It's Hot Guy Friday!

Jensen Ackles is this week's subject-
He's a hottie.

I've seen him interviewed a couple of times. I think maybe he should stick to scripts cause he doesn't come off as too bright. I doubt he's as dumb as all that but interviews...not his thing.

I don't watch much television, but I try to see Supernatural every week. The show is "eh", but his character is such a little tough guy I can't resist. Not that he's little IMDB says he's something like 6ft, but still. I'd make a complete fool of myself over him, were I 20 years younger.

Now for my rant-

Surely I can't be the only person to have noticed a dramatic change in their credit card bills lately. Yesterday I got my statement and there was an increase in my monthly payment. OF $62.00 A MONTH!!!! Chase attributed it to the new credit card legislation that recently went into effect.

This gives me pause, as it should all of you. Is this the fruit of the last eight years? Is this the kind of thing we can expect to reap from having our current legislative team? What else is in store for us?

I mean, we already have people who can't afford gas for their cars, yet Venezuelans are paying .12 a gallon for the stuff. We're just now beginning to see the price increases that are going to result from the fuel debacle, surely we all understand that the increases have just begun. We're going to be paying for everyone's fuel costs just so THEY can make a living. Everything is going up in price, and soon.

I had to ask myself, what do people who make very little do about stuff like this? I am in the fortunate position that I make enough to pay this extra amount and though I'll bitch about it, and it'll be a slight inconvenience for me, I planned such emergencies into my budget and I won't suffer catastrophic-ally as a result.

Now if the other credit card companies follow suit I will see disaster. I can only do so much. But honestly, what do people who make, oh, say, 20k do when shit like this happens? What if they have kids? What if they get sick? What happens then?

The recent changes to federal bankruptcy law make it almost impossible for them to file for that relief. What's next debtor's prison? Seriously? What are we supposed to do with all this financial bad news? It's proven time and again that money is the biggest stressor in most people's lives, and our own representatives are helping people screw us.

I'd ask what's wrong with them, but it's obvious. I do however, have to ask what the fuck is wrong with us? How can we keep putting up with such nonsense. And nonsense is exactly what it is, it cannot be made sense of. No one with ANY explanation can make this sensible. No one. And those to whom we should be able to turn simply do not care.

So I ask you this? What are you going to do for your country? Are you going to just stand there and take it? Are you going to just continue to be a lemming and allow them to herd you off the cliff? It really is way past time we stood up and did SOMETHING to save our country, it's being decimated and we are not powerless.

The inmates are running the asylum

Well, he's done it. George W Bush has finally made everyone afraid. And they like it.

They're afraid of a scarf.

Apparently the completely innocuous Rachel Ray, irritating, yet innocuous though she may well be, wore a scarf reminiscent of those worn by the late Yassar Arafat.

Now what, you may ask, could this possibly have to do with fear?

Well, some idiots thought, as though they were capable of such high function, that the scarf was intended to promote terrorism. Thus, Dunkin' Donuts, in their infinite wisdom pulled the ad.

These, I'm certain of it, are the selfsame people who hear satanic messages when they play Beatles records backwards. Which, I'm also sure, they do ALL THE FUCKING TIME!!!

The constant screaming in our ears for almost a decade has paid off! Everyone is afraid. They're not, apparently, afraid of being unable to get to their jobs because they can't afford to buy fuel for their cars. Nor are they, apparently, afraid of an inability to feed themselves and their families because they can't afford the price of food. Nor do they fear two people campaigning for the Presidency, both of whom refuse to look at the reality of our lives and address the immediate and vital concerns we truly have. Nah!

Yet a scarf around the neck of a cook peddling donuts and coffee...that's their undoing.

Why, oh why can't I drink Gin at 9am???

UPDATE: Is this true? "Mariah Carey is the best-selling female singer in history..."

If so how is this possible? I hate Mariah Carey! Always have always will. Just proves what sheep people are. Mariah Carey! Ick.

Rain Rain go away!

It started raining Friday morning early and did so off and on until yesterday. I got a great deal of reading done. Outdoors activities were out of the question most of the time.

The one thing I was able to accomplish was my 35 mile ride, I had decent weather yesterday afternoon, albeit a little humid, but the ride was completed. It's nice on weekdays, everyone's at work so there's little traffic to worry about.

I did not, however, get to ride a horse at all. I was pissed!

The trails were simply too wet to get out on. It would have been no fun at all, so I didn't even try.

I did finish the Christopher Shinn collection of plays I was working on. He is definitely disturbed. I now know I love him for sure. I have to find someplace to let me direct one of them. Of course, that's right after I find a place to let me direct The Late Henry Moss. I assume that one was Shepard getting Daddy out of his system once and for all.(well he killed him in this one, let's hope it's done.) But that one is first, then a Shinn play.

My dept. head keeps mentioning things I could direct. He's likely the best place to start. I'll start working on him when he gets back from vacation I think. Maybe he can work me in to the schedule next fall. Shepard with 18 years olds, it'll be like building Frankenstein's monster. Sounds like fun to me!

I'm digging out of the ruins of my office today. I've been gone since Friday afternoon and no one even thought to give it a rest in my absence. So there's plenty to keep me busy the rest of the week.

Oh the nicest thing that happened was that I was invited to put some wares in a little gallery here in town. So I picked a few pots and made up a price list. They'll likely go in this weekend.

The birfday was nice. Got ecards from everyone and lunches and dinners all over the place. Oldflame wouldn't go to the steakhouse with me so he made lunch for us. He's taken the notion to start cooking the last three or four years. He's getting pretty good. Though he's at that stage we all go through. Spices?!?!? What the fuck do I do with them? At least he wants to try, that alone is miraculous. He never went near the kitchen before he was 40. He's a bit of a crock-pot nut. I've never understood the attraction, but WTF. It was birfday lunch made for me. I cleaned up in the present dept, and as always got my gin supply stocked for months, (I got like three bottles! Thank God it doesn't spoil. That's enough for the rest of 2008 and possibly the first quarter of '09!)

