2009 Trip to England....Part II

(....Continued....March 12, 2009 - My 31st Birthday)

Upon leaving Alnmouth, we went back to Robin's, changed clothes, then went to Katie's flat for some wine before going out, where Michael and Luke joined us. Katie lives right in the main, "downtown," part of Alnwick. From there, we went to a pub/bar called Hairy Lemon for a few. Oddly, nobody really recognized that it was my birthday (of course, I told everyone). Of course, I wasn't bothered by it, b/c I didn't really know the ppl with whom I was hanging out. Still fun! We wound up back at Penny Black, which was also a lot of fun. Michael and I talked quite a bit until he got asked to leave...??? Afterwards, Robin and I walked back to his place while he told me what the Brits like to see when they come to America, i.e., yellow cabs, fire hydrants (they don't have them there), blue mail boxes, etc.

And that was my awesome 31st birthday in England!!


** FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009 **

I decided to wander around Alnwick again while Robin was at work. Had lunch at some dump across from the town hall...It looked cute at first, but then realized it was probably a dive. The food was nasty, but had a pint and read some English newspapers. Also, stole some beer coasters. A few other tourists (but English) came in. I took some pics of the town hall and then came across Penny Black & took a pic so Steph could see which building they are talking about (it's opened since she left Alnwick). Then I went to a bar/restaurant inside Alnwick Castle for a pint, signed the guestbook and made my exit, which led me back to Hairy Lemon. The staff recognized me as Robin's friend from America, so started talking to me and let me take a pint glass for a souvenir. I talked to Gemma, Jody, Martin...also the owners...for a while, then realized that I better get back to Robin's, as he would be home soon. Jody was finishing her shift, so offered to give me a lift. Since I had his keys, thank god he was just arriving as we were.

Robin informed me that it was "Red Nose," or "Comic Relief" day. We went to the store for some wine, since he had invited Katie, Luke, Donna and Ben over to watch Comic Relief. I did my part for humanity by purchasing one of the red noses (1 pound went to charity for each red nose sold). We had a good time watching British humor variety hour(s)! Then, after they all left, Robin and I wound up having a few more drinks and a good talk -- stayed up late!


** SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2009 **

In the morning, Robin's Mom had called wanting him to go shopping with her...She had seen something on sale at a local store that she thought he'd want. So, he dropped me off in the main part of Alnwick and I went to a little restaurant called Grannie's. The host took me downstairs, to the "tea room," where lunch was served. It was really small, but very quaint...(Note to self: to replicate an English Tea Room, add a fireplace and exposed beams)

After that, Robin picked me up and we went back to the Lemon, where Michael met us. Then Katie and Luke showed up. After a little while, they left so Katie could find a new skirt and a new bangle or three. Robin, Michael and I just wound up hanging out there with a few pints for a while. FUN!

It was my last night in England, so we all decided to have a pre-pub at Katie's. Robin and I went to change, then picked Michael up and then to an "off-sale" for wine. We proceeded to Katie's flat, which is above a store, where she made fajitas for us. Robin informed me that her building was at least from the 1700s (another history buff, I guess).

Upon leaving there, we went to the Lemon for one, where I said "bye" to the people I had met. Then to Penny Black for a while....or, maybe we went somewhere else first. Unless Penny Black has an upstairs (??), we went somewhere else for one. Anyway, at Penny Black, Katie and Michael and I were having quite a time dancing, etc. Robin saw some other friends and told me he was going to the Alnwick Squash Club (a bar) if I didn't mind, or wanted to go with him. I told him that I'd see him there later and stayed with Michael and Katie. We went to the Squash Club a little later and it was PACKED...waited in line, up a stairwell, for a while, but then finally got in. The crowd was a little young for my taste, and PACKED....so I didn't really like it there.

Robin, Michael and I walked back to Robin's and crashed.


** SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2009 **

Got up late the next morning...frantically packed and we sped off to Alnmouth, where I had to meet my train to Newcastle. Robin told me that flights from Newcastle to London were sometimes only 35 pounds...I called, but they were way expensive that day (of course). We barely made it to the train on-time, where I was pleasantly surprised to see Katie and Luke waiting to say good-bye to me! I thought that was really nice. Anyway, I quickly said my "thanks" and "good-bye" and was off to Newcastle. The train was pretty much empty.

NEWCASTLE....Nightmare finding the train to London (you'd think it would be easy). The train that was supposed to leave an hour before was cancelled, so now there are two train-loads of ppl to go on one train...needless to say, nowhere to sit. I shoved my way through and found a little spot to set my luggage down, which provided me a place to perch during the long ride to London. We had to get off the train at some town b/c the tracks were under construction...I had no idea where to go, but finally figured out where the others on their way to London were going and boarded a BUS. Took that to some other town, where I had to transfer again to catch a train to London. Not just London in general, but to Kings Cross Station. NIGHTMARE. Finally got there, and realized I needed to take the Tube to Heathrow. The Tube was packed and I'm starting to worry b/c I'm an hour behind where I thought I'd be. Finally got to Heathrow and again...a nightmare b/c I didn't have actual tickets, just e-tickets, so the people at Air Canada thought I was suspicious. It was awful, but finally got through and took my flight to Toronto.

I actually slept most of the way from London to Toronto...even missed the breakfast call. All I really recall is that there was a very cute set of twins in the seats ahead of me who were my age and from Toronto. Also, that nobody was sitting next to me, so I got two seats all to myself!

Landed in Toronto late...realized my flight to Minneapolis wasn't until the morning, so used the hotel connect line to find a cheap room. Waited forever for their shuttle (while directing other confused people which shuttle they needed to board) and finally got to a room, where I immediately crashed.


** MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2009 **

Flight was the next morning and I thankfully woke up on time to catch the shuttle to the airport.

Experienced claustrophobia during the flight because I was wedged between the window (I asked for aisle) and some dude. I seriously started kinda freaking and the dude tried to help me pull the sleeves on my jacket to get it off....then the flight attendant let him take a set of seats to himself so I could have that set of seats to myself. I seriously felt trapped, hot and panicked...

Landed in Minneapolis. Took the lite rail to downtown. Lugged my suitcase to a bus and FINALLY got home at about noon on Monday....which meant about 6:00 PM in England...which meant about 32 hours of traveling to get home (including the sleep in Toronto).

AND....I can't wait to go back!!!!

Spring 2009 Trip to England (a new beginning)...

I spontaneously went back to England last month...since I'm laid-off and have nothing better to do (hence, no worries about vacation time). I have since come up with documentation of the trip :

I had a trip back to England booked several months prior thinking I'd just charge it...plus, I had some frequent flyer miles and a little $$ socked away. Then I got layed-off and intended on cancelling it altogether, but kept putting that off (maybe in the hopes that I'd win the lottery or find a grant....??).

Anyway, I finally called the requisite 24 hours before departure intending to cancel. The lady told me there were now MUCH cheaper flights available since it was last-minute....So, I decided to go. Again, departure is next day....so I had a little while to pack/get ready. Yet, had absolutely no plans or agenda after my arrival to London Heathrow.

Luckily, my friend Steph has a friend in England whom I've met before, Robin. He came to Minneapolis for a visit last fall...Steph knows him due to her study abroad experiences to Alnwick, Northumberland, England...(which, by the way, is the same place I was supposed to do a study abroad during the spring/summer of 1998, but had to cancel due to financial aid complications). Also, it's pronounced Annick.

ANYWAY...Danny gave me a ride to the airport and I took Air Canada to Toronto. Then proceeded to make my obligatory "I'll be away for a while" text messages and phone calls...and responded to the "What the hell???" responses from everyone. Next, the flight to Heathrow....I watched Changeling (and some other movie...don't remember) during the long flight across the Atlantic Ocean (7 hours). I can very rarely sleep on planes.

I arrived in London with only the expectation that Steph would call/e-mail Robin that I'd travel to Northern England a couple days later....no reservations were had for my stay in London.

Landed, then customs was a nightmare b/c I didn't have an actual ticket (my booking was all done electronically), nor a specific address of where I'd be staying in England. Let's just say she was not a native English person and I suspect she doesn't like Americans. Anyway, I finally got thru...was the LAST on my flight to do so...

I have been to London before, in 1999, so their subway (The Tube) was not foreign to me...I knew there was some train that went directly from Heathrow to Paddington Station, so I found that pretty easily and off I went. Arrived there and it hadn't changed a bit. Took another line to Picadilly Circus and realized that I can't just wander around looking for accomodation, so went back down into the station and found a help area. She directed me to a British Tourist Authority and I lugged my stupidly-large suitcase through those busy streets of London a while before I located that office. There, a nice guy named John helped me find a 3-star hotel at a very discounted, last-minute rate at The Best Western Burns Hotel in Kensington, which is the same area of London I stayed at in 1999. I had to take the tube to Earl's Court Station (again, same as 1999) and found the place quite easily. The last time there, I was 21, so stayed at a Hostel (sharing a room with Canadians and Australians), so this time, my own room was a novelty....although it was about the size of an American walk-in closet....But, no worries, since I only intended to sleep there anyway....

