Friday, July 12, 2002
New Orleans is in the midst of summer and how. It's blazing out every day now. The humidity is out to get me, I tells ya.
I've thought more about signs... and I'm still very conflicted about it. I can't tell why without spoiling the movie and I won't do that... grrrr.... I REALLY want to like this movie, but there's this one thing about it that I just unable to... accept. And, believe me, you have no clue what I mean by that...
Tonite was a nice nite. I got off of work and went by the mall. I scored a belt, 2 pairs of pants and 2 shirts for about $60. Total. Pants for $12.99... And this is after buying a pair of jeans, 5 shirts, another belt, a canvas bag and 3 pairs of pants for $250 yesterday. Total scores in the clothes department this week.
Then I came home and took Keisha for a nice long walk to the dogpark, where I ran into Tracy & Brian and their adorable son, Iain. I got back just in time to have a friend of mine call and ask if I had been at the mall earlier. Why did he ask this? Because two friends of his saw me at the mall and thought that perhaps I was drewnola from gay.com, so they followed me around for a bit. Evidently they also thought I was nice looking. heh.
Then I did a welcome wagon thing. I went to dinner at Semolina with a guy that I chatted with on gay.com last nite. He's just moved here and doesn't know anyone. I NEVER do things like this, so it was out of character. And it was a nice dinner and nice conversation. And, no babes, it wasn't a date...
I've thought more about signs... and I'm still very conflicted about it. I can't tell why without spoiling the movie and I won't do that... grrrr.... I REALLY want to like this movie, but there's this one thing about it that I just unable to... accept. And, believe me, you have no clue what I mean by that...
Tonite was a nice nite. I got off of work and went by the mall. I scored a belt, 2 pairs of pants and 2 shirts for about $60. Total. Pants for $12.99... And this is after buying a pair of jeans, 5 shirts, another belt, a canvas bag and 3 pairs of pants for $250 yesterday. Total scores in the clothes department this week.
Then I came home and took Keisha for a nice long walk to the dogpark, where I ran into Tracy & Brian and their adorable son, Iain. I got back just in time to have a friend of mine call and ask if I had been at the mall earlier. Why did he ask this? Because two friends of his saw me at the mall and thought that perhaps I was drewnola from gay.com, so they followed me around for a bit. Evidently they also thought I was nice looking. heh.
Then I did a welcome wagon thing. I went to dinner at Semolina with a guy that I chatted with on gay.com last nite. He's just moved here and doesn't know anyone. I NEVER do things like this, so it was out of character. And it was a nice dinner and nice conversation. And, no babes, it wasn't a date...
Thursday, July 11, 2002
A couple months ago, I blogged about how excited I was about the movie, signs. I've also blathered on a bit to a few of my friends about it.
And one of them invited me to go this morning at 10 a.m. to the local press screening of it. So, this morning, three weeks before any of the rest of you, I got to see signs.
It's by the director (who has a difficult name to spell) of Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense, so I knew to excite a languid dreamy movie with some twists. And I love those other two movies, so I had high expectations.
And much like I remember feeling after seeing Unbreakable, I'm still processing the film overall. I will say that it has some extremely scary and creepy sequences. Very very spooky.
I won't tell you what it's about. Or how it ends. Or anything else.
It has above caliber acting by everyone involved. All of the actors, including the kids, hit every note in the film just right.
Anyways, more about it when I think it through...
And one of them invited me to go this morning at 10 a.m. to the local press screening of it. So, this morning, three weeks before any of the rest of you, I got to see signs.
It's by the director (who has a difficult name to spell) of Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense, so I knew to excite a languid dreamy movie with some twists. And I love those other two movies, so I had high expectations.
And much like I remember feeling after seeing Unbreakable, I'm still processing the film overall. I will say that it has some extremely scary and creepy sequences. Very very spooky.
I won't tell you what it's about. Or how it ends. Or anything else.
It has above caliber acting by everyone involved. All of the actors, including the kids, hit every note in the film just right.
Anyways, more about it when I think it through...
Monday, July 08, 2002
Ok... why I haven't been posting...
because the last week SUCKED!
Last Tuesday, I was blissfully driving to work. And then, while making a perfectly legal U-Turn (something that you have to do constantly while driving in New Orleans... there's no such thing as a left turn here), a Vietnamese teenager whacked into the rear passenger side of my car and threw me out the street into the parking lot of a mall. And there were lots of little concrete barriers on the edge of that mall parking lot. And I went right over all of them.
So, I was physically fine but completely freaked out. The kid stops. I call the police on my cellphone. A witness gives me her phone number. While waitng for the police the kid says to me, "oh... my parents gonna take car now.. this my third accident." It was almost (ALMOST) sort of amusing. (ALMOST... as in not really amusing at all at the time...)
My poor car had the front passenger tire blown completely out and the rim quite mangled. The rear side of my car had lots of crushed impact areas in the metal. And the rear passenger tire wasn't flat but it was pushed in at a strange angle and had part of the leather bib from his car somehow trapped between the tire and the rim.
So, the police come. They ticket the kid. In the meantime, my friend Carlos happens to be passing by and stops when he sees me. And, Denise, my store manager drives over from the store after I call her.
A towtruck takes my car away to some place with the ominous name of Champ's Collision Center.
I go to rent a car later that day and discover that the renewal sticker on the back of my driver's license is missing. No car rental. I get a ride home from my saintly friend, Robert.
The next day Robert kindly takes me to the DMV to fix my license and then to rent a car. But all of this is highly stressing.
So, Thursday begins four days off of work for me. Should've been sweet. I'm feeling a bit better since I have the rental car. And I have a pleasant fourth hanging out with Tom and Brian. We go to the river for the fireworks. And then I go out to the Quarter for a bit with Tom and his friend, Kelly. We dance at the Shim Sham and drink at 735.
