Pride and Stuff

Happy PRIDE, y'all!

I guess I just look at it as a reason to celebrate summer, my friends and the fact that we're not ashamed to be gay...anymore.

Yesterday I went to the festival at Loring Park with friend Scott. Then we met Jeff in Uptown and proceeded to the Retro Bar at the Gay '90s, where hometown friends Jill and Melinda were.

Today is more of the same...

Oh, and I quit my job. Have interviews going on. None tomorrow, thank god!

Mama, I'm Coming Home

I'm leaving for my hometown, the great metropolis of Dodge Center, Minn., in a little while to attend a "dear old" friend's 30th birthday. I use the term "old" sparingly, of course, being that I'm quickly nearing the end of the tunnel that is my 20s as well.

Whilst visiting my old stomping grounds, I will attend the theatre and visit several world-renowned museums of art. Wait...oh yeah, I'll be drinking beer on her deck with several people I've known since the '80s, eat a hamburger and potato salad, then head to Main Street's only bar, Harold's Club, where I'll see many others whom I've known since the greatie '80s!

I like going home - it's fun to be around people who have known me forever and don't have any expectations other than a few beers, a few cigarettes, a dance or two and several laughs. And my being the token gay guy, of course...

Good ol' Dodge Center!


Main Street, Dodge Center, Minn.
Population: 2300

Somebody Stop Me...seriously...

Well, I went and shot off my big mouth again. Now I'm sure Danny and I won't talk again for a while.

You see, Danny is dating this big loser...let's call him....Loser, shall we? Three out of the five times I've been around this joker, I ended up going off on him. They started dating about three months ago - actually, the same weekend I met Boy From New York City (that has since fizzled out...surprise, surprise). Incidentally, Loser had just moved back to Mpls from NYC too. He's in his late 30s and kind of looks like that weird little thing from "Lord of the Rings." Apparently, he's some sort of designer and worked for some show rooms in NYC (and did Madonna's pillows -- yeah right) before moving back to Mpls for "spritual reasons." Seriously, it's Minneapolis, not New Mexico, genius. Catching on?? He's a lying loser.

Loser's roommates kicked him out and he moved in with Danny - this is about 3 weeks after they met (what are they, lesbians??). Even with all of his "fabulous" NYC design experience, Loser can't find a regular job in Mpls and has yet to give Danny money for anything, yet he goes out drinking every night. He brags about his Hugo Boss suit, knock off Prada shoes, these ugly pieces of crystal fruit that were supposedly "so expensive," yet he doesn't have money for rent or a car. I distrusted him from the start. Others agree. Except Danny (he's starting to get it through his head thank god).

So last night, my friend Michelle and I went to see Martin Zellar (formerly of a MN band called The Gear Daddies) at a free show he was doing downtown. We met Danny and Loser at Mpls's gay "stand & model" bar, The Saloon. Then we proceeded to The 19 Bar. Loser's friend Rose was pissed that we wouldn't let her drive there (drunk), so she took off once Danny got out of the driver's seat. Danny and Loser were arguing whether or not Rose should/could have left. I said, "Well, it's done now, so let's just go in..."

Loser: Excuse me, was I talking to you??
Kiddo: Umm...it's not about you.
Loser: It's none of your business. Is this your relationship? Why are you even talking?? From what I've heard, you're a fuck-up at relationships anyway, so just stay out of me and Danny's business...
Kiddo: Oh?? Hmmmm....#*$&#(*&UTROEUR(*%(*&#@(*&$#(*#@&)%(*)@(*%#)%$)@(*)(^T$$ *&!!!!

I like to think that I simply replied with things that were very true...and frankly, needed to be said.

The words trash, loser, liar, parasite, trash, idiot, fucker were used several times.

Pretty sure Danny and I won't be talking for a while, although I apologized to him before I threw my cigarette at Loser and walked away...to another group of friends in the bar.

It's rather discomforting because I really do like to avoid all the gay drama...but this was just a timebomb waiting to go off. And it really did.

