Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Jump

I have no songs with word 'leap' in it. Who knew?

...and it turns out, I didn't write a Leap Day post in 2008 or 2004.

Back 2004 the closest post I had was speaking about my then would-be husband Dr. Gov. Howard Dean.

I have no affection for Lead Day.  I suppose it means nothing to most, unless they have birthdays on this day. I suppose it might mean something to astronomers or whomever tracks time with the leap second - blah blah blah.

To me, it means one more day of work.

Of course, you get one more blog post for the year. 366.

Who knows if thing will be operational for 2016 and if there will be another leap year post.  No promises.



Song by: Madonna

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Challenge

I'm sure you all know the winners and losers when it comes to grabbing a little gold statue for making movies.

A few weeks ago, I was challenged by Mike, over at his Short Attention Span Theater to gloat or admit failure depending on which one of us picked the most Academy Award winners.

I suppose we could run up to the stage together and wrestle for the mic.  I'm thinking people would be willing to pay to see that.

Other than that, there would be no clear winner - assuming we didn't resort to pulling pigtails and pinching or tickling each other until someone said 'uncle'.

I did not select potential winners in every category - just what I consider the nine major ones. Mike made selections in all categories.

Let's say, we go with comparing my selections and his for my categories:  It was a tie.

I had six.  Mike had six.  Erik (the only other participant) had one.

Mike and I had many of the same picks - differing only in original screenplay, actor, director and visual effects.  We met on solid ground with actress, both supporting roles, picture and adapted screenplay.  I made a rookie mistake:  rarely does best picture not get best director. I separated the two. Stupid, stupid me - or I would have walked away with the whole kit and caboodle.

However, if we went with Mike's total list, he did score seven more, but BOMBED on seven others (sorry,  it is my only chance to gloat even a little).

He was a good sport about it all. More so than myself.  I hate to lose. Technically I didn't, but I didn't win either.

Still, I stand in good company and happy to play along with his contest.  I look forward to next year, knowing I will do a better job.  I'd almost have to - right?  But congrats too all the participants.  All three of us.


(on a side note - aren't Jean and Uggie just so fucking adorable??)



Song by: Christine McVie

Monday, February 27, 2012

My Music Monday


A few weeks ago I did a song from the late 60s (Petula Clark) and it got me thinking of another song my mother used to tell stories of me singing.

I do remember being in kindergarten and belting out, in the car, "Georgy Girl" from the Seekers.

It is like one of those perfect pop songs, not only then, but still.

It is the title song from the movie the same name, which starred Lynn Redgrave. I've seen parts of the movie, but can't say I've ever seen the movie.

One piece of trivia about the song:  the lyrics were written by Jim Dale.  The few Broadway geeks who read this here blog might know him as playing P. T. Barnum in, well, Barnum.  Harry Potter geeks might know him as the man who read all seven of the J. K. Rowling's audio books.  Who knew?

Maybe it was the lyrics to the song, and the lack of MTV, back in the late 60s, but I made assumptions that the girl singing the song was older and a frump, much like Georgy herself.  The video proves me wrong.  Sure she has that post-Camelot sensibility to her, but she is much younger than I imagined.  And their live version is pretty spot-on to the recorded version.

I do love the audience and how well dressed they are for a concert and how well behaved they all are - not that anyone was expecting stage diving from the Seekers.

Anyway - welcome to my past.


Sunday, February 26, 2012

Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!


I am so far behind on my 'placeholder' posts, it's a little sad.  Or not. I guess it means I'm writing enough not to have as many placeholders. Or that I'm getting gypped out of two days this month because it's February.

You know I'm not a proud man or so much of a hipster that I only review / buy more independent music. I've said it before, my friend Josh thinks there is no such thing as 'bad music'.  He's wrong, of course, but I'm not a snob. A music one, that is.

I will readily admit to liking half of the last Kelly Clarkson disk, so I bought Stronger pretty much sound unheard. It's not an out of the park winner, but it is not a dud either. Sometimes mediocrity is worse than being bad. Mediocre can be just forgettable, which is not a good thing.

Clarkson is a decent vocalist and seems like an ok individual, but some of the writing and production just seems to replicate things she's already done and accomplished  - more of the same to build upon what has made her famous. But usually that practice collapses upon itself when people think you're one-note.

