All grow'd up

So, more than a year since my last post. Whoops.

(I initially referred to this post as an "entry." Goes to show that I'm still thinking about this as a diary. Oof...gays, forever teenage girls.)

The funny thing is, last year, I wrote more than ever before. I started the year working and writing at least one article for a newsletter, every day of the work week. Then I changed jobs and now I've been writing reports and industry trend pieces. I also took several writing classes that I like to think improved my writing...

Maybe not.

I've been working on fiction, which is new for me, but I like it. By working, I mean I wrote about 12,000 words last fall and haven't touched it in nearly two months. I'll get to it -- I still like the idea and the premise works.

I'm determined to see more music this year. I totally fell out of the loop as far as live music goes, and I have no excuse. I live in New York F'ing City. There are great bands here every week, a lot of venues within walking distance to my apartment and tons of opportunities beyond. No excuse!

So I guess this is sort of three resolutions for 2013: continue to improve my writing, work on my fiction and see more live music.

Also, could use more discipline...or not.

Antibeef Beefcakes

Meow!!

 "...a distinctive subculture of antibeef beefcakes..."


Best line of the day, for sure.


From the NYTimes

I stand with Occupy Wall Street

I am one of the lucky ones...I have a job that allows me to stay within the repayment terms of my student loans. I pay my bills on time, every month, and haven't missed a payment to Citibank, Sallie Mae and other responsibilities like credit cards, rent and utilities. However, the thought of my graduated repayment plan kicking in scares me because I'm already living on a shoestring. I take responsibility for signing the dotted line on my loans and taking part in the Federal Student Aid program through the US Department of Education, and will continue to make sacrifices to pay back my loans.

Three years ago, Citibank and other institutions like them were able to receive a government hand out in the billions when a profit-seeking business turned into greed, packaging known toxic assets and selling them back to us, their customers. When toxic assets went bust and trillions of dollars evaporated from the economy, millions of people saw their savings, homes and livelihoods decimated, or worse.

They bought that hand out with lobbyists and lawyers in Washington that we, their customers, paid for - and they're doing it again, with student loans.

What happens when student loan backed securities go bust because a second recession wipes out the lucky ones, the ones that are still employed? What happens when, because we lost the jobs we studied so long to be qualified for, we can no longer pay the interest, let alone the principal, on the loans?

Who gets the hand out then?

Even though I have to stay in my office and work to keep my job to continue to meet my responsibilities, I stand with Occupy Wall Street. There are fringe elements out there, yes, but don't let the media, all media, fool you. The bulk of the people there are just like you and me. And unfortunately, we can't afford the well connected lobbyists in Washington. But we can be heard.

Puppy (mill) cam

 

I'm all for cute puppy cams - but really? Google is allowing puppy sale ads? Damn you, puppy mills, for embracing online advertising! Must you sour everything with your evil!!

Concerning Saturday night

I'll be there as long as you fembots don't fucking tell me what to do. I'll be dancing on my own all night - you can hang with me, if you call your girlfriend.

Alright, I've got to get myself together, because this dancehall queen has come to rest in my eyes. Dance until we're all stars forever.

I'm warning you, I'm indestructible and love kills like a dysfunctional time machine...cuz none of them can dance to the beat. We, but especially you, should have known better.

What Would Enzo Do?

Enzo, my own (amphibious) turtle, is already fuming with jealousy. I know it.

"That little bitch...lawn mowers ain't shit &mdash try crossing a street in traffic and sprinting through ravenous seagulls on a beach...pussy."

Photo via boing boing

Polar bears 4, Spy Cams 0

I love everything about this story. Bears, ice, nature and destruction.

Seriously.

More cute (but less destructive) videos over at Engadget.

New Years Eve resolutions?

2010 has come and gone (almost).

It's been quite an eventful year. I feel like I've posted to this blog more, in the second half at least, and I'm trying to set myself up for a strong 2011.

In that vein, there is one thing that I usually don't do around this time of year...resolutions.

