Living in a Box

Chef Bob and Nurse Matt are grandparents for a 2nd time. Or is it the 5th time?

One of their dogs, Jake, had her second litter of puppies less than two weeks ago. The first litter had two puppies. This one had three. Don't get hung up on the mom's name. Clearly she has gender issues, brought on upon her by her dads.

The puppies are cute - as you might imagine. Golden Labs. Right now they kind of are a cross of Sharpeis and hamsters/gerbils. When I visited a few days ago, their eyes weren't even open.

Jake had two boys and one girl - now known as Peter, Paul & Mary. Temporarily, I hope. I'm all for a good folk trio, but this might be a bit much.

Bob is trying to talk me into getting one. Of course, I want one. The girl. I'm all about the girls. Denton says if I can find a way to make it work with our schedules, I can get her. He knows deep down that I can't get it to work - so he doesn't have to be the bad guy by saying 'no'.

Meredity is worried that I'm not a good dog parent because I don't believe in obedience. That's a lie. I just like dogs to be dogs. If that means jumping and licking and rolling around with them, then yes, I'm not a good parent. (though the dogs LOVE me for it!)

In reality, a golden lab is probably too big for our first dog. And I'm really ok with a mutt from the shelter. But we still have to work on our schedule thing.

Here are pics of the pups, who are indeed, living in a box. They were crawling on their bellies more than they were walking. And they have the cutest noises coming out of them.

you can see Jake here, tending to her children

this is Mary. isn't she adorable??

Song by: Living in a Box

Dinner at Eight

...that's what we had yesterday at Cafe Tandoor.

It wasn't just the two of us either, but with 16 other gay men. It is all part of our quest to be more social. I'd say this qualified.

The Cain Park Arts Festival started yesterday evening. We usually end up attending and always go home empty-handed. Yesterday was no different, though we did see some pieces we liked. The two artists were pretty local and we got their info to see their studio stuff as opposed to whatever they could or decided to haul to display. Our house is woefully in need of real art and not just prints of other stuff.

We did run into our first Cleveland landlord, Howard (I'll forgo his last name, so you don't all Gooooogle him). Honest to g-d, if Denton didn't say his name, I'm not sure I would have recognized him at all. He still has a wickedly handsome face, but now has a mane of hair that is greying and not in a handsome way. His new girlfriend, Andrea, (I'm sorry - anDRAY-ah) was with him. Remind me to post stories later about Howard as a neighbor and a landlord.

Anyway, the plan was for all the gays to meet at the festival at 6p and have dinner at 8p. We could only find some of the men, since we didn't know about one-third of them. So yes, we expanded our gay circle by another ring.

Dinner proved to be a bit difficult, as it was a long table - so conversations could not flow easily and some people didn't get a chance to interact at all. I would say only about half the guys knew everyone, and the other half knew almost no one - so we weren't alone in the same proverbial boat. But a good time seemingly was had by all.

We'd like to try that again sometime, but we don't most of the guys to arrange it ourselves. We'll see how it goes.




Song by: Rufus Wainwright (btw...the image at top is from the movie of the same name as the song and title post)

Site of the Month

Yes - it's that time of month. When I've worked a full week and gone two solid weeks of blogging and didn't really pace myself, so I have nothing really to post.

But there is a reason I sub-titled this thing 'Stuff & Nonsense'.

Yes, this beats the Star Wars geeky Wookiepedia which I think I featured about a year ago. ...perhaps less.

Dickipedia isn't about the actual penis at all - so you can all breathe a sigh of relief.....or grumble in private, depending on your view of what you hoped/thought it was. It is a suitable for work site.

The list of Dicks is a a good one. Not are all written as funny as they could be: see Jimmy Fallon - though the last line is good. But for every Fallon or Kobe, there is an Ann Coulter or George Lucas.

It's an ok time killer - and no less (or more) funny than David Sedaris' last book. Unfortunately.

Shopping with Blobby

Yet another installment in the drudgery that is everyday shopping. The camera-phone makes it a bit more fun - though I get looks whenever I take pics of products. Like I care what people think!

Seriously? Organic Cotton Candy?

Since when has Candy Floss (what a great nom du porn) gone free range? Is there anything even remotely natural in it? I guess sugar.

Red Dye #2 probably isn't....or whatever food colouring they have in there.

I'm assuming it is disgusting in any form. Mother Nature isn't making it any better.

I Just Wanna Live

I can't help feel I've posted something like this before, but damn if I'm gonna look through almost 1200 posts to see. I do have a life - as hard as that might be to fathom.

Someone at work provided me this Health Risk Assessment. I cannot confirm or deny its accuracy, but folks in my field think it is a pretty good indicator of you and your "lifestyle".

Yeah - that there up above is me after taking the test. I shaved almost 10 years off my life - virtually. Unfortunately, I'm scheduled to live almost another 40.

There are usual questions on alcohol, smoking and eating, but some others like parent's age, history of coronary artery disease and stature (stocky or stocky and bald) are included. For the record, I put down "average". They don't seem to cover some other things you think they might - but they're the experts.........I guess.

How accurate this is can only be as good as how honest you are at answering the questions. I think I did ok.

14700 days left to live. Shoot me now!



Song by: Good Charlotte

Think

Not only does Cleveland has a world renowned orchestra, but it also has an equal counterpart in the art department.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the premier places to pictures and stuff. It has also been undergoing a major renovation and will continue for another four years.

But a section was opened this last week - 19 galleries to be specific. We walked down and looked around. It was the first time we walked in the front. Normally (as in Always) we come in through the North Gallery, which is a newer ickier building.

So I hate to say it, I've never seen Rodin's "The Thinker". I mean - I have seen it, but not in Cleveland. When we were in San Jose back in the day, there was a Rodin exhibit at Stanford (or was it an entire garden?). There was also a "copy" of it at the Toledo Museum of Art.

It got me thinking (ha! get it?) - how many of these things are out there? According to Wikipedia, there are something like 28 of them worldwide. It hardly seems special that we have one. Or that anyone has one.


Ours has the distinction of being damaged - like many Clevelanders. It was damaged back in 1970 by vandals. They never repaired it. Someone in the Netherlands also vandalized their version.

It's still pretty impressive even for a cast. The original is in Paris.