This, of course, is usually the way of the record label and / or management trying to preserve their almighty bottom line.

From a technical perspective, Clarkson seemingly has the ability to sing most styles of music (ok, not rap or speed metal) and succeed, if the song was good. But overall the songs are just kind of 'eh'.  At least with the last disk, there were good ones to run or ride too. Not as much here. And it all just sounds very similar.

That said, there are some decent songs - and yes, for riding or running.  Upon first listen, you might not think "Honestly"would work for a song to ride to - unless you think of a heavy resistance song you'd do a climb to. It's perfect for that.

I certainly don't mind the poppiness of "Einstein".  Yes, "dumb + dumb = you".  Not a bad song for a treadmill run. I can see this as a single. I can see radio airplay for something like this.

Her two first singles don't do much for me - "Mr. Know It All" or "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)".  Upon it's release, homo blogs made the latter the "new gay anthem'. When has that ever worked for us?  I've never been a fan of "I Am What I Am", "It's Raining Men", "I Will Survive" and the such.

Sure, I'll take Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy", but I don't have to live my life to Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out".  Nor do I have to have Clarkson sing me Nietzsche.  I'm glad she's making a buck from it, but the song is not for me.

I hate seeing good talent go to waste and I think Clarkson has potential. She has more than shown it but overall on this disk, it gets squandered.

Maybe next time, Kelly.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Old Days

It has been a few hard weeks for the Blobby clan.

My father is 91+, and while still very mentally with it, physical limitations are more than creeping up on him.  It has been a struggle to watch him continue to drive and even walk at some points.

As anyone of this age, even getting up out of a chair can be a struggle.

Having pride isn't all it is cracked up to be.  I know I'm his son and have a bit of a stubborn streak as well, but honestly I hope I am not so set in my ways that I can't or won't accept help or suggestions when the time comes - whether it be with driving, hearing loss, cane usage, etc.

A week or so ago my dad stumbled down the stairs. The entire flight. No, he did not go to the doctor or anything (because he's stubborn and set in his ways) but banged up enough to at least not drive.  Don't get me started on the still driving thing.

Ooops.....too late.

Getting the car away from him has been tough - both with him and my mother. My mother likes to enable. She doesn't want the crucial conversation because, well, she has to live with him.

One of my sisters and I had a tough discussion with my parents last weekend and came to a few decisions, and not easy ones.

My brother-in-law had access to one of those stair escalator seats from his uncle. They gladly gave it to us, since it was no longer needed.  My father was very unhappy having it installed, but as you can see, he tried it out.  Now whether he will actually use it is anyone's guess.

The device certainly limits room on the already narrow staircase and if refuses to use it and falls, this time he'll clobber his head on metal. It won't be pretty.

My father said the kids, meaning the grand ones, can ride it anytime they'd like. My sister said they could ride it once. I say they can't ride it at all.  If they do it once, then they know how to use it and there is no stopping them.  ...and then they break it.

This is something I know from.

I am pretty sure I never had this conversation with my cousin David, but when I was maybe 8, I broke one like this in his grandparent's house. Hell, I didn't even tell this to my parents until this last weekend.  So not to take the heat for breaking it 40 years ago, I just walked away and pretended nothing happened.  I'm not proud.

As it turns out, yesterday was a big day for ripping the band-aid off.

If it all went through (I had not heard the final outcome), both of my parents got rid of their cars and got a new(er) one {singular car, that is} that my father can get in and out of more easily - but not drive.  And a company came over to assess their house and my father for part-time help.

My grandmother had help like this - and we were eternally grateful to Mrs. Price, especially her son. However when it is his turn, he doesn't see his own limitations. We only want someone to take him where he wants to go each morning and then get him settled.  The rest of his day is always at home anyways.  But to make it more palatable, I said we'd contractually have them change their name to "Mrs. Price".

I expect Blobby Sr. to rebel a little. I expect him to be depressed a little.  I expect him to hate us a little - at least for a while.  It's all understandable.  I do hope he sees it as help and not an impediment to his lifestyle. I hope when it becomes my turn, I have a different outlook.  It's easy to say that now, but.........

