Goonies - 20 Year Reunion

The Goonies - 1985


I watched "The Goonies" last night - I can't believe it's 20 years old. We *loved* that movie so much as kids. It was on HBO all the time, and I think we watched it everytime it came on. Brand and Stefanie were my favorites. I like Stefanie's quote: "Oh, this is terrific. This is great. I feel like I'm babysitting except I'm not getting paid." And when the fish jumps out at her. Funny.

All-in-all, it's a classic for people in their mid-20s to early 30s. Didn't we all love this movie??

I did some research and found a little bit about where the cast is now. Enjoy!

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Michael “Mikey” Walsh - Sean Astin


Son of John Astin “The Addam’s Family” and Patty Duke. Sam in the “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. He’s in the upcoming TV mini-series, “Into the West.” Married with a couple kids. He’s 34 now.



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Lawrence “Chunk” Cohen – Jeff Cohen


Jeff "Chunk" Cohen is now an attorney in Los Angeles with his own thriving entertainment law practice. He also was class president at UC Berkeley, running with "Chunk For President" as his slogan. He did the Truffle Shuffle on the sidelines at football games. I'd like to have a beer or six with him, I think. He’s 31 in 2005 (the younges of the Goonies).


2001

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Clark 'Mouth' Devereaux – Corey Feldman


I think we all have seen him since 1985. Besides Rehab, he was on the Surreal Life, 2nd season. What a whiny baby. He cried about a million times. The other cast, especially Gabriel Carteres from 90210, hated him. His wife, Susie, gave birth to their first child, a boy named Zen Scott Feldman, on 7 August 2004 in Los Angeles. He’s 34 now -- and probably still a whiny bitch.



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Richard “Data” Wang – Jonathan Ke Quan


He was also in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Looks like he’s in the Hong Kong film industry, doing technical stuff. He’s 34 in 2005.


2001

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Brandon “Brand” Walsh – Josh Brolin


Is it wrong that I had a big crush on him then – even with the nice shorts over sweatpants look? Josh is the son of James Brolin and step-son of Barbra Streisand. His acting credits include the TV series "The Young Riders", "The Mod Squad", "Best Laid Plans", "All the Rage" and "The Hollow Man". He was married to Alice "Deborah" Adai'r of "Beverly Hills Cop II" fame and was engaged to Minnie Driver. Married to Diane Lane. He’s in the upcoming TV mini-series, “Into the West.” He’s 37 now.


With wife Diane Lane – Dec. 2004

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Andrea “Andy” Carmichael – Kerri Green


You may also remember her from “Lucas” (1986) with Cory Haim. Her marriage in the Nineties has led to her now being credited as "Kerri Lee Green" and she now only pops up now and then on television - most notably in an episode of "ER" as a mother of several children, who tearfully wants to terminate her latest pregnancy. She’s 38 now.



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Stefanie 'Stef' Steinbrenner – Martha Plimpton

Rabies!!! Rabies!!!

She’s awesome. Her dad is Keith Carradine. Last notable movies were “Beautiful Girls” (1996) and “200 Cigarettes” (1999). She’s 35 in 2005.


2001

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Lotney “Sloth” Fratelli – John Matuszak (1950-1989)


Ex-football player turned actor. Autobiography: "Cruisin' With The Tooz." Former defensive end for the Los Angeles Raiders. Competed in the 1978 World's Strongest Man Competition weighing 308 lbs. Hard-driving athlete who lived life in the fast lane. Attended the University of Tampa. He died of heart failure allegedly due to his long term use of steroid drugs. He was buried in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


Football days

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Mama Fratelli – Anne Ramsey (1929-1988)


American born character actress Anne Ramsey, was quite a busy actress in the 1980s, although much older, Ramsey didn't pursue an acting career in motion pictures until her later years. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Ramsey attended Bennington College, and was active in numerous on and off Broadway productions. After her marriage to actor Logan Ramsey, the couple formed Philadelphia's Theatre of the Living Arts, and it was in the early 70s that Ramsey began a lengthy career into films. In 1971, she starred opposite her husband in The Sporting Club (1971) and then settled into small bit parts. However, when she became noticed for her plunty, gruff and tough womanly roles, she got more offers for films notably Goin' South (1978), Any Which Way You Can (1980), The Goonies (1985) and Deadly Friend (1986). Unfortunately, by the mid 1980s, Ramsey found out she was suffering from throat cancer and was forced to have both parts of her tongue and jawbone removed. Showing no signs of her cancer slowing her down, she received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress in 1987 for her role as Danny DeVito's mean mother in the film Throw Momma from the Train (1987). She still continued to work even months before her death in 1988. Ramsey died of throat cancer at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Los Angeles at the age of 59.


