And this is what I woke up to in my neighborhood yesterday morning...

They saved the dogs though!!

Go here now!!!

Today is all about hugging my dog and telling her how much I love her.

One of the things I love most about my neighborhood is that it's very dog friendly. Probably a third of the people living in the Lower Garden District have dogs. We're a dog loving bunch.

My next door neighbor for the last two years has had a dalmation named Posey for nine years. Posey and I have always had a bit of a distant but genial relationship. Whenever I arrive home and she's outside, she always comes running to my car with her tail wagging and then darts away at the last second before I can pet her. It's like she's telling me that she knows I belong here and I'm part of her territory, but I don't really belong to her. I belong to another dog. Every once in a rare while, she'll actually come up to me when I'm sitting on the steps and sit next to me and let me stroke her back.

Her owner is a chef and he's been out of town, touring as the caterer for a very famous rock star. A couple of weeks ago, while he was out of town, Posey starting getting weak spells and passed out a couple of times. His girlfriend took her to the vet and got her onto medication and she's been a little better. Kent got back in town last week while the tour breaks for a couple of weeks. He's been nursing her along and she's been better but still really weak and the vet hasn't been sure what's exactly what's wrong with her.

Last nite, I had just finished washing my car when Kent got home. He let Posey out to run around a bit. She was doing her usual shy act with me. Then she started towards me on the steps, took two step and fell over in the grass in front of her house. I lept off the steps and ran to her while screaming for Kent. I stroked her head and she wagged her tail a bit while obviously struggling for breath. Kent came out and got her up and she seemed to perk back up pretty quickly. He told me he was a bit worried but that she was actually doing much better, but he would take her to the vet again this morning to have her checked out.

Around 10 AM this morning, I heard Kent drive up and then there was a knock at my door. I opened it to Kent standing outside and he simply said, "she passed away, man." He'd taken her to the vet and she'd passed out there again but revived. I'm not sure exactly what else went on at the vet's office, but Kent started home with her and she seemed okay. And then, while he was driving home, she had a seizure in his truck. And this time she didn't wake up.

We just stood on the porch for a couple minutes, both crying, uncomfortable as guys get when we cry.

I'm reallly glad that Kent and Posey got to spend her last week together. But, geez...

Now Keisha's just confused as to why I keep hugging her so tight.

a crazy long cranky week at work has kept me from blogging... apologies...

And I don't really feel like continuing last weekend's saga at this point. Know simply that Clee was here until Tuesday and I'm pretty much smitten with him bigtime... we'll see what happens... he lives in San Francisco... so... we'll see...

Ok, one quick mention about last weekend... on Saturday we went to a birthday party for Flynn and Richard at the home of Richard & Jonno. Kick ass house, fun party. Richard has pics on his page, including one of me and someone he thinks is my boyfriend. Hmmm.

Nothing interesting has happened this week at all except for me realizing I spent too much money last week and putting myself on a budget. Well, except for the purchase of comic books and the new Battle of the Planets action figures. Mark is SOOO hot. The biggest package ever on an action figure, i think...

I'm finally off work tomorrow and intend to work on my tan at the Country Club all day.

But.. here's a random pic of Clee...

I'm tired and grouchy and I had a really crappy day...

the people at work are gonna drive me over the edge one of these days...

so, no blog tonite...

but... Who's Dave? So, am I the hottie or did he send people to the wrong page? hey... lrtony.. let me know...

*sigh*

So, as I write... Clee should be safely back in San Francisco...

This past weekend was great. I went into it with knowing I was glad that Clee was coming back to visit but with a lot of trepidation over having a houseguest for 4+ days. I'm a solitary guy. I like my space. And I can get bitchy.

No space was needed. Clee is perfection to hang with. There can't be a more laid back guy on this planet. And Keisha likes him a lot. So, all was well. Better than well. All was pretty much damned near perfect.

A brief rundown of the weekend:

Thursday: I picked him up at the airport and, at his request, we went to Juan's Flying Burrito for dinner. Then we hit the Quarter for drinks and standing about at Lafittes, the Pub and Good Friends. I'm in love with the video screens at Lafittes. Everytime I go there I see a video that I fall in love with or that I've just never seen before. Thursday nite it was Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Get Over You, which is absolutely my favorite video right now, and Alcazar's Crying at the Discoteque, which is one mindfuck of a freaky video. Clee couldn't watch the Alcazar video.. evidently dancing animal headed people freak him out... Jonathan met us out at Lafittes. We ran into James at Good Friends for a bit and then headed over to the Pub, just in time for the end of the strip show.. ugh. And then dancing commenced... And then home and snuggly good sleep...

Up next... Friday... altho, in the meantime you can get a preview of Saturday here... make what you will of the little box that pops up over a certain picture... (ok.. don't make too much of it... Sturtle just makes assumptions...)

Just for comparison purposes... here's Clee from yesterday playing with his new Transformer that he bought at Target...

Clee is in town. And I'm too tired to blog about our misadventures thus far... here's a photo to show what we did this afternoon tho...

18 hours and counting... I dunno if I'll be posting much at all over the weekend... someone is almost here...

I am loved.

I found out last nite that another friend of mine had bought me an Advance copy of White Apples as well...

I'm a lucky boy.