Of course, I hope I never make it to 91.



Song by:  Chicago

Friday, February 24, 2012

Secret Smile

So, on my way out of Vegas yesterday, I had to pass by that Welcome To and See Ya Later sign right on the south end of the Strip.

Yeah, I've taken a pic there before, but it seemed right to do it again, as this was my final work trip to the town. Sure, I'll be back for fun, but clearly not as often.

Mind you, I took the pictures around 06:15, so I can only look so good.....and not that I put that much effort into the task.  ...and by 'much', I mean 'any'.

I posted this pic on Facebook, just because I was leaving for home and it seemed like a good transition.

You've all said it - or some of you have - about my lack of smile.  Of course, I'm not that serious of a guy. Quite the opposite, actually. It is just my perception of how I think I look when I smile.

My friend, Sanj, noted on FB: "a smile wouldn't kill you........at least I don't think so...."   Sanj (yes, he's Canadian ....how did you know?) doesn't read my blog, so he's not jumping on your bandwagon.

However, I did take another pic a minute later that I really had no use for since I was not coming to Las Vegas.

However.......look.  A smile.

It doesn't show all my chompers or anything, but it's also not showing all of my "laugh lines" either.  I'm not mostly Asian in this either.

I thought about sending the pic to Sanj, but why give him the satisfaction of thinking I was smiling for him. I'm totally not.

For the record, he's seen me smile.  But for the record, he's seen me on a major rant too.  Well, I think he's seen me smile.



Song by:  Semisonic

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Eat for Two

I'm almost 100% sure that the small dinner salad makes up for the homemade potato chips with bacon, blue cheese and scallions. Hey! Scallions are vegetable!!!

It was a long long day yesterday and I topped it off by having dinner with David G and Duck.

Alas, it will be my last meal with them for a little while, I suppose. No more work trips to Sin City. From here on out, I'll be here just for fun. And maybe, just maybe, they'll visit us in Ohio.

That look you see is not Blobby holding his breath.

The plan was for dinner, but I got two appetizers, as did Duck. David got salad, so it qualified as a meal. I really bought those chips with the thought they'd eat some, but I ended up consuming most of them, sad to say.

I limited myself to one beer and then back to the hotel. I am headed home to see my Sophie. Oh, and 710.

Later Las Vegas. It's been fun.



Song by: 10,000 Maniacs

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

No Title. Barely a Post

Getting back into the mode of work travel sucks. That brief time out of the air really is taking time to adjust to life back on the road.

The TSA, the flights themselves - everything about it. Almost everything. I still have friends on the road.

Even the off-set of being in first class yesterday didn't make it better. I say that, having not been in coach, so maybe my perception is off on that. But on the other hand, I did have to endure a Justin Timberlake movie, so there is that! It looked like Logan's Run meets Bonnie & Clyde meets Robin Hood. It was all bad.

I seriously considered not posting today, as I feel I have nothing to contribute. But here I sit at 04:30 (pst) typing away at mostly nothing of an entry. Sorry about that.

I'll be better tomorrow. I hope. I am tired. I am hungry - and b'fast isn't served for another two hours. It sucks, but I'm about to log onto work email..........at 04:30.   Sad  Sad. Sad.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Let Him Fly

You know, you haven't heard me mention travel in 2012, have you?

No.  No you haven't.  Oddly enough it is because I have yet to travel this year.  It has been odd at best, considering how much time I spent on the road in 2011.

Of course, that's all over now. By the time you read this, I'll be half way across the country in a big old jet airliner.

It is my last trip to Vegas for work. That is, at least until I get another client in Vegas.

I cannot say I'm fond of of the town. There are worse places to go, but I'd rarely hit the strip during these work trips.  Once or twice I have gone, but it was to meet folks.

I will miss seeing my dear friend, David G.  We've been buds since 1984 (yikes!) and most of these trips I've gotten to spend time with him - which has been great. We are making plans to have dinner my last night in Vegas - or at least to meet up and sit around and yak for a few minutes.

The great thing about David is we can say anything to each other - and do. No matter how much time goes between emails, phone calls or visits, and we always pick-up easily and there is no awkwardness. I suppose that is true of many of my close friends, but it is just a little different with Davey.