Late ‘80s, not looking so scary

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Troy Perkins – Steve Antin

"Andy!! You, Goonie!!!!"

You may remember him as the studly Rick in “The Last American Virgin” (1982) and as the rapist frat boy, Bob, in “The Accused” (1988). His last credit I could find is a stuntman in 2000’s “Titans”. I also discovered that he did stunts for Screech in 1992’s “Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style.” I don’t think I’d include that in my credits…He’s 44 now. (I couldn't find a recent picture)

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Robert Davi – Jake Fratelli


Still in random movies. You may have seen him the TV show, “Profiler.” He’ll be 51 in 2005.



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Joe Pantoliano – Francis Fratelli


Still in random movies. He’ll be 54 in 2005.



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Together again in 2001

Here Comes Summer

You wouldn't know it by our weather here in ol' Minnesota lately (could we *have* another 55 degree rainy'ish day?), but summer is officially just around the corner. I don't even have any big plans for the summer, but I hope to get to Manhattan to see my friend Meg, who moved there for grad school.

This will be my 28th summer on earth, so here are 28 summertime memories from my 1980s small town childhood:

1. The smell of grill cooking
2. Kool-Aid (cherry) in an orange Tupperware pitcher & popsicles
3. Going to swim and lay out at the local swimming pool and finally getting old enough to sit in the "cool kids" corner
4. Windows open as it starts to get dark outside and a MN Twins game on TV
5. Putting towels on the seat of cars that have leather upholstery - ouch!
6. My grandparents' house on Lake Pepin - the grass was very soft there for some reason
7. A yellow and blue Huffy dirt bike with the number 312 on the little sign attached to the handle bars
8. Riding bike along country roads, the sound of birds & nature
9. A roap swing above a stream in the woods at my friend's farm house way out in the country
10. A brick house with flat roof and no central air -- we lived in an oven
11. 1988 - Camp Pepin in Stockholm, WI - on the Mississippi River's Lake Pepin
12. Kwik Trip Urge cups (huge fountain soda) and pizza slices for lunch
13. Socks with stripes on them and shorts with white piping/trim
14. Playing baseball on the grassy playground
15. Riding bike to the make-shift "bike jump" in a steep countryside ditch - if you didn't land just in time, you'd fly in to the trees
16. My friend Trisha jumping her ten-speed while all the boys had dirt bikes
17. Dairy Queen and Root Beer Floats from A&W Drive In
18. Going to Gauerke's Gift & Variety on Main Street to the candy counter
19. T-ball games - "Al's Feed & Seed" or "Hardware Hank" were examples of the teams
20. Waking up in time to watch The Waltons, game shows ("No Whammies!") and Young & the Restless before heading to the pool
21. Movies, frozen pizza and Nintendo on rainy days
22. Walking the railroad tracks out to the junkyard to throw rocks at old buses & cars (I guess we were like hillbillies) - could've gotten in big trouble for that
23. Coppertone suntan lotion
24. Night games at the Wilsons' (friends Trisha & Stanley's crazy family) - Kick the Can, usually
25. Mowing our huge lawn - nightmare
26. Being allowed one can of Coca Cola Classic per day. Sometimes I cheated and would hide in the garage and drink my second can.
27. Driving to my other grandparents' in the Black Hills of South Dakota every 4th of July - 10-12 hours one way
28. I-Gogs sunglasses, "Jams" shorts (really long), Hawaiian print shirts, flourescent clothes (swim trunks, shorts, T-shirts, shoelaces), Reebok high-tops, boat shoes, jean shorts rolled at the bottom


Thumbs down to *you*, lady!! Hey, Kool-Aid!!

Sometimes, Dolores, men have accidents...

I just watched Dolores Claiborne on AMC tonight. Hadn't seen it in a few years - love that movie! My favorite is Vera Donovan (played by Judy Parfitt) - she is awesome.

