The Tranquility of New York

Getting a few last minute work projects tied up before I hit the road.

I usually like to be a bit more organized before I go out of town but all I’ve really had time to do is look up a few fun vegetarian restaurants. As far as touristy things, I haven’t decided if I’ll try to hit the Met or MoMa. Main thing is I hope to get a bit of relaxation in. Yeah I know, going to New York City for peace and quiet, not something I would have expected. The great thing for us visitors is we can just walk around watching everyone and it’s fun.

As soon as I get back my Mother is coming for a visit so I’ve taken off a few days to spend some time with her. It will likely be next week before I return. If I have a chance I may pop in during my trip.

Cheers my friends, Brian

The Boring Work Post

I managed to get everything finished on Friday afternoon that I needed to. I was worried that I was going to have to stay late… on a Friday! Our incompetent manager called a meeting last week to discuss some workflow issues. I fired back on a few issues. I recognize that my anger towards him keeps me from being completely rational on the subject and I was glad to see other co-workers engaging. Also, we’ve decided to meet independently without I.M. so that we can get our work done. Fascinating stuff there, I’m sure.

My new vow is to allot a bit of time each week to job search and as a result I have my first interview this afternoon. I’ve been told I interview well. I don’t see it but I’ve chosen not to examine it too closely. If something works, leave it alone. (Send good vibes my way though I'm feeling a bit ooky about the whole thing. It could be all this coffee I'm drinking though.)

I leave for NYC early on Wednesday morning. I haven’t been away from my family for an entire night since E arrived. It was exciting to think about at first but now I’m getting all misty. It’s a bit pathetic really. There’s been no research done on what’s happening up there but I’m staying near the West Village so I may just wander about. I wonder if I can find some nice gay couple to let me rent their baby for a few minutes. I am the picture of masculinity, no?

Weekend!

I have found myself unexpectedly and unfortunately swamped. How'd that happen?

Have a great weekend all!

Freshen up

Welcome to my slightly modified turtle!

It was time for a change and I think I quite like this new look.

Best morning ever

So E has been learning to use his new-fangled words and last month he started to learn kisses. Sometimes it works, sometimes he forgets to close his mouth and it's kind of disgusting. He leans in with the open mouth and kind of pecks you.

Well this morning as I was leaving I leaned down and gave him a kiss and he kissed back and as I stood up to leave he said "More" so I bent over and kissed him again on the cheek and he said "More!" It's the first time I've heard him use more outside of food. Man, it totally melted me and made me tear up a bit. This parenting thing rocks sometimes.

The Gayken speaks!

Clay Aiken on whether he's gay: "What do you say (to that question)? … It's like when I was 8. I remember something would get broken in the house, and Mom and Dad would call me in and say, 'Did you do this?' Well, it didn't matter what I said. The only thing they would believe was yes. … People are going to believe what they want."

oh clay. Well I sort of agree that it doesn't matter what you say, your hair product speaks for itself.

Postcards from Lisbon

A brief photoessay for Ric










(taken about 4 years ago)

Spam!

Actual spam title that I received:

You always wanted to use your penis as a billiards cue


Wha?

If I can Make-out There, I'll Make-out Anywhere!

Something for the next tourism campaign:

A study of more than 4,000 New York City men finds that nearly 10 percent of those who identified as straight admitted to having gay sex in the past year.


A recent study of more than 4,000 New York City men found that nearly 10 percent of participants who identified as straight admitted to having gay sex in the past year.

The study, conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, was titled "Discordance Between Sexual Behavior and Self-reported Sexual Identity: A Population-based Survey of New York City Men."

The study's findings, released Monday, revealed that straight men who had gay sex were more likely than other participants to belong to a racial or ethnic minority, be foreign-born, have a lower educational level, and live outside Manhattan.




(I wonder if this is something unique to NYC, metropolitan areas or what.)

Here comes the rain again

Saturday started dreary and overcast for our Rainbow Families DC picnic. There was some talk that morning about what to do but we plunged onward. Forty minutes before the official start a shower passed overhead to give us all a nice dousing. We were a bit muggy as we rushed about to put the final touches on the park, hanging banners and setting up the food tables. I was getting a bit worried about attendance at that point. Fortunately, the families began to trickle in at three o’clock.

The coolest thing about these events is all the variety in family structure and race. Never has a rainbow been a more apt description. (Generally I find the rainbow to be a bit cloying as a rallying symbol. It gives me flashbacks to Rainbow Brite and her infernal cheeriness, but I digress.) The children and parents came in all shapes, colors, and sizes and it was beautiful.

