Mom and Dad ( alias, "The Bickersons") LOL

I am so very blessed to still have my Mom and Dad in my life and to have just shared their birthdays, his on the 21st of December and hers tonight, though it is actually tomorrow.  We celebrated with friends and family which is the very best and tonight my brother, Al, his wife, Lynn, and my sister, Dale were on hand along with “the usual suspects”. :)  My Dad had a nice time and my Mom, the walking miracle (She was given 3 months to live 7 years ago!), was in good form as well.  You tell me if they look 87 and 83 respectively.

Cheers!

RD

So here’s the thing.  It’s the holiday season and a lot of my friends have caught viruses, colds and hacking coughs.  I, on the other hand, got hacked into with a virus!  I’m not exactly sure which is worse, since my secretary who knows all my account information necessary to “easily” reset one’s password is out of town on holidays.  So, I went on to AOL and typed in my desire to reset my password and it asked me for my favourite film.  Now, I absolutely know which is my favourite film, but apparently AOL did not believe me or I’ve lost my memory all together because it said I was WRONG!  I then tried to say I forgot my favourite film and that took me to a new page where it asked everything about my billing and account information, which naturally, I got equally WRONG!  It even kicked me off the site because I guess it decided I was a big LOSER from being WRONG so many times.  After hours of coping, I finally got a found an 800 number and after speaking to two people who could not help me because I did not possess the right information, I got transferred to the billing department where a really nice guy stayed on the line and helped me fix the problem.  Hence, I now have a new password for my AOL account, so to whoever or whatever hacked into my account and sent all those hundreds of e-mails around the world to people and organizations containing  gibberish, F#&K  U!  And I am sorry to all those friends and family members who have been receiving the bogus crap!

Happy New Year to ALL  ( other than Hackers!)

RD

I had such a fabulous feeling doing my radio show tonight with Gay Olympic Stars: Guenter Seidel, Blake Skellerup, Sherri Cassuto, and David Pichler, along with messages from Mark Tewksbury and Bruce Hayes! Their message was loud and clear to kids and adults everywhere. “You are not alone! You can make it and IT WILL GET BETTER!”. They and I are all living proof that it will not only get better; if you stick around and work hard and stay focused enough on everything that makes you the wonderful and unique person you are, like will turn out fabulous. It is truly an adventure worth living for!

But, if you are going through what seems too hard to bare, remember you can always call The Trevor Project at 866–4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386). Or, if you want help or to give, go to Thetrevorproject.org and you will see everything you need to contact this great organization.

I also want to thank Ken Harris, Carmine for their hard work and support of my show and John, who habdled the board for me today. And, of course, my great International Reporter, Lita Dove, and my Mom, who has had a couple of weeks off for good behaviour but will be back next week after she turns 83 on New Years Eve!

I also want to thank all of you, my friends who read DoversWorld.com and listen to my radio show each week. I hope you know how much hearing from you means to me and that I appreciate your questions and comments here and on the air! As a matter of fact, my new season of Dover’s World will begin on January 18th and, as it does now, air each Tuesday at 6pm EST. I would love to hear from you as to topics you would love me to discuss or have shows about. I definitely intend to do a show on Eventing and hope to have some fantstic guests for that one. I also will do a show on the Human Rights Campaign in Florida and re-visit the Gay Marriage issue. Gay Polo is coming again to Wellington this winter and we will have a show to talk with members of the league and discuss the need for “Gay Sports Leagues” in general.

So, as you see, I have ideas rolling around in my head for new shows, but I certainly would love to hear from you with ideas for others. OK?

Cheers and be kind to each other!

RD

For all of you out there who have asked me to make pod casts of my radio show, “Dover’s World”, we are on our way to providing that for you. As soon as it’s a done deal, I will post the link here on my site.  Please don’t forget to tune in and call in tonight at 6pm to 7pm for my very specail show supporting the “It Gets Better “campaign!  You will be able to listen to and even speak to ( if you cut out being so shy!) an amazing group of Gay Olympic Stars.  Listen on WBZT (AM 1230) from Palm Beach to Miami, Florida or around the world live at Doversworld.com and call in to 561-844-6167 or toll-free at 800=889-0267.  It’s going to be an amazing show!

Cheers!