So, I'm off to close down a site and move on.  New clients, new adventures await.

I know I'll be seeing David again.  Perhaps in Vegas, perhaps elsewhere.  I'll miss him, I won't miss the town.




Song by:  the Dixie Chicks

Monday, February 20, 2012

My Music Monday


If you know me, when it comes to music videos, I am all about the scantily clad female with perky bosoms who does girl-on-girl mud wrestles and / or washes their car with sudsy water, as it cascades over them.  Or both.

Oh yes, you know me well.

Unfortunately, this video is as close as Poe has to having one still out there on the web.  Warner Bros., like many other record labels, have blocked official videos produced by their artists from being on YouTube, as either side has yet to come to agreement on licensing / payment.

With Haunted, 2000 was the last year Poe has released an album, at least that I am aware of.  While technically not a collaborative affair with her brother, Mark Danieleski,  it did play off some of his themes for his book, House of Leaves - which still ranks up there as the weirdest and one of the more difficult novels I have ever read.

But Haunted is a great album. If nothing else, it has three incredible songs: the title track, "Not a Virgin" and version of the one featured here, "Hey Pretty".

You don't really hear the entire song here, as there is a monologue / reading from her brother (part that she even lip syncs) that is interspersed between parts of the song.  Other parts of the song aren't even present here.  The concept is different in that way, and perhaps the bra, mud and suds are supposed to be ironic. Perhaps.

I would hope anyway, but you know, a gal has got to sell records - which she technically didn't do enough of, and Warners dropped her not that long after the record was released.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Silence

Three movies in less than two months! This might be new.

We finally saw the Artist.

It was one of those films I wanted to see and while arriving late in Cleveburgh, we got to a later start getting to it, due to others not being interested.  We went to the movies alone this time.

I truly enjoyed the movie on multiple levels. While the story wasn't too cumbersome and a little predictable - it was still enjoyable.

Still, the style, the cinematography, the lighting, music and dancing were done very well.  Old / classic, yet new.

For those who don't know, it is a silent movie. Not like Silent Movie, actually this is much better done. Very well done, actually. And it is in black & white.

I've now seen three of the five Oscar actor nominations, and it's safe to say that Jean Dujardin is the best of the bunch and deserves to win the award. He does more with a gesture or a look than the others seem to portray.

And anyways, Uggie, the dog, is as big of a star in the movie as Dujardin.


I do ty to avoid movies where the animals are in danger, shot, killed, tortured, have rabies or mange, etc. That is what people are for, not pooches.

I'd be lying if I didn't say Dujardin makes it hard not to have a little crush on him. He is fun to watch and quite handsome even with his little movie moustache. Actually, in non Artist life, he cleans up quite nicely. Quite!


But for a non-speaking role (save one line), he clearly conveys the range of emotions the way the movies once had those limited means. I couldn't help sit there and think that this was the way my parents experienced moving pictures - and how they could see this movie and somewhat relive that experience.  I will suggest that to them later today.

There are a number of familiar faces in the movie - some more than others - including John Goodman (thinner, but not thin) and James Cromwell (hasn't he always played this role and this old - even back in Murder by Death?).  None utter a word.

Yes, there is a dance routine and Mr. Dujardain can do quite the hoofing of steps. Oh, yeah, there's some chick there too, but who was watching her?  Not me!



My parents, especially my mother, lives for this shit. Years ago, while everyone else was seeing Earthquake (in Sens-o-round),  I was dragged along to That's Entertainment.  {sigh}.  Is it any wonder I'm gay????   (if the embedded clip does not work in this post, you can view it here). 

Still, for all it's hype, I was skeptical at a silent, black and white movie. I was not disappointed in the slightest.

Blobby says check it out.



Song by:  Delerium ft Sarah McLachlan

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Just a Girl

Oh, yesterday when I said I had something to blog about, but I couldn't remember what to blog about.

So, a priest, a rabbi and a reverend walk into a bar congress......

Yes, a panel of men, religious men, convened in a congressional meeting this last week to discuss, of all things - birth control for women.

Since, apparently it is still the 1800s, women have no say in their reproductive rights.  Just like it should be!!!

Kidding.

Well, I'm kidding.  Congress and organized religion..........eh......not so much.