A truly beautiful person stopped by my store tonite while I was at lunch and left me a copy of the Advance Reading Copy of White Apples.

Life am good.

Recently...

I made a detour on the way home from visiting the parents and met another blogger. Cute boy. Gotta love the awkward conversation when you meet an online friend in person for the first time...

I've been listening to this CD a LOT.

I betrayed a friend's confidence and feel crappy about it.

I've been smoking too much and drinking a lot less.

I've been reading this book.

I got a Google hit off of "ass kissing mania".

Last Thursday, I blogged that I wouldn't mind running into Jonno again soon. And Thursday nite, someone grabbed me from behind at the Pub and guess who it was?

And James turned up just in time for Jonno and I to jointly yell at him for labeling us a winters on his sidebar.

Hmmph... winter...

Oh yeah, and Mr Jonno who has a floaty little bubble thing over my link on his page that says "needs to smile more" told me that he'd never seen me smile so much as that nite.

Confidence, baby...

White Apples has a website!!!

And he's touring! Anyone up for a roadtrip to Austin on November 9th??

(as revealed to Mark earlier tonite)

unknown Drew fact: i own over $200 worth of Japanese temple incense...

Overheard while eating sushi earlier this week:

"...and all the bigger alligators eat the little alligators... it's a tough society... alligator society"

god, i love New Orleans people...

Ok... Jonno gets his link back on my sidebar cuz there's been some activity on his site... and he is the one who got me into this... and the one who (sort of) taught me html...

now if the bastard would just return one of my emails... i sorta miss hanging out with all that attitude...

If you're not doing anything on Sunday August 18, 2002 from 1 to 4pm (and if you are, cancel), then you need to come by the Lesbian and Gay Community Center of New Orleans at 2114 Decatur for a reception for one of my favorite people. I promise that you'll love his paintings.

Seriously! I'm gonna be there! You should be too... c'mon...

R.I.P., Timmy... :(

for the record... Joe the Latino is a Spic, but is not necessarily a Whore... he is cute however... and should probably be careful of requests that he makes to Bloggers while he is drinking...

Jesus christ, life is good...

I was off work again today and it was a lovely amazing wonderful incredible fantastic amazing day leading into evening.

I woke up early, surfed a bit and then met a friend at the Country Club (the bar with the pool) around 11:30 am. We ordered food delivered poolside from Bywater BBQ and gnoshed down on some incredible fried shrimp poboys. And then I sat poolside with Denise and Beau for almost 7 hours. The weather was perfect, breezy and alternating between cloudy and sunny. It was a everso quickly passing afternoon of strawberry margaritas and observation. We people watched until our eyes hurt.

Then, Beau and I decided to head to the Quarter for the early evening Sunday festivities. We met up again at the Pub and pretty much immediately both met cute guys. He snagged an English hottie with tattoo sleeves. And I got chatted up by a cute latino guy. Cute latino guy was familiar with my blog and has asked that i refer to him as Joe the Latino (Spic Whore). So, um... there... Joe the Latino (Spic Whore) was a sweetheart of a guy. We had lots of nice conversation. And that's it. We'll see if we meet again.

Beau went home relatively early and I wandered down to Lafittes. I sat at the bar and watched retro 80s videos for a bit. While there, a friend of a friend sat across the bar from me and started flirting by mimicking my movements and singing to me. It suddenly occurred to me that he was cute. Hmmm. He left after a bit though. And then the guy I blogged about a while ago who I met out at Lafittes a while ago came wandering into the bar. He came over and apologized for not keeping in contact. He claims he's been out of the state. We'll see...

So, I leave Lafittes and wander back thru the Pub. I run into friend of a friend. We chat. He says he'll see me out next weekend when i say I have to go. I say I'm not going out next weekend. He firmly insists he'll see me out next weekend. Hmmm.

I leave the Pub and head to my car, it being around 11 pm now. I decide to pick up a book from my car and walk to Angeli for dinner before I head home. A bit later, I'm happily full of a Portabella mushroom sandwich. I get my car and head home, singing loudly along to Le Tigre and Sophie Ellis Bextor....

Now... a bath, lotion for my slight sunburn... and blissful sleep....

Life am good...

and, um...i think it's 9 days till someone gets here....

well... it's official...

at work tonite, i ran into my ex's sister in law... she told me *drumroll* that I look the best she's seen me in the seven years she's know me and that i was *drumroll #2*...

a sexy beast

it's all about the confidence...

Confidence.

It's an odd thing. It's a make or break state of being. When you lack it, you're truly screwed. Having it means everything.

Lately, I seem to have it in spades. I'm not sure why exactly, but I've entered into a state of calmness whenever I'm out and about or dealing with boys. I've been flirting like crazy when we go out to bars. Eye contact across the bar, flitting smiles, etc etc. And then I just don't really care if they come over or not. I've entered a zen happy to be me phase. I'm okay with my imperfect body, my (slightly above ) average looks and slightly witty and sly personality.

Jonathan and I have gone out to the Quarter the last 3 nites and I've been had an absolute blast each nite. I've been offered phone numbers, i've been pinched in a few places, there were attempted gropings and lots of lots of smiles. And I just floated through it all with a smile on my face. And rejected them all left and right.

I'm hoping this state lasts for a bit. I like it.

I'm thinking it may have something to do with someone's impending visit.