RD

Hey, out there!  Tomorrow evening at 6pm EST, I’m hosting perhaps the most important “Dover’s World” radio show yet, to support The Trevor Project and the “It Gets Better” campaign.  Gay and Lesbian Olympic Stars who I have introduced in my post from a couple of days ago will be joining me to tell their personal stories of both hardship and ultimate triumph in the world of Athletics as well as life in general.  This show is for the kids out there who are needing to know that they are not alone in their feelings of depression and even hopelessness - that there are people and even organizations out there to help them get through tough times and it is so worth it to stick it out because, as you will hear tomorrow night - “IT GETS BETTER!”

So this is what I am asking you, both kids and adults who are reading this site right now.  Let me hear an “AMEN” that you are out there and will tune in and even call in to re-affirm with us that it not only gets better; as my good friend, Carson Kressley says,  “IT GETS FABULOUS!”  Between tonight and tomorrow, I want to see how many “Amen’s” I can get under this post.  We need to all say together that bullying in schools and at home must be stopped.  We need to commit to kids everywhere that we will act on their behalf to protect them if they are or even if they are just perceived as being different.  We need to reach out to kids and let them know, as we will tomorrow, that their future will be bright, but they have to stick with us and seek help if they feel they are being oppressed, because the world needs them in it.  They will be what we are - the doctors, the lawyers, the builders, the  out and proud members of our military, the parents of great kids who will be as loved and protected by them as they would be by any straight couple, and they will finally be the generation which will be allowed the same rights under our constitution to marry the person they love, regardless of their sexual orientation!

For all those reasons and many more, I ask for an “Amen” below  and that you tune in tomorrow evening at 6pm to WBZT (AM 1230, Clear Channel) or live around the world right here on DoversWorld.com and call in with your questions or comments to 561-844-6167 or toll-free from anywhere to 1-800-889-0267.  Foe the sake of kids everywhere, PLEASE DON’T LET ME DOWN!  Thank you!

Cheers!

RD

I just want to wish my friends and readers all around the world the very happiest of Holidays and may all your dreams come true in 2011!

Cheers!

RD

I am thrilled to announce my roster (so far) for my “Olympic Stars for the It Gets Better Campaign” radio show next Tuesday, December 28th at 6:00pm EST.  Dover’s World airs on WBZT (AM 1230) from Palm Beach to Miami, Florida and is also live-streamed at DoversWorld.com around the world!  For this incredibly special show, my Olympic Stars all happen to be out, gay and proud champions in sport and life in general.

Olymic Diver, David Pichler, represented the United States in Atlanta in 1996 and was named the Diving Team Captain 4 years later at the games in Sydney, Australia, where he was ranked 4th in the world in the 3-meter synchronized event and 9th individually! Life was not always easy for David, and he will tell us how he persevered and became such a great success.

Born in Southern Germany, Guenter Seidel emigrated to the United States, became a citizen, and went on to represent the U.S Olympic Team in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, earning Bronze medals in each of the Games!  Guenter will explain his decision to leave his native land and move to California where he makes his home still, along with his long-time partner, Sean Caddell, and is aiming once again at 2012 in London!

In 1988, I met this amazing women who was an Olympic Rower named Sherri Cassuto.  We hit it off right away as did our parents who had come to root us on and Sherri went on with her team of 4 to place 9th in Seoul!  She has also placed 2nd in the World Championships in 1985 in Belgium and is still competing as on surf-ski’s as well as smoking the field on a kayak across extremely dangerous waters.  This is a formidable human being with a great story and I could not be happier to have re-connected with her and have her on my show!

The youngest member of our panel next Tuesday evening is coming all the way to us from New Zealand!  Blake Skellerup is 25 years old and represented his country as a Short-Track Speed Skater at the 2010 Olympic Games, placing 16th in the world!  A terrific young guy and super role-model, Blake will tell his story of coming out in what we would consider a new age of tolerance.  But is it really so easy now compared to 1988?  We will see.

I also have a message from Swimming Olympic Gold Medallist and 2012 Chef de Mission for the entire Canadian Olympic Team, Mark Tewksbury  who would have loved to join us but will be on a plane during the show.  Mark is a true example of what is possible if one sticks around, works very hard and stays focused on reaching one’s full potential as an athlete and a human being! 