Seriously, priests.  The faction who consider a celibacy and molesting young boys a form of birth control, actually have issue that employees of their institutions are required to have access to birth control.

That's right, men who "can't" have sex are again, telling women that they can, but only for procreation......and how payment should or should not be made.

Even if they had to have this panel - and really, did they?  - are you telling me, in all of the U.S. of A, they couldn't have found one female who is religious in nature to sit and discuss the matter?  I'm not saying they'd have to even oppose the men.  I'm not saying I agree with the men, or the non-existent woman, but this is fucked up!


There was a line in Downton Abbey where Professor McGonnagal the Dowager Countess of Grantham spouts: "you have no opinion until you're married and then your husband will tell you what your opinions are."

So clearly you can see how far we've come in life, as a society.

But as Malibu Stacy says, "don't ask me, I'm just a girl". 

Amen to that Stacy.  Amen to that.




Song by:  No Doubt

Friday, February 17, 2012

Walls

I wasn't in the mood to post anything new; anything with much though to it.  I mean, why change course now?

Actually, yesterday morning I had a thought about something to post about for today. Maybe it was politics, maybe it wasn't. I honestly don't have a frickin' clue.  Damned short-term memory.

Anyways, I thought I'd give a slight progress report on the construction project. It's going ok.  We are on week three.  Four more to go.

I'm not showing you everything, that will be for future post or at least the final construction post.  You're getting a corner.

This is the before. I call it the Linda Evans bathroom.  Dark green marble on the walls and floor.  Gold packaging. And lots and lots of globe lights.  F'ugly from the word "go".   ...and only one sink.

 Gut job.  Same corner. Honest.  Note the lack of insulation. Or beams. They didn't exist. Plaster when directly onto the brick walls. 

 Framed in. 

Insulation installed. The window on the right is "new".  It was always there. The former owners boarded it up - we not entirely sure of the rationale on that. Since it was boarded up on both sides, it was very well preserved. We're big on light. 

Now we have walls.  They are not taped, mudded or sanded.....yet, but hey, they're up.  And green board is new to me. I know of blue board, which will go in the shower, but green?  Apparently it keeps the walls in good condition if there is a lot of steam in the room.  You don't want that moisture ruining the walls.   There will a sink on each wall.

The next update will probably be once the rooms are finished, but you should at least get a sneak peek.




Song by: Tom Petty

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Three

I know it is no longer Valentine's Day.  I'm as painfully aware of that as I was when it was the actual "holiday.

And I know I said I didn't care about VD, but sheesh, I went almost all day without getting one card.  Almost.

.....and it didn't come from 710. I felt like the sighing Ralph Wiggum who ended up getting one card in the I Love Lisa episode (which rates up there in the top 10 of all Simpson's episodes).

Around 22:12 (ok, exactly at 22:12), I got a texted Valentine's card from Rebecca.  Honestly, I don't remember when I laughed so hard. It has been a while.

First a little background on this all.  ....and it does, somehow, come full circle.

Of course, there is the card Lisa gave Ralph

Or as Ralph would have said, "you choo--choo-choose me?"

I've used the image in a number of VD posts over the years.

Flash forward a few years, or a decade.  Out of the blue, I get a shirt from one Rebecca, that made me smile.  I put it right on and take a few snaps of it.  I post that pic too.

I seem to be a little heavier here, but you're supposed to be looking at the shirt, now the jowls.  Remember, we're going to continuity in this post, not multiple chins.

So, that was 2009?  Three years later, via text - since Valentines are now being delivered by text, yet we have no personal jet packs?? - I get my "card" from Becky.


Ok, you might have to be a Harry Potter geek for this. Oh wait - that'd be me!

I hoped she had crafted the card herself, but apparently she snagged it off of Pinterest.  Becca just went to the site and said "accio Valentine card" and poof, there it was.

I don't understand the interest in pinterest.  Allegedly, the site has been around for a while, but clearly they have just snagged some PR person, since everyone in my FB friends keeps posting shit from there.  ...and these aren't even friends who know each other - or at least most of them.

I'm not going to that site on principle.  ....but they make a mean Valentine card, no?