I'm thinking I need a 59fifty Royals cap.
I found one on a website and it's pretty fucking cool. Who needs food when my hat is so cool?

That's all for today folks, I can't see over the stacks of shit in this office. Gotta clear it out before it makes me nuts.

Love

Birfday presents

My friend K in Hawaii had a birfday yesterday, and though I acknowledged it I feel that since it came so close to Hot Guy Friday that we should honor K today with one of his favorites.

So here you go K!

I remember once you said something to the effect that Andrew Shue was the most handsome guy on Television. Can't say I disagree.







Sadly Melrose Place was almost always a disappointment. They teased you with the notion that these guys would at least be shirtless and then...nada. I gave up long before they blew the joint up.

Well happy Birthday K! I know you worked, but I hope you plan to have some fun this weekend. I do.

Since MY birfday is Monday I'm going to spend Saturday morning at the stables riding as much as I can. Then it's lunch with my brother and dinner with J and K. Sunday it's brunch with C and Dinner is my treat to me. I'm going to my favorite steak house in all the world and eating like a pig. Monday is lunch with oldflame and then my annual first 35 mile bike ride of the season. Tuesday I'm taking a vacation day to just hang out. I am 51 after all, we need to rest after activity occasionally.

But today I'm dealing with parking garage issues. The garage we park in is on the verge of falling down, so in order to avoid any more detritus landing on us the city in it's infinite wisdom has decided to tear it down instead of repairing it. According to the cryptic email we got from our director yesterday we're pretty much on our own when it comes to solving the resulting parking dilemma.

Another caring gesture from our fearless leaders. I feel all warm and runny inside.

Happy Hot Guy Friday!

Puzzling huh?

Did you ever notice how much George Michael Looks like Peter Cushing?


George and his current concubine I assume.


Cushing and Christopher Lee

See what I mean?

I was relegated to watching tv last night, (kill me now) and as I was flipping through the channels for the nine-hundredth time I ran across George Michael on American Idol. He was doing something that I really hated, to a song I really liked, and while I was trying to figure out why all the hand gestures and grimaces were necessary I realized I was thinking of vampires and it was because of this visage of Peter Cushing on my wall. Very disturbing.

I signed the lease on the new place yesterday. I got to choose my parking space, which was nice of her. She's also handling all the utility change stuff, which is great.

The full moon has passed so things seem to be settling down here in schizo-land. At least they've chosen to leave me alone, which is all I ever want anyway.

It's raining so I'll have a bike jones by lunch. I'm hoping it stops soon and dries out a little so I can at least satisfy the monster a little.

And there was, in the end, lively curiosity from this dead cat. I ended up watching the last four minutes of AI just to see the announcement. Herd mentality, there's no justification for it. But I did it anyway.



He's like, 12! But he is kinda cute in that pasty,vanilla, bland, kinda way. Oh well, another idol we'll never hear from again just like most of the last 6. They need an idol for all us old farts who don't get a break too. Nah! It'd turn into AI-the surreal life, I can see it now.

One of the blogs I read regularly is Guyfromchicago hosted by a young man named Justin who,to me reflects an interesting outlook. I particularly like the fact that he likes cars, baseball, and, from what I've heard, some pretty good music too. Today he posted about a car he's loving at the moment, which inspired me to post about the dream I'm lusting after right now as well.



I so want one of these things. Cause this-



just ain't cuttin' it. However, it HAS to cut it for at least two more years, the duration of my commitment to it.

I'm boring today. Sorry. Tomorrow is hot Guy Friday, maybe researching that will perk me up.

Let's hope so.

I am weary!

Weary of insipid David's on my television ALL THE FUCKING TIME!

Weary of non-stop increases in gas prices.

Weary of inconsiderate assholes who blame me for their complete and total lack of social skills.

Weary of people shoving their own morals or fears, or whatever the fuck it is that motivates people to hate me because of who I love.(which btw is none of their fucking business) Who would prevent me from living a happy and full life with the person I choose because they want to own marriage exclusively.

Weary of looking for a teaching job I am certain I will never find.

Weary of keeping my life on hold while I wait for that job.

Weary of being in this town.

Weary of thinking things will be different...this time.

Weary of waiting for this miserably long and tedious Presidential election to be finally and mercifully, fucking, over.

Weary of social networking sites whose existence I simply do not understand.

Weary of logging on to MSNBC and finding out that Charlie Sheen and his ex-wife (at least he can have one)are still fighting in public and we're STILL being told about it!

Sounds like someone woke up in the wrong side of the bed this morning huh?


Now THIS I could never be weary of-



This neither-




I can only hope his t-shirt is correct.

I'm cheered already.

OH! And read this. I'd love to be the actor who said those lines. I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want to.

Hive mind (i love wikipedia)

Ever noticed that there are times at work when absolutely everyone loses their fucking minds simultaneously?

I've seen it as a supervisor over the years, and now without any subordinates I can somewhat enjoy the show as long as I'm not a part of it.

It appears that for some unknown reason, people get into this group think mode and when one of them loses it, they all go over the edge about their own issues en masse.

I'm living that exact scenario here at work this week.

I cannot tell you how much fun it is.

Everyone demands your undivided attention simultaneously and when you don't accomplish their goal you are a selfish aloof snobbish bastard.

ok

I have no problem with that...

AS LONG AS IT MEANS THAT YOU LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!!!

Today's imagined insult happened when I was sitting at a conference table waiting for a meeting to start and noticed a woman standing in the hall looking puzzled because the guy in the office next door to me wasn't in.

I said,"M, are those books for J?" She nodded her ascent, and I said, "If you like you can just leave them in my office and I'll give them to him tomorrow, he's off on vacation today." "You want me to leave the whole cart?" she asked. "If you need the cart just stack them on the table in my office, I'm not using it today." was my response. She proceeded to do just that and I mistakenly thought all was well.

I turned my attention to some conversation that was taking place on my right and turned away from the door. This was my fatal mistake. "M" reappeared at the conference room door to tell me she had left the books on the table. Without waiting to be sure she had my attention, and without even knowing if I was aware of her presence, she spoke and left. I only became aware of her presence when she left and someone else acknowledged her as she did.

