... it was more of a playful tease at all of the insanity which seems to crop up at this time of year. Truthfully, the holidays can be a warm, wonderful time, and I hope you get to spend them with those you love, having some fun and relaxation, and perhaps some spiritual renewal.
This year is clearly a different sort of a holiday experience for me; with my Mother's passing earlier this year, this will be the first Christmas I've ever spent without her, so I'm looking at having a quieter, more introspective couple of days. As I look back on this year, I'm struck with deep gratitude for everyone who reached out to me with comforting thoughts and words in the wake of her passing. It meant so much to me then, and it still does now.
If I learned anything this year, it's that being there for people in their hour of need is really one of the greatest things we can do. It's miraculous... it's angelic... and perhaps, it's why we're here.
I hope this Holiday season brings you warm thoughts and experiences, and I look forward to bringing you exciting new adventures of Kyle and the B&B boys in 2009!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Episode # 245 - December 16th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Episode # 244 - December 2nd, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Episode # 243 - November 18th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Saturday, November 08, 2008

MY MESSAGE TO CALIFORNIA

To my dear friends, and family, in the Golden State,

By now it's starting to sink in, isn't it? In spite of the magnificent milestone of the first African-American president of the United States being elected this past Tuesday, GLBT people and our allies were dealt a stunning blow with the passage of Prop 8, and it's slamming of the door on gay marriage in California, (for now, anyway).

Much is being said and written about this throughout the internet and in the various media outlets, and some folks are casting stones, blaming certain parties for not running a better "No on 8" campaign in California. I'm not here to join that particular chorus; I think a great deal of sweat, money, and bravery went into this battle, and ultimately the "Yes on 8" side simply had a better turn of events for themselves. This time.

However, it is a cold, hollow victory that these misguided voters won, and believe me, they have nothing to be proud of here. We can see that this issue is changing in the public's perception; I'm rather excited and heartwarmed that here in the northeast, Massachusetts and Connecticut allow gay marriage, Vermont and New Jersey have civil unions, and New York recognizes gay marriages performed out of state, (and is coming ever closer to legalizing gay marriage right here in-state). Even in California, within a few years, the majority will be on the side of gay marriage, and the bigots won't be celebrating victories anymore, (by then, they'll probably have moved on to another target, anyway. Bullies don't usually stick around for battles they know they can't win). And in decades to come, history will shine a most unflattering light on all of these anti-gay zealots, and they'll have a hollow legacy to go with their hollow victory.

But what can be done now? Frankly, quite a lot. It's interesting that I actually wrote an episode of Kyle's B&B back in 2004 dealing with gay marriage, that spoke about boycotting straight marriages until gay marriage is legalized, (and yes, this was published in 2004, over 2 years before that TV movie "Wedding Wars" starring John Stamos broached the same topic. I'll let you decide whether they "borrowed" my idea or not). In any case, at the time I thought the idea was a bit fanciful... actually boycott all marriages until gay marriage is legalized? It seemed a bit extreme. It doesn't anymore. In fact, I can't imagine sitting through a heterosexual wedding now, especially in California, knowing how all people in same-sex relationships are denied those same rights.

And you know, I think it can be about more than just not going to weddings. I think gay supportive heterosexuals living in California ought to consider holding their weddings outside of California. I think gaudy, overblown wedding imagery in the media should now be frowned upon and looked upon as in bad taste. I say if heterosexuals want to be the only ones to be allowed to get married, hey, go ahead.... but don't expect the gay folks who've brightened up your wedding ceremonies and receptions in the past with their creativity to be there for you now. I think your sunny-day weddings are about to become a quite a bit....grayer.

Mainly, I think what I wrote in that episode over 4 years ago speaks for itself, so.... here it is, again, (and remember, this was from before the strip was in color, so, it's back to the old black & white look for now. And if you're looking for the newest episode of Kyle's B&B, just scroll down to the next post, or click "New Episode" on the menu on the right). And now, without further ado, here the Kyle's B&B take on the gay marriage fight, (just click on the image to make it larger, so you can actually read it!):

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Episode # 242 - November 4th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Episode # 241 - October 21st, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Episode # 240 - October 7th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Episode # 239 - September 23rd, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Monday, September 08, 2008

Episode # 238 - September 9th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Episode # 237 - August 26th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Matt Mitcham Wins the Gold!!!