Sybil's Music Collection

Many days at work are spent with iTunes Radio for background music. I usually listen to a station called Eye 97, Top Hits of the '70s, '80s, '90s and Today. Otherwise, the Atlantic Sound Factory, 40 Years of great music from the US and UK is always a good choice too.

Anyway, I started to document the songs that I need to download when I **finally** get an iPod or MP3 (apparently, spending as much at the bar every two weeks is more important). These are songs that I would never think to add if just conceiving a list from scratch...Reviewing the list today, I had to laugh at the randomness of it. Some might say weird or freakish...I prefer eclectic.

SONGS

Novaspace – Time After Time
Britney Spears – Everytime
Enrique Iglesias – Escape
1, 2 Step – Ciara
Days Go By – Dirty Vegas
Milkshake – Kelis
Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here (dance) – Deborah Cox
Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
Better Off Alone – DJ Jurgen
Get Together – Madonna
Thank You – Dido
Let Me Take You Away – Jen Cuneta
Trouble – Pink
All These Things That I’ve Done – Killers
Always and Forever – Chocolate Puma

Old School
Robbie Dupree – Steal Away
K. Rogers / D. Parton – Islands in the Stream
D. Warwick – Heartbreaker
ELO – Livin’ Thing
D. Parton – Here I go Again
B. Mandrell – Sleepin’ Single in a Double Bed
J. Cash/J. Carter – Jackson
The Pretenders – Brass in Pocket
Tracy Ullman – Breakaway
The Clash – London Calling
Bee Gees – Tragedy
ELO – Hold on Tight
Cyndi Lauper – All Through the Night
Journey – Faithfully
When in Rome - The Promise
Howard Jones – No One is to Blame
Blondie – Sunday Girl
REM - Radio Free Europe
The Moody Blues – Your Wildest Dreams
10,000 Maniacs – Few and Far Between
Stevie Nicks – Leather and Lace
Bellamy Brothers – Let Your Love Flow
George Harrison – My Sweet Lord
Chicago – If You Leave Me NowAlan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky


Nice. Pretty sure my brother's ears would be bleeding five minutes into this list. And that ain't even a drop in the bucket compared to the collection I used to have on Kazaa. Weirdest group of 400+ songs ever.

F'ing losers...

I just read that a shitload of money was misappropriated by FEMA to Hurricane Katrina evacuees. I suppose FEMA should have had a better process for providing the people with money, but c'mon...you know the media would have just blasted them for "taking too much time" to provide for these people -- who apparently don't have one single, goddamn person in their lives who they could've gone to stay with....that's weird to me.

What's more weird is what these fucking losers spent our tax dollars on - prepare to get angry. Very angry (from Associated Press):

• The investigative agency (GAO) said it found people lodged in hotels often were paid twice, since FEMA gave them individual rental assistance and paid hotels directly.
• FEMA paid California hotels $8,000 to house one individual — the same person who received three rental assistance payments for both disasters.
• FEMA paid an individual $2,358 in rental assistance, while at the same time paying about $8,000 for the same person to stay 70 nights at more than $100 per night in a Hawaii hotel.

Items purchased with the debit cards:

• an all-inclusive, one-week Caribbean vacation in the Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic.
• five season tickets to New Orleans Saints professional football games.
• adult erotica products in Houston and "Girls Gone Wild" videos in Santa Monica, Calif.
• Dom Perignon champagne and other alcoholic beverages in San Antonio.
• a divorce lawyer's services in Houston.

Nice, huh?? Maybe the next time Minneapolis has a blizzard, heat wave, flood or tornado, the government will give me money for a Hawaiian vacation, where I can attend a football game, drink champagne, order porn and hire an attorney -- all on YOUR dime!! God knows I could use a vacation since I probably don't even have a job in the first place...

Sound like a plan?

The good news is that a lot of these jerks have been identified and hopefully prosecuted.

What a bunch of fucking losers...

Good lord...

As Jim Morrison once sang, "People are strange...when you're a stranger...."

So, I meet this dude online tonight. Pathetic? Maybe. Realistic for the gays? Definitely.