I don't know why, really. Maybe it's the fact that I am completely annoyed by the resolution crowd at the gym, taking up space with their huffing and puffing and barely working out. Maybe it's because I'm afraid of not achieving my resolutions and getting down on myself. Maybe it's because, in essence, the new year doesn't really mean too much in the whole of my life, as it is just another day.

Regardless of why I haven't in the past, this year I've decided to make a couple of resolutions.

In no particular order, here they are...

• Take lunch to work twice a week
• Get out of bed when I first wake up, even if it's before my alarm
• Practice my Rosetta Stone Spanish Levels 1-3 twice a week
• Write and complete something once a week through May, twice a week after
• Buy a guitar and learn to play it
• Visit a museum, gallery or lecture at least once a month

I've posted them to the back of the door of my apartment. Most of them are about self improvement, but some are focused on having discipline. I feel like that is the one part that is really missing out of my life right now &mdash the discipline to really pursue my ambitions. I guess in itself, making resolutions is an attempt to remind yourself that discipline is necessary to achieve every goal, no matter how small.

Whatever the reason, I've made them. I guess now is the time to man up and figure it all out!

Quote of the day: 'Sexercise'

From the following article on pandas, a particular fascination of mine it appears...

"The innovative methods used to encourage the pandas to procreate – including, artificial insemination, special diets, 'sexercise' classes and even Viagra – are the subject of a BBC documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough to be screened this week."

The story also has an adorable set of photographs of researchers dressing up as pandas in order to avoid imprinting the cubs. Furries FTW!

Cliff Lee headlines

Okay. I haven't done a post about them yet, but I am a die hard Phillies fan. When they lost to the Giants in October, I was very sad. It took me about a week, but watching Cliff Lee pitch for the Rangers made it a little easier...

Last night, around midnight, I received a text from my cousin - "cliff lee is a phillie!!!!!!!!!"

My response - "Wtf?"

I honestly have not been following much since they were essentially out of it during the winter meetings, but apparently ownership and Ruben Amaro Jr. made a special exception in the organizations already high salary budget (with just around $150 already committed).

Numerous sports writers have already covered this, so I won't go any further, but I wanted to provide a list of headlines from around the web. Some are clever...some aren't.

Cliff Lee Chooses (Brotherly) Love over Money

Cliff Motherfucking Lee —

Brother-Lee love! Lefty ace picks Philly

Bodley: Phils right a wrong, seize the moment

Yanks miss out on Lee as lefty heads to Philly

Sources: Lee jilts suitors to join Phils

Did Lee’s wife nix Yanks over nasty fans?

I heart everything about this story.

Also, rest in peace, Ambassador Holbrooke. Your service will not be forgotten.

Thankful for home

Last week I went home for Thanksgiving.

I walked off the platform of the R5 in Thornedale to my dad and dog, as usual. Cedes, my dog, wriggled in happiness at seeing me. Her presence lifts my heart because I know she has and will always love me no matter what.

In the car, my dad and I discussed current events like North Korea and the elections, as usual. Through the mundane conversation, I could sense that he really does enjoy being the first to see me off the train, waiting by the truck with the dog in the parking lot.

But something was a little different.

I didn't feel like I had to hide who I was...even if it wasn't relevant to the conversation. There was an unspoken understanding between us, I was still who I have always been to him.

We got home and my mom had left out dinner for me, as usual. It was no longer hot, so I put the plate of hot dogs, beans and cauliflower in the microwave and we sat down to talk. We talked about work, the dog, my brother and his kids, her sisters and my cousin's families, news that she had forgotten to include in our daily e-mails.

But again, something was a little different.

I felt like now, even if unsaid, she had a better idea of what my life was like in New York. She asked, quietly, if I was seeing anyone. I laughed and said no, that I was single and happy about it. I don't quite think they're ready to be regaled with stories of dating...let alone sex.

After coming out to my parents on the last day of my previous visit home, it didn't feel like a great burden was lifted off my shoulders, there was no instant sense of relief. I let them glimpse into a world that I had guarded closely and came back to the life I've made in New York. I brush over it quickly now, but at the time coming out had left me emotionally ragged and raw.