Wow, what a spectacular way to close out the Olympics! Out & proud, gay Australian diver Matt Mitcham won the gold medal in the 10-meter platform event! An amazing moment in diving, (as well as gay), history!

Diving has always been my favorite sport in the Summer Olympics. I still remember clearly Greg Louganis's dramatic gold medal win in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. And the 10-meter platform event is certainly the high-point of it all... the divers diving from a height of over 3 stories, twisting and turning so gorgeously in the air.

I'd heard about Matt before the Olympics began this year, (the Advocate did a cover story on him last month, telling about his coming out and his refreshingly non-chalant attitude about being openly gay in the sports world). I was very eager to see him dive in Beijing, and was hoping he'd do well.

Earlier in the week, he hadn't done well in the 3-meter springboard competition, but that event was not his specialty. I was hoping he could come back strongly in the 10-meter platform, and did he ever! In Friday night's semifinals, he was in third place, behind 2 heavily favored to win Chinese divers. But in the finals, he had some stellar dives which, in the end, pulled him into the lead. I realize I was probably supposed to be rooting for the two American divers, David Boudia and Thomas Finchum, (they finished in 10th & 12th place). They were actually quite good, too, and I look forward to seeing more of them. But Matt Mitcham felt like family, and I couldn't help but be in his corner from the start. When he clinched the gold medal with that final dive, wow... it felt like an historical moment. Electrifying. So cool!

Way to go, Matt!

Friday, August 22, 2008

I'm Just Saying...

I was pretty impressed with both the men's and the women's beach volleyball matches in this year's Olympics. Not usually a sport I've paid much attention to, (my big events for the Summer Olympics are gymnastics, swimming and diving), I was captivated by both of these intense competitions. Kinda' awesome that both teams won the gold for the USA. And the players all seemed like fun & nice people when interviewed. But one thing I couldn't help but notice.... the marked difference between the men's and the women's uniforms. While the men, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, dressed in the typical long baggy shorts and loose sleeveless T-shirts favored by all of the other male competitors.... the women, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, wore what looked to be no more than a skimpy bra & panties outfit, (as did all of the other female competitors).














I have no problem with the women's outfits, I think they looked great. But I'm wondering what the public's reaction would have been if the men, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, showed up for the competition wearing white speedo micro-cut bikinis and tight shrunken tank tops, genitals bouncing as they made those jump shots at the net. (Just for the record, I wouldn't have minded this, either, although I thought they looked great as they were!).

I'm sure this is no great news to anyone out there, but I do find it somewhat amusing that this disparity in costuming doesn't seem to have been commented on by anyone else in the media. In any case, my congratulations to Todd Rogers, Phil Dalhausser, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, for your awesome accomplishments, and for making me a new big fan of beach volleyball!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Episode # 236 - August 12th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Episode # 235 - July 29th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Episode # 234 - July 15th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Episode # 233 - July 1st, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Monday, June 23, 2008

Thank You, Everyone

I have to say, I'm so very, very thankful for all of the kind words and comments about my Mother's passing. While it has not been an easy time for me, your words and thoughts brought me a great deal of comfort. It really means a lot that so many people wrote. I am deeply grateful .

I'm glad I had the opportunity to write about my mother here, to share some of her story, and to introduce her, in a way, to all the readers of Kyle's B&B. There's so much I left out, but then, how can you capture someone completely in just a few paragraphs? Perhaps I'll continue to post about her every now & then, to fill in more of the details about her background, (like the fact that she was a Broadway queen, attending hundreds of historic plays during the golden age of Broadway. She also saved all the Playbills from those times, and what an amazing roster of performances she saw, such as Marlon Brando in "Streetcar", Robert Redford in "Barefoot in the Park", and many, many more).