Inside were some impressive things - Egyptian art, German stuff - and lots and lots of French frilly stuff that doesn't hold my interest. I did like the swords and bodies of armour though.

Loved the cod-piece on this guy. But he was the only one of the bunch who was protected, you know.... "down there".

Who'd a thunk?



Song by: Aretha Franklin

Computer Blue

We topped off (or at least finished-off) the holiday weekend with a showing of Wall-E, Pixar's lastest release.

I think it's official, we've seen every Pixar movie on opening week. I can only say, I haven't cared for one of them (Finding Nemo) and downright didn't like one (Monsters Inc. ...or as I call it, Monster's Ball, Inc.).

It think it is also safe to say that Pixar is the only studio that can make you like a rat (Ratatouille) and feel really bad for a cockroach (Wall-E).

I won't blow too much about the flick. But in a bold move, there is little dialogue in the first place and none in the first 30 minutes. And it is the first time in the studio history that they use human talent that doesn't come in the manner of voice.

Denton loved the movie because for the first two-thirds, it was almost poetic and very out of character for any big screen animation movie. He was a bit disappointed it had to eventually do the standard route of all summer movies.

I thought Wall-E himself (itself?) was great. I think Eve phoned it in.

...and yeah, Wall-E reminds me something of that robot from Short Circuit, but that was more of an Ally Sheedy vehicle, though the robot had more range. ...she was so much better in Maid to Order, don't you think?

The movie does have a message. A not so subtle one, but one unfortunately that mostly likely went over the head of the lady across the aisle from me with her biggie-sized drink, which she spilled all over the floor near the end of the movie. Yes, this entire last sentence ties directly in with the movie message.

As always, one of the best things about a Pixar movie: the Pixar short before the movie. It was possibly the best one I have seen. Not as technically ground-breaking as some, but very cute and very very funny.

Oh - and outside the theater was the Batmobile. Not the Adam West one (which I thought was soooooooooo cool when I was a kid), but the Christian Bale one. Unfortunately, there was no Mr. Bale posing outside of the vehicle. ....a damned shame. (as always, click on images to make enbiggen them - it's a perfectly cromulent word!)



The Dark Knight opens in two weeks (?). It should be good. I like Heath Ledger and all, but seriously - Bale is hot. ....and don't even get me started on Michael 'send me the script, I'll do it) Caine!



Song by: Prince & the Revolution

All g-d's Children

I had heard one of the more interesting political / religious stories (seriously - when don't they overlap anymore?) this last weekend via NPR's On the Media.

The guest was a woman who had written a book on Evangelicals and their true relationship with the GOP, the so-called major players of the religious/political movement (Falwell, Dobson, etc) and the influence of those leaders - or more accurately - their lack of it.

Christine Wicker, the author of this book, was a former evangelical herself , but not with an axe to grind, and is also a journalist. She fully admits to how the right-wing religious folk completely used the media to forward an agenda and statistics that were not accurate - including the one of their being a 'liberal media'.

But I also love the fact that she breaks down the myth that 1 in 4 americans are evangelical of some kind - and she does it through a variety of methods. The best number she can estimate is 7%. Not 25. ...and that most don't even know who James Dobson is. Bonus points!

Anyway - for us non-jebus worshiping voters, it provides a small glimmer of hope.

You can listen to the entire segment here (or below) - as the transcript is not available in text format until sometime on Monday.




Song by: the Finn Brothers

Pocket of a Clown

I went out a few nights ago with an old co-worker for a few rounds. Well, she's not an old co-worker. She is older than I am, but I wouldn't call her "old". Let's just say she is a former co-worker.

We meet every few months and usually head to a wine bar and knock back a few sniff, sip and swallow. Yes, I'm still talking about vino!

I wish I had gotten the name of the bottle we had, but I didn't. It was a great red - a blend. We talked a little about the old place of employ (well, mine - she still works there). We talked about Denton and my ring.......which meant I had not seen her since we got those last October.

We chatted about travel, her kids, my cats and various other things.

...and lord knows how we got on the subject, but we touched on clowns. Oh wait, I remember. It was about my trip to Vegas....then it went into Cirque du Soleil....which led to the real circus...which led to clowns....and how nobody truly likes them (speak now or forever hold your peace if you do).

My anti-clown feelings were solidified with Poltergeist. ...and time and time again, I've heard that was a tipping point for many grease-painted, red-nosed, wig-wearing, horn-tooting haters.

Then Kathy said - 'try going a week without a clown reference coming up'. Kath said at least once every week something about a clown comes up - and it has for years. I told her I would keep an eye out for this trend.

Not 48 hrs later - I get this!

Poor Bozo!

I already sent Kathy and email damning her to hell for putting me on this path. I'll keep you all posted on if this goes on weekly. I expect you will all to do the same to me.



Song by: Dwight Yoakam

Dear Jesse


To be honest, I already thought he was dead. Maybe I was thinking of Strom. Not like there is a huge difference anyway. Maybe Jess doesn't have illegitimate black babies like Strom did.

Maybe.

Perhaps I was too hasty in my last post about not being patriotic. I can live with this kind independence.



Song by: Madonna

Freedom 90

I wasn't even going to post today. Well, that's not true. I had a post up and ready to publish and I then figured it's a holiday and people might not be reading and might miss it. g-d, I'm full of myself sometimes.

I loathe the 4th. I'm not a crowd person. And just try to see a fireworks display without a few hundred thousand people.

What I'm really not though - is patriotic. Gasp - all of you. Go ahead.

I'd rather stick needles in my eye than have to be subjected to Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" - where the following line is 'where at least I know I'm free'.

....because the line is utter bullshit, but people eat it up and come back for seconds and thirds.

This isn't a gay rights thing - though I could easily make it out to be, just for a post sake. No, this is a 'how we have a huge sense of entitlement with nothing really to back it up besides a lot of posturing' thing.

If you haven't seen the HBO series John Adams, it's worthy of viewing (and already out on DVD). But as much as I hate W (and I do), shit he has pulled has been going on since the formation of our government. It is or seems a little more profound now, but who really knows.

I loathe the phrase/bumperstickers: "Freedom isn't Free". No doubt coined by Bechtel, Haliburton or Blackwater.