Song by:  Massive Attack

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Slowburn

As promised in yesterday's post - Iz did more cooking for my man. It was just a bonus that it was Valentine's Day and I got some untold amount of husband points for doing it.

Of course, I have yet to figure out how to redeem these so-called points. They are seemingly good for nothing than bragging rights.

I can't cite Bloghungry, Bo or Mike or anyone else for this recipe -for the most part, I winged it.  Flying by the seat of my pants, as it were. While that is somewhat liberating, we only had a frozen pizza in freezer had it bombed.

I am happy to report - it not only didn't suck, but it was pretty frickin' good. I don't think 710 was being nice when he liked it also - he certainly ate it all.

Simple ingredients:  oil, soy (or I used tamari), sweet chili sauce, garlic, and the vegetables of your choice.  I used onion, green red and yellow peppers.  I tried the bok choy, but it looked a little past its due date, so I ended up not using the stuff.  Oh and chicken.  1.25 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken boobies.

Marinade / Sauce:
1/2 cup - Soy Sauce
1/2 cup - Sweet Chili Sauce
1 clove of minced garlic

Cube Chicken, place in bag along with 1/2 cup of marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Set aside rest of sauce

On high heat, heat a tablespoon of peanut oil. Cook chicken for 2 minutes on each side (it will smoke because of the marinade).

Turn down heat, cover and cook for 8 more minutes.

I opted to cook vegetable in separate pan due to the amount of sauce with the chicken.  I didn't want it completely overwhelming the peppers and onions.

With another clove of minced garlic and a little oil, I sauteed the vegetables for 8 minutes or so....


....and then incorporated them into the pan of chicken.


Add a little more of the left over sauce into the pan to heat through - and do it to taste. I only ended adding half of the sauce, as I didn't want it too gloppy.

The chicken was flavorful and nicely browned and the vegetables

Add rice, if you like.  We did.

The sweet chili sauce had a nice flavouring and it ended up giving a slow burn, but nothing so spicy that it'd be a turn off for anyone.

If not for the 30 minute marinating, the dish would take minutes to make.  Just do that first, so you can cut up your peppers and such in a somewhat leisurely fashion.

This also serves 4 (or so).  We have leftovers, so that's cool for lunch or another dinner later this week.



Song by:  Peter Gabriel

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Heart

If?  IF??

Girls wish they were boogers!

You know I'm not a big fan of this day of Valentine. Saint, though he might have been.

I make the effort, at least some years, to get 710 a card, but overall we leave the "holiday" alone.  No going out to dinner - and certainly trying for a place that will be over run with Valentine special,  couples and 'meals for 2'.

Truth be told  - it is not very reaffirming trying to buy a Valentine card for your husband. At least one that doesn't have a woman on it or that is shoved into the corner of traditional cards.

It's not that I want to go the route of those pseudo-porn / suggestive cards with the creepy gay-for-pay guys they get to pose on those "adult" cards, but there has to be a something in between.

With the state of Washington now allowing gay marriage (yayyy) and New Jersey taking steps to make it so, there has got to be a market for the same-sex couples out there.  It might not be the biggest market, but a niche one nonetheless.

The world is a-changin', all these ancillary services need to do the same thing.

But tonight there are no plans other than to hang with the man and the cat. Quiet, peaceful  - and maybe, just maybe, I'll have a new blog post tomorrow that revolves around cooking.   No promises.



Song by: Lucy Kaplansky

Monday, February 13, 2012

12 of 12

So I'm doing my 24th 12 of 12

12 pictures taken on the 12
th of the month. Since I only post once per day, you get my images the following day. All pictures taken with my iPhone. Click images to enlarge, if you choose.

Created by Chad Darnell and picked up from, what I can tell, a number of random bloggers who then link back to him and vice versa. Chad stopped doing the 12 of 12 links in December of 2011, but I will continue, as I like doing it.  I just can't link with the others who participated monthly.  Bummer.



 07:15. Finishing my blog post for publication, Sunday, February 12th. 

 07:25.  Trekking out in the 18 degrees to get the Sunday NYT and Cleveland Plain Dealer. I can't complain - it is our real first taste of winter. 

07:45. Filling my pill container for the week. 