But for now, I just have to say thank you so much, again. And here's one more photo, of my Mother and myself in Ireland, atop Ross Castle in Killarney.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Episode # 155 - June 17th, 2008

You may have noticed the new episode is not actually a "new" episode. Because of my mother's recent passing, things are still in the process of getting back to normal, and I needed some time to regroup. Hence, for the first time in Kyle's B&B history, I am running a re-run. Actually, a kind of sweet episode from several years ago, that, even if you've seen it before, you may enjoy it again. And yes, next time it will be back to new episodes!

Just CLICK on the episode image, at left, to view it at FULL SIZE.

(Don't try reading it at this size, or you'll miss out on all the detail!). Click on the pic!

I also wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who wrote me such sweet comments in regards to my Mother's passing. It really, really helped and I'm so deeply touched by the very kind words and thoughts. (In fact, I plan on making a separate post about this in a few days, but I wanted to say something here, too). Thank you so much, my friends.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Episode # 232 - June 3rd, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
book collection "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: Hot Off the Griddle".   (This is the first Kyle's B&B book
to feature FULL COLOR episodes!). By the way, if you prefer Kyle's B&B in black & white,
there is also a special black & white edition available of the third book, too!

Both are easily available to order on Amazon.  Just click on either of the banner links below to get there!


Additionally, if you want to see the strip from the very beginning, you can order the first two book collections,
"Kyle's Bed & Breakfast" and "Kyle's Bed & Breakfast: A Second Bowl of Serial".
Both are also easily available from Amazon by clicking on the banner links below:




One more thing: if you're not already a fan of Kyle's B&B on Facebook, well.... you really ought to
be! It's a great way to keep up with the B&B guys between episodes, and get all sorts of fun pics
and interesting tidbits that don't make it here to the B&B website. Just click on the banner link
below, and click on "Like" when you get there. Don't be left out in the cold!


 Also, to follow Kyle's B&B on TWITTER, just click here:

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Eleanor Ann Fox, Rest in Peace, Mother

My mother passed away last Tuesday morning. I felt like it was important to share this here, as there wouldn't be a Kyle's Bed & Breakfast if not for her. Not only because she gave birth to me, but also because of all of the support and encouragement she gave me throughout my life, to pursue my dreams and to aim for excellence in whatever I do.

My mother was an amazing person.... beautiful, brilliant, generous, kind, and extremely hard-working. She graduated from high school at 15, after being accelerated 2 grades, and got her bachelor's degree 4 years later, graduating from college at 19, when most people are just getting started with college! From there, she went immediately into her chosen field, teaching.

Liberated before there was ever a "Women's Lib" movement, I don't think it ever occurred to her to be anything but a strong, confident self-sufficient woman.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, her father was from Italy, and her mother was of Irish-German descent. My mother had the gorgeous, crystal blue eyes of her father, which apparently are quite common in the Naples region of Italy where he was born. (My older brother & sister inherited them, too, and I suppose I did also, although with a touch of green from my Irish father's side). She actually modeled for a bit, back when the big NYC department stores had women modeling clothes on runways for the public to observe and be dazzled by. But I think she was far more interested in books and intellectual pursuits to ever take that too seriously.

She met my father, (also a teacher, also born & raised in Brooklyn, NY), in her mid-twenties. After they were married, they eventually moved out on to Long Island, to Huntington, (in the West Hills area, most famous for being Walt Whitman's birthplace). She took some years off from teaching to raise my brother, sister, and myself, (I came along a bit later than my brother and sister, born when my mother was almost 40. But she took it in stride, going back to college to get her Masters degree soon after I was born, and then back to teaching).

Life wasn't always happy times for my mother, though. When I was 10 years old, a couple of years after we'd moved to a new house in Cold Spring Hills, my father passed away. Incredibly, my mother kept our living situation stable. Thank God for her successful teaching career. We never lost our house, and I never felt like we were in need in any way. She had a way of making me feel safe, secure, and well-cared for.



