Here we are again. Is it really xenophobia on my part when I expect someone to be sure I'm aware of their presence before talking AT me? Before assuming I'm aware of their presence, when I'm not even looking in their direction?

After the meeting I was met at the door by this woman's supervisor who for some reason passing human understanding, expected that I would entertain the notion of apologizing to this woman for whatever slight she imagines I committed. Needless to say I respectfully declined.

We're currently in an old-fashioned standoff on the issue. Lots of supervisory man hours are being wasted on the negotiations and I'm certain at one point they'll either demand one of us do something, or they'll suddenly develop some intelligence,(ahem) and just drop the whole stupid thing.

People!

Ya know I love 'em!

UPDATE: Apparently they DID get smart. I haven't heard a word for over an hour now.
Seriously, I should have stayed on that damn horse Saturday and kept going.

SLUT?!??! SLUT???!!?

I have all but been accused of being xenophobic. I find it ironic-al.

Please explain to me how I am xenophobic when I ask that people, of every culture, knock before entering my office. I seem to have offended most people here on staff at the very suggestion that they should.

I don't consider it foreign, nor culturally backwards that people should respect my workspace as I respect theirs. Even if they have a cubicle, I do not pass the threshold until I have knocked and acquired permission to enter. Why is this xenophobic?

Why is it xenophobic to ask that people,of every culture knock to see if I am inside instead of leaving things outside my door for me to trip over later? I realize I am perceived as a guy who would like to sit in his office and just do his job. I fail to see why this is regarded as a bad thing.

I do have to say that I feel I owe my employer work that is as good as I can do at any given moment for the compensation and consideration they give in return. Beyond that I do not feel obliged to anyone within the organization for any social activity beyond work related discussion.

In other words work is work and home is home. Now, the guy I work with in the office next door said that very thing last week when I was approached to donate toward a baby shower gift which I declined to do. His feelings on the subject are reflected in his statement. I concur with them.

I don't really know the guy who the baby shower was for, I certainly don't know his wife. I will never have a baby shower, or a wedding, or any of the other thousand things they try to hit me up for, so that's just money I'm pouring down the drain. Cause culture aside I guarantee you no one will think to say "Hey there S! I hear you finished your PhD last month, here's a gift certificate to Amazon from all of us!" Not gonna happen! It unequivocally never occurs to them that us single people are getting screwed on this deal.

But back to the xenophobia, which has obviously got me bugged. The two people with whom I work most closely are located in offices next to and across the hall from mine. We're a good match, we're all democrats, we're all pretty quiet, and we all live in our heads. I have been here the least amount of time at just under 4 years. They have been here a minimum of ten.

Neither of them attends the "parties" here at work. Neither of them engages in the gift exchanges. Neither of them is even asked to contribute to gifts for others! I follow their lead because I think they're right. How is this xenophobic?

I get the very distinct feeling that the issue is being clouded by those who are trying to bully me into doing what they want. And it ain't in my job description.

So, if you're inclined to do so, please tell me your feelings on the subject. I really don't want to be a xenophobe, and if I need to correct that I will. But if I'm just getting pushed around I want to know that too. It's a little hard to tell with all this guilt pumping through the air ducts.

I should have stayed on that damn horse.

Weekend Update

Well, I said I hoped I'd have a good weekend but I had no idea it was going to be as much fun as it turned out to be.

I suppose it actually started on Thursday when I ran into my own HB, (I'm co-opting the acronym, I hope you don't mind Bigg. for those of you who don't know what it means you'll just have to go to Bigg's blog, My Confessions and find out.) at the liquor store and we spent the rest of the evening together. He's one of those people I find fun in small doses, so a few hours once in a while is PLENTY!

I wrote all about Friday afternoon at work already. Everyone was gone, so I made quick work of my necessary stuff and played all afternoon.

I met up with my friends K and J, after work and we had a few drinks and then went to the Power and Light District for a concert. Man those people were old! And I'm referring to the audience. The bands were even older than we are. The lead singer for Dr. Hook was smoking a cigarette while he was singing. It looked to me like he has COPD pretty bad. I was amazed he could sing at all. The sound system BTW sucked. He couldn't hear himself and we were treated to the results. Mostly it went fine, but once in a while it sounded like me up there. And it wasn't cigarettes or age that caused it. It was obvious they couldn't hear themselves.

The headliners were Three Dog Night. I'd forgotten how many hits they actually had! There were quite a few songs I hadn't heard in years. I also was under the mistaken impression forever, that Goldie Hawn was married to one of them. I can't remember where I heard it or how long I've thought it, but I did and after the concert when I looked them up online I realized I was totally wrong. The Hudson Brothers were never associated with Three Dog night. Mea Culpa K, my bad. But we had a great vantage point pretty close to the stage so we saw everything. Great crowd, and a great show. I hadn't been downtown since the district was under construction and I had no idea where I was for a little bit. It was amazing when I looked up and saw the roof of the Empire theatre to my right and suddenly realized my surroundings. They've changed it a lot! Some of it for the better, I could do without the variation on a Mall theme, and $27.00 for three gin and tonics is a little steep, and would someone please tell me why a restaurant would close at it's normal time (10pm) when a concert with thousands of drinking people is literally outside your door? All that aside we had a great evening and we piled back into hoodad (J's 1983 BMW 733i) and headed for home. By the time we ate and I got to my place and to bed it was almost 1am. MUCH later than I'd planned.

So 7am came frightfully early for me, particularly since I chose to sleep in the apartment (I'll talk more about that later) and my neighbors were pounding and stomping at 4am. I'll miss them so when I move next month. Anyway I got up and managed to get out of the house around 9 and headed to the stables. I ran into S, the guy who owns the place, and he told me to take Little Boy out for a ride, that he needed someone to take him in hand and he also needed hours on the trail. So I saddled up an unfamiliar horse and headed out.