I more subscribe to the "No One is Free When Others are Oppressed" theme. We can say we're all about liberation and nation-building, but it's usually at the cost of oppressing others - including our own.

Happy 4th. Bah-humbug!



Song by: George Michael

Passionate Kisses

How long do you go without kissing your significant other? How often do you do it in the first place?

This is possibly the longest period of time I've gone without smooching with Denton.

It's not relationship trouble, or even travel schedules. No, it is still this cold sore - hopefully the end of it. I mean - why expose him to that? Isn't it bad enough he has/had to look at it? Catching it from a lip lock hardly seems fair for either of us.

Normally, I would say we kiss before one of us leaves for the office and at least once getting home - or before going to bed - or both. But at this point, it has been about 10 days with out any macking.

I think I'm at a point in the next day or so I'm thinking we can put lip to lip. I'm almost back to normal.

Almost.



Song by: Lucinda Williams

A Home

Last week, I took a short cut through the street we used to live. Our first house. I hadn’t been down there in maybe a year or so, even though it is only four miles away from where we currently reside.

We loved that house. We knew the minute we walked in it was what we wanted. We put a bid in on it that day and it was accepted. Nerves and excitement don’t even begin to describe signing the papers for that….and the check too.

We lived there for over seven years and moved out three years and one month ago (but who is counting?). We sold it to an incoming Resident at one of the big hospitals in the area (and actually had bought it from a set of Residents at a big area hospital). So it stands to reason that in three years, this person’s residency would be up.

Yet, I was surprised when driving down the street to notice that "our house" was for sale. It looked the same, save the privet I planted between us and the neighbors, so I could block their crappy drive and garage. The privet were mere sticks when I planted them and I had cultivated them into a hedge about 6’ tall. They are now at least 9’ tall. I think they are beyond trimming, unless Lurch moves in.

The few times I have driven down the street, I was amazed that the new owners had every window shut, every blind drawn. I know residents work weird hours, but to close off every source of natural light was just so odd to me.

Immediately when I made it back to our ‘new’ home, I went on-line and looked at what they were selling it for. They are asking $17,000 LESS than what we did. They are asking $10,000 less than they paid us for it.

I don’t know if it is the market or something they’ve done to the house to make it depreciate in value. Or maybe they are motivated sellers, before their Fellowship starts in another city. Perhaps a combination of things. As we drove down the street, Denton mentioned how the ‘hood looked a little sad and rundown – and he was right. So that might be a contributing factor.

Denton also mentioned, that this was probably the first time in the house’s life (88 years) that the value has gone down. Poor little house.

So Sunday, they had an open house. I was determined to go in it and look at the current state of the house and what they had done to our baby. But they say you can't go home again, and maybe Medusa was wrong. As the time came, and we pulled up in front of the house, there was a massive downpour. Or as my mother would say, “it is teeming outside!”

I was thinking it, but Denton said it: “seems like a sign we shouldn’t be going in” – and I think he and the powers that be were right. We stayed put for about five minutes with no let-up in the rain as it pounded the roof of my car to deafening levels.

We decided it was better to keep the memory of what we had, versus what it had become. We didn’t go in.

Five minutes after driving away – the rain stopped.



Song by: the Dixie Chicks

Some Unholy War

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. ....or so the saying goes.

In 2001, Congress gave Shrub and Dick more power than they ever ever ever should have had to go conduct a war (two actually) with little to no oversight and then have the balls to complain about it later - after a few trillion dollars have been spent.

Yet here are seven years later and none the wiser. Possibly less.

The New Yorker is set to report that the two aforementioned assholes are planning to attack Iran before Shrub leaves office in January 2009. I'm not nearly as shocked by that, I mean...tick tick tick....but I am a little put-off that key members of Congress have already signed off on their plan, with funds of $400 Million to help destabilize Iran and move forward with this plan. ...and since it is a democratic led Congress, this doesn't bode well for any of us.

Nancy Pelosi, who has been a failure at Speaker of the House and Harry Ried, Senate Majority Leader are two in the mix. They've completely sold us out - and not 'us', democrats, but 'us' - Americans.

It is no wonder they actually have approval ratings lower than W. LOWER.

So, not only has Bush fucked us for Iraq and Afghanistan - he's going to bone us for another 10 years with something he's not even going to have deal with as he exits DC.

I'm not sure if he is trying to fuck McCain or Obama to take the heat off his own presidency - or maybe he doesn't care. I can't see why he would - he hasn't for the last 7.5 years. Part of me thinks W leaked the story so that the GOP would win back Congress.

Will this NY'er exposure thwart the plan? Probably not - but it will be harder to sell after the fact.

g-d, we are fucked!!!!



Song by: Amy Winehouse

Communication

I got my first text message on my work BlackBerry over the weekend. That makes me sound like an old-fogey, which I'm not. I've texted.

It sounds odd in a way, but for my employment, texting has not been a standard form of communication. So, it wasn't anything I was expecting - let alone on a Saturday.

Here is the message - in its entirety, and without any edits from me:

Hey ill be there @ 430 stevens in jail so im prolly move back to the house i dunno.

Ok - clearly this isn't a work related message. Or, maybe it is not clear to any of you - why should it be? I'm assuming it is a wrong number, as the sender had a Columbus, OH area code and I cannot think of anyone I know of named 'steven' - nor was I expecting anyone in the late afternoon.

I also don't know if it was truly two separate messages: "I'll arrive at 4:30 because Steven's in jail". Or "I'll arrive at 4:30 - oh and by the way, Steven's in jail".

And is it because Steven is now incarcerated that the sender will be moving back into the house? Is it safe now to go home?

I considered replying back that the sender prolly sent this to the wrong person, but I then opted not to get involved into their drama, or to delay a 4:30 arrival time.



Song by: the Cardigans

Once in a While

Let's just start this post off saying that I'm a big Marti Jones fan. Always have been since her first solo disk back in 1985 and I even made her second disk my Record of the Month a year ago.

Last night I thought we were going to see Marti Jones & Don Dixon. They were playing in Canton - and the following night (tonite) in Cleveland. But in Cleveland, it was billed as Don Dixon & the Jump Rabbits with special guest, Marti Jones. I like Dixon, but I was in it for Marti, truth be told.