I think I now have empirical proof that E is incredibly active for his age. I noted other parents setting their children down and they’d happily mill about. We’d set E down and he’d immediately race from us. We had him dressed in this adorable little cargo pants and striped shirt and he ran from the gazebo and fell into the dirt mere seconds after arrival. Ha Ha. E became fascinated at one point with these three older boys around 8ish as they ran about yelling and shoving and pushing. E crawled into a little tent with them and I was told he wasn’t allowed. Why’s that I ask? Because this is a wrestling tent! E sat there grinning, all of the violence encoding on his little brain to spring upon his Dads at a later date. I began to wonder about this whole 2 boys idea.

One of the highlights was finally getting to meet Steve and his charming family from the Hygiene Chronicles. It’s always nice to put a name (or blog) with a face. Hopefully we’ll see him at a few more events. ; ) I finally mastered the art of not over-extending myself. After the initial business I was able to take some time to actually talk to some people and meet a few other families. All in all it was great fun and judging by the filth on E’s clothing he also had a great time.

Five-o'clock world

I’ve had a very busy week here. I’m trying to become a bit more organized at work, largely because I’m trying to incorporate job search time into my day. I’ve made choices to stay where I was largely because it gave me time to take off when the little boo came home and I’m able to take off whenever he gets sick. It’s also a very low stress job for the most part.

However, some little annoyances have begun to build and build to an intolerable level. One of the supervisors has shall we say a very close relationship with a co-worker and her preferential treatment has gotten to be too much. I’m pretty easy-going for the most part; hey do whatever you want as long as it doesn’t affect my job. Now, it’s become way too obvious. It’s not at a whistle-blowing level or anything just highly unfair.

Anyway, rant aside, I have to start looking. I do hate the job application with the hatred of a hot white sun though. Federal applications are the worst too. You have to parse all these ridiculous little questions knowing that many of the jobs have already been filled but must be listed because of the posting requirement. I hate hate having to sell myself. Just pay me to nod and look pretty... is that too much to ask? (It's worked for my co-worker and her crazy eyes.)

Meanwhile, I found out I’ll be going to New York City next week. If I have any New York readers let me know. I’d love to get some recommendations from you. It’s going to be a quick trip just a couple days. I have to weight the freedom of getting away with missing my family and feeling guilty for going away without them.

Political Observations from a 14-year-old girl

Dreamy Adrian Fenty won the democratic nomination for DC mayor!



photo credit MW

He’ll be the hottest mayor in the country. Gavin Newsome uses way too much product. Take that SF.

the language of life

Words my little boo says:

Daddy - da da

Pappa

Nemo - emo (that’s our dog’s name)

More - mo

Banana – manamana

Bus - gu gu (I have no idea where that came from but it’s definitely his word for bus, he says it every time he sees one. Perhaps it’s from go go?)

Car - ca ca (note the transportation pattern!)

Book - be-be (one of his first books had a picture of a baby in it and we’d say look at the baby and now all books are be-be.)

Please - peese

Thank you - tank you

This - dis

Up – up-pa (which is really cute because it sounds like an Italian gymnast getting ready to launch himself onto a trapeze or something.)

Bubbles

In short, he’s brilliant!

For this is the gay we are given, let us rejoice!

I'm both thrilled and appalled by this show. Can you imagine the snarkability potential?


"Ex-gay" TV show to debut on Christian networks


A television show hosted by and featuring "ex-gays," including a former prostitute and a self-confessed thief, is preparing for its launch on two Christian networks.

Pure Passion will debut on both the Sky Angel Satellite Network and the Christian Television Network on September 18. The show, produced by Mastering Life Ministries, will be hosted by former prostitute David Kyle Foster and Alan Chambers, a onetime criminal and current president of the "ex-gay" group Exodus International, according to a press release issued by Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, a nonprofit that counters so-called conversion therapy. Joining Foster and Chambers as part of the show will be singer Sy Rogers and "ex-lesbian" activist Christine Sneeringer.

The airing of Pure Passion has sparked anger from groups who denounce the "ex-gay" movement as damaging, self-hating, cruel, and simply a myth.

"The last thing people of faith need is more pure propaganda and pure nonsense that is rejected by every mainstream mental health organization in the nation," said Besen. "The colorful characters hosting this show with questionable moral character will likely prove to be quite entertaining, as most circus acts are."

Cockroach attacks Weatherman Nelly Olsen

Here she comes again

From the post:

“The (Kennedy Center) annual awards, announced yesterday, will go to country music legend Dolly Parton, rhythm and blues balladeer William "Smokey" Robinson, musical theater innovator Andrew Lloyd Webber and classical conductor Zubin Mehta.