This horse was sah-weet! I hadn't been on a guy like this in a long time. He loves to go go go, and we were fast friends. Literally. He does have a few bad habits that I need to address, but time will take care of most of that I think. I'd been out about half an hour and we'd made a few turns onto a section of the trail that I don't know that well and suddenly I realized we were headed back to the stables LONG before I'd planned to, so I turned to head another direction. Little Boy had other ideas and the fight was on. Fortunately for me he didn't fight too long once he got the idea I intended to have my way and we got headed the right way. His response was to have me wear a few trees occasionally, but once he got over it we were friends again.

No sooner did I take him back than S stopped me and asked if I wanted to go out again in a bit. Without any plans for the rest of the day I quickly said yes. He had a ride scheduled with some guy and his daughter and her friend for a kids birthday. I quickly realized that Little Boy was not going to be a good mix on a walking ride with kids so I saddled up Rosie and when they got there I found out they had horses of their own and rode dressage regularly. This was at least going to be fun instead of a mind-numbing experience in the woods with large animals and oblivious parents.

So I took them out for a couple hours, they'd only paid for one hour, but I wasn't getting anything but riding time out of the deal and I figured why not give them their money's worth. Rosie was her usual reliable self and we had a nice time.

After I got back I put the horses away and headed back into the city. It was carwash, store, post office, cleaners, farmer's market time, and when I was done I went home to shower and headed to my favorite blues jam on Saturday afternoons for a couple more moderately priced glasses of gin than I'd had the day before, along with some great blues.

They took a break at a perfect time and I watched the Preakness. Big Brown was like, "Seeya!" and left the rest of the field standing there in the dust like they weren't even moving, it was amazing.

I ran into a friend there and we headed out to dinner around the corner where we watched the less than thrilling Royals game, (read team wal-mart.)

Those guys were actually running into each other! It never ceases to amaze me how bad they actually are. It's proof positive that you get what you pay for. But we had fun anyway and then I went home and watched Atonement.

(***SPOILER***) I loved the movie right up until I realized that Briony was a complete bitch and never did really do the right thing. After that I had trouble with the whole thing. I brought it back this morning glad to be rid of it.

Sunday was no less fun. I planted all the herbs that I got at the farmers market Saturday and did my morning Tai Chi, and meditated for a long while before heading out on my bike. I have no idea how many miles I rode but I was out almost 4 hours. It was a beautiful day and I just couldn't resist. I did realize however, that I will not be ready for the Cottonwood 200 next week. With the cold weather extending way into May and then being sick I simply didn't get to train enough to go 200 miles in 3 days. Maybe next spring if I'm still here.

Then I came home took a nap and read for a few hours. I came across this amazing article on Joemygod by this guy who went to Iraq and interviewed gay people who have to live totally closeted lives and meet secretly and hookup on manhunt or some such thing. It makes you realize that though things have a long way to go, we've got it pretty good. These people would be executed if they were caught.

I ended the weekend by having a few fiends over for dinner and canasta and then watching In the Valley of Elah. I'd brought all these movies home, it seemed foolish to just go out and see one when I had those sitting on the dvd player. Tommy Lee Jones was amazing, it was obvious he was totally into that part. Now I know why he wanted that Oscar so bad. I made some killer salmon on the grill and we tore up some card playing. I did not win, however. I talk too much and don't watch what's being played. C'est la Vie!

Today it's back to the grind and perhaps implementing a procedure to torment my neighbors when I'm out of the apartment. I have some ideas, I just need to commit to using the energy on an issue I only care about at 4am. I hate to waste energy on them. In fact I've found out in the process of getting the new place that my current complex is only recommended by 22 percent of the residents. Also I noticed a new sign this week that they're offering $399 Studios. Now we all know that $399 studios only attract the mentally deficient and crack ho's, so it should be an interesting month at chez falls.

It's amazing to have watched that place go downhill so quickly. Last year when I got there the courtyard was filled every weekend with hot young shirtless guys playing football,playing fetch with their dogs, and frolicking in the pool while the girls (and a few of us guys) watched. This year there hasn't been one person out in that courtyard. It's so obvious that they're trying to fill it up so they can then sell it to developers and go condo. They started construction on more garages and storage units last week. One does not build new garages for mentally deficient tenants and crack ho's. One builds new garages to make the place more attractive to potential buyers when they start selling these places. But the mentally deficient and the crack ho's don't know that.

No longer my problem, I just have to sit it out for another month...I can do that.

I recently started checking visitors reports on this blog. I find that I have hits from all over the world, which is soo cool I can't tell you. Thanks for reading everyone, I appreciate it.

I'm particularly enthralled by the number of Canadians who stop by regularly. Up until recently I had one in a place called Fort Nelson B.C. I think. How cool is that? To have a reader who's almost in the Arctic Circle! I also have hits from Thailand, Africa, and South America. St. Petersburg Russia is way high on my list of favorites. As I said thanks for reading. It makes me feel more connected somehow. I hope you enjoy it here.

200 posts AND Hot guys! Plus Marriage! What a Friday!

This is my 200th post. Yeah!

It's really no surprise to me, I'm pretty long-winded, so I expect to be talking well into four figures. Number of posts mind you, not dollars.

So on to the wingnuts-

“The court has interjected itself into national politics and made same-sex marriage a major issue in the upcoming national election,” said Brian S. Brown, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage in California, which opposes same-sex marriage.-NYT

First of all the courts don't go around looking to get into other people's business, they're invited. Someone asks them to weigh the facts and render a decision. They don't make the law, they don't change the law, they read what our representatives (such as they are) enact and they render decisions based on the application of the facts of the case to the current law! Why is this so difficult for wingnuts to understand? Or is it that since they didn't get their way they have to find someone to blame? If that's the case,they must be related to my adoptive father.