So we I opted to drive the 62 miles to Canton. But I was duped. It turned out to be the same bill as the Cleveland show. That was kind of waste of $15 of gas....and an additional $10 in the price of the ticket. Oh well.

How to describe the venue? Let's say, it would be like playing in someone's basement, mostly because that's what it was. The lower lever of an art gallery. A basement that holds 150 folks or so, but a basement nonetheless.. I swear we were the only ones there that were not friends or family of Dixon or Jones. I guess that is another price when you go to their hometown for a performance.

Marti only plays 1-2 shows per year and it has been a good 10 years since I've been able to catch one.....if you don't count her coming on stage to play a song or two when Mary Chapin Carpenter was in town.

It is a shame she has scaled back on her music, as not only does she still have a great alto, but she has a wonderful and easy stage presence - which I would have to imagine would be difficult when you only play live once or twice per year and haven't had a full album out since 2002. But maybe it is different if you're playing in someone's basement.

As it turns out, Marti was basically the opening act for her husband and his band. And even they played during most of her set - but they've all been playing with her for 20 odd years, so, maybe it's really her band.

Marti played at least one selection off of each of her five solo albums - some had representation of two songs. But the set was way too short in my opinion (10 songs). She did come back at the end of Dixon's set to play one or two more of hers, plus a nice cover of "Your Cheatin' Heart".

(none of my photographs really came out at all. sorry.)

I could run down the set-list, but I don't think most here would know the tunes - which is a shame. But she was in great voice and did a great job. I can live without her touring, but I hope she continues to make more records.

Dixon and Jones have a new download-able (only) disk via all the major .mp3 players (iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, amazon, etc). The title track (which she performed) has been available in digital format for a few years, but the majority of the disk is instrumental.

As for the Jack Rabbits - what can I say? It pains me to say I didn't care for most of the set - since I do like Dixon so much (and I know he reads this blog every once in awhile). James Brock is an accomplished drummer and percussionist. Truly talented. Jamie Hoover, is a great guitarist - but I'm not sold on his vocal abilities at all. Hoover can harmonize well enough, but when he adds his background vocals - he begins to channel the Budweiser Real Men of Genius vocalist.

I don't have their disk, but afterward, it shouldn't have surprised me that Dixon wrote only one song. So many of the songs had such trite and repetitive lyrics ("Sputnick", "Skinny", "Perfect Girl", "Amplifier"). Dixon did a great job on his own "Giving Up the Ghost".

Due to my mood, the weather and the lack of the second half of the show, I have opted not to go tonite to the Cleveland performance. I'd love to see Marti again, but I'll just skip it I guess. I'll catch her next time.


Song by: Marti Jones

My Music @ Work

Yeah, I probably shouldn't blog about work - you know, just in case. Well, I guess I won't. Not entirely.

Things at the office are still in flux - I'm sure this couldn't be the cause of my still visible cold sore. Nope. Not at all.

All signs point to me doing very similar things to what I have been doing and most likely with the same clients. What is less certain is the person I'll be reporting to - the third one on 18 months. I don't know here, I don't know how we'll get along. I also don't know if my clients will be the same.

The biggest thing is I don't know if there is or will be any growth for me here. The Magic 8 Ball would say 'all signs point to no'.

A guy I work with has lamented that there are no good pubs in town. He's right. Not that I go out drinking anymore, but I don't know of one place I'd want to go to - let alone in, or for multiple visits. He keeps bringing up the thought that we should open one.

g-d help me, it is an intriguing idea. Not that I want to work every night or mop up someone's vomit the next morning. But that's what you hire 'help' for - right? I can be in charge of the books and the jukebox. I can deal with what anyone picks on the box, since I've selected everything in it. In my head, I've immediately picked "Is That All There Is?" by Miss Peggy Lee as the first song selection. I loved it in the movie After Hours, but I always remember it on the jukebox at the oldest bar in Houston, that Becky took us to.

Owning a pub might be a job instead of a career, but right now, my career just looking like just a job.



Song by: the Tragically Hip

Came So Far For Beauty

Because a wart on the thumb and another one on the bottom of my foot isn't enough - I now have a cold sore.

Denton says you can't see it or notice it at all. ....clearly he's lying. I think it is the size of Rhode Island. And naturally, I think everyone is staring at it and mocking me the second I'm out of earshot.

That is probably not different than before, but now they have a new point of mockery and it sits on and above my lip.

You're probably asking why this picture of Nigel Tufnel. Go ahead - you know you are. Well, I couldn't find a picture of him or David St. Hubbins, who both sported gargantuan cold sores in one scene of This is Spinal Tap.

I'm assuming they are called 'cold sores' due to the fact you can get them from colds? But I haven't had one of those for months. But it 'tis sore. Most on-lines sites reference stress as a factor. g-d knows I have enough of that these days.

I have no idea how long these last. I can only remember one before this - and it was when Morty and I were out in Palm Springs visiting David. No stress there - just lots of liquor and/or drugs.

Do those cause herpes simplex 1 or 2? Because that would make a lot of sense.



Song by: Jennifer Warnes

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!

These may or may not be newly released disks. They might not even be a good disk - just what is been in heavy rotation in my car (as usually the iPod is playing anywhere else). Yeah, I'm a big fan of Aimee Mann - but not a huge fan of @#%&*! Smilers......and you just know I want to be.

Something about it isn't pulling me in. Yes, there are certain songs I really like and play over and over, but then it hits a certain track or tracks an my interest wanes. That can't be good - right?

I keep reading reviews (not the amazon ones, but trade publications) that say it is her best album yet - and I keep wondering 'what am I missing here?'.

Sure she switched it up a bit - gone are the electric guitars and more moogs, wurlitzers and strings, but that's not making it a better album. To be fair, those items are not making it a worse one either. Actually, the synths make the disk have some Lost in Space tendencies - not such a bad thing since I like that disk a lot.

While there are really good songs on the disk, there is something on here I never expected: throw away songs. I can't think of a disk she's done (ok, maybe her debut one, Whatever) that had a song I would go out of my way to skip over. Smilers has a few of them ("Phoenix" or "Medicine Man" anyone? - and how does the latter song intro not sound like 1976 Elton John?). Not good.