I like when Dolores (Kathy Bates) breaks down in Vera's drawing room and winds up telling her that husband Joe (David Strathairn) took the money and has been "after" Selena. It goes something like this:

Vera (sitting down, picking up her embroidery): Well, are you quite finished?

Dolores: I'm sorry, Mrs. Donovan. Truly, I am...

Vera: Vera. Whenever someone has hysterics in my drawing room, I insist they call me by my Christian name.
*****
Vera: Husbands die every day, Dolores. Why, one is probably dying right now while you sit here weeping. Sometimes, men have accidents. Sometimes, they're driving home from their mistress' apartment and the breaks on their car suddenly give out and they die, leaving their greaving wives all their money. Accidents, Dolores, can be an unhappy woman's best friend.

Later she says to Dolores: Sometimes, you have to be a high-riding bitch to survive. Sometimes, being a bitch is all a woman has to hold on to...

LOVE her! Go git 'em, Vera (and Dolores)!!

The next time some stupid guy puts me off or even pisses me off, I'm just going to declare:
Sometimes, Random Joe, men have accidents. Sometimes, Random Joe, accidents can be an unhappy gay man's best friend.


What a bitch.

Well, I never...

Robert gave me an idea for an entry - List 10 things that I've never....

1. I, like Robert, have never had "relations" with a girl. A little dabbling in junior high, but it ended there. I don't think I, nor they, missed out on anything.

2. I've never seen an entire episode of American Idol -- and only one Survivor.

3. I've never been to the West Coast, but I'd like to visit San Fran, San Diego, Portland and Seattle. Maybe Hollywood and/or Beverly Hills - but don't care to visit the city of LA.

4. I never eat my hamburger/sandwich until the fries are gone -- that is, if I eat fast food.

5. I never liked writing papers, but always did well on them.

6. I've never spent the entire 8 hours actually working. I don't think.

7. I've never seen all of "When Harry Met Sally" or that Julie Andrews movie with the kids, singing and mountains. I loathe Billy Crystal and also loathe children singing.

8. I never *really* fit in with straight guys since around Junior High. I was friends with all the jocks and guys like that in college, but always felt a little out of place.

9. I never spent one sober night in England or Scotland - well, maybe one, I guess.

10. I never want to get old. That's why I keep smoking, b/c what do I want to be a lonely, alone 60 year old for? Or even 50. Bah humbug to that.

A weekend of visiting

Busy, fun weekend rests behind me.

Friday night, HotBabe picked me up and we headed downtown to meet Denverboy and a couple of their other college friends at Brit's Pub. On the way in the door, I saw an old college friend of mine who I used to work with. THEN, once up stairs and outside (where they play lawn bowling and show movies in the summer), I saw a table of more of my college friends who were out celebrating a birthday. HotBabe now thinks I know the entire bar.

We stayed there for a couple beers, then walked toward Hennepin Avenue, where most of the downtown action happens on the weekends. We went in to Bar Fly and that wasn't the greatest. I've had fun there before, but we really weren't feeling it on Friday. So, we went to the '90s and proceeded to consume several of their way strong drinks. On the way there, from Bar Fly, we walked past the dive gay bar, The Brass Rail, where some of my friends were outside smoking. Now HotBabe thinks I know everyone in Minneapolis, which is completely not true.

Saturday I went to Rochester to attend my niece and grandma's birthday parties at my sister's house. 5 of we 8 kids were there, plus some other nieces & nephews, husbands and my Mom. Nice little gathering. Then I went to a little, intimate wedding reception at an art gallery in downtown Rochester. The bride was one of my best friends growing up and she looked beautiful. Her husband is good looking too - they make a nice couple. Much better than her loser first husband. I saw several old high school friends, so it was nice.

Then, back to Minneapolis for more hijinx with Hotbabe, Denverboy and friends. Again, met them at the '90s - we also did some drinking back at his hotel room. Nothing really remarkable happened, just good times hanging out and talking.

Wow - there is nothing funny about this entry. Sorry.

Stacy -- what happened to you on Saturday?!? Anger overwhelms me. My face is red & hot. Kidding. But, what *did* happen?? I heard Chris was with you too...NICE!