Wisely, the Presidential candidates want to stay the hell out of it all. They want our votes, well, Obama and Clinton do. McCain is so crazy he doesn't know whose vote he wants. He just wants to be George Bush. So there will be some debate and a lot of smoke and mirrors and in the end there will be a law that makes sense and finally does not make a certain segment of society second-class citizens. Though I say we never were, we only gave that power away to those who sought to use their religious moralizing to oppress us. I went to Catholic Grade School, High School, and College, I know whereof I speak. As long as the Catholics and their ilk are allowed to run amok and rule with intimidation, as they have for centuries, things will never actually change. So, as I've always said, "Fuck Them!"

But as I said yesterday WOOT!

Should I ever meet Prince Charming I can run off to California and get married!

I'm going with a bunch of friends to a free Three Dog Night/Dr. John concert tonight, and then out to dinner. The weather is supposed to be wonderful so it's horses, and bikes all weekend. I suppose I should do a little packing, but hey moving day isn't for six weeks, what's the rush?

The good news is that the new housekeeper is coming today!(not a moment too soon) so I'm taking a long lunch and getting the car washed and picking up the laundry so I can use it as an excuse to stop by the apt and check on her progress. I love her already and she hasn't done a thing, it's just the very idea that she will, I guess.

After that I'm suiting up for a nice quick bike ride on my work loop. Thankfully, everyone is out today doing...stuff...and I can play as long as I quit talking to you and...OMG! I completely forgot!

It's Hot Guy Friday!

Justin Long is a living example of that straight nerd I always fall for. ALWAYS!

I now have to go edit the title of this post! Well as long as I remembered I guess that's what matters.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love

Will you marry me?

Very cool! or Woot! As the kids say.

Yes, it's good news.

Yes it's incredible news.

In fact it's fucking amazing!

Yes, I am dancing for joy that we won one!

I still wonder if we need to be that assimilated. I suppose I'd be singing a different tune if I had a boyfriend, but I still say we should celebrate the differences instead of becoming just like our oppressors.

However, for today. CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE FUCKING NEWS!!!

Here's a little Martha and the Vandellas to help you get there. I'd love to be in the Castro tonight!

get it now???

What kind of a moronic redneck dirt-floor cracker would one have to be to think that this was even remotely a good idea?

This is exactly the shit I was talking about this morning.

I get offers!!!

Talk about flattering? I'm getting offers from guys...at my age! Of course, they're all my age too, which is best, but it's still surprising. I have to wonder if it's not the cowboy thing.

The idea is amusing to me. A bike riding,pottery making,cowboy college prof who's about to be 51, getting cruised. How fun! We'll see what comes of all this, but it's flattering in any case.BTW the wind has stopped. There WILL be a long ride this afternoon.

I was reading Proceedatyourownrisk this morning and Richard is back on the warpath about Brandon McInerney. I agree with him that the child should be tried as a juvenile and treated as a victim in this whole tragedy. But what I'd like to see is the identification and prosecution of the adult who let this child think such things were ever possible. That's who should be on trial here.

Hillary Clinton is still refusing to concede the nomination, which I like. Win or lose, it's important, I think, that she stay in until the convention, just to remind all of those who think she's causing trouble in the party that this time is for exactly what she's doing! The primary season is for us to decide who the nominee will be AT THE CONVENTION!!! Not in May, or June, but AT THE CONVENTION IN AUGUST!!!

It won't hurt you to wait. She may stay in until August, she may quit in June we won't know until we know, but let it play out.

McCain is the presumptive nominee because all the other Republican losers have conceded that he will be their guy. I think they think that there will be a Democrat in the White House this time next year largely because of what the current asshole has wrought. So why not run this loser who can't possibly win.

Think Truman.

What if I'm correct? What if the unthinkable happens? What if enough bigots, and there is no shortage, come out of their hidey-holes and vote for McCain, just to be sure the black guy doesn't get in? If that happens we are SCREWED! What if the "base" decides that they can support this septuagenarian after all! What if enough of those old-guard republicans who are too senile to realize that their party has been hijacked and no longer represents what it used to,(and they're out there, my adoptive father is a case in point.) and they pull the R lever, or punch the R chad, out of habit?

It seems no one is taking this guy seriously and he's running for President! We're all so wrapped up in getting rid of Hillary that we're not watching the crazy old fool who's lurking in the shadows,rubbing his talons together and laughing maniacally. Let the process run its course.

We need to think about what we wish for, because in this case we just might get it.

the jury is still out

I rode my bike again today on my lunch loop. I am completely over this wind!

We've had a ridiculous S SE wind at like 15-25 mph since Saturday. So my ability to really evaluate the bike has been hampered by the fact that I am getting hammered almost the entire time I'm riding.

But today I caught a bit of a break. It was still windy. All the way out I cursed the wind Gods. But as I turned around to come back I rode into an area that wasn't windy at all. This bike may turn out to be a lot sweeter than I thought. I was geared out and still wanted more. I was right it truly does fly. And as long as I stay on the pavement it seems pretty good. Don't get me wrong it's not steel, but it just might be ok. What it lacks in comfort, it makes up like crazy in speed. OMG was I moving.


When I get more confident on it I may find that it corners pretty sweet too. I got a little taste today but I'm still getting used to it.

It may be a keeper after all.

I'm wishing now that I'd thought to ask my friend K to pick me up a Tag Heuer Watch while in Manila this week. I just thought of it this morning and he's already way off in the jungles. I saw several online and they're all there. Damn!

reading?

I am reading:

Compulsion-Jonathan Kellerman
Where Do We Live- Christopher Shinn
Defiance-Patrick Shanley
The Mediterranean Prescription- Angela Aquista
Flight Plan-Brian Tracy
The Many Lives of Tom Waits-Patrick Humphries


I'd ask you, but most of you just lurk.

Don't get me wrong, lurking is fine. In fact I've have some exciting times with lurkers, I just thought I'd share.

Love

Damn those ethics!

Here's the dilemma, well, not really a dilemma cause I'm not gonna do it, but I could!

I read Towleroad.com at work. They often link to dlisted.com which gets stopped by our filters.

I, of course, have the password to these filters, and could bypass them if I wanted.

Why am I ethical??? Damn those parents!