I concede that some of this might grow on me over time, but I've had the disk in continual rotation for three weeks and not much is growing on me - past the keepers like "Little Tornado", "Freeway", "Thirty One Today", "The Great Beyond" and "Borrowing Time".

I still like Mann and think that she is a more than competent singer/songwriter/musician - but this disk isn't displaying it.

Birth-Day (Love Made Real)

Last night we attended a party for Cletus (we call him Clete), my uncle, who turned 90.

90!!!

He has outlived two of his five children. He has 18 grandkids and almost as many great grandkids. He is still married to his wife, Marge, of what I am guessing is up to 65 years? Yeah, it has to be about 15 years since I attended their 50th anniversary.

Though I do not relish getting old(er), and really thought I would be dead by this point in my life, the odds of dying "young" are slimmer and slimmer for me. Genetics being the big thing, I suppose.

Clete, obviously, is 90. His brother and my father both turn 88 this year (Clete and his brother are on my mother's side). My paternal grandmother kicked it at 94. My mother turns 80 in a few months. I'm kind of screwed on the leaving a beautiful corpse kind of thing, aren't I?

As we were driving out there I was thinking - was it just genetics or medical involvement too? In a 14 month period, I lost three of my four grandparents. I was in 5th & 6th grade. I am currently the same age my mother was when she lost her parents (technically, my grandfather wasn't her father - but that's another story). She has now almost been without her mother as long as she had her at this point.

I have friends who are my age who still have some of their grandparents, a few with both sets. Was I the anomaly in the fact that my grandparents died when I was younger? I didn't think so, but now I wonder. Is it all just luck of the draw or roll of the dice?

I would venture to say "yes". And as it turns out, regardless of what age - it was doubtful I could have gotten in on the Beautiful Corpse Club.



Song by: Suzanne Vega

War of Man

Not that the political 'season' didn't kick off over a year ago, but there will be no slowing down on it until after the courts decide a winner. ....well, you don't think the popular vote or the electoral college will have anything to say about it anymore - do you?

I assume I will vote for Obama in November, but in no circumstance could I ever conjure up where I would vote for McCain. I wasn't a big fan of his in 2000 when he ran, but as I saw clip of some pundit the other day saying the McCain of 2000 would never endorse the McCain of 2008.

It is quite amazing how much of one's self and soul would be sold for a chance to inhabit the White House. I am sure I've said it before - but imagine the ego. I really don't think it is about 'change' or making a difference in the world. It's 100% ego.

I haven't seen any Obama ads running yet in Ohio. Or if I have, they aren't memorable. And I have only seen on McCain ad. One that I don't truly get at all.



Is there a message here? War, Bad? I don't think so. ....though with the first line of the ad, I think he just called W a 'fool or a fraud'. Or both. ......and you can't argue with that one.

Yeah, his grandfather, father and himself went to war. He doesn't like it. We get it. I also get that he neglects to mention that he wants to keep troops in Iraq until at least 2013. He can't hate it that much.

But this is what I'm expecting of the 2008 election - lots of 32 second ads that say absolutely nothing.



Song by: Neil Young

Devil with the Green Eyes

I kind of know better than to even post this - but apparently, if I can write about my lack of deodorant habits, I can talk about my singing habits.

It would be no shock to anyone here that I enjoy music. You read about the monthly records I select to feature here. You sometimes hear about the concerts I have attended. And you get some iPod updates now and again.

And I use said iPod a lot - especially when I travel. It makes the airport stays, the plane rides and the hotel room (unless they have an iPod dock - which many now do) much more palatable.

....the Metro too. Which is really where I was going with this post in the first place.

I like to sing - though I have no idea if I'm any good at it. Apparently, for the most part, I don't care. I do it around the house. I do it in the car too - usually when alone. And I'm not completely ashamed to kind of, sort of, sing when walking down the street with the iPod on. I mean - not in all out, full voice....and not with anyone really really around. Hell, half the people on the street have headphones on anyway.

But yesterday on the Metro, I was the only person in my car. That has never happened. And I mean for like 15 minutes. No one.

Naturally, I already had my earbuds in before I ever got to the Metro stop. So, I had a nice performing hall all to myself. No need to hold back - if I didn't want to. I thought about it - and then thought, 'what the hell'.

Not until now (while writing this) did I think of "sing out, Louise!" - I'm clever for sure, but not that clever - or queeny (shut up, each and every one of you!). Honestly, I don't know which songs came up in the shuffle rotation, except for the title of this post.

But sing out I did. There was no one around, and the rumble of the train on the tracks at 40 miles per hour made my voice sound better than I'm sure it is.

Then someone at Friendship Heights got on the train. I guess I could have kept up with my performance, but I am not quite that psychotic mass transportation rider..............yet.



Song by: Matthew Sweet

Jeremy

Is it just me or does the "guy" in the new print-ad for something McDonalds is trying to shove down our throats......

look eerily like straight porn star Ron Jeremy?

Song by: Pearl Jam

Road to Dead

It is not Arlington, but Cleveland has a pretty impressive cemetery all its own.

Right down the street from us is Lakeview Cemetery - and I suppose like most, it's rich in history. You can say that of all, since where there are dead, there is bound to be some history - whether it is boring or not.

Except for riding my bike through Lakeview (which is actually prohibited), I have never really been there. Supposedly, it is quite a tourist attraction. I will say, the grounds are beautiful.
Not only are they fairly expansive but they have a few prominent folk taking the big dirt nap, including Eliot Ness, Jeptha Wade (founder of Western Union), John D. Rockefeller (founder of Standard Oil) and one president, James Garfield.

Garfield was only in office six months before he was assassinated. Actually, he was shot two months prior to his death - so I don't know how history views those last 60 days or so of his 'serving'. Anyhoo - he has this gianormous monument at the cemetery:

Not too shabby of a final resting place for someone who wasn't president all that long.

I love the ornate tile work and the $8.79 Home Depot 'welcome' mat. I love the fact that they are welcoming you to someone's tomb. JFK could learn a thing about hospitality from JAG.

......at least the crypt got top billing!

I wasn't expecting the caskets to be above ground, or not encased in marble. Ruckiry, (not Jon's boss) the stench has mostly dissipated over the last 120 years. The two urns (if you can see them) are his daughter and son-in-law.