Minnesota Weather - Just the facts, ma'm

Tara (TR) recently confessed her belief that it is winter in Minnesota all year long. Don't worry, Tara, you're not the only one who thinks that.

When I was recruiting people nationwide to move to Minnesota, my biggest response was "it's too cold there" or "isn't it winter all year long there?"

No. We have a mild/wet spring. We have hot summers. We have crisp, warmish falls. We have cold winters -- winter is a few months long, just like any other season.

Minnesota is a tall state, so the weather in the south (where Minneapolis/St. Paul are) is usually different from the northern area (Duluth). In fact, most national weather maps show all of Minnesota's temperature being that of a way north town called International Falls. It is usually about 20 degrees warmer in the southern part of the state. That's why people think it's so cold here, I think, b/c the whole state is usually represented with the temperature of one of the most northern towns....which is hours away from Minneapolis. Twin Cities weather is similar to Chicago (I've lived in both).

December, January, February: Pretty damn cold. Usually there's a week or so in January when it doesn't get above zero. Usually January and February (and early March) are anywhere from 10-20 degrees. I'd say most of our snow is during this three month period too. However, March starts showing some 50 degree days and the snow usually is gone at the end of March.

March, April, May: March is still winter for a majority of the month, but like I said, you start to feel spring by the end of March. April is usually very rainy. May is when it starts to feel like summer is coming. May temps range anywhere from 50 on a chilly day to maybe about 80.

June, July, August: Summer. Humid. Hot. We have 10,000 lakes, so it gets pretty humid and there are lots o' mosquitoes. Temps are usually anywhere from 70s - 100s.
Especially August. Gets really hot.

September, October, November: Most of September is still pretty summerish. Starts to cool off at night, though. October is sweatshirt/jeans weather, probably my favorite. November is an in-between month, like March & May. It can be warmish and it gets cold around Thanksgiving. It's about the time we start to wear heavier coats again.

There -- is that cleared up now?? IT'S NOT WINTER HERE ALL YEAR LONG!! We have two kinda cold months (November, March); 3 cold months (Dec-Feb); (3 mild months Apr, May, Sept) and 3 hot months (June-Aug).

Okay - I needed to get that off my chest b/c it's actually kind of a pet peeve of mine.


Nicollet Mall- Christmastime


Minneapolis - Spring/Summer


Minneapolis from the Mississippi River - Fall

Good ol' Winona State University

I graduated from college five years ago today. It's gone by really fast.

I talk a lot about college on here, I know -- but, I had so much fun and loved college so much that it's hard not to! Some of us are going back for a weekend next month -- to our old bar stomping grounds - Brothers, Bullseye & Gabby's. Fun, fun.

Winona State is in southeast corner of Minnesota, very near to both Wisconsin and Iowa. It was the first teacher's college West of the Mississippi and is almost 150 years old. The town, Winona, is about 30,000 and is in the bluff country of the Mississippi River Valley -- a very nice location. Lots of kids go to Winona State because of the nice campus and scenic area. With about 8,000 students, it's a good school for someone who wants a smaller, mid-sized university. The biggest major is education, other big ones are Business, Mass Communication (my major), Nursing, Engineering, Biology...they are the Warriors and have good football (Division II), but we never went to any games when I was a student. I went to half the homecoming game my senior year, then we went bar-hopping and party-going.

Anyway - I just had a great time there and had so many friends. Loved it. Even though I was one of the only "OUT" guys on campus when I graduated, it wasn't a big deal - friends were friends.

I wound up working in the fundraising office from 2002-2004, but living there as a working adult just wasn't the same as being a carefree student (carefree --- I studied a lot and worked 30+ hours per week, but still -- it beats my current life), even though several of my friends still lived there.

Anyway -- *Raising beer* Here's to Winona State....cheers!!


Looking at Winona State campus from the top of a bluff


WSU Warriors


Another campus/Winona view from the bluffs...


Main campus


Krueger Library - opened my senior year


The main hall - Somsen - I worked in there on 2nd floor


Phelps Hall, where Mass Communication (and Psychology) are located

I was going to post some pictures of myself from college, but my stupid scanner isn't working - surprise, surprise -- maybe later.

I guess I need to move

RottenRyan had this on his blog, so I thought I'd try it out. It's a "Where Should you Live" meme.