How’s that for a “Star Line-up”?  And here’s the thing.  All of these incredible people are coming on Dover’s World not only to tell their story, but are hoping to hear from you out there, especially the kids who have questions or comments for any of us.  So take down the call-in numbers now and tell all your friends at school and anyone who you think should know about this great chance to speak with Olympic Stars!  The numbers are 561-844-6167 or toll-free from anywhere, 1-800-889-0267.  Don’t let me down; make those phones light up at exactly 6pm EST with your calls and let everyone know that we are all shouting out to kids and adults everywhere that  ” IT GETS BETTER!!!!!”

Cheers!

RD

Neve Myburgh showing classical form winning the I1 last weekend

I feel extremely fortunate to have Neve Myburgh helping me with my new stallion, HGF Fiero.  Neve is South African from birth but did her apprenticeship in Germany for many years and actually became a German citizen.  She has trained with some top professionals such as Wolfram Wittig and  now I have had the good luck to be able to help her with her horse, Accent Aigu FRH.  Recently, the pair have competed in two shows where they won all their Prix St. George and Intermediaire 1 classes with scores over 70%!  Neve combines the talent, drive and dedication which sets her apart from most other young professionals and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a trainer or rider for themselves or their horses.  She truly has what it takes to go to the top herself and take others along for the ride!

To get in touch with Neve, her number is 561-308-7353 or you can e-mail her at neve,myburgh@live.fr

Cheers!

RD

This is a special “Shout Out” to the kids around the world who read my blog and listen to my radio show every Tuesday at 6pm EST on WBZT (AM 1230) from Palm Beach to Miami and live everywhere else at DoversWorld.com.  I am dedicated to making sure you know that, if you stick with it and work very hard, you can do anything you want in life and that includes becoming an Olympian!  So, just in case you are one of the way too many kids out there who are the victims of bullying in schools or at home, I want to remind you again that ” IT GETS BETTER” if you just stick it out!!

With that message in mind, I decided that next week’s radio show, December 28th, will be  an “All Gay Olympian Extravaganza”.  I have a group of Olympic Stars from various sports as well as countries calling in next week to tell their personal stories of how they dealt with their sexuality in school, with their sports and ultimately became some of the finest athletes the world has ever seen!  They will be honest and I promise you will feel a huge sense of empowerment by the end of the show, regardless if you are gay or straight, because bullying can be about so many things besides sexuality.  Kids who are different for any reason, be it their weight, their skin colour or religion, can become the victim of bullying and it absolutely has to stop!

We are going to have swimming, diving, skating and equestrian Olympic stars on Dover’s World next week and it is my greatest hope that you kids out there, whether you are or have been the victims of bullying or depression, will tune in and more importantly, CALL IN to speak with any one of us. Ask your questions. Tell your own stories. And if we can help you in any way, I promise we will!  The numbers to call in next Tuesday evening at 6:05 pm to 7pm are 561-844-6167 or toll-free from anywhere in the world to 1-800-889-0267.  Usually, I don’t start writing about my upcoming show until the weekend before it goes on, but this Special Gay Olympian show to support The Trevor Project and the “It Gets Better” campaign is so, so important to me that I want to get the word out now and I hope every single person who reads this will tell their friends to tell their friends to tell their friends…… (well, you get it.)  I hope that kids everywhere will call in and tell other kids they are not alone just as we will tell them.  Because, when I was a kid, honestly, there was no one to say it was going to be OK and if it had not been for my horses and the friends I made through them, I do not know if I could have made it through.

So gay, straight, kids or adults, PLEASE show me your support for this cause by tuning in and calling in on Tuesday.  Again, the numbers are 561-884-6167 or 1-800-889-0267.  Help me tell kids everywhere that ” IT GETS BETTER!”

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

RD

Don’t forget to tune in for my Dad’s 87th birthday with the rest of us Dover’s this evening at 6pm EST on WBZT (AM1230) from Palm Beach to Miami and live around the world at DoversWorld.com.  You’ve already met my Mom, so you can imagine what can and probably will happen when the whole family is on the radio together.  Trust me, Carmine, my guy on the board, will have his finger right next to the 7 second delay button just in case!

If you want to call in to wish my Dad (or my Mom, who turns 83 on New Years Eve) Happy Birthday, we’d love to hear from you at 561-844-6167 or toll-free at 1-800-889-0267.  It’s going to be a very fun and special show for me and I really hope you’ll join me and the family!

Cheers!

RD