And from the observatory deck (yes, they have one) you see downtown Cleveburgh.

The woman at the information center in the monument was quite unhelpful. Yes, Garfield had other children. No, she didn't know where they were entombed. She made it quite clear she really didn't know about anything she was supposed to know about. Nor did she seem to care.



Song by: Paula Cole

Cool For Cats

We are bad dads.

We almost missed Sophie's 2nd birthday!

We haven't had her for two years (that's in October), but the shelter says she and her brothers and sisters were born on June 15th. ...and we almost missed it - because I thought yesterday was the 16th. Even though I had been talking it up for the last month.

She's a long little girl - and she does like to stretch out quite a bit. The things that make her comfortable would make a contortionist wince just at the idea of doing what she does. For some reason she really likes her head to hang down when she sleeps - over an ottoman, off a table, off the bed. We don't get it at all.

Don't let this docile behaviour fool you. She may as well be a 5 month old kitten. She is still a bullet that races from end to end of the house, trying to make corners she can barely navigate (and sometimes doesn't), even with all back claws out. Or bounds down the steps - two, three or four at a time. Her goal: to get there before you do, even if she has no idea where you are going. She'll win. She always does.

Sophie is a gifted kibble hockey player too. One piece from her bowl, to her mouth, to the floor and she dribbles that thing all over the kitchen for days on end. Pele was never this adept.

Tovah tolerates her pretty well, though I won't say she's happy happy. The bites on Tovah's butt....then her tail.....then her ear, all her bold attempts at becoming alpha cat, when just the speed and agility of Soph annoy the fuck out of Tovah.

Denton is Sophie's favourite - and I'm ok with that. I mean, sure, I was all like, 'why doesn't she like me like that?' and yeah, I'd like her to curl up on my chest now and again, but it's always nice to look over and see the two of them together. There is some special bond there and we don't understand the 'why' of it. It just is.




Song by: Squeeze

Sexy Sadie

As unnatural as it sounds, I read Helter Skelter when I was in 7th grade!

Yes, most kids in that grade are still reading something like the Narnia series. Not me. A teacher actually took the book away from me - and probably rightfully so. But I also got it back the very same day. Maybe she wasn't a very good teacher.

It really is a fascinating read. If you haven't - you should. Fiction was never this good. Most of it doesn't seem real. You almost have to suspend your disbelief to get through it. That might be easier for a 7th grader. But I have re-read it several times since.

Suffice to say - I wasn't your normal elementary school student. A year earlier I had read the entire Warren Commission Report. What any of this did to me developmentally is anyone's guess. All I think it did was make me grow up much quicker - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It might help explain my cynicism. I said 'might'!!

In the last few days I've seen a number of news reports that say, Manson Family member and 'Sharon Tate killer', Susan Atkins, wants to be released from prison on a 'compassionate release' - as she has 6 or less months to live.

True, she was a Family member, but more than likely it was one of her counterparts who killed Sharon Tate. But undoubtedly, she helped kill others too.

Neither here or there, but I would say - why not let her out?

She has spent almost 40 years in prison - which is a fuck of a lot longer than most will ever spend and who have done as heinous of crimes - or worse. Oh, and she has terminal brain cancer and has at least one amputated leg. It's not quite like she's going on some massive killing spree (unless someone gives her a car that requires a clutch!).

Even by the California Penal system admission (hehehe - I said 'penal) - she has been a model prisoner for most of the entire time she has been incarcerated. I suppose, except for that burning a swastika into her forehead with a red hot bobby pin. But kids will be kids!

Atkins, was by no means a saint that went astray, but let's face it -acid and an allegedly charismatic man? - well, who would not kill for that? Literally.

In all seriousness - when does a prisoner's debt to society end? I think it is the more gruesome crimes with less press coverage that have an easier chance of getting out of the clink, whether they are model citizens or not. True the Manson girls got life, but not life without parole (technically, they got the death penalty, but reduced to life sentences after they abolished the gas chamber in 1972). Press coverage still comes and goes over this stuff for these. Every two years I see something in the news about their parole being denied. I never see that about the "Hillside Stranger".

So if not released, California would be responsible for her care - and the cost of it - whereas, if she were released, it would be her family's burden. Her biological one - not that crazy weirdo and Squeaky Fromme.

For all intense purposes, it is highly unlikely anyone would have been caught for the crime if it weren't for Atkins (or Sadie - which was her alias, which was indeed taken from this post title). Assuming that is what she was arrested for - instead of grand theft auto - she yakked to a few cellmates in detail about what she/they had done. Only for one of those cellmates talking, did people put 2+2 together. She should get something for being that stupid - no?

Not even six months out of jail before she kicks it?



Song by: the Beatles

Shopping with Blobby

Yet another installment in the drudgery that is everyday shopping. The camera-phone makes it a bit more fun - though I get looks whenever I take pics of products. Like I care what people think!

WHERE NOT TO FIND A DATE:

Seriously, could the folks at CVS have not taken just a little bit of time to come up with something a little more clever - and maybe a little less ostracizing?

Maybe consult with a marketing professional before the sunk a few hundred thousand into signage for their 6,000 store? (I'm assuming this is nationwide branding.)

It's not like they called this Rubbers & Spermicide!!!

Talkin' Baseball

Went to our first Indians game of the season last night. It was a beautiful night and some great seats - right behind first base, about 15 rows back.

I should have known not to go, since anytime I do go, we lose. And since we've been playing so iffy anyway, but on a two-game winning streak, I should have reconsidered going.

It started bad. Real bad. First, my doppleganger was on the DL. That's the Disabled List, not the Down Low. Though I'd be really really ok if he were on that.

And then by the second inning we were losing 6-1. The Twins had six hits and six runs! We had six hits and one run. Pathetic.

But Casey Blake got a homer with two folks on base, so we came much closer to winning.

Alas in the 9th, they pulled ahead and stayed there: 8-5.

...me being me, couldn't help but think of Buddy Cole and his Sappho Sluggers, during most of the game. Yes, I'm that gay. So for most of you out there who read this and could care less about America's pastime, even I think you can enjoy this:





Song by: Terry Cashman

Second Hand News

So I somehow found a link to my blog from another site. For non-bloggers, you should know this happens now and again and you usually stumble over it. Normally it is just another blog site, but this one seemed a little different.