In addition, the center is saluting Steven Spielberg, perhaps the most influential commercial filmmaker of his generation.” Blah blah blah


The important thing to note is that today is DOLLY PARTON appreciation day!
What better way to pick up a Thursday than to look forward to possible Parton sighting about town when she comes to pick up her award.

There are few artists that truly transcend their genres and none as ably as Dolly. So take a moment to say a little thank you to Dolly.



and yes that is a lot of make-up but she's earned it.

I’ve been meaning to post these pics for a while but kept forgetting. For shark week back in July, the Discovery Channel Building in Silver Spring had one of the coolest marketing gimmicks. Check out the giant shark!










photos courtesy of flickr

the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape

Normally I don't pass along joke emails but this is feeling particularly relevant today. Plus, it's my blog, mwahaha!


You find out interesting things when you have sons, like
1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
 2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
 3.) A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
 4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and
 a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
 5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a
 few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
 6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
 7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
 8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
 9.) A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.
 10.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4- year old Boy.
 11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
 12.) Super glue is forever.
 13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
 14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
 15.) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
 16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
 17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
 18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
 19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
 20.) The fire department inAustin , TX has a 5-minute response time.
 21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
 22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
 23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
 24.) 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.
 25.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.    

The dog was much easier to train.

It was a difficult weekend in the turtle house. The little man is over his ear infection and fighting off a cold which he’s passed on to me.

We did get a lot accomplished though cleaning up the back porch and furnishing the sun room. On the porch, the books have been hauled down to the basement and the table has been assembled. We found a cute little loveseat for the sun room and a perfect spot for a bookshelf. Our goal was to get the rooms furnished while there’s still some last bits of summer to enjoy them. I’m also determined to get all of our photos off the computer and into photo albums. I made it halfway through our Italy vacation before sucking all the ink out of the printer.

Meanwhile the little man has discovered pinching. There has been a steady increase in the violence level in our household. Crime reports for the living room and dining room are way up. The use of force to counteract the violent trend has resulted in renewed attacks upon authority.

You wouldn’t think a little hand could cause quite so much pain but when he grabs the skin on your neck and twists, it hurts. We’re trying a sit him down and walk away approach, which usually results in him crying and wanting to be picked up. Intellectually I get that we’re being tested but all of it makes us quite emotionally exhausted. I was shocked too to see this little mean face as he came back to smack me. I correct him, then he cries and wants to be held, then he pinches me, I put him down, he cries, wants to get picked up. Where’s the damn instruction manual?

Off to do some more research and nurse my bruises….

Little America

Little Britain is to be completely remade for the US market by American broadcaster HBO.

Creators Matt Lucas and David Walliams will join American comedy writers and Simon Fuller, the British entertainment entrepreneur, in a bid to recreate versions of their hit characters for the US audience.

The team is hoping the adaptation will attract up to ten million viewers following a string of successful exports including The Office, and reality shows which have made Simon Cowell America's top earning television star.

...


I don't know if this will translate. I also wonder about the need, the original is brilliant enough. How bad do you think this will be?

Friday Random Thoughts

1. Ernesto is coming! Lots and lots of rain forecast for the next 24 hours.

2. Carolyn Kepcher, a Trump organization executive famous for her role as a tough-talking judge on the hit television reality show "The Apprentice," is being replaced on the show by his daughter and is no longer with the company, a Trump representative said on Thursday.

…. And finally there's no reason left to watch The Apprentice!


3. The Wilson Bridge span here in DC was demolished by one Daniel Ruefly. He was selected because his commute was officially declared the worst ever. It starts each day at 5 a.m. at his Accokeek home and somewhere around 90 minutes later, depending on about a thousand things on his 50-mile drive from Maryland to Virginia and back, he gets to his job in Rockville. He said he's been doing this every workday for the past 30 years.

That means he's been in his car in the neighborhood of 1,350,000 minutes. Which is about 22,500 hours. Which is like 937 days. Which is 2.56 years.

As if that's not enough, it's painful for Ruefly to sit still for so long, because driving aggravates the hip injury he suffered when his pickup truck slammed into the back of an illegally parked tractor-trailer on the bridge in 1999.

So my question is, why the f*ck didn’t you move closer to your job? Is it like the poor little frog who doesn’t know the water is getting hotter and you didn’t notice how bad the traffic was getting?

4. I hate Jeffrey tattoo neck no chin and his ass face. Rock star? More like Leather Clown.

5. Last week, the Washington Post mistakenly used a picture of John Mark Karr for RNC chair Ken Mehlmann. BWAHAHA!

6. Matthew McConaughey is shirtless, a lot…. Thank you.