>

American Cities That Best Fit You:

65% Atlanta

60% Austin

60% Denver

60% Las Vegas

50% San Diego

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Atlanta, huh? That's a possibility, I guess. I could also see myself in Denver. I don't know about Austin, Las Vegas or San Diego...I've heard that San Diego has beautiful weather, but I just don't know if I'd want it to be summer all year long. I like the change of seasons. For now, Minneapolis suits me just fine. I wonder if Minneapolis is ever a result in this meme. People think it's winter here all year long -- not so much...

Drop Dead Gorgeous

Here's a movie you should watch - "Drop Dead Gorgeous" with Kirstie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Kirsten Dunst, Allison Janney (steals the show as Loretta) and Denise Richards. It's one of those dark humor type movies that makes fun of small town beauty pageants. This one happens to take place in Mont Rose, Minnesota, which is not even a suburb of the "Sin Cities," as Gladys (Kirstie Alley) mentions.

They do the Minnesota accents pretty well, too. I do have to note that it's mostly people in central and northern Minnesota who have that thick accent. I'm sure the rest of we natives have it to some extent, but I really hear people talking like that when I'm north of Minneapolis/St. Paul....dont-cha know.

Rent this movie. At the end, when they're in Minneapolis, pay attention to the bartender. I went to college with him. Ironically enough, he was the bartender at our stomping grounds in Winona, Bullseye. We called him Otter back then - I can't remember his real name...Brad, I think. He's really cute. He's a bartender at The Newsroom in downtown Minneapolis now. I talked to him there briefly once. He remembered me b/c my friends and I went to Bullseye so much in college. Nice.

Let me buy you a shot

Even though Bill and his friend Chelsea wound up coming over Friday and we had a few beers, I still got up at 7:00 on Saturday (it's a miracle) and got ready for my trip to NE Wisconsin for the wedding. I was out the door at 7:40 (it's another miracle). The trip there was pretty easy - just over 4 hours. RandMcNally.com said it would take 5.5 hrs, but they didn't know I was driving and I have a lead foot.

My friends almost passed out that I got there at noon and the wedding was at 3:00. I'm usually late for everything. I've missed many a' wedding ceremony, or walked in to one late. But, whatever.

Let's skip right to the reception, shall we? So, the last time I saw the best man and one of the groomsmen, I called them white trash and made fun of the one who had blue hair. I remember that night, but don't really remember that incident. They must have said something jerkish to me. Anyway, the one didn't have blue hair anymore, so I didn't recognize right away. I ordered a bottle of beer instead of the free tap beer they had and one of them said, "oh, I suppose you're too good for tap beer?" I just looked at him like he was joking and he reminded of who he was, without really saying what happened the last time we saw each other. I walked away. Later I was talking to the wife of one of them and she said it wasn't a big deal, that both her husband and the other guy are mouthy & sarcastic when they drink. So I bought shots for them. Then they were like long lost old friends. They even bought drinks for me. So, I figured out how to make peace in Wisconsin - just buy shots.

It was fun, but nothing really too eventful to write about. The drive home took 5.5 hours - I'm not sure why RandMcNally.com had me take a different way home, but it took a lot longer. Boo.

Oh, I honked at the same lady twice yesterday on the way home. There was a line of us in the left (passing) lane, passing a long line of slow drivers. This was over the course of probably 20 miles. Whenever this bitch behind me could get in the right lane, she would zoom past me, then get stuck behind the slow guy, have to slow down and get behind me again. She did it over & over. SO annoying. Then, about an hour later, she was still in my same group of cars and she cut me off, so I honked. Then she did it again and I screamed "learn how to drive, you stupid bitch!" I like thinking the dumb person ahead of me is looking in their rearview mirror and can read my lips, so they realize my rage at their stupid driving. Sometimes I mouth out "MOVE OVER" or "HURRY UP" or "I HATE YOU." It makes me feel a little better.

Work trauma, stalking and Wisconsin weddings

This is the 2nd time I'm writing this, as the first one landed in Blog Error hell.

As Dolly Parton would say in Steel Magnolias, I've been "busier than a one-armed paper hanger" at work today! Have submitted two candidates to the client, which is a process; presented an offer to a candidate & done all stuff relating to that and have been doing all the other busy work in screening & managing other candidates. Blah. Plus, the guy I offered yesterday backed out of his "Accept," so that was a pleasant experience. Hate when they do that -- means a whole lot of time & effort down the drain. What should I expect, it is Friday the 13th after all.