Monday Monday

I watched Val Kilmer as Moses in The Ten Commandments (The musical) this weekend. THAT was hard work, perhaps for Kilmer, but certainly for me. What a dreadful mess! I've seen bad high school productions of Godspell, directed by English teachers in rural areas, go better than this disaster. Val should go into hiding and stay there for about a decade, and never appear in public without a shirt again. If you ever have the opportunity, do not watch this dvd.


I rode my new bike this weekend. Who, exactly are we kidding with this aluminum, and carbon fiber thing? Don't get me wrong, this thing is sweet, it goes, goes, goes, when I ask it to, and it's very agile. I love the bike. But it rides like someone shoved a stick up my ass and stuck me on a rail. I'm going back to steel. Actually I want my Nishiki back. I wish I knew how to find the woman who bought it. I bet it's moldering in a garage somewhere. All I know is I can't ride this one a long distance, I'll be in the hospital getting all my joints replaced within a year.

Other than the slight disappointment over Val Kilmer, and the new bike, I had a pretty good weekend. Went to a friends house for drinks after work on Friday, then met another friend for dinner and a movie. Saturday I rode a horse, and then the bike, lunch with C, and then friends came over for dinner and cards Saturday night. Tai chi Sunday Morning before my brunch group, then another bike ride and my tivo of Slings and Arrows on Sundance.

I need to grade papers today and tweak the final. I accidentally discovered Thursday that not one of them knows what Everyman is. Can you believe it? They're in college and they've never even heard of it! It's their extra credit on the final. I was appalled that no one had even mentioned it to them before. WHAT could their English teachers be doing?


It feels like it may be a slow day for me today. I'm not very energetic and Monday is thankfully a light day for me. So, I'll do what's necessary here, and ride at lunch. Then I'll stop by the studio and pick up one last pot from the kiln for the semester and that's it! I'm ready to flop for a few days.

I mentioned to a friend in Arkansas, who's unemployed, that we should find some grant $ and move to New Mexico and start a theatre. I haven't heard from her since. I get the impression she's not very interested. Why can't people just say no? I love her, but this is weird. In fact it kinda pisses me off. When I have the energy I'll give her some shit about it.

Speaking of energy that's all of mine for this activity today.

Love

Duh!

This is Jason Gedrick from a film he did 20 years ago called Still Life. He has only gotten better as he's aged. Happy Hot Guy Friday!

Well teaching is all but over until fall. Last night we did an analysis,(sort of) of Our Town in class. I just wanted to be sure they got the idea of the thing. It was very difficult to get that across to them, but they stepped up. I got some really good responses to some pretty difficult questions. Now they can worry until next week about their final.

I slept the sleep of the just last night,after herding horses first thing in the morning, working all day, riding my bike at lunch, racing home to retrieve the new bike from the office staff at the apartment,(it's so sweet btw) and then putting it together and taking a little ride before racing to class last evening. I was a little more than tired when I got home.

This did not prevent me from getting on the new bike at 10pm for a little while. OMG! I am in love with an inanimate object...again. That bike was worth every exorbitant penny I spent on it. I want to take the Trek I bought two years ago and set it on fire and dance around it. If it weren't raining today I'd be out there. In fact I may do it later anyway.

For some reason I had a little epiphany yesterday. I was thinking about another teaching job and how difficult it's been to find one...blah blah blah. And then I remembered a post I did a little while ago.

What the hell am I struggling so hard for? I already have most everything I want. And as Mick says, "You can't always get what you want."

Starting today, right now in fact, I'm going to try harder to just let go. Go with the flow and see what happens. I can't make any of the stuff I want happen any sooner than it's supposed to. All I can really do is ignore what I have. Which is, of course, stupid.

I'm in better shape in almost all respects than I was at 40, and things don't have any reason to look anywhere other than up. And so I shall too. What the hell have I been thinking? I may count my blessings on this blog from time to time, but I sure don't stop and appreciate them often enough.

Time to start doing just that.

Everything at once?

For the last week or two since I got sick, nothing has been happening. I pretty much ignored the world for ten days when I was really down, and didn't really start things back up when i began to recover. Well, that little respite appears to be over.

This morning I got a call about 5am, that several of the horses had made their escape from the pasture overnight and had to be rounded up and put in stalls. This requires that I get my shit together pretty quickly. So, after driving all the way to the stables, saddling a horse, and herding the escapees back into captivity I was pretty late for starting the day. I got to use my new spurs though, and they're pretty nice. They cooperated, well, pretty much. Velvet, (who's back btw) was bitchy, but what's new about that. I had to rope her (I'm no roper btw it's a bit comical when I have to) and damn near drag her back to a stall. That was a nice workout, no need for the gym today.

But then I had to go back to my place, and pack for the rest of the day. This means, books and papers for class tonight. I forgot to write a quiz so that's still to be done, and I need to make a few more notes for my lecture. Also, I have to make copies of the outline for their analysis, which I've decided to do tonight. That way their final can be something totally different. I have the two down as separate entities in the gradebook, so it's better not to try to incorporate them at this late date. I'm about half a day behind at the office for the week, so that means I play catch up this morning. AND it's a beautiful day, so there has to be a bike ride at lunch.

So right now inside my car is a bike, helmet,gloves for both bike and horse riding, riding clothes, a cowboy hat, spurs, boots,three pairs of sunglasses and two pairs of reading glasses,50 lbs of clay, so I can throw at home this summer, the mp3 player, two books, and my grocery totes. It looks like I live in there. With the price of gas, I'd probably save money if I did. I figured the other day that I'm spending about $800 a month to have a car all tolled. My apartment costs less than that!

And on top of it all tomorrow is Hot Guy Friday! and I have done no research at all. I may have to dip into the archives.