I was nervous about opening up those emotions again, of visiting home. But settling into the usual routine slowly put my nerves at ease, like the warmth you feel getting into bed as your body heat spreads under a heavy blanket.

I really was home, and they still accepted and loved me unconditionally. And it wasn't just Cedes this time.

Cashing in on QQ

According to an OgilvyOne Worldwide survey, the No. 1 social media activity among social media users in China was "Pimp up my avatar."

Really?

Imagine if you were selling a cool hat or set of sneakers on that website for avatars...there are around 650 million users of QQ in China. If you could sell to half a million of those for like 50 cents to a dollar (approximately 3-5 yuan) each then you'd be golden.

How do I get in on this...

Anthro-art

Earlier this week, The New Yorker published a piece on Irving Penn's new display over at the Pace/MacGill Gallery entitled Archaeology.

The stark contrasts of the ordinary objects that he's compiled with the bones of animals (including that one known as the human animal) are both mundane and fantastic, and while these are still photographs they come alive with the shadows. I think that my favorite part is the dust or rust that settles around the objects, giving them an untouched feeling...as if he stumbled upon the placement of the objects as is.

I never thought I'd be the one to say this particular phrase, but anyone want to go stroll the galleries?

Robyn is my muse

I wish I could figure out how to embed this in my own blog, but for now, just visit this site and be amazed.

It's about 10 times better if you've got a set of those bi-colored 3D glasses.

Now get the f' outta here.

#KillingMe

#Don'tFuckingTellMeWhatToDo

Social commentary

I know, I know... so much has been going on recently and I haven't updated this blog. You would think I'd have an opinion to share on the gay suicides and Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project and all of the other gay news events in the world, and I do, but I'm not going to use this blog as a forum for that.

I have been tweeting and posting on my Facebook though, don't you worry.

I have been meaning to sit down and write a couple of entries, as well. I need to put some time away to do that...make some lists...outline some shit...et cetera, et cetera.

Til then...here is more panda love.

Pambassadors?

I had previously posted that a research/tourist facility in China was seeking several international panda care-takers. Looks like they found the ideal candidates for the panda keepers...and didn't take my recommendation of using the news team from Anchorman. Sad.

They chose 6 candidates from 61,615 applicants, spanning 52 countries and regions in the world. Talk about competition!

See the story here, for more Pambassador goodness.

One thing in the article struck me, however. China Daily referred to one of the winners, Wang Yu-wen, as being from Taiwan. I don't ALWAYS read the China Daily (I probably should) but I was almost certain that most mainland Chinese, and especially state sponsored media, feel that Taiwan is still part of China. Maybe I'm wrong.

Smurfing around...

Okay, this is amazing. I want to go an entire theme park based on Smurfs.

When, you ask? When are you buying my plane ticket?

Jean Logic

Brilliant.

As seen on Groupon.

Shurikens and kunai, oh my!

Bloomberg reports that Steve Jobs was stopped at an airport and had to throw away shurikens in his luggage. Shurikens?

And I thought I was an anime nerd.

Although now I know what I want for Christmas...hint hint.

Antisocial networks?

The commodification of sex in Manhattan is a truth of the place. Put so many people on a tiny island and some aspects of life just become...expected.

Nowhere is this as true as with gay men.

But when online hook-up websites (Manhunt, Grindr, craigslist, findfred...the list goes on) make finding sex as easy as ordering take out and become normalized, it stunts the development of healthy sexuality as a whole.

Maybe it is the anthropologist in me talking, but with the availability of sex 24/7, the proclivity of gay men toward multiple partners, rising drug use and the arrival of a new generation of millennials that grew up during the Bush years where abstinence only sex education programs deprived them of the importance of safe sex, there is a scary convergence of dangerous components out there that all point to the rise of sexually transmitted diseases.

Add to the fact that most of the men that are out there are emotionally undeveloped? Prospects are not so good.

Ugh. Talk about depressing... how is a single gay man supposed to navigate this minefield?

Very carefully.