The new guy/neighbor, Mike, and were supposed to hang out tonight, but he called and said he's felt sick all day. We weren't going to do much anyway as I have to get up early tomorrow. We hung out for about an hour last night before he went to bed. Kinda convenient living in the same building - makes stalking all the more easy! His ex lives on third floor too, as well as his best friend. Ummm...what is this, Melrose Place?! Lord. I'm glad to report that he and his ex are still good friends and hang out. That tells me they didn't have a psycho/messy breakup. They had been together 6 years, moved to this building and broke up shortly thereafter - so Mike just found an apartment in the same building. Six years, which is about 9 gay years - you don't hear about that too much in this group. It's really more like a divorce!

I'm getting up way early tomorrow -- or maybe now I'll go tonight -- to be on the road by 8. You see, I'm going to a wedding in Appleton, Wisconsin, which is near Green Bay. Should be interesting - Wisconsinites are wild as hell usually. Plus, the bride (a friend from college days) grew up in Alaska and her family is from North Dakota, so that should prove to be a site too - to meet her family. I'm guessing it will be kind of a crazy wedding. A lot of my college-era friends will be there, some of whom are still my best friends. It takes about five hours to get there, I think. My other friends already left today, so I'll be whistling Dixie, guzzling coffee and chain smoking all the live long day tomorrow - in my car. God, I hope it's not more than five hours. At least Lynne's drugged-up cat won't be in the car with me!

Well, here's hoping I don't get pulled over - you have to pay the ticket immediately in Wisconsin - and that you have/had a splendid weekend!


That's what it's all about - Hey!

Isn't it Romantic...?

Last night, the new guy I met on Saturday, Mike (who lives in my building), and I watched a movie down in his apartment. Reviewing his DVD collection and clearly not really thinking about the fact that it was really the first planned time we were hanging out, I decided to pick Cujo as the movie of the evening. Yeah - that's one to really get you in a romantic mood. Anyway, I hadn't see the whole thing in probably 15 years or more, so it sounded kinda good. I don't think Mike cared because he has a ton of horror movies. Anyway, I don't really do "well" with scary movies. I was literally shaking a little and certainly having a mild heart attack/stroke when Donna (Dee Wallace) was being attacked by Cujo in the front seat. And that damn gay little boy, Tad (Danny Pintauro), was screaming his fool head off. Very stressful movie. Not a good choice by me for a first official "hang out with a new guy movie," but whatever. I still enjoyed seeing it again. I had totally forgotten how disturbed I was by that movie as a child because my Mom looked pretty similar to Dee Wallace back then. And, of course, I related to Tad as a fellow gay little boy, so it just really hit close to home in 1983. I would still be in therapy if my Mom had driven a Pinto at the time.

The Blair Warner Project

No time to Blog today - work is nuts. My VP, who works from the Milwaukee office, did call today and told me that the Minnesota office, which is in a suburb called Woodbury, near St. Paul, is interested in bringing me on board. If you remember, I currently work from home for the San Francisco office. Anyway, I told her that I'm open to discussion, however the thought of commuting to Woodbury every morning is not high on my list...neither is going back to the traditional 8-5 hours. I guess I'll just have to talk to them about it. Would be kinda nice to be around people again and to get out of the apartment every day.

Like the Facts of Life gals, I'll just have to keep in mind:

You take the good, you take the bad, you take 'em both & there ya have, the facts of life -- the facts of life!

There's a time you got to go and show
You're growin' now you know about
The Facts of Life, the Facts of Life!

When the world never seems
to be livin up to your dreams -
And suddenly you're finding out
the Facts of Life are all about you. All about you. You-uuu-uuu.

It takes a lot to get 'em right!
When you're learning the Facts of Life ... Learning the Facts of Life.
Learning the Facts of Life ... Learning the Facts of Life.
Learning the Faaaaaacts of Liiiife!