I had heard from Large Tony that a while back that he got mentioned in an article in his local paper about this blog (that must be SOME racy local paper, if you axe me).

Well my link was also from our local paper. The on-line edition only - it wasn't put into the real paper. And our on-line site is so fucked up, it is not even funny. If you can navigate to find the front page, more power to you. So if too many people found my link, they must be bored to tears to be on that site (the PD, not mine) or some kind of social archaeologist.

I suppose the lead up to the actual blog entry is something someone might get offended at on some level. I'm not just anyone. I'm a big boy, I can take it. However, like most media and how they deal with the "stars", they only take a portion of what I wrote and things now look a bit out of context.

You can click here for it and then read the fourth entry from the top. You'll see it. You're smart folk.

For the record, Denton was mortified x 2. Once that I wrote about it in the first place. Second that it got picked up by the paper.

Me? Any press is good press - right? RIGHT?



Song by: Fleetwood Mac

Readin', Rightin', Rt 23

Ms. Flowers read again from her novel a week ago at Joseph-Beth. Yes, I'm just getting to posting about it now, but the way I see it is that if anyone here missed my first 4 dozen posting on her book, they'll catch it now and will slowly build and stagger the book sales.

....well, it sounded plausible in my head.

Naturally we attended the festivities. It was a dark and windy night. Ok....it was light, but wet. Lots and lots of rain making it a laborious drive for almost any event - but of course, we'd do it for friends.

The crowd may have been a bit smaller then when we were in DC, but the group had better questions when we finally got to the Q&A session.

Though I have heard Becky read from her novel before, I just kind of reflected on not how only writes a book, but so easily reads it aloud to a group of people. That too is kind of an art. It's not quite public speaking and it's not reciting lines of anything per se. We all have our styles of how a character says their lines when we read by ourselves, so that anyone can pull it off with style is a good thing. ...and she did.

Even though I got to spend time with her parents the day before, it was always good to see them again. Some of her other family attended as well - nieces, nephews, brother and sister-in- law.

If nothing else, I would always go to a setting with her sister-in-law.

Ok that is a blatant lie.

Let me rephrase: when it is a limited time frame, a somewhat controlled atmosphere and multiple distractions - I can spend some time with her sister-in-law.

Let's put it this way - someone at the Q&A asked if any character in the book was based on her sis-in-law. Becky's response was: 'who would believe a character like that? People would think a character like that would be totally made up - IF anyone could make it up'.

I enjoy her (kind of....sort of...) because I can torture her with out any real repercussions, since any dig I get in won't be realized for about 3 full days....if at all. Yet I still get the satisfaction out of it and everyone else around smiles knowingly in real time.

I purchased yet a fifth copy of the book - this time for my mother, since the weather kept her from getting to the reading. But I also picked up David Sedaris' new one too.....so far, so fair.



Song by: Dwight Yoakam

Bread & Circuses

On Saturday we went back out for some tile, fixture and other stuff to get our quote for the master bath to be a bit more accurate or to see where we needed to do some cost savings.

But as always, I got shopping fatigue (it doesn't take much) and got hungry (it doesn't take much), so we had to stop for lunch. There was a Panera near by and it is really hard to fuck that food up, so we went.

Before we left, Denton wanted a scone so he could have it for breakfast the next day. But since we were going to my parents on Sunday for dinner, we also picked up two loaves of bread (for my mother) and two cinnamon rolls (for my father). Then I overhear the person ringing him up say, "will this be for here or to go?" - which I just found amusing as hell and broke out into a grin.

Denton did to0 - not only for this instance, but for one Tom Green told us about eons ago, which I'm beginning to think is just urban legend, but is still funny:

A woman goes into KFC by herself and orders two full buckets of chicken with all the fixins (is that spelled correctly?). The cashier rings her up and asks, "will this be for here or to go?", to which the customer barks "does it look I can eat all this by myself????"

But it was the cashier's response that was priceless: "girl, I do not know your life".



Song by: Billy Bragg & Natalie Merchant

Heatwave

I try really hard not to complain about the heat - because I hate the cold so much. I figure I can choose one or the other, but can't bitch about both. It's not fair to Mother Nature.

But frick, is it HOT these last few days.

Over 90 on the NorthCoast. And about 95% humidity. Oh - and we have a 98 year old house that retains the heat like no one's business. And no a/c. Well, not true, we have window units. Not that they are in or anything, but that's another story. Yes, we store them on the 3rd floor which is about 120 degrees, so to go up there and move them has us lose 20lbs each - not that we couldn't stand that.

Once or twice per year we talk about having central air installed. It is pricey, for sure. And it's not the duct work kind of a/c, but the new fangled tubes that are installed into older abodes. Probably not the prettiest thing in the world, but I keep thinking what it would do for resale for a house like this in a sluggish market. Not that we're planning on moving - but one never knows - does one?

Anyway - here is how hot it is: last night before going out to dinner at friends, I put on deodorant /antiperspirant.

It might sound gross to some, but I stopped wearing it about 5-7 years ago (for the most part). I just don't think anything like that clogging your pores can be that good for you.

It's not like I smell or anything - and even during high activity times, I just don't sweat much. Granted, when I'm in DC in July and August and know I have to see clients, I'll roll it on. But we're talking maybe 3-4 times per year.

Dinner was great and we ate outside. It was late enough in the evening and a nice breeze kicked up, so it was all good. Grilled veggies, meat and strawberry shortcake. And lots of water - as our hosts do not drink. I wasn't about to have them open a bottle of wine - though some alcohol would have been nice. ....but whatta gonna do?



Song by: Linda Ronstadt

Cancer


"I'd like that with a side of glioblastoma, please."



Song by: Joe Jackson

Working on a Building

We are slowly, but surely, making a little progress on our master bathroom renovation.

Now now....don't get all excited on me. We're haven't started demo or anything. With our work schedules and travel schedules, we haven't even regrouped with the architect, as I insisted on a second quote from another contractor. The reality is, I'll probably want three.

Denton really likes our architect since he works on historic houses (like ours), but I'm not wedded to this guy nor to the notion that the bathroom has to be in line with the style of the house. It's a place to do my personal business and wash my twig and berries. And floss. Not necessarily in that order.