Slept for a while, then went to the hotel's little pub (it was night by this time) and had a typical English sandwich and a pint. Then decided to see what was around the neighborhood. Ran across some girl who asked, "Have you a fag, love??" I knew that meant cigarette. So I gave her one and then she, in Cockney accent, asked if I was there for business or pleasure. I said I was there on vacation and she said she had business if I was interested....I did a dumb American look and realized what she meant by "business" and promptly went on my merry way. John said he thought that area of London might be a little on the gay side...but I only found one "club" (pubs only stay open until about 11:00...clubs stay open later), which was just Mediterranean in theme. It was BORING...the only others there were a college-aged American couple from Michigan. Tried to find a bus to Soho (or is it SoHo?), then wound up taking a red taxi. He dropped me at a place that he said was between 2 different main gay streets. Well, nothing seemed open except this downstairs place called The Arts. Went down there and had a couple drinks. It was apparently '80s night and a few drunks were dancing. Then, a guy in a suit started flirting. He was drunk. But, about 40 and good looking, named Martin. His friend, a girl, asked me to dance and I declined (not in the mood yet). She called me pathetic and I could hear that she was American...later, I found out Seattle (duh). Martin thought I looked to be in the CIA since I was just sitting there, not talking to anyone. Then a guy named Ian, an ex-pat from Canada, came up to me and encouraged me to go with Martin, claiming that Martin is a rich business man. I still declined and Martin finally quit trying (he was really drunk). Ian and his friend (a little guy of Asian decent) and I got a Mercedes car service to find another club. Instead, our driver found an off-sale, so I just went back to my hotel....even though Ian and friend wanted a different outcome.

Next day was Tuesday in good ol' London. Slept a little late and found a SuperCuts on Earl's Court for a desperately needed haircut. Then took the tube to Picadilly Circus and then walked thru Central London to Westminster Abbey (very nice to be on the tube without the stupid suitcase). Decided to spend the L12 (12 pounds) to tour that since I never did in '99. Saw where Queen Elizabeth II was coronated (and I stood there a moment for dramatic's sake). The same altar area where Princess Diana's funeral was held. Then saw where Queen Elizabeth I (and Catherine of Aragon and Mary, Queen of Scots), as well as many ancient Kings, were entombed. In the same chapel, there is still a small hole in the wall (glassed-in)...left as a remnant of those damn German bomb attacks (Blitzkrieg) during World War II.

After that tour, I went to a cafe for fish-n-chips at a place called Churchill Cafe...it was okay. I never had fish-n-chips during my 1999 trip, so thought I better this time (Note to self...next time, get it from a street vendor).

Walked thru the Royal Parks (or is it Gardens?), past the WWII headquarter buildings and then past Buckingham Palace (btw, the Queen was in residence)....then finally back to the hotel. Wrote a couple postcards at the Blackbird Inn near my hotel and went back to change clothes. Walked down to a place with a rainbow flag, which I saw the night before...a sign said they opened at 8:00, so went to some random pub across the street for a pint of Carling. Went back to rainbow flag place and discovered they had recently closed down. So, took another cab (their back seats are huge...like an American limo) to SoHo. Went to a place called Comptons, where I had a couple pints and nobody talked to me. So went to some other random place, where they were also pre-occupied with their own groups (understandable...we are also like that in Minneapolis). HOWEVER....when in Minneapolis, if I see someone standing alone, I will usually ask them what's up...But, whatever...London is a lot bigger. Took a rickshaw taxi to the 2:00 Club (or is 3:00 Club). VERY 21-ish type-place...a little like The Saloon in Minneapolis, or Roscoe's in Chicago. All the guys were wearing "FITCH" or "Abercrombie" or "A&F" shirts...kinda like we did from 1999-2004. I was actually a little surprised, b/c, seriously...anyone under 30 was wearing that. Some dudes, while I was out smoking, guessed that I am American and we all talked for a few minutes. Saw them a little bit later and was ignored. Apparently my non-FITCH attire was a problem. Took a cab back to hotel.

On Wednesday, took the tube to Kings Cross station, where I knew my train to Northern England would be. Called Robin (again, my friend Steph's friend who was in Minneapolis last fall) to confirm my trip there and took a train to Newcastle. Went thru several towns...most typical, some rather "English cute," but mostly noticed they actually have scarecrows in the countryside! Also, people park near railroad bridges and seem to just be sitting there...some with binoculars. I couldn't figure out what they are looking at....maybe Trainspotting?? Also, there was a weird guy on the train who kept walking up/down the aisle and smiling at me. Freaks love me.

Got to Newcastle (about 3-hour train trip) and thank God Robin was there (even though we had never actually spoken about my going there)! We had a pint at the train station pub and then walked thru Newcastle, which is a lot bigger than I thought...I'm guessing it must be about the size of St. Paul. They have a lite rail and we took that to Robin's car (he was already in Newcastle for work anyway). Then the 30-mile trip to Alnwick in his little blue Vauxhall (I think that's the make -- popular in England, anyway). We got to Robin's and watched Paul O'Grady (popular talk show there) while Robin got his friends rounded up for the evening.

We walked down, thru a "gate," to a pub/club called Penny Black, where Katie was waiting for us. She's a tall, cute, funny blonde. Then Donna and her boyfriend, Ben (a member of the Royal Air Force), met us...she is also very cute and fun! Then their friend Michael, who manages the BP in Alnwick, met us....as did Katie's boyfriend, Luke (also an RAF member). We just had a rather mellow night. Discovered that Michael was BORN while my sister, Kristen, was studying in Alnwick! Then Robin and I walked back to his house...about 10 minutes, or so, from the main area of Alnwick.

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009 (MY 31st BIRTHDAY)

Robin went to work in a nearby town called Ashington and then I got up and went to explore Alnwick. The castle was closed and I didn't want to spend L12 to see the Duchess Gardens, so I just walked all over the town taking pictures....Stopped by Oddfellows and Ye Olde Cross (The Bottles) for a pint while waiting for Robin...which was fun! The Bottles is considered by locals to be a trashy place, but I thought it was very quaint....very "Olde English" with exposed beams...very English pub'ish.

Also went to Bailiff Gate Museum, which is all about Alnwick and surrounding area. Then called Robin from an agreed-upon location (a restaurant where his friend works) and then walked back to his place to meet him. On the way, some little boy was walking home and he didn't realize I was behind him...he was singing in his little high-pitched English accent and it was very cute! I chuckled and carried along. Anyway, Robin & Katie returned and wanted to go to the beach. I, thinking "the beach" may be a pub, asked Katie what that was...She looked at me like an invalid and replied, "Ummm....the seashore??" DUH -- Remember, we don't have 'seashore' in Minnesota! Anyway, we drove to a quaint village called Alnmouth (I still don't know how to pronounce it...ALN-mouth, I think). We walked along the shore and I pocketed a couple English coast rocks. Robin told us how the Germans used to drop their bombs around that area during WWII in order to get rid of weight after attacking London....one house in Alnmouth got hit. It is a very cute little village...We stopped at a quaint pub called The Sun Inn, where there's a fireplace lit, several small tables and locals quietly chatting...and someone brought their dog in. Again, exposed beams and very "English...."
(I am stopping for now b/c this is getting very long....and not even finished....!!) Pictures later...

In Memory of Bill

Some of you may remember me commenting about my friend Bill a lot on here. He's the first friend I made when I moved to Mpls 4 years ago. Tragically, he died last month of a heart attack at 34 years old. It was a shock and a really rough week. I was in the middle of Iowa, on my way back from Kansas City visiting college friend Tara, when friend John Jon called with the bad news. I don't even remember the rest of the drive back to Mpls.

No '80s party, or White Trash party, or any party around here will be the same without Bill. I miss him...

(I went a whole 6 months without posting...I think that's a record.)

March 12, 1978 ---- It's What's Happenin'

I was born 30 years ago today!!

Here's what was happening:

March 12, 1978

President: Jimmy Carter
VP: Walter Mondale

PRICES:
House: $64,370
Car: $4645
Milk: $1.44
Gas: .65
Bread: .33
Stamp: .13
Income: $10,671

Top Songs (March 1978):
Night Fever (Bee Gees), Stayin' Alive (Bee Gees), Emotion (Samantha Sang), Lay Down Sally (Eric Clapton), Thicker Than Water (Andy Gibb), Can't Smile Without You (Barry Manilow), I Go Crazy (Paul Davis), Sometimes When We Touch (Dan Hill), Dance, Dance, Dance (Chic), Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)

Top TV Shows (1977-1978 season):
Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days, Three's Company, Charlie's Angels, All in the Family, Little House on the Prairie, 60 Minutes, M*A*S*H, One Day at a Time, Alice

Top 1978 Movies (from film.com):
The Deer Hunter, Midnight Express, Grease, Superman, Halloween, Animal House, Dawn of the Dead, Same Time Next Year, Days of Heaven, Up in Smoke


SPORTS:
SuperBowl XIII: Dallas Cowboys over Denver Broncos
NBA Championship: Washington Bullets over Seattle Supersonics
World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers
Stanley Cup: Montreal over Boston
NCAA Basketball: Kentucky over Duke

So long to my 20s

Today is the last day of my 20s...Yep, I turn 30 tomorrow.

It's kind of weird in a way, but then again, I feel like I've been in my 20s for-ever! I'm not feeling at all old, so that's good, I guess. It's now cliche, but it seems that 30 is the new 20. I don't really even know what that's supposed to mean, but I'll go with it!

I wouldn't want to be 20 again anyway. Nor would I want to relive my 20s. There have been A LOT of fun memories, but I think my 30s will be much more productive and stabile. I still look about the same (maybe better), make more money and "know" myself better now than I did in my early and mid-twenties. Plus, the whole job situation and relationships were both pretty much a nightmare in my 20s. I've learned a lot from all those bad experiences, however.

In addition, everyone I've talked to who've been in their 30s for a while always says that your 30s are better than your 20s....And since I'm smarter now than I was at 20, I'm going to listen to my elders and believe what they say!

It was an interesting 10 years! I started this age decade as a shy, closeted college boy at a small state university and am ending it a lot more confident in every way possible with a career in the city...My 20s will probably be the most change I'll ever see in one decade again.

So....20s, you've been fun and we've had a good 10 years together, but it's time for you to quietly slip away. I will revisit you often with the photos we took and in our stories with old friends of all the fun times that were had! So long.....

And hello to my 30s!

Dreaming of Dionne

I guess my new-found appreciation of American Idol is even finding a round-about way into my dreams.

Last night I had a dream that I was a Ryan Seacrest-ish type personality and had some sort of show to host. Where did I go to get ready for the show?? To Dionne Warwick's house of all places. She was in the bathroom teasing her hair and I had to stand in her hallway to give myself a trendy look (although in real life, my hair is far too short for the messy, tossled look).

Anyway, in the dream, Dionne and I were friends so I didn't find it strange at all that we were getting ready for the show together (nor that she lived in a one-bedroom apartment). I asked Dionne if she had any gel or MOUSSE I could use (yes, I asked her for mousse...is this the '80s?). Ya know what kind of gel Ms. Dionne Warwick uses?? DEP.

In the end, I couldn't get my hair to look right and finally just gave up...

The awards show was pretty casual because I was wearing jeans and a black button-down shirt. Dionne suddenly went from casual to wearing a gown. Once we got to the podium and said hello, I turned to Dionne and started singing, "From the moment I wake up....Before I put on my makeup.....I say a little prayer for you...."

To which the crowd was delighted. Dionne, however, was not.

And then I woke up and realized that it's just a snowy Wednesday morning in Minneapolis.

I'd rather be on my way to San Jose....

I (heart) Wisconsin

During work on Friday, I decided that an impromptu visit to my old stomping grounds of La Crosse, Wis., were in order. I hung out there quite a bit from 2002 - 2004, before I moved to Minneapolis. Calls were made and I discovered that both Bill and Danny wanted to join me. So, I picked up Danny after work, ran home to grab a change of clothes, then we picked up Bill and were on our way to La Crosse - about a 3 hour drive.

Actually, nothing too exciting happened, but it was fun. Ran into the group of guys I used to hang out with and it was fun to see them again. We also wound up meeting a couple guys who were also visiting and went back to their hotel room....Well, Bill stayed in our room with some random dude he met. Sorry I spent a good amount of money on a room that I didn't even sleep in....Oh well.

Danny and I made it back to our hotel room just before we were supposed to check out. Then we proceeded to another bar I used to hang out at and had a couple beers in there while playing the fun juke box. I had to really limit myself to a couple since I was driving.....blah!

We stopped in Winona to eat on our trek back to Minneapolis and met a really funny group of girls who were about 27. They were actually freshmen at Winona State during my senior year there, but I didn't know any of them...

Roadtrips are fun. But my car is a freakin' mess inside now. Drunks are messy, I've discovered. And things just seem to be taming down a little bit now that I'm nearly 30. If it had been the same road trip even just a few years ago, I'm sure we would've wound up staying in Winona b/c I would've wanted to have 8 beers before realizing that someone needed to drive the car....Oh, the joy of getting smarter as one grows older!

Dream Board.....Really?

I DVR Ms. Oprah every day. God knows I've grown up with Oprah, but I really only started watching her in the past several months....when my life really fell apart.

No, I am not a screaming, suburban white woman....Nor a teary-eyed single mother of two (nor any teary-eyed person, for that matter).

I do, however, sometimes get inspired by our moral gatekeeper: Oprah.

Love her!

Ya know what?? I actually did get inspired by the whole "dream board" thing. Seriously.

The idea comes from a book called The Promise. The jist is to envision what you want in life and then make a bulletin board or list with those things on it...somewhere where you'll see it everyday. Then you are always thinking about the possibilities and you naturally start creating a path that leads to those good outcomes.

I guess my upstairs neighbor watches Oprah, because his list is coming true for him every weekend....He's either a serial killer or a hot dude because there is always some sort of female moaning going on at all hours of the night up there (note to self: if a few Minneapolis women go missing....we know where to look). I'm guessing he envisioned all this lust for himself and it's clearly coming true (unless he's killing people, of course). Sidenote: Wow -- Is there a porn movie being filmed upstairs? Oh -- somebody just stomped, or fell off a bed.....or got violently shoved on the floor. It's not for me to say....

Back to the point: I think my own Oprahfication is starting to pay off!

Leading up to Oprah's Dream Board:

I had the worst late 2007 ever. I got fired for no real reason (I really wasn't given a reason and was performing well -- not to use the "gay card," but my boss really was a homophobe). Anyway, after being fired, I got the attitude of "well, just fuck everything then!" THEN, my boyfriend (the first I've actually cared about in 6 years) dumped my ass....for having a "fuck it" attitude after being fired. THEN -- I got a new job that is....well, just punishment for being a negative person.

And then along came Oprah.

I saw that "dream board" episode and just got typically bitchy / bitter about it. Here I am, laying on the couch in 3-day old pajamas with M&Ms and booze bottles all over the goddamn living room thinking, "Yeah right, lady...."

But then I saw some people who really felt that envisioning their happiness helped them (I know -- puke, right?). But they did make me start to think...

Well, I thought I can either sit here and continue being miserable and bitchy or do something about it.

I made that damn list. Here are the first few items:

1. Wake up on Monday and not scream bloody murder

2. Make good commission (and therefore, quit worrying about bills / money every damn day)

And guess what?? Two weeks later, I was connected to a new job opportunity out of the blue by a former colleague. They found me...I wasn't even looking! They asked if I would come in and meet them....everything sounded great and exactly what's missing from current job. The meeting went well and long story short, they made me an offer to join their team and I accepted! The base salary and commission plan are both better than what I had at the job that fired me for no reason....I just "know" this is going to work out for me (even though the job isn't in downtown Minneapolis, where I prefer to work, it's in a suburb, but oh well)!

And that's the first of many things to come, I think. For instance (after landing a new job that doesn't make me want to slit my wrists every morning), now I will focus on the rest of my list:

3. Buy a condo downtown (with a view) - until I can afford a real house.....

4. Buy furniture and get rid of the "1976 American Garage Sale" theme that I've had since college

5. Meet a good looking, classy, smart, stylish, fun, charismatic guy who thinks I'm the one --- and who would never get rid of me....even if I ever happen to be in the gutter

6. Eat more of what my upstairs neighbor is eating (unless it's va-jay-jay or humans)

7. Get a cool old house in the Kenwood neighborhood

8. Drive a black Mercedes

9. Retire at or before 60

10. Not die alone


So.....Thanks, Oprah! Now I have a headache from forcing myself to be happy....it's an acquired feeling that I'm sure I'll get used to!

Black Thursday

Yeah, Happy Valentines Day. I don't really even know why I realized that it is V-Day....Oh, that's right. Because everyone at work has to fucking talk about it all fucking morning.

The last time I was with someone for V-Day was 2001.

Oh well....Maybe next year! In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy the good things about being single, like doing whatever I want!

Tonight I plan to go to Walgreens and stomp on a few boxes of chocolate, tear up a few Valentine cards and whip some shit around. Then calmly exit (before the police arrive).

Traffic Can be Dangerous

The 2000 movie, Traffic, starring Michael Douglas and the always-lovely, Catherine Zeta Jones, was on TV last night. I DVR'd it (in case you're not familiar with DVR, it's the same as Tivo).

I had a sort of "flashback" while watching it this evening. Something I had forgotten about. Allow me to become Sophia Petrillo-esque for a moment, will you?

PICTURE IT:
South Chicago - 2001
I was 23, a year out of college, and had just moved to Chicago from Minnesota. In a quest to find a job, I was using the computer lab at Moraine Valley Community College (somewhere in the south suburbs --- if you're familiar with Chicagoland, I was living in Oak Lawn at the time with a college friend and his roommate).

Naturally, my Internet job search also ventured into seeking a boyfriend and/or a few gay friends with whom to hang out.

On Gay.Com, I met a closeted Chicago cop. We started e-mailing back and forth.

After a couple weeks, I agreed to meet him at a total south Chicago neighborhood bar -- I think it was near Hyde Park. The people were all of Irish or Polish heritage, anyway...

Well, he turned out to be kinda interesting and good looking (even though he arrived about 30 minutes late). Hi -- It's a Chicago cop. I didn't question his timeliness. We agreed to go to his house to hang out since it was kinda loud in that little bar.

The first thing that struck me as kind of odd was that he insisted that I was a college student. I reminded him a couple times that I had actually finished college the year previous. Then, he said that on our way to his place (we drove seperate), that I should go into the liqour store and buy beer. Not just "some" beer, but a 12-pack of Heineken. At 23 and unemployed, buying Heineken was like buying Giorgio when Designer Imposter would suffice. Also, he's 31 and gainfully employed, yet tells me to go buy expensive beer....I should have just kept driving home.

Well, we get to his place and I "listen" as he proceeds to explain to me the intricacies of being a closeted Chicago cop and how annoying it is to see the "Gay Cops" float in Pride parades, etc. Being 23, in new city and pretty inexperienced, I just thought "whatever."

THEN -- he proceeded to keep calling me college boy and kept insisting that Minneapolis sucks compared to Chicago and how the skyline in Minneapolis has nothing on Chicago's. I did manage to declare: "Well, first of all....I'm not from Minneapolis. I'm from Minnesota, but not the Twin Cities metro area, so I don't really care. Also, I'm not a college boy anymore. Finally, I would hope that Chicago is "better" and has a more impressive skyline, considering it's about 2-3 times bigger than Minneapolis / St. Paul."

With that, we put in the movie Traffic (a very good movie, BTW).

Then, yes, I did wind up hooking up w/ his Gay Chicago Cop arrogant ass.

In my own defense (if I'm even allowed anymore at this point), he did call me a few days later and I didn't call him back.

So, anyway, the movie Traffic just reminded me of that little story.

PS /// South Chicago cop, Steve --- We don't care if your skyline is better. Jerk.

Gays Mills? No, Gay's Movies...

Friends have been borrowing movies from my collection lately.

In an effort to take inventory of my DVD collection (there are still VHS too, but we won't count those yet), I offer you:

The. Gayest. Movie. Collection. EVEEERRRRR!!!!!! (in alphabetical order)

1. 9 to 5
2. A Place in the Sun (Liz Taylor)
3. A River Runs Through It
4. The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
5. Alex & Emma (shitty movie randomly sent to me by Columbia House)
6. All Over the Guy
7. Biloxi Blues
8. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Liz Taylor)
9. Closer
10. Clueless
11. Cruel Intentions
12. Empire of the Sun
13. Erin Brockovich
14. The Goonies
15. Gosford Park
16. Gypsy
17. Hoosiers
18. Hope and Glory
19. Hush
20. Jawbreaker
21. La Bamba
22. Mean Girls
23. Mommie Dearest
24. My Best Friend's Wedding
25. Office Space
26. One True Thing
27. Ordinary People
28. The Others
29. Peggy Sue Got Married
30. Postcards from the Edge
31. Riding in Cars With Boys
32. The Royal Tenenbaums
33. The Rules of Attraction
34. Shag
35. Sixteen Candles
36. Splendor in the Grass
37. Stand by Me
38. Steel Magnolias
39. Stepmom
40. The Sweetest Thing
41. Terms of Endearment
42. There's Something About Mary
43. Titanic
44. V - The Original Mini-Series
45. V- The Final Battle (God only knows why I have these)
46. Vacation
47. Walk the Line
48. War of the Worlds
49. Wet, Hot American Summer
50. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Liz Taylor)
51. Wonder Woman: Season One

STOLEN (by some cute breeder guy who shared a cab with me and said, "Dude, I just need a place to stay tonight....my friends left me....Do you mind?")

1. Chicago
2. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
3. American Beauty
4. Animal House
5. Dazed and Confused
6. A couple more that I can't think of yet....


I'm guessing he pawned them for cigarette money the next day...And this is why I never trust breeders anymore. All I got in return was his socks (that I threw away). I guess still-drunk straight guys don't notice the "no socks effect" when they put on their shoes.....Must be the fact that they're making away with a bunch of free DVDs. Bastards!

I will get even. Oh, I *will* get even.....

I'm sorry....Did I turn fat??

I remember when I was the cute, young guy. It was 1999 and I was barely 21, with a goatee (we all had them then). I was brand new to hanging out at gay bars....and a guy even bought a beer for me.

I guess I'm getting older b/c nobody has sent a beer in my direction since 2003. Oh well!

You breeders don't even know how hard....ahem, difficult....it is.

Gay guys are so picky!

"God, give me the strength to be gay in this Society. And lead me not into temptation. For, thine is the.....Well, just please help me from being fucked over again. Amen."

And to this, I pray....

Happy (Belated) New Year.

It's 2008. The year I turn 30.....Yay, me!

Christmas was once again a drama. My eldest sister attended for the first time since 1997. Not due to distance, but just having no desire to go. Well, it only took a couple hours for tears to be shed and the "I'm leaving" announcement. Another sister managed to calm her down and she stayed. I would have been rather disappointed if nothing like that did happen, truth be told. It's never a true all-family get together for us until someone says, "What's that supposed to mean??" (I stole that line from Ellen, by the way)

Anyway -- It hit me this year that my Mom is getting older and not wanting to do Christmas the same way I remember since as long as I can remember. There were fewer gifts...a couple of our traditional foods were missing....the huge Christmas tree replaced with a medium-sized. Kind of sad, really. I can see how older people don't really enjoy Christmas anymore.

<>
Christmas 2057 -- I'm 79 years old and alone (still) -- my last boyfriend dumped me 50 years prior. I haven't had a significant other over the holidays since 2000.
Most of my siblings are now dead. I imagine that one of my nieces is hosting Christmas this year. The niece yells to her adult children, "Somebody has to go get Uncle Kiddo78! We can't forget again like we did last year! He's all alone, you know!!"
A great-great nephew sighs and is burdened with driving to pick me up.
I've been ready to go for 3 hours and am almost annoyed that "Titanic" is on TOOCMC (The Old Old Classic Movie Channel) and now I won't be able to watch it for the 2,395th time. But, satisfied that I have watched nearly the entire marathon of "A Christmas Story" on TMC, I shuffle to answer the door when I finally hear the great-nephew pounding on it with a brick.
I let my great-nephew help me to the car.
"Oh, great," I think. "I can smell that one of his kids vomited in here this morning."
We ride in silence.
All I want is the warm food and a piece of pie and a blanket. Then I'm taken home with my gift of a jigsaw puzzle (and I'm nearly blind) and some slippers.

Wow -- that's a nice thought to look forward to.

I can't wait until Christmas 2057!

OH WELL --- New Years was okay. Danny and I went to a party at his friend's condo downtown. Fun, but nothing really to write home about. I did almost throw the host's cat to its death off his 20th floor balcony, but I was scared to go too close to it, for this cat is of the devil and certainly evil. I started calling it "Lucy," short for Lucifer.

Merry Christmas.....Dammit!

To anyone who think it's "offensive" for people to go around saying "Merry Christmas" this time of year. Please read what was written by Ben Stein, who happens to be Jewish:

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart:I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is, either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are. Is this what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.Next confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

When did all of this controversy start about saying "Merry Christmas" to someone? It's not like you're telling them to go to hell, or something else that's understandably offensive. I'm not even a practicing Christian, but it is Christmastime, after all. And it's also Hannukah and whatever else people celebrate these days (Festivus?). If someone wished me a Happy Kwanzaa, I'd smile and politely say, "Thank you. And Merry Christmas!"

What's so damn insensitive about that?!

Like it or not, the majority of Americans are the "Merry Christmas" type. So were our parents and their parents and their parents and their parents......and on & on......Deal with it!

Do the Hustle!

Well, at least it only took me a week to post again. Maybe I'm weening myself back into Blogger Land??

You've missed my wild weekends, haven't you?

Here's what's in store for this weekend - and might I add, in every sense of the term, Thank God it's Friday!! Uggghhh.....what a shitty week at work. Blah.

Anyway, this weekend:

Tonight, wild friend Jess is celebrating her 30th Bday! I don't know if I ever blogged about it, but she moved to Colorado last December to be with her boyfriend, who is now her fee-ants.

Anyway, we're going to Buca di Beppo in stupid Eden Prairie b/c Miss Jess waited until this morning to make reservations for downtown Buca!! Duhhh... I haven't eaten at Buca in a quite a while, so that should be good. Judging by how I feel about everything at the moment and my craving for a good hard drink, however, I'm not sure how much I'll partake in the dining as much as I'll partake in whatever booze they can offer besides wine (not a big wine fan here). I think there are 12 of us going.

THEN - it's off to the Gay '90s in good ol' downtown Minneapolis (or as I sometimes call it, "the hell away from the suburbs"). We're going to boogie the night away a la 1977 at the Retro Bar within this esteemed landmark. All that's played in the Retro Bar is '70s (mostly disco) and '80s music. It's fabulously fun. Nothing like celebrating someone born in 1977 than doing The Hustle at the Retro Room. I thought about dressing up in a leisure suit, but I'll save that for my own 3oth birthday in March...

Saturday - Not sure yet, but at some point, I'll venture over to NE Minneapolis to a little place called Elsie's Bowling Center (I think that's the official name, anyway). It's this place that my brother and his friends kind of adopted as their official group gathering spot. His ex-girlfriend (with whom we're all still friends) is having a going away party....she's moving to Utah to be with her new boyfriend. Maybe I'll have to go visit her so I can see some real polygamists, since Big Love is one of my favorite shows. I guess she's moving to Salt Lake City. All I think about when I think of SLC is The Osmonds and Ted Bundy (I remember watching that TV movie about him called The Deliberate Stranger, and he moved to SLC to continue his killing spree - yikes)!

Anyway - they will all be bowling, as usual, but I'm sure I'll just be sitting at a table with this girl named Rachel gossiping about everyone else! It's kind of a tradition we have. Actually a funny site to see all these 30-year-old yuppies at this neighborhood bar / bowling alley with the locals...Usually a good time, anyway!

Sunday will be my typical day of vegging and drinking Gatorade on the couch.

Liquor-ridden, waste of time & money to some.....but a little piece of heaven type-weekend for me!!


We may do "The Foxy Trot" tonight too...

Second to Last Titanic Survivor Dies

Awwww.....There's only one more Titanic survivor alive in this world (and she was only 2 months old at the time). Poor thing.

The second to last one died recently. Here's the story:

Barbara West Dainton, believed to be one of the last two survivors from the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, has died in England at age 96.
Dainton died Oct. 16 at a nursing home in Camborne, England, according to Peter Visick, a distant relative. Her funeral was held Monday at Truro Cathedral, Visick said Thursday.
Elizabeth Gladys "Millvina" Dean of Southampton, England, who was 2 months old at the time of the Titanic sinking, is now the disaster's only remaining survivor, according to the Titanic Historical Society.
The last American survivor, Lillian Gertrud Asplund, died in Massachusetts last year at age 99.
Dainton, born in Bournemouth in southern England in 1911, was too young to remember the night when the huge liner hit an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic in April 1912, killing 1,500 people, including her father, Edwy Arthur West.
He waved farewell as the lifeboat carrying Barbara; her mother, Ada; and her sister, Constance, was lowered into the ocean, according to Karen Kamuda of the Titanic Historical Society in Indian Orchard, Mass. His body was never identified.
The Titanic did not have enough lifeboats for all of 2,200 passengers and crew. Only a small number of those unable to find a place on the boats survived the freezing waters.
Dainton returned to England after the accident. She married in 1952.
She avoided publicity associated with the Titanic and even insisted that her funeral take place before any public announcement of her death, Kamuda said.
"We respected her privacy," Kamuda said. "We're so open with everything and our emotions nowadays, but people at that time, they just didn't talk about it."

I've been oddly fascinated in Titanic since I was a kid - Way before the over-hyped, over-romanticized movie (although I did like that too for the historical aspect). My interest probably stems from its rediscovery on the ocean floor in 1985 (or so). I remember there being quite a few survivors around at that time who would be interviewed - a majority of whom actually remembered being there. Now there's just one left...who was just a baby in 1912.

Apparently, the last American survivor died in 2006 and she was 5 at the time of the sinking, so had memories of it, yet didn't speak publicly about that night, nor her father, twin brother and 2 older brothers who drowned.

Anyway, I'm willing to guess that the last known survivor didn't have a tryst with Leo DiCaprio that night. Nor anyone named Jack, for that matter...

Minnesota Nice? Or Minnesota Ice?

While driving to work the other day, one of our local radio stations ( KQRS ) was the host of a discussion (or debate) about whether Minnesotans should be labeled "Minnesota Nice" or "Minnesota Ice."

Most people across the country have probably never even heard the term "Minnesota Nice," but since I live here, it's of interest to me. So deal with it and read on.
Everyone who called in had moved here from the almighty Coasts (whether it be East or West) expecting to be the most popular kid on the block from day one due to their automatic superiority of gracing we Midwestern hicks with their Coastal (or the Midwestern Saving Grace, Chicago) influence -- added to the fact that, upon moving here, they heard something about we natives being "Minnesota Nice."

The story goes that everyone (in general) is "nice" in Minnesota. As in, we treat everyone like a neighbor or friend with a welcoming, friendly "Hi! How ya doin'?" type demeanor. Or that we display the epitome of "giving the shirt off our backs," and "we treat everyone like we live in a small town" type mentality. (Sidenote: I grew up in small town MN with some of the most mean f'ers you can even imagine - seriously, a few of my HS classmates are in prison now).

Being a native of this state, I guess I'm probably biased, but I can see both sides.

I'd say it's fair to say that most people who move anywhere in Minnesota, whether it be from Alaska, Alabama, Seattle....or just from one area of the state to another.... experience more Minnesota Ice than Minnesota Nice. It doesn't matter if you're moving to Minneapolis....or Duluth....or Crookston....or Dodge Center (small town).....the fact is, we're really only "nice" and welcoming if you come up to us first and say hi. THEN we'll be nice to you. But probably won't call you the next day and invite you our next house/garage/apartment/bonfire party.

Reason: We Minnesotans (and I really suspect that everyone around the world is like this) -- We already have, and have had, our own circle of friends established before you moved to this country / state / area / town/city / neighborhood....It takes meeting you a few times before we'll remember to give a damn who you are or invite you to the next social gathering.

Isn't that the same in Chicago....New York....Seattle....Calcutta?!?

Why are we Minnesotans the ones blamed for being icy instead of nicey?? High expectations, perhaps??

SO --- those of you who move here and expect to be "one of the gang" from day one because you've heard we're supposed to be "Minnesota Nice," just toss that idea out the window and remember what you were like in your own comfort zone before you moved here. In your own neck of the woods, did you automatically invite a new member to your little group outings as soon as s/he said hello?? I doubt it.

FURTHER -- if moving here, or moved here already and disappointed by the fact that you weren't elected neighborhood Homecoming Queen upon arrival -- get over the shock and prepare yourself to be the outgoing life of the party (or just willing to put yourself out there and approach others) if you want to become part of a group.

Okay, now my own objective opinion:

First off, let me say that I use to travel a lot for work…and I’ve done a little leisurely travel too…so, I’m not exactly well-traveled like the rest of my Kennedy brethren, but I’ve been to a few places…AND....I have had the experience of moving from MN to Chicagoland (albeit just for an internship) and from out-state MN to the metro area....

FRIENDLY (in my experience): London, England (or England as a whole): Edinburgh, Scotland (or Scotland as a whole), Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.; Hilton Head Isl., SC; Ontario, Can.; Detroit, Mich.; Milwaukee, Wis., Bloomington, Ill; Ocho Rios, Jamaica (the other tourists, not necessarily the locals); La Crosse, Wis.; Madison, Wis.; Winona, Minn.

UNFRIENDLY: Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Tex.; Chicago, Ill.; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.; Rochester, Minn.; Springfield, Mass.; and last, but not least, my own hometown of Dodge Center, Minn (well, the whole county).

I don’t need to go into details…it’s just my experience. However, those are the places I’ve been to that come to mind as either being friendly or unfriendly.

I moved to Minneapolis from Rochester, Minn. *gay hell*, in 2004. It really was hard to meet people at first. I even went to bars (gay bars, mind you, where almost everyone thinks they have either a reputation, or an image, or a boyfriend/trick to maintain) alone thinking I might strike up a conversation with someone. Of course, in my mind, I was the semi-cute guy standing there alone. In my former neck of the woods (non-metro, or “out-state” Minnesota), we embraced new-comers with open arms – and maybe more than that – delighted to see a new face in the lonely crowd of small-city gays. I quickly changed my tune. I realized that everyone in Minneapolis / St. Paul already had a group of friends established….and they were all at the bar with them.

So, one night, basically out of frustration, I just started talking to this guy who was standing beside me at the bar waiting for his drink. I declared that all the people (especially gay guys) in Minneapolis sucked. That they were either socially retarded or just plain unfriendly. That led into a conversation….and a hook-up….Anyway, that’s what it took for me to enter the elusive “Minnesota Circle of Friends” cult. After that, this new friend, Bill, and I hung out a few times and I met a few of his friends…and a few of their friends….and a few of their friends. Now, I have my own little group of friends (which includes Bill – as just a friend).

Point being – we can seem unfriendly or cold (or maybe even overtly nice at first), but just like anywhere else in the world…in a new area, you have to make the effort to first, introduce yourself and show your true colors (aka Cyndi Lauper), to enter a new crowd.

And if you’re of the type who’s always lived in the same area, and hung out with the same crowd….Open up your mind and start talking to potential new members of your little clique. You might just have more fun…or get laid….or whatever.

Conclusion --- Fuck Minnesota Nice. We all, as regular people, find it hard to either enter a new comfort zone, or allow someone new into it.

So, there!!

THIRTY --- 30! --- It's near....

I'm 29. And I have been since March. I've quite obviously known, for some time, that age 30 is fast-approaching. Yes, my brother (who's one year older than I) turned 30. And other friends from my high school days, who were also in my brother's grade, have now turned 30. It didn't really hit me.

Until today. My childhood friend and classmate, Kevin, turned 30 today. I didn't celebrate with him or anything...Lord, I haven't even seen him since we were about 21...But I woke up today knowing that October 12th was somebody's birthday...I knew it was someone I had known quite well. Then it hit me. "Kevin is fucking THIRTY years old today!"

"Oh. My. God. I'm going to be THIRTY on my next birthday?! --- THIRTY?!?"

Mind you, it's not that I think thirty is old. It's just that thirty was always the age that 'adults' were. I never pictured my friends and I being grown-ups. We don't even look like the people on that '80s show, "Thirtysomething!"

Do we??

I suppose teenagers probably do think we look old. And that we ARE old. Ugghhh....when did that happen?? The last I knew, we all had flat stomachs and were drinking illegaly in a cornfield. Now....we're just 30 (well, I'm still 29, mind you).

Anyway - I think the whole turning 30 thing is starting to hit me now.

As Scarlett O'Hara would say, "Well, I just won't think about that now....Tomorrow is another day!"

And, tomorrow, I'll still be 29.

Mustang Sally!!

Here I am again! Thrilled, aren't you?? Yeah - thought so.

Well, my life has been somewhat of a....what would Carol Burnett say?? Ummm....a.....NIGHTMARE?!?!?!?! For the last few months.

I was happily strumming along doing my same old thing. Well, this time with a boyfriend and a stable (or stabile?) job (whichever one means regular - not working in a barn). Of course, I should've known that would all come crashing down - God forbid, I have a life that somewhat resembles normalcy...

You see, Matt wasn't what you would call particularly...."wild" in any sense of the word. In fact, kind of a creature of habit (go to work at 6:30 AM, home at 3:00, routine home stuff, bed at 9:30).

We broke up. I didn't see it coming and was devastated. I guess I can see how it happened now....what with all my getting fired all the time and living my "f-you and I don't give a damn" Kennedy-esque lifestyle. I can see how that threw a wrench in his daily life.

So - anyway - Matt and I broke up. And I got fired....again. This time it really wasn't even due to my attendance. It really was due to the stupid office politics thing and one certain bitch getting me fired b/c she had an "in" with our VP and felt threatened by my getting more hires than she (when she was the one used to getting the most hires every month). ANYWAY -- go figure, I'd unwillingly find a way to get fired - and into confrontation.

Well, that's whiskey under the bridge.

I do find it funny that at least three female friends have reassuringly told me, "You know, Sally Jesse Raphael got fired TWELVE times....All the way to the top!!"

At this point, I'd settle for the TOP of a circus tent.

God, I hate: passive-aggressive Midwestern bitches who avoid confrontation at all costs....homophobic VP's in New Jersey (who always have to remind you of how 'close' they live to NYC [like we give a shit]....interviewing....people who call the Midwest the 'fly-over states' [keep flying, fucker]....corporate life.

Look out, Sally Jesse....I think a Kennedy is looking for a talk show...and he's wearing big red glasses too. Bitch.

Checking in...

Hi to anyone who still checks my blog! I haven't posted anything for so long....Got over the whole blog thiing, I guess, but kinda felt like giving the 2-cent update today.

I don't even know the last time I posted. Was it about my class reunion that happened last September?? That's pretty bad.

Not a whole lot has happened, I guess - Exciting, I know. Oh - I still go out w/ friends quite a bit, but I haven't slapped anyone or anything in a long time. Guess I'm getting older!

Well, actually - my Grandpa did pass away in February. He was 87. I don't really even know what he died of....just old, I guess. He was my Dad's dad. Come to think of it, I think maybe I did post about that before now....Oh well.

Went to NYC and Springfield, MA, back in March. Winona State was in the NCAA Division II Nat'l Men's Basketball Championship again. I flew to NY on Friday morning and took the subway to Rockefeller Center, where Meg works. We went to lunch and she had to go back to work for the afternoon, so I went to the Museum of Natural History. It was somewhat interesting, but frankly, I expected more of a well-known museum in NYC. Saw one corner of Central Park too (which I don't think I saw the first time I went to NY)... We went to eat at a place called Tortilla Flats that night (I think it was the Upper West Side, but not sure) and that was really good. Then on to a gay club somewhere by Time Square...I forget what it was called, but it was a trendy place. Then back to the Candle Bar (where Meg and I went during my first trip to NY) and it appeared that this establishment has since become a lesbian bar. Of course it didn't stop us from having our fill of cocktails.

Meg and I got up really early the next morning and took the subway back to Midtown where we rented a car for our trip to Springfield. The trip allowed me to add another state to my list of places visited: Connecticut. We ate a Dennys-type place, so that was about the extent of my time outside the car in CT.

Once in Springfield, we met up with my college friends Lee & Heather, who are now married and live in Nashua, NH. We walked to some bar where all the Winona State fans were supposed to be....and it was packed!! We sat and talked to two 20-year-olds who drove all night in the fan bus and were pretty shitfaced, but really funny. Lee bought their purple and silver beads for $20 -- they kept calling us "rich alumni." I think they thought we were pretty old! The game was really fun. Winona State played some college from North Carolina. We had a ton more fans there and the four of us sat in the student section -- fun!! WSU kids have much more school spirit than we ever had....And they have a bunch of special little cheers that they do during the game. It was funny.

Anyway, we were ahead the whole time and wound up losing during the last few seconds!! It was horrible....but, once back at a bar with all the other fans, we were soon back to having fun.

That night, I decided to check out one of the "special" bars near the one we four "old alumni" had just been partying. I met a local guy who told me I should go with him to the bar around the corner. I was still wearing my WSU shirt and bandana, so a guy in the alley (outside another bar) saw this and said, "Hey! Tough loss today, man....That sucks for Winona State!" Then he saw that I was walking toward the back entrance of the other gay bar and said, "Fucking faggot." I just told him to fuck off and kept walking. The local guy I went there with was mortified and said he'd never seen that happen in Springfield before....Whatever - it happens everywhere! It still kind of takes me aback...don't expect to hear that in 2007! Oh, and that other bar turned out to be really boring too. I took a cab back to the hotel. We drove back to NY the next day and I flew back home - it was a fun, but exhausting weekend!!

I started dating Matt over Memorial Day weekend and it's going well!! He's met almost all my friends and everyone really likes him. We've already been to a wedding together and my college friends' parents' cabin in Wisconsin! So, maybe soon my family can start to meet him...but, we'll see. That's kind of weird to me still.

Oh - Matt and I had a couple incidents of anti-gay stuff too, which is so weird. A couple weeks ago, we were just standing on a corner on the edge downtown Minneapolis waiting for a cab and this stupid Ford Explorer full of drunk guys sped by and one of them yelled "Faggots!!" out the window. In Minneapolis!! In 2007!! I yelled back to them, "Go back to Anoka, you redneck fuckers!!" (Anoka is an outer ring suburb)

THEN - When Matt and I were in Winona for a wedding a couple weekends ago, I accidentally booked a room in this ramshackle motel called The Sugar Loaf Motel (I thought I was booking at the HOTEL across the street). The owner was from India and wouldn't let us get a single bed room (cheaper) because we weren't "married couple." You better believe I started voicing my discontent over that...the wife then came out and was speaking Hindi (or something), but you could tell that she was telling him to not rent us the room. He kept saying, "Single room only for married couples..." I yelled, "We...ARE...a...couple...!!!!!!!" I could tell he was getting ready to ask us to leave (and hotel rooms in Winona all get booked during summer weekends due to it's scenic location on the Mississippi River = tourists), so I shut my mouth and signed the receipt.

Anyway - if you ever find yourself in Winona, MN, DO NOT stay at The Sugar Loaf Motel. You wouldn't want to anyway - it's pretty much a dump.

But the wedding was fun. It was my friend Alison's. She and I hung out A LOT and partied A LOT back in the late '90s!

So - yeah....That's pretty much it, I guess. The summer has been going by quickly and have had a lot of fun weekends.

Work is alright. Some days are good, most are okay and some suck. You know the drill.

Well, Hello.....Bloggie

Wow. It's been a while since I've been in town, huh?? I don't expect any of my old faithful readers are around anymore...and I only have myself to blame. Oh well. To each, our own, I guess. At least my "Goonies - Where Are They Now?" post is still very well-frequented.

Well, it's 2007 now. And, much to my dismay, nothing is new since the Autumn of our year of late (2006).

Here's what I've been up to:

- Pause
- ummmm....
- Well, not much!

Surprised??

I didn't think so.

Let's think, shall we??

I don't hang out with Jeff or Danny much anymore. Jeff is still with his jerk boyfriend who shuns anyone who drinks. They still break up once every couple weeks -- when Jeff wants to go out. Danny finally dumped his loser boyfriend (also named Jeff, with whom I had a stormy relationship, if you recall). Danny is now dating the keyboardist from Air Supply (I'm not kidding). Danny and his friend Jill follow him all around the Midwest (apparently Air Supply plays at a lot of Indian casinos these days). Oddly enough, the keyboardist's "real" boyfriend's name is also Dan...Danny followed his dream and became the other woman.

Jessica moved to Colorado with her boyfriend. We still communicate via phone.

And me?? Well....as I said before...nothing new in my little corner of the world. I'm now living vicariously thru the characters of: "The L Word," "The Sopranos," "Big Love" and "Oz." All of which are on HBO and Showtime "On Demand" lists.

Wow - I feel like I just wrote a little Christmas update on the life of Kiddo78. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Oh, by the way ---- In remembrance of my Dad's father, who just died, RIP Grandpa!!
--- His funeral was Monday. My eldest cousin took control of everything at his funeral and left the rest of the cousins to feel like we didn't even know him or have any memories (because he didn't raise us and buy us jeans, cars, etc., like he did for her and her little brother (who is now nice and not the Devil like his sister)) --- SHE wrote the "memories of grandpa" eulogy and didn't ask any other cousins to contribute their memories. Thanks, Eldest Cousin (who shall remain nameless)!!!

As long as I'm venting....can I add a couple more tidbits of info about her???

Thanks.

She stole stuff from my Mom (jewelry, etc.) as a child and blamed it on me because I was a baby....She was a stripper at some dive in the '80s - very classy. Then, a few years ago, when some distant cousins from Sweden e-mailed me for our geneaology information to put on Ancestry.com, bitch cousin actually CALLED Ancestry.com and made them take our family tree off the Internet - because she wasn't 'comfortable' with "private information about HER family" being online....she then even tried to get me fired for posting it (no lie). Did I mention that she was a stripper at a trashy place??

Bitch.

Anyway --- so, now you're caught up on me.

Oh - and I'll be 29 on March 12. Geeeeeez-us......Oh well.

See how he grows...

My friend Jessica sent me this odd little site. This dude is documenting himself age....from about 20 (in 1998) until present day. I'm enthralled.


Here he is in October 1998



Two years later - October 2000



October 2002



October 2004



CURRENT (Sept 2006)




So, now it's documented how one progresses from innocent college kid to angry hippy. And we thought this metamorphosis was the stuff of our parents' generation!!

Speaking of --- is it still "cool" for college kids to be neo-60s-hippies?? I remember kids of the late '90s, when I was in college, reclaiming that look...they danced to acoustic punk bands, smelled of vinegar and wore ratty clothes....we in our Abercrombie and American Eagle uniforms were highly annoyed....and not impressed. I remember one girl presented about the Haight(sp?)/Ashbury district of 1968 San Francisco in our speech class. According to her, it was "a bitchin' time..." Gag.

Yet, somehow - I'm oddly curious in this guy who documents his own aging process. When do we go from looking like a fresh-faced youth...to "adult" looking...to "parent" looking...to middle-aged...to 50'ish...to 60'ish....to old??? Are there certain days?

It's interesting to me....

(Also, by the way, I think he was cute in the 1999-2001 period.)






My favorite part, I think, is in his FAQ section. One viewer writes:
- Are you gay or are you just really bored.

His reply:
Huh, I never knew homosexuality was a cure for boredom.


He also says that one lady professed his homosexuality (which he is not), then went on to "deliver" him from it. F'ing bible beaters -- I swear they're going to blow up this whole goddamn world someday with all their evangelical jesus bullshit.

Anyway, if you want to see for yourself, go here: http://www.c71123.com/daily_photo/

And good-bye.

It's back....

I've suddenly reclaimed a blog addiction. I'm sure it won't last - well, maybe....Anyway, I've been catching up with "old" blog friends tonight by reading their entries - the first Friday in months that I can just stay home. That sounds so of the mindset of "nothing better to do...," but true in a way. I guess winter is descending upon Minnesota and we don't covet our time outdoors anymore once Thanksgiving time rolls around...funny how there's always something planned until our lovely winters descend.

ANYWAY -- you'll read in an earlier post from today that nothing is really new for me. I have not checked into Betty Ford yet. I haven't declared my Kennedy heritage to the point of a knife fight lately. I haven't even slapped anyone in a while....well, unless you count my friend Danny's dumbass boyfriend....and a bartender....but that doesn't count since they both clearly started it.

Now all of a sudden, I can think of a million things I would have "posted" had the present time been two years ago - wow, two years now I've been documenting my weekends. Has it been two years since we've known each other?? Now that my mother has internet, I PRAY she doesn't stumble across my blog. That knowledge (on her part) would not make for a very festive family dinner...

I think the icing will come when Hot Babe and I get together again Thanksgiving night and I get kicked out of, piss on, curse and puke on an Uptown Minneapolis bar. Then fall asleep in my hallway.

Hot Babe, are you game?? Or are you STILL in law school....??? Maybe PlanetDan will join us again - and if we're lucky, Stacy will drink a thimble full of booze and get hammered.

We'll see....

Triton High School - Class of 1996 Reunion

Yep, I'm still alive....Nothing new. Work is obviously SUPER busy, which is good. I think I'll take some time to read through your blogs this weekend since I don't have anything going on. Haven't been dating anyone since Tony last summer...just hanging out with friends as usual. Mostly Jessica, who lives at the same apartment complex as friend Jeff...we just celebrated her 29th birthday last night at The Independent in Uptown Minneapolis....

Anyway - my class reunion happened during the last weekend of September. Here's a recap and a couple pictures (finally)!

Triton High School's Class of 1996 reunited in my hometown, Dodge Center, MN, starting that Friday.

We were in the school's Homecoming parade - about 10 of us showed up for that, which was actually more than I expected, given the parade happens Friday afternoon. Our old teachers and others who remember us, etc., were like "OMG - you guys have a float!" And things like, "Hey!!" were being shouted as we drove by -- we just decorated a pick up truck with signs and balloons/streamers and we all rode in the back. That was fun - no pictures of it, though. I stupidly forgot my camera...

The best of that had to be when we met at the high school parking lot to decorate. Tina, Jill, Jenni and I sneaked a cigarette and a beer in Tina's car -- losers, I know, but we felt like we were in high school again! It was kind of funny - thank god nobody saw us. I would be mortified to "get in trouble" at my high school at the age of 28...DUH.

After the parade, a few of us went to Dodge Center's local watering hole, Harold's Club, for a couple beers before we headed to the Homecoming game, which Triton won. We stayed until half-time and went back to Harold's. There were only about 10 of us there that night too, but it wasn't part of the official schedule or anything.

The next day a few of us met at the high school to take a tour of it....it's all been vastly remodeled and added on to since we graduated. We didn't really even recognize anything. Our old "commons," which is where we ate lunch, is now the choir room. Our locker area is gone. The gym looked TINY compared to how I remember it. Very strange feeling to be back in there. We were like, "umm....where are we??" Or, "...what was this area when we were here...??" The senior classes now take a group picture and they hang them in the office. The seniors now paint a section of a wall in the hallways now too. I wish they did that stuff when we were there. Looks like it all started with their class of 2000. We also noticed that a few of our old teachers are still plugging away at Triton. Most of them have since retired or left.

That afternoon, we met in the park for a class picnic. About 20-30 classmates attended that with families, which is what I expected since we were only a class of 100. As expected, people were broken off into groups they would've talked to in high school. Kind of annoying. Nobody was really helping me keep the shy people attended to. Also annoying. Some were bitching about the "booklet" I put together - basically a "where are we now" thing that people needed to fill out and send back to me. I finally just yelled, "Everyone can just fuck off - if you wanted it done differently, do it yourself!!" For the most part, though, it was a decent time. At least the weather was good. We took a picture - someone suggested taking it against the wall of the bathroom building so that there would be a plain background. Instead it just looks like we're standing next to a park bathroom....See for yourself:


I'm in the back - Not everyone who showed up was there for the picture


It got more fun as we who didn't bring kids got a good little buzz going off the 4 cases of beer consumed! My friend Jeff drove down from Minneapolis and got there for this - my friends liked him.

That evening we met at Dodge Country Club for the "real" reunion event. No dinner or anything, just cocktails and socializing. I can imagine how many people would've complained if we had a dinner since that would've increased the cover charge. I don't think $20 is bad ($15 for single) - especially if you also went to the class picnic, where food was served. I mean, don't people know that it costs money to have a reunion and rent a place to have it?!?

Anyway - this was really fun. I'd say about 45-50 classmates attended this at some point during the evening. We also invited the other Triton classes of the 1990s to attend if they wanted to (there was an ad in the paper announcing it). In total, more than 100 people were there, I'd say. It was fun! We got a keg and charged another $10 to drink out of that...which didn't go over well, but it cost about $150 since we had to buy it from the country club! People "mixed" pretty well at this and everyone paid me this time (not everyone did at our five-year reunion), so it went well!


Again, not everyone who was there made it in the picture, but most of us did. I'm in the back row - the obnoxiously tall one! Crystal, front row in white hoodie, traveled the furthest - she now lives in Boulder, CO.

Jeff, a few of the others and I finished the night at an after-bar hosted by a member of the class of 1989!!

All-in-all, a good reunion.

I will, however, NOT be planning the 15-year. People are so weird about reunions. One disappointing thing was that a good number of our "A-List" classmates didn't attend. Since they must have LOVED high school (being really active in activities, lots of friends, etc.), you'd think they would want to go to the reunions. Oh well...those of us who did go had a good time. I did, anyway!

Nothing crazy happened. Well, that I heard about...

In other Triton news, their football team played in Minneapolis at the Metrodome last night and won, which means they will play in the state championship game next week, also at the Metrodome! We were there both my junior and senior years (1994 and 1995). Our team won state in 1994, but lost in 1995....those games were pretty fun. My brother, in fact, still holds the state record for most touchdowns in a championship game - I think that's the record, anyway! I, of course, didn't play. And no, I wasn't a cheerleader, smart ass!

Triton also won state in 2000. Clearly, a big football school. We used to joke that the football team got new uniforms every year, but we didn't have new books in the library since 1985...typical of a small town, I guess!

Class of 1996

Yeah, it's been a while since I've updated, I know...

I had my 10-yr class reunion this past weekend. It was fun! More later, hopefully with some pictures.




Here we are THEN, Triton High School Class of 1996

Bitches

I get it. I'm being punished for my blog hiatus. Seriously, if you have a memory of After School Specials (or what not) you can talk about it.

Speaking of After School Specials --- and I can't believe I didn't blog about this before ---

My friend Jerry died a few weeks ago. Jerry who was trying his damndest to be a couple with me....

He was 30. Apparently when he was college-aged, he was in to the "heroin." I guess they have to take Methodone forever afterwards (do they??) and that's what killed him all of the sudden - the Methodone. I just feel awful over it - especially since I ditched out on our plans the Saturday before he died. Ugh...

The worst part: His only two siblings died in a car accident last September. So now his parents live with the fact that all THREE of their children are dead.

No wonder I drink...

Who knew....I *DO* Have Emotions!!

I saw Latter Days the other night and actually shed a tear. That's right - I nearly cried. I don't know why, really...something about it was just really sad. And God bless Mary Kay Place as Elder Davis' mother. LOVE her. Especially in one of my all-time favorites, The Big Chill. Oddly enough, she couldn't get pregnant in that picture show and now she always plays someone's bitchy Mom - a bitchy Mormon Mom at that. She's pretty good in HBO's Big Love too. Have I blogged about that show yet?? I must do that sometime. Good stuff there in Utah. Wow - this was supposed to be a post about Latter Days and it turned in to one about Mormons and Mary Kay Place. Anyway - I thought Latter Days was better than Brokeback Mountain. I didn't even come very close to shedding a tear at the latter, in fact I laughed a couple times, but did come close to weeping during the former. Warning, though, there's some gay action in it...

After School....Specials??

I love NetFlix. I recently received After School Specials: Class of 1982 - 1986. At the time I thought they were about the best thing since Bewitched and Wonder Woman reruns. After watching them 20 years later, I have to wonder...who the HELL came up with this crap?! And how did they think their intended demographic (13-18 year olds, I imagine) would relate to it?!

The four I saw (none of which I remembered watching back then) were shit. I mean, really corny and I felt like covering my eyes out of sheer embarrassment the whole time.

One was about a girl named Susan and her turmoil over being placed in the same violin contest as her new beau. She had just moved to that town from Arkansas, and they really gave her one helluva caricature of a good ol' Southern gal. Her mother even clogged while she did a Hootenanny type violin/fiddle performance. Ugh. The worst part was that the title was "Two Loves for Jenny" instead of Susan. Duh.

The next dumbest went to the one called (get this) "Ace Hits the Big Time" about a 15'ish boy moving to the city and being afraid to go to school for fear of gangs beating him up. The gangs had original names like the Pythons and the Fangs (or something). The Fangs signature color was purple and they danced like West Side Story queens. They even had bandanas tied around the leg, bad high tops and head bands!! Oh, and who could forget the boy's solution to his dilemma? Just throw on a pirate eye patch ("Ahoy, matey!") and wear a satin jacket with a dragon on the back. Oh, and call yourself "Ace" instead of Hugo. Good one, Ace. The theme song was even worse. I mean B.A.D. I seriously gagged it was so ridiculous. Rob Stone played "Ace" - he was also in another one about teen suicide co-starring Malcolm Jamal Warner (aka Theo Huxtable).

Ughh...I'll never get that 4 hours back again. I DO have to say, though, SWEET mall hair, cords, tennies and tight jeans...

The ones I remember (and would like to see again) are the one about drunk driving with Michelle Pfeifer - that one scared me when I was little. I also remember the one about bulimia with a girl who ate a huge plate of peanut butter & jelly sammiches...and puked them up. Her sister was really concerned. Then, of course, the teen pregnancy thing. That was so overdone in the '80s.

Great - now I'm hungry and a'scared (of Michelle Pfeifer being run over by her boyfriend's Mustang, not so much of pregnant or vomitous teens).

Thanks A LOT, After School Special people!! And I mean it...

Ahhh...the good ol' days

This has been going around as an e-mail forward for quite some time, but thought it would be something to blog - since I'm dry in that department lately. It's an arcticle that was published in Good Housekeeping, May 1955.

For those who are married or demostically partnered, take heed, these are words to live by:



The Good Wife's Guide

- Have dinner ready, Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

- Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

- Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

- Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

- Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper etc. and then run a dustcloth over the tables.

- Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

- Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimise all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

- Be happy to see him.

- Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

- Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

- Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

- Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

- Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

- Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

- Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

- Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

- Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

- A good wife always knows her place.


My Mother, who got married in 1958 (at the tender age of almost 18), had this to say: "Boy, that is the way it was supposed to be! Can you imagine a 'modern' woman doing or thinking that today?! And now you know why some women ran away, drank, had affairs, and sometimes committed murder!!!! I did my best ---- !"

No wonder she was divorced in 1976!

Off to C.H.I.C.A.G.O.

Like Shirley McClain (sp) in Postcards From the Edge, "I'm still here!" Wow, it's been almost a whole month since I've posted - a new record for me, I think. I doubt if any of you are even still checking...

I'll catch a train to the airport in about an hour. Am flying to Chicago to see my old "sorority sister," Tara, who actually lives in the suburbs - the great Naperville. We'll be in the city tomorrow, though, where I can revisit my old stomping grounds of North Michigan Avenue, or the Magnificent Mile...I interned there five years ago and worked right next to the Wrigley Building and across from the Tribune Tower.

We'll have fun people watching and commenting on bad outfits and hairdos. We'll do happy hour in the city but will need to go back to Naperville to go out tomorrow night...It doesn't bother me, Tara and I have fun no matter where we are.

We became friends at the end of freshman year. She wound up leaving Winona during sophomore year, but we obviously stayed in close touch. We pretty much just laugh the whole time we're together whenever we hang out, which sadly isn't very much. Haven't seen her in two years, so this will be fun!

Maybe I'll start posting more soon...maybe...


:: Good ol Chicago ::

The man's bringin' me down...

I'm sure you've given up on me at this point. I'm in my "bad blogger" cycle again. I wonder if it's like the female cycle. I wonder if we all hang around each other enough if we get on the same cycle??

Anyway - I did start at a new company. This time I'm getting paid a base salary that equals what I was making in base AND commission at the last place. I'm at a big company again with an international presense and will be able to get more hires -- so it's all good, homies. BUT, I've been working an average of 12 hour days. I don't care, though - what else do I have to do but ignore grocery shopping, cleaning and watching "Roseanne" reruns??

I'm still downtown too, which is cool. The co-workers are nice/fun/funny and my boss isn't just out for himself, which is always nice. I suspect he's "family." He actually delivered my offer packet to my apartment--I met him outside--- and I saw a guy sitting in his passenger side. I know he doesn't have kids and there's no pictures of a girl on his desk (only a cat). I think the cat picture is what tipped me off. Well, also that he's really nice.

One funny thing has happened so far. A sales lady had my cube before I went there and left a bunch of junk in the drawers. Apparently some sales guy who left the company had the cube before she did. As I was rummaging through it on my third day there (I'm now in my second week), I found a one-hitter...the kind that looks like a cigarette. I marched right over to her office (she's a TX native, kinda kooky...funny) and said, "Care to explain this...??" And I slammed it on her desk. She was mortified and blamed the guy who had the cube before she did. It was kinda funny....

Anyway - the other recruiters are all pretty cool and have funny personalities, as do the sales people.

In the words sung by Annie after she arrived at Daddy Warbucks' estate, "I think I'm gonna like it here..."

What have I gotten myself in to???

Sorry if you've been tirelessly wondering what happened w/ my job! My year anniversary was approaching and I asked to either get a raise in my base salary, or get my original commission structure back (the boss cut it twice for the company overhead). He said I'd just have to get more hires if I wanted more money, so I said I'd just have to start looking and he suggested that I start right away (in other words, he's cheap and was mad that I would quit because of it). So - there ya go!! I've got three offers on the table now and will make my final decision on Monday. The one I'm leaning toward is also downtown Minneapolis, so at least I still won't have a commute and can walk to work!

I'm planning my ten-year high school reunion...pretty much alone. Finding addresses is a big undertaking! I don't remember it being so much work for our five-year reunion. It's kind of fun, though, to see where everyone has wound up living. There are 100 of us in my class - almost all still live in Minnesota. I read somewhere that 80% of the world's population lives within 50 miles of where they were born....this has held true in my class's case!! A majority of my classmates still live within 20 miles of our hometown...nothing wrong with that, but glad I don't!! Okay, I'm only 90 miles away, but still away nonetheless!

So - that's all that's new in my little corner of the world. I'd also like to add, "God bless Air Conditioning...."

Oh - and Happy (belated) 230th Birthday to America!!!

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!