Blair and Natalie were my favorites

The weekend that was

Well, well, well -- here we are on Monday again. Why was Monday ever invented? I guess I wouldn't care about Mondays if it weren't for the whole employment thing. Anyway, my weekend was pretty good. Let's see -- on Friday, what did I do? What the hell *did* I do?? I don't remember. Oh, I went to see friend Scott's new apartment in Saint Louis Park. His friend just moved here from California, so I got to meet her too. The reason my memory was a little fuzzy? Yeah, we went to The Red Dragon, a divey Chinese restaurant/cocktail lounge near my house. I had their famous Wonderous Punch - then Scott's roommate, Roxanne, bought a Long Island for me and then a Captain Coke. I stumbled out of there - those Wonderous Punches will knock you on your ass. Even me and I go out more often than Paris Hilton. So I ended the night at The 19 Bar, where Bill was with his new guy. That's all fuzzy.

Saturday I accomplished nothing, which is a shame because I really need to clean the apartment and buy groceries. Oh well. I did go for a walk to Target downtown to pick up a few essentials. Then I met Bill and group for his birthday celebration/cancer fundraiser event at a neighborhood dive, Porter's. That wasn't too exciting - a lot of bad karaoke. We left and went to The 19 Bar. I was standing there talking to the roommate of Bill's new guy and noticed a cute guy standing alone. I hate seeing cute guys out alone, but I kind of like it too, because they're easy to approach. Anyway, I asked him where his friends were and he said nobody wanted to go out, so he came alone. We talked & talked for a long time. His name is Mike. Turns out he lives in the same building as I do! So we went home and made out. We're supposed to hang out tomorrow night -- he's having his traditional Monday night coffee with a friend tonight. Nice guy. He's 33, but I guessed him to be 28 when we met. So, we'll see...

Bill wanted to continue his birthday weekend last night, so I met him for Showtunes at The Bolt - I got there pretty late, though. That place is starting to bug me. They always play the same stuff week after week. And it seems like the group I know never knows any of the cute guys there, but there's a bunch of guys I'm not interested in coming to our table to say hi. "Yeahhh...are you a Hobbit?? Keep movin', thanks..." At least they extended the size of the smoking patio, which used to be so annoyingly crowded. Like sardine can crowded - not good when you don't like ugly strangers invading your personal space and bumping in to you. Huge pet peeve (sorry Tara) of mine!!

Today is Bill's actual birthday, so I agreed to go to The 90s with him for karoke and two-for-ones. Ughhh...I need to stay home some night! I've got some reading to catch up on, not to mention cleaning and grocery shopping. My apartment is a wreck and the cupboards and fridgie are bare - like jar of pickles, bottle of ketchup and some butter bare. It's not good. The take out people at the delivery sandwich place, Caffrey's (yum) know me by name now. That's always good...

Fat Actress - I'm Lovin' It

Do you get Showtime?? If so, you need to watch Kirstie Alley in Fat Actress. It's hysterical. She plays herself, and there are lots of celebrities making an appearance and playing themselves too (Kid Rock, John Travolta, Leea Remeny, Rhea Perlman, Merv Griffin, etc.), however, it was interesting to learn that there's no script. There are actors who play a character, but they improvise everything. Very clever. I was most surprised to see that Mayim Bialak, Blossom (!), is her neighbor. She's packed on some pounds too. Kirstie's personal assistants are Kevyn (Rachael Harris -- that blonde comediene with glasses who always comments on "I Love the '80s," et. al., on VH1). Her dry wit is great. And the other personal assistant, Eddie Falcone (played by Bryan Callen) is very cute. Love him.

My favorite episode -- there's only been 7 so far -- is when some whacky doctor convinces Kirstie to go on the diet called the Koi Effect where you surround yourself with smaller things to lose weight. So she starts hanging out with little people and talking in a teeny voice. Anyway, kind of one of those "you have to see it for yourself" type things, but this show is great. I hope episode 8 comes out soon. Can a whole season only consist of 7 episodes??


Kirstie, Kevyn and Eddie bitch about stuff

FDA proclaims gay men as unfit anonymous sperm donors

The FDA is going to start banning gay men from anonymously donating sperm - well, gay men who've had "homosexual sex" during the past five years, anyway. You can be gay, but only if you've been celibate for FIVE YEARS. However, you know it's just going to be looked at as "gay men aren't allowed to donate..." No wonder there's still people in this country who equate gay men with evil. We're so "evil" that we can't even let a couple use our semen to create a child...because, hey - who'd want the kid of a faggot??