09:15. A list on my desk of potential My Music Monday picks. None of them set in stone, but just thoughts as the iPod randomly comes across a song I like. Yes, today is Monday, but 12 of 12 wins over My Music Monday.

9:57.  Like any good Hobbit, I partake in Second Breakfast. This time it was toast with cinnamon sugar.

 10:30.  As Dr. Horrible might sing: "Laundry Day / See you there / Underthings / Tumbling".  But no, it was laundry day.

 13:00.  Post work out drove past the being-constructed Museum of Contemporary Art.

13:30.  Only two more months before I can bike outdoors - at least comfortably. I'm not a winter or inclement weather biker.  This is in Ohio City.


 15:00.  My Target trip. Stuff for the cat and the plus some other stuff, including a Valentine for 710.

15:45.  Cleared the drive. It's not great, but the snow had been run over a half dozen times and very packed down. I just want to hurry it up to melt when the sun comes out tomorrow.  It's always a day away.

 17:45.  View of downtown Cleveland from our neighbors living room.  Happy hour at their house. Cleveland at sunset. I'd kill for this view on a daily basis.


18:30.  Party at the neighbors.  It was the birthday party, but we weren't informed until after we arrived. Fun group, but I got a little tipsy on a Sunday night.  {gasp}

22:00.  Your Baker's Dozen.

Eh, who cares about the Grammys and that tripe. We are homos - Downton Abbey is our Sunday night show.  Lately, it's been a little too All My Children-ish for me, but till better than most stuff on TV.


Until next month then.....well, for 12 of 12.   I'll still be back tomorrow. 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Theatre

Eons ago, when at an art-house theater, we were with our friend Todd, and his then date, who must have been all of 17.  As we sat waiting for the movie, ads flashed on the screen. One was for a local live theater company called CATCO.  Their slogan?  "Live theater - it won't kill you."

Without missing a beat, I mumbled, "oh yeah? tell that to Lincoln".

Todd was majorly annoyed with me. His date didn't get the reference. The people behind me laughed and laughed and laughed. Maybe I should have been friends with them instead.

Anyway, the day before Abe's 203rd birthday, we ventured out, with friends (not Todd), for live theater.  It only killed us a little bit........inside, where it counts.

We saw a would-be high school local production of Spring Awakening.

A repressed town in Iowa Germany, whose parents demand that their children obey them and not know about or have dancing sex.

It's Footloose, but without Denise Williams and Shalamar.  And while Footloose, I found to be depressing just due to a bad storyline, music and acting, Spring Awakening is just depressing with a capital D.

Sex and sexuality can cause distraction, unbridled thoughts, fornication, molestation, nocturnal emissions, masturbation, unwanted pregnancy, suicide and unexpected death.

Yes, we get it:  Sex, bad!

Seriously at one number, where a teenage girl sings about being beaten by her father and his late night visits to her room, complete with her mother's knowledge, the audience applauds. I turned to 710 and said, "did they just clap for a song about child rape and incest?"

I've mentioned, overall, I am not a huge fan of musical theater. I know, I'm gay and it is in the by-laws, but still I end up tolerating it and that's as far as it goes. It is more of a reason to spend time with friends and go to a nice meal - and the dinner was great!

While I clearly did not see the B'way production, this was pretty amateur. The Plain Dealer raved about it, but for life of me I don't know why.  It was very high school like. One or two of the performers stepped up to the plate, but the main male one did not.  And of course when two gay male characters (and assumed gay actors) made out they seemed into it, as opposed to when the another assumed gay actor, in a straight role, had to kiss {clutch the pearls} a......a........girl!.  He wasn't that good of an actor.

And while I won't say I was a huge fan of many of the songs, all of them had their moments and some were actually ok. Do not get me wrong, this isn't Rodgers & Hammerstein or even Sondheim. I don't see it being at a sing along show tunes night in a gay bar, but what the hell do I know?  I don't know of the man who wrote the book or lyrics, but I know of Duncan Sheik who wrote the music and it wasn't bad - just not what you consider typical Broadway music.

Hey, it was a different Saturday night out for us, so I'm not really complaining. At least I didn't have to stay in and watch CNN coverage of Whitney Houston's predictable death.  Yeah - I went there.

No, live theater didn't kill me.  Not really.