So what progress have we made, you ask?

Floor tile - picked out!
Cabinetry - picked out!
Counter tops - narrowed down!

Hey - two out of three ain't bad. I mean - we haven't even gone down the fixtures road yet. First things first.

For those of you who are unaware, our last bathroom renovation - which we did almost completely by ourselves - could have ended in mandatory jail time our relationship. And that was just over the picking out of tile.

I've come a long way, baby. I let more stuff roll off my back and again, it's just a place to shave and drop the kids off at the pool. Not necessarily in that order.

The cabinetry thing was odd. We walked into the store last Saturday and though it wasn't the first thing we saw, it was one of the first things. We both just knew it. That was it. 10 minutes. Boom. Done.

The guy who helped us was great. And a true salesmen - in the fact that two guys coming in together didn't phase him one bit. I still just assume the straight male (if he is one), still cringes on the inside at the thought of two guys. Sometimes that inside cringe manifests itself on the outside.

But he was great and we're happy to give him the business.

Yes, I'm aware many gays in the home improvement / design business frequent these places, but that doesn't always change one's fews of gay men together. I wish I could link to you the Plain Dealer's 'Question of the Day' about Gay Marriage (the link is not working). The responses were nauseating. Only one was funny - saying, they'd be for it, right after we could get gambling legalized in Ohio.

So back to decorating! Here are some slabs of (cary) granite we saw last Saturday (as always, click on image to enlarge them).

We're not really interested in this. Denton pointed out if they had called it Ebony Granite, I never would have even given it a first look, let alone a second.

It's not like I'm a leather nut. Though I still have a leather scented candle that Morty gave me about 15 years ago. It smelled great then - and it still does. I've never lit it even. Now that I think of it, I am not quite sure why he gifted it to me in the first place. Even putting that in print here might get a comment that I don't want others to see - but I'll take my chances.

We're not really interested in this either. It looks a lot like Jupiter, don't you think? It was more the name - and it made both of us immediately think of Rebecca and her malaprop:
'a little calypso will get that out!'.

We do expect to start this oft delayed project this summer.

I just don't know what to do with the cats when this work is going on. Bother!



Song by: the Cowboy Junkies

Radio Radio

I'm just taking a chance to plug Rebecca and her book. Again.

I am a frickin' one-man marketing machine - because I believe in her and her work.

I do!! (say that like Linda Evans in her commercial about some shoe she used shill for).

Becca has been in town these last few days to promote Nice to Come Home To. She did a reading last night in Akron and will be doing one tonite in Cleveland. Unfortunately, I didn't make it down to Summit County, but I will be hitting Joesph Beth to see her read.

Since I knew she was coming to town, I contacted our local NPR station to see if they wanted to interview her. We exchanged a few emails and I finally got them in touch with her publicist, and the rest is history. Recent history, mind you, but still.....

Yesterday, Becky was on our local show, Around Noon. It was a nice piece and you can listen to it here. You have to listen to the audio part. The video part was only for the second guest! The nerve!!!! Becky wasn't sure she did a good job, but as usual she did just fine. Better than fine.

After the show, I did meet Rebecca and her parents for lunch. It was great. But I love her parents to death, so how could it not go well?

During lunch, Eileen (her mother), told me about a piece the Akron Beacon Journal had done on the book. And you can read that here.

Hopefully the reading will be fun and something to blog about tomorrow. At least pictures. If the blog editing machine isn't being temperamental and not allowing me to upload. After the reading, Denton and I are taking her to dinner....before she flees town.

So that's that. I think my work is done here for the day.



Song by: Elvis Costello

Site of the Month

Has anyone even realized I have not done a SotM for the last two months?

I didn't think so.

I did - I just haven't cared that much. Nothing has grabbed my interest enough I guess - and we all know if I'm not interested, you're not interested.

It's a fact!

I have pondered giving you three entries this month just to make up for it all, but we'll see how it goes. If I am finding myself waning on doing actual writing, as I had been this last month, I might just use them as filler. Hell - they were filler to begin with.

So ladies and germs, I bring you: Sarah Jessica Parker Looks Like a Horse

Yes, it is rude and crude and not nearly as funny as it could be (save the above image - which I actually laughed out loud at). Had they tried just a little harder, it could have been hilarious.

But it's what we're left with. It's what you're left with.

g-d, no wonder I haven't been doing these posts.

Sour Times

Clearly I've taken a few days off from writing. That seems to be happening more and more - doesn't it?

I don't think it is intentional - just a confluence of events or moods or both that have left me tired, uninspired and/or just downright lazy.

As the transition at work moves its way through the channels, I no longer peak and valley with my emotions 2-3 times per day. Now it is about 2-3 times per week. That's progress, right? But I will not know my exact fate (my actual job or reporting structure) until then end of June. I'm thrilled. NOT!

Current client and staff issues have also constituted stress for this entire week. I am sure the on-going headache I've had for the last three days has nothing to do with these events. (insert major sarcasm here.)

I won't even get into 24 hour notice of a guilt trip my mother tried to instill upon me for not going to a memorial service for one of my cousins. Before you side with her, this was a woman 20 years my senior whom I have seen twice in 25 years.....and until a year ago, even her sisters and brother didn't talk to her. I didn't know her. And again, I was given less than a 24 hour notice.

As it turns out, I had a dentist appointment anyway. ....and we all know how much I look forward to those. The visit went fine. Teeth and gums are in pretty good shape.

I do hate when they scrape for tartar. I just assume that the pick (or whatever is called) is going to slip and be lodged right into my gum. It's only a matter a time. There are laws of averages at play here.

Lots of discussions went regarding the replacement of a badly placed crown (from a previous dentist). For the last 8 years or so, there has been so much space there, you could drive a Buick through it. Naturally, every single item of food I eat gets trapped. It is no wonder I have floss in my car, my desk, my computer bag as well as my bathroom.

But since there is so much room, as they scraped, a slightly exposed nerve was struck and you just about had to get my claws out of the ceiling. Ok - maybe not that bad, but the cringe I gave told them everything.

We agreed we would replace it with a better fitting piece of porcelain in November. At a mere cost of $225 to me. You know - at this point, I don't even care about the money. Maybe I should have it done earlier.



Song by: Portishead