Things that are just wrong

This just came across my desk, I swear I'm not making this up:


The Ten Commandments: The Musical (2006)

"Val Kilmer stars as Moses in The Ten Commandments--The Musical, an almost entirely sung stage adaptation of the biblical book of Exodus, captured on video from a production in Los Angeles. This is one of those profoundly misconceived ideas that self-destructs before your very eyes: From the moment Moses' mother Yokebed places an obvious rubber doll into a video projection of flowing water, you know that every step of this production will fall laughably short of its ambitions. The score is like an interminable 1980s power ballad; the choreography amounts to little more than generic leaps and erotic floundering; the awkward lyrics include such gems as "Metaphysics and religion, philosophy and love/A prince has got to know some things about all of the above"; and the actors deliver the insanely exuberant performances that only come from musical theater kids who think they're finally getting their big break. The story's moments of spectacle--the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea--are depicted by cheesy computer graphics projected on a giant screen behind the stage. Kilmer (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang , Heat) is the only actor (aside from the French-accented Pharoah) with chest hair; was that in his contract, or was he too lazy to shave? Egyptian glitz and Jewish tatters are equally campy (just wait for the orgiastic Golden Calf scene!). This is for those who savor oblivious badness."

There are so many things wrong with this that the only thing that I can think of that could make it worse is if were on Beta.

I can't wait to get my hands on the dvd.

I got spurs that jingle jangle jingle...

I picked up my new spurs today at the Post Office. They're pretty cool. I needed new ones badly. The last set was cheap, and as always you get what you pay for, so they'd fallen apart and I had none at all. This is not a problem from the horses perspective, however, if one has any plan of training a horse... No need for the old fashioned ones that dig and cut. (In fact they don't even make those anymore thank god) Just a little poke in the ribs gets results most of the time. If not, then you need to try something else anyway. Oldflame would have a seizure if he knew I bought spurs. He doesn't subscribe to them.

I put them on this morning in my office and took a pic of them over my work shoes, but that's all I had, I don't often wear boots to work. So they look a little goofy but they're shiny, and yes they do jingle. I had kind of hoped they wouldn't, but alas.

I'm watching Slings and Arrows on Sundance channel every weekend. It's kind of fun to watch a series about theatre. The characters seem a little crazy, but no more so than those I've worked with in the past. The one's that seem outrageous are the ones that try to act normal. Sadly I may buy the dvd's. I truly need a life.


(I've emailed that picture to myself three times, as usual AT&T has not seen fit to deliver it to my acct yet, so I'll add it later if it ever comes through.)

The Wind and The Lion

Ok, it wasn't exactly a lion, but it was close enough for me.

Saturday I went out to ride and since it was windy and Rosie was the easiest catch in the pasture I grabbed her and took off. It seemed like it was going to be uneventful, and mostly it was, but about 15 minutes after I set out I heard footsteps in the brush off to my right.

Now, the wind was coming from my left, thankfully, and this noise was slightly behind me and to the right, so Rosie had no clue what was happening. BUT!

There was a bobcat in the trees. Apparently it had eaten and wasn't interested in us because it padded off the other direction and didn't look at us twice. The horse was fine, she'd have freaked out if she'd known about this. It was enough that I had almost wet myself over it all.

The rest of the time out I saw a fox, pretty good size one too, and several deer. So the wildlife has taken it's territory back during the winter months and now we have to stake our claim again. It's an uneasy peace at best.

Sunday morning I rode my bike early and as I was crossing the bridge to ride the Nelson Island loop I rounded a bend and scared the hell out of this poor deer that was standing right in the middle of the trail. He fled, I crashed and wound up with a flat. Thankfully I was on the old bike and not the new. I would have been tempted to go hunting otherwise.

I'm going to be posting block quites from both Towleroad and Joemygod today, I'm perplexed by organized religion and yet can't seem to get it out of my life.

From Towleroad yesterday:

"Last week I posted about the anti-gay vote and subsequent 300-strong protest that went down at the United Methodist Church's convention in Fort Worth, Texas.

Methodist delegates voted to keep the statement that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, reject a measure that would have changed the church's definition of marriage to include same-sex unions, and approve a resolution opposing homophobia and discrimination against lesbians or gays.

As another act of defiance, 200 people attend the commitment ceremony of Julie Bruno, right, and her partner Sue Laurie, at a park across from the convention center where the vote was held."

I don't think my Methodist Friends in Oklahoma read my blog anymore so I doubt I'll have to worry about offending them, and in any case they were always pretty cool. But, what the fuck!?!?!

And this from Joemygod:

Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word "evangelical" has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars.

The statement, called "An Evangelical Manifesto," condemns Christians on the right and left for "using faith" to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained by The Associated Press. "That way faith loses its independence, Christians become `useful idiots' for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology," according to the draft.

The declaration, scheduled to be released Wednesday in Washington, encourages Christians to be politically engaged and uphold teachings such as traditional marriage. But the drafters say evangelicals have often expressed "truth without love," helping create a backlash against religion during a "generation of culture warring." "All too often we have attacked the evils and injustices of others," they wrote, "while we have condoned our own sins." They argue, "we must reform our own behavior."

Oh the hypocrisy!

Seriously...this on the heels of Benny LXXXXIII ignoring the fact that one of his priests sacrificed his life on September 11, because he was gay. I am simply mystified that this country is full of people so stupid that they eagerly subscribe to religious views that are so full of hate and exclusion. And they wonder why I won't belong to a religious organization.

Then again I pass this mega-church every Sunday morning on my way home from my bike ride and just as I get there they start coming out of the parking lot cutting people off and flipping them the bird. I guess the time they just spent at mega-church didn't take. I mean, it didn't even get them out of the parking lot! I say there's no point in going if you don't listen to what's being said.

Or maybe they are listening, that would be sad.

No riding today, severe thunderstorms, both jobs, and a sore knee from the crash prevent that for at least today.

I've chosen the program I'm going to attend for my certificate to teach ESL. It starts in August. It's another expense, but I'll call it an investment.

Here's a little Tuesday treat:

James Marsden is nice, no?



Love

BTW I see that I have lots of hits from Canada! WooHoo!! Very nice, and there's one from Fort Nelson in the far northern reaches of British Columbia. I think that's incredibly cool. Welcome!

Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones

Tragedy struck in the heartland this morning.