Song by:  the Pet Shop Boys

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Rusted Pipe

This was not part of the plan.

As much plumbing as we are doing with the bathroom, the last thing I wanted to hear from 710 at 19:00 last night was, "we have a situation".

I mean, that can never be good, right?

One of the guest bedrooms is currently housing much of our clothes, our laundry etc.  We keep the door closed during the day so it keeps down on dust and such from the construction. But when 710 went to go change after work, his socks became wet.....because the carpet was wet....because there was a leak that made the carpet wet.....and part of the bed....and the nightstand....and the clothes stacked on the bed.

Fuck.

We already have an expensive project underway. A plumber - scratch that - a weekend plumber, was not in our cash plans.

After some poking around, and a hole in the ceiling, by 710 (I went out with my man-date, Scott, for dinner), he found it was the sewer line from the third floor bathroom.  We're not sure what happened exactly (no actual sewage was involved - don't worry or get grossed out), but the construction folks did shut off the water today for the inspection and did a pressure test.  Maybe too much pressure?

So, it was a very slow drip, just for hours, going unnoticed.  Now with the water shut off on the third floor what was still left in the pipes trickled  and was  contained in a bucket, but still it will have to be fixed.  Not necessarily a weekend house call that could bankrupt us put the plumber's kid through grad school.  Of course, then we have to fix the ceiling.  The nightstand is a goner. The veneer is completely ruined.

Blobby will be doing extra laundry this weekend of anything that got dripped on and had bits of plaster come down from the ceiling.

....and this folks, is another reason I hate renovation.


(and no, when we patch the hole, then the blog post will be the Beatles' "Fixing a Hole", but until then.....)



Song by:  Suzanne Vega

Friday, February 10, 2012

Build That Wall

We are almost done with week two of our bathroom / dressing room renovation.  Week one and a half actually - as they didn't work at all on Tuesday and very little on Monday of this week

Still the room is gutted, the sub-floor is now in place.  Plumbing is in place too - at least the pipes and tubes. Electric is kind of done, but I don't think it is quite there yet.

We've already had two inspections - one for plumbing and one for the roughing-in process.

Yes, they roughed-in the walls yesterday and today.  See?

We had no actual walls, per se.  Plaster and lathe was right on the outer walls, so there was nowhere to put insulation, which only kind of explains why I am always cold. 

 This is where the sinks will go. Mine is against the left wall.  710's will go to the window on the right. 

I swear the shower was supposed to be bigger than that. Well, it was, but with having to put in walls that weren't there to begin with, we lost some space. Oh well....whatta gonna do?

Sophie has been spending all her time with me in the office to avoid both the workers and the chance to escape. Some days she's good, some days not so much. Yesterday was the worst. She was off the wall.  This was calmest, even though she was in front of my keyboard so no work or typing could be done.  Totally worth it - and maybe a contender for yesterday's Site of the Month.

So tomorrow the electric inspection, then insulation will go in.  Monday there is another inspection and then walls and ceiling can go in.

Progress.



Song by:  Aimee Mann

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Site of the Month

I think it is all fair to say, I'm not getting onto the site Dudes with Beards Eating Cupcakes, due to my lack of earlobe extenders, septum rings and not being completely f'ugly (shut up all of you!).  Even though I fit the requirement of being a "dude" and well, you know I love cupcakes.

However, I will NOT be denied this one.

I won't.  I won't. I won't.  I won't. I won't.  I won't. I won't.  I won't. I won't.  I won't. I won't.  I won't.

Dudes With Beards With Cats.

How perfect is this??  I mean, for me.  A man and his beard.  A man and his cat.

The owners of the site do not seem to update it all that often, but perhaps they do not get a lot of submissions. This is all unclear the me with the limited data set with which I have to work.

But I figured I could make this a participatory event.  I've never used a poll in my blog before - so what hell, now is a good time, no?  You guys can select my first (?) entry.

I had many more pics of either Sophie and myself, or Tovah and myself, that were probably better, but with that laptop being long gone, I'm working from a limited subset of images from which to choose. I selected three and that's where you come in.

The poll is open until 11:59 (and I want to stay alive!) on Monday.

Scaling Mt. Dad

Snoozing Soph

Working Cat