Then, Friday, I'm trying to continue to put it all past me. And the call comes around 4 pm. "Mr Zeigler, your car is totalled. We'll cut you a check on Monday. And you have the rental paid thru Wednesday."
Fuck me.... I have 5 days to buy a new car. So, Saturday, I basically carshop from 9 am to 5 pm, covering an area of about 100 miles wide. I finally find a car I like in Denham Springs, a good hour and ten minutes from New Orleans. And they have a rebate going on for $2000 thru Monday.
So, I stop at my parents' house that nite, exhausted and stressed from carshopping all day in a 105 degree heat index. My sister and her family are there. My sister valiantly volunteers to drive to New Orleans on Monday to pick me up so I don't have to deal with getting the rental back to NO after buying a car.
Sunday, I basically sit around and totally stress out all day. And do a lot of research on the Internet.
Monday, I head to work for a 7 am 2 hour mandatory meeting. Then I rush around NO, picking up and deposting the insurance check and getting all my stuff out of and the license plate off my old car. And then I rush back to meet my sister at my store. We head to my parents' again, because my father has to be involved in the haggling.
So, two and a half or so hours later... I'm driving a 2002 Dodge Neon SXT with an EXTREMELY LOUD yellow paint job. It's loaded out with power everything, a sunroof, CD changer, etc... (And if you don't like Neons or think my car sounds cheap and tacky... well, fuck you...)
And I finally feel like a gigantic weight is off my shoulders. Whew.
because the last week SUCKED!
Last Tuesday, I was blissfully driving to work. And then, while making a perfectly legal U-Turn (something that you have to do constantly while driving in New Orleans... there's no such thing as a left turn here), a Vietnamese teenager whacked into the rear passenger side of my car and threw me out the street into the parking lot of a mall. And there were lots of little concrete barriers on the edge of that mall parking lot. And I went right over all of them.
So, I was physically fine but completely freaked out. The kid stops. I call the police on my cellphone. A witness gives me her phone number. While waitng for the police the kid says to me, "oh... my parents gonna take car now.. this my third accident." It was almost (ALMOST) sort of amusing. (ALMOST... as in not really amusing at all at the time...)
My poor car had the front passenger tire blown completely out and the rim quite mangled. The rear side of my car had lots of crushed impact areas in the metal. And the rear passenger tire wasn't flat but it was pushed in at a strange angle and had part of the leather bib from his car somehow trapped between the tire and the rim.
So, the police come. They ticket the kid. In the meantime, my friend Carlos happens to be passing by and stops when he sees me. And, Denise, my store manager drives over from the store after I call her.
A towtruck takes my car away to some place with the ominous name of Champ's Collision Center.
I go to rent a car later that day and discover that the renewal sticker on the back of my driver's license is missing. No car rental. I get a ride home from my saintly friend, Robert.
The next day Robert kindly takes me to the DMV to fix my license and then to rent a car. But all of this is highly stressing.
So, Thursday begins four days off of work for me. Should've been sweet. I'm feeling a bit better since I have the rental car. And I have a pleasant fourth hanging out with Tom and Brian. We go to the river for the fireworks. And then I go out to the Quarter for a bit with Tom and his friend, Kelly. We dance at the Shim Sham and drink at 735.
Then, Friday, I'm trying to continue to put it all past me. And the call comes around 4 pm. "Mr Zeigler, your car is totalled. We'll cut you a check on Monday. And you have the rental paid thru Wednesday."
Fuck me.... I have 5 days to buy a new car. So, Saturday, I basically carshop from 9 am to 5 pm, covering an area of about 100 miles wide. I finally find a car I like in Denham Springs, a good hour and ten minutes from New Orleans. And they have a rebate going on for $2000 thru Monday.
So, I stop at my parents' house that nite, exhausted and stressed from carshopping all day in a 105 degree heat index. My sister and her family are there. My sister valiantly volunteers to drive to New Orleans on Monday to pick me up so I don't have to deal with getting the rental back to NO after buying a car.
Sunday, I basically sit around and totally stress out all day. And do a lot of research on the Internet.
Monday, I head to work for a 7 am 2 hour mandatory meeting. Then I rush around NO, picking up and deposting the insurance check and getting all my stuff out of and the license plate off my old car. And then I rush back to meet my sister at my store. We head to my parents' again, because my father has to be involved in the haggling.
So, two and a half or so hours later... I'm driving a 2002 Dodge Neon SXT with an EXTREMELY LOUD yellow paint job. It's loaded out with power everything, a sunroof, CD changer, etc... (And if you don't like Neons or think my car sounds cheap and tacky... well, fuck you...)
And I finally feel like a gigantic weight is off my shoulders. Whew.
Sunday, July 07, 2002
Wednesday, July 03, 2002
Tuesday, July 02, 2002
One of the things I love most about New Orleans is the it's literary pedigree, of sorts. You encounter the city a lit in literature. Authors love it, with good reason.
While Anne R*ce has long been associated with the city, there was another horror author out there writing about the city in much more literate and horrific ways... Poppy Z Brite.
Living in NO and working in a bookstore, as well as being pretty active on the Internet, I'm lucky to have somewhat of a tenuous relationship with her. She shops in my store and we converse a bit there and email infrequently. And she's a genuinely nice person.
She's not published a major novel in years. Several short novels and story collections have appeared from small publishers, but no BIG novel. But, she's finished one. And it's not a horror novel. From what I know of it, it's a New Orleans novel. Other major authors who've read the manuscript, Neil Gaiman for instance, have raved about it. Andre Codrescu (who I personally loathe) called it the best New Orleans novel since Confederacy of