Anyway -- I meet this dude online tonight and we're chatting. He's good looking...about my age and also in Minneapolis. Then he wants me to come over. Well, let's be honest. He wants me to come over to....well, you can imagine. I told him I didn't think that would happen. Then here's what happened:

OtherGuy: are you a niggie?
kiddo78: a what??
OtherGuy: a niggie
kiddo78: what's that?!
OtherGuy: i'll give u one guess
kiddo78: ummm.....black??
OtherGuy: ding ding ding
kiddo78: do I look black??
kiddo78: and why would you ask that anyway??
OtherGuy: jesus, you stupid ass
OtherGuy: i'm not asking you
kiddo78: i'm not stupid
OtherGuy: you play one on tv
kiddo78: you said, "are you a niggie?" --- that's asking a question, isn't it??
OtherGuy: that might be a question
kiddo78: i think you have problems
OtherGuy: just cuz i'm a racist......that's a problem?
kiddo78: racist?!?!
kiddo78: you're kidding, right??
OtherGuy: i don't like the darkies
kiddo78: are you drunk??
OtherGuy: No

I guess when looking at his pictures (he is cute), the Appalachian Mountains and bottle of beer in both hands should have been a red flag....so yeah, ONLY me, folks.....only me. I sure can pick 'em!!!

GAWD!!!

Do I have "Freak Magnet" written on my forehead????

Blah, Blah...Boring Sheep

Yeah, I've been on a blogging hiatus again. Mostly because nothing is new. Nothing exciting going on. Just everyday life type stuff.

Memorial Weekend was good. I got drunk with some friends Friday night. I don't remember what I did or where I was, so nothing exciting! Drove to my Mom's in Lake City the next day, where two sisters, a brother, 2 bro-in-laws, 2 nieces and my Mom were to be. A day of boating was planned on Lake Pepin. I actually got there on time. Pretty sure they all nearly had a heart attack over that one.

We got everything to the boat landing and the sun went away. The water became very choppy. We decided to brave it anyway. My sister's family-sized boat nearly sank as the waves were flooding on to my niece and me at the front of the boat (is that the bough or the stern??). One sister screamed, "It's Poseidon!!" And I yelled, "We're capsizing!!!" With that it started to rain and we turned around and went back to my Mom's. I had several brandy slushes and we celebrated my niece's 7th birthday and my grandmother's 88th birthday -- Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

On Sunday the weather was very nice, so we had a successful boat trip this time. I came back to Minneapolis and met a couple friends at The Bolt for beer bust and showtunes. I love not having to work on Monday!

Actual Memorial Day was spent in my air conditioning on the couch, as it was very hot.

Work is boring and I'm in a slow slump/bad luck streak since FEBRUARY!!

This weekend is busy.

Tonight I MIGHT drive up to a MN city called St. Cloud. It's about an hour north of Minneapolis. Friend Jeff will be here. He's FINALLY coming back to our Minneapolis from his North Dakota hometown. He did a temporary move back there in January to be closer to his father, who was dying of cancer. Sadly, his dad did pass away in late April. He's driving back to Minneapolis as I type. He's stopping to spend the night with an old friend of his in St. Cloud and I'm thinking about going up there too...

My niece graduates from Mayo High School in Rochester tomorrow, so I'll go there in the afternoon for her party. She has Down's Syndrome, so we're happy for her! She wants the newest Playstation 2 game, Dragonball Z: Budokai Tagenchi, from her Uncle Kiddo...That should be fun asking the clerk to find. I'll just write on a piece of paper and throw on the counter and say, "I need that. Now. Thanks."

After the graduation, I'll drive back to Minneapolis and attend the soiree of dear old sorority sister Amanda and her husband. They bought a house in a northern suburb called Blaine. I don't get to the northern suburbs...ever...so, I'm a little excited! Kidding. Anyway - it should be fun to see their friends again, many of whom I also went to college, but didn't know very well.

THEN - I think Jeff will be back in Minneapolis, so I'm sure he'll want to hit the queer bars after being in North Dakota for 4 months.

HOPE Y'all have a splendid weekend (and apparently now I'm from Texas)!



Jeff (in the cowboy hat) and me are in the center of this picture, taken a year ago at Minneapolis Pride...