That included making sure I was able to go to college & get my BA degree at Geneseo College, a magnificent experience for which I have her to thank. I'm also grateful that she, (and my father), were of the philosophy that one should go for a career where your heart is, not necessarily where the money is, (and if they can coincide, that's great, too! But she never put the pressure on me to find some Wall Street-type job, when that so clearly was not where my head was at).

My mother felt it was very important to travel, so, from a very young age, I saw the world at her side. Originally, my whole family went on some amazing trips together, but after my father passed away, and my brother & sister were off on their own, my Mother and I traveled together, just the 2 of us, far & wide. Because we have plenty of family in California, that also meant a lot of trips there. (Some people still think I'm from California, due to my accent and general demeanor). The fact that California is such a rich part of my history and life-experience is another thing I have my mother to thank for. We also went on a number of great vacations with my Aunt Sheila and Uncle Vincent, which may have started my love affair with the state of Vermont.

After I'd went to college, and in the years afterward, I'm so glad my mother got to go off traveling on a bunch of great trips with her friends, to see the places she'd always dreamed of. Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Ireland, and a lot of other places, (I'm especially glad she got to see France, as she'd always dreamed of going to Paris). She also started a new phase of her life after retiring; never one to sit still for long, and always eager to help people, she became a dedicated volunteer for many years at Huntington Hospital.

My mother and I were both big fans of figure skating, and I have many warm memories of us watching the competitions on TV and critiquing the various skaters. I think it reminded her of her dancing days, back in college when she was voted the best dancer in the Newman Club.

Some of my warmest memories, too, are of the TV shows we'd watch together and talk about. I think her favorite of all time was the Mary Tyler-Moore Show. She just loved that show, and I think I may need to buy the DVD box sets just to somehow feel closer to her now. She also liked a lot of the police shows like Hill Street Blues and LA Law, and of course Law & Order. She would often mention that if she were to do it all over again, she'd like to have become a lawyer. And she was a BIG fan of ER, especially of George Clooney, (who, she always would mention, "has a very handsome father").

I don't want to sugarcoat everything here; it's not like we had a Norman Rockwell family relationship. (Even Norman Rockwell didn't have a Norman Rockwell family relationship! Trust me, I'm a big fan, I read his biography). This is really my own fault, but... knowing the strong Catholic background of my mother, I never really felt comfortable discussing many gay topics with her. It's not like I was in the closet with her, (please, she was too smart and I'm too outspoken for that to ever happen. And then, of course, the New York Times interviewed me about Kyle's Bed & Breakfast, which, believe me, is a good way to come out to everyone in your life in one shot). But I just never felt very comfortable including her in that aspect of my life. However, she met and was quite friendly with my boyfriends, and I never heard her utter a single anti-gay phrase or sentiment, about anyone. Perhaps I should've been more inclusive; she was certainly sophisticated and intelligent enough to handle it. This was completely my fault.

But then, things were getting difficult for my mother as the years passed. After 2002, she began having some very serious health issues. Facing them all with her usual grace and fortitude, it was admirable, but heart-wrenching. I'm grateful I was able to be there for her, for so many of the doctor's visits and various challenges. But it was a darker time for her. For someone who was so used to traveling and living independently, it frustrated her to not be able to drive anymore, to go to the supermarket, (something she loved to do previously), to go traveling the world. The past year was particularly challenging, and the past month, excruciating. I'm grateful, at least, that in her final week, she was able to go somewhat peacefully.

My mother never remarried after my father died. She never dated, never even showed much interest in any other men, (except for perhaps George Clooney.... and his father! LOL). Seriously, though... I think she was so in love with my father, and missed him so much, she just couldn't bear to be with anyone else.

I'd like to think they're finally together now, after all this time, after all these struggles. I hope you're in a joyful, sweet place, Mommy... you've earned it.

I love you, and I miss you so much.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Episode # 231 - May 20th, 2008

Hey, we're sorry.... this episode is no longer posted online. But you can see it in the third Kyle's B&B
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