I agree that the recipients' health should be of more concern than determining who's allowed to donate, but c'mon -- straight guys don't have HIV, or sex for that matter? Or sleep with hookers? Or share needles?? One resolution proposed by Lambda Legal (a gay rights legal organization), is to ban anyone (gay or straight) who's had unprotected sex with someone of unknown HIV status during the past five years. To me, that makes sense. But no, when it comes to gays, just ban them all together to make it easier and to further illustrate how gay men are bad for society.

Here's an idea: if you want to donate sperm, bring recent HIV test results showing that you're negative to the sperm donating clinic. Pretty tricky, huh, Einstein?

Gawd -- one step forward, two steps back. It's great to be a gay man in this country! So great, in fact, that I'm going to go on another one of my famous recruiting trips this weekend. I think I'll target the youth soccer fields. I'm only a few points away from earning my toaster oven from the Gay Recruiters Guild of Minnesota! Yay, me!!

Notice to Lesbian Couples: You can still have your gay friend father your baby. The ban is only for anonymous sperm donors. So, continue building that nursery!!

Here's the link to the full article

I need to get out more...

create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

These are all the states I've been to - only 37%. I should really do more traveling within my own country before I venture to Europe again! It looks kinda funny that I've been to all the states surrounding Nebraska, like I'm avoiding it! Well, Missouri barely borders Nebraska and I haven't been there either. I hear Omaha is a fun city and I'd also like visit St. Louis & Kansas City in Missouri. I counted New Jersey even though I've only been to the Newark airport, but I ran out on some roof exit to smoke with a guy who was either with a Swedish band or going to Sweden with his own band. We had just enough time to choke one down before the long flight to London. Anyway, I think that constitutes having been in Jersey. I drove through New York, a little of Pennsylvania and Ohio to get back from Niagara Falls, but hey - still been there! We ate in Buffalo and I think had a restroom break in Pennsylvania, so that's good enough for me.

We didn't travel much when I was a kid. Well, we never did. Every summer my Mom, brother and I would make the 10-hour drive to her parents' in the Black Hills of South Dakota, but that's about it. Wisconsin and Iowa were close, so we went there once in a while. My dad's office was in Iowa for a while. My dad traveled without us. He won trips to Mexico, DC and San Diego for selling a lot of insurance, but he'd take his girlfriend instead of his family. Nice.

Vacation idea for those who want more U.S. travel: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I loved it there. Much fun and beautiful. The Black Hills of South Dakota (Mount Rushmore) are very nice too. Of course, don't forget the Twin Cities, Mississippi River Valley and northwoods of Minnesota!

What a nut job

They found that missing bride-to-be...in Albuquerque. She just had cold feet about her "lavish" wedding. She better have to pay some sort of consequence for this. Whack job.

Here's the article.

In other news, I had a decent weekend. Worked late Friday, then my friend Emily called me to see if I wanted to go to a party with her, as she's a junior at the U of M. It was their "Spring Jam" weekend, so lots of parties. I thought I might feel a little old to go to a college party, but hey - cute guys and only $5, so what the hell?! Turns out it was pretty fun. Everybody kept asking me what "year" I was and "so you go to school here?" Nice! It was only five years ago that I would've been right there with them as a fellow student, but you know...Then a gaggle of kids were walking by on the street and everyone on the porch at this party started yelling, "Freshmen!! Freshmen!!" Haha - freshmen do always travel in packs, but I couldn't help thinking it was funny since the big juniors were 16 when I was in college!

Oh, the party was at cute U of M Erik's place....he's the one who started to make out with me, to make it look like we were boyfriends, when the toothless wonder started talking to me that one night. We made out, so all was a success.

American Eagle Brad left a voicemail on Friday - first time he'd called since Tuesday. I called him back to see what he wanted and haven't heard from him again. Whatever. I saw his friend Chad and he told me that Brad does that all the time. Typical.

We had a CONGRATULATIONS party for Bill on Saturday night to celebrate his being done with radiation - then we went to the The 19 Bar for a while. Fun but nothing too exciting.

CR Valium's birthday was on Saturday. His g'ma is here from Las Vegas, so I haven't talked to him much. She's pressuring him to go back to Hazleden.

Work is still busy. Still haven't found out if I'm officially promoted, but doing the work as if I had been...