I accidentally deleted Coyote Tales. Needless to say I was...well...distraught. I got little done at work for trying to figure out how to reclaim this blog. I think I've become attached.

Bless the good souls at blogger though. They restored it in record time. I was away long enough to go to my follow-up visit to the dr. (I'm fine by the way) and stop at the pottery studio for a few minutes and when I came home for dinner, Voila! Coyote Tales has returned.

I know you're excited.

I almost didn't celebrate the new bike all day because of it. However, I can devote myself to the cause this evening. The bike,the new watch, and the restored blog. Yes, I bought the Zodiac I've been lusting after for months. Now I must stop buying if I want to move and take a trip, both in July. Yikes, what was I thinking.

Oh well what's done is done. To borrow another little phrase from King Lear,
It is a chance which does redeem all sorrows
That ever I have felt.

I see by the timepiece on my wrist that it's time for a bike ride. Ta!

What hath I wrought?

Do you hear the chorus singing in the background?

The new bike has been found. OMG is it sweet, it's Italian, well not completely, they farmed out their manufacturing a few years ago and no longer use steel, but this thing is like floating on air that moves really really quick. And just in time for summer training rides too. Remember that trip I mentioned that I want to take this year to L.A. to see friends and then to visit K in Hawaii? You're looking at it.

Off to stare at it some more.

I'm Back!

And what better way to celebrate than with Brendan. (and never you mind that woman in the first picture. They're getting a divorce.)

I feel pretty good and I might just break down and stay at work all day. It's a full weekend anyway I may as well start now.

School was entertaining last night. I realized as I walked into the classroom that I'd forgotten the dvd they had to see. So I lectured for an hour, and then passed out their quiz and told them to take a break after they finished that I'd be back and proceeded to race home to get it.

The severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings made for an interesting ride and I returned to find an empty classroom and everyone in the basement. I don't get too excited about that stuff, so I wandered around and watched the skies for a while from the cozy confines of the classroom. They sounded the all clear, and we finished the dvd. To quote Victor/Victoria "Such a fuss."


I learned the other day that we lost Cooper's Corridor and this morning I found out why. Mean people.

Somehow a Joemygod reader made a comment about gay dad's that Cooper didn't like and after discovering that his blog had been hit hundreds of times and that some of the comments were unpleasant, he deleted the blog. I re-read those comments this morning and though I didn't find much that was very offensive, I'm not the single guy raising two kids in Nova Scotia, or Vancouver, sorry Cooper I forget. So his decision to delete his blog, though unfortunate for us was probably the best for him.

I understand that desire to raise children, it's family and it's a legacy and it truly is the most important thing you can leave behind. I'd do it, of course at my age I'd be one who'd go in for those in their early to mid-teen years. I'm too old to start from scratch now.

You'll be missed in the blogosphere Cooper, sorry about the mean people.

I, on the other hand, don't have any readers so I can say whatever I want without fear of reprisals. It's liberating.

Besides, I don't have any kids and I'm boring. I always knew that'd give me an edge.

I'm still torn about this new bike. I am almost feverish to find a bike store that sells something other than Trek. I suppose they're ok, but they're not all there is. What about Bianchi, Lemond, (I know) Specialized etc? All I can find here are Trek stores. or Raleigh stores. WTF? So though the new bike is semi-sweet, I'm looking for all the way sweet, especially for what they cost. Maybe I'll have time this weekend to shop some more. I rode a Lemond last week that was F-I-N-E! I rode a Trek yesterday that was ok.

I want a bike that's comfortable enough to ride 50-60 miles, yet one that'll go like a bat outta hell too. I had one once, I know it's possible. I'm not beyond my need to go fast yet.

Well Happy Hot Guy Friday! Have a good one.

Love

The Rift in the Democratic Party!

What fucking rift???

I keep hearing people say that Hillary needs to drop out of the race to let Obama be the nominee so we can heal the ""Rift" in the party. "She's damaging the party," they say. Did you guys just get here?

Primary season is for exactly this purpose. Has it been that long since we had a candidate of any substance or any consequence that you've forgotten the reason for the season? There is no "rift" in the fucking party you assholes. It's the primairies. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY.

Now, if she got out and Obama was the nominee and he lost, well that'd be her fault too. She stayed in too long and fucked everything up, would be what people say. So since she's damned anyway she may as well stay and ride this one out.

Mark my words, if Barack Obama is the nominee we'll have another four years of republican rule in the White House. There are far too many bigots out there who will not allow an African American in the Oval Office. My adoptive father (damn his soul) would vote republican for the one and only time in his life rather than vote for a black man. And he's only a bigot because he's ignorant. Imagine what informed bigots would do!

So stop bitching about the rift in the party. Believe me, it'll all be forgotten after the convention. The party will be unified behind the nominee and then it'll be Howard's turn to fuck things up. And if you want things fucked up, he's surely the guy.

This weekend is busy. Tonight I teach, tomorrow I think I'll have to work the whole day, and then I have to go to the college for the one-act plays. Saturday I have to ride a horse, a bike, do some stuff to the car, and then go to the theatre I last directed at to see their latest offering "Closer," a play I've directed. Sunday I have to prepare my lecture for next week, and grade papers, and weather permitting I have to clean out the garage so I can start putting boxes out there.

I guess I'm going to recover, I've kept the meat loaf all afternoon...yoohoo! I'm queasy but it has been over ten days since I ate solid food so I think that's to be expected.

I may have bought a bike too. One must have their hobbies I guess.

It's here! and solid food too...woot!

Ok, I know I forgot to give May the big build-up as far as the Freaking amazing Ancient Egyptian popup calendar goes, BUT, here it is!

I find it fitting that the popup calendar would grace the month-o'-my-birth with such a cool picture.

Today I am going to try solid food! I cannot express my excitement. Soup is getting REALLY old! So, meat loaf it is. I figure what the hell, see if I can really make it through a proper meal. Besides comfort food ain't all bad.

If I keep it, I'll try to do a full day at the office tomorrow, they've been really nice about all this.

And remember tomorrow is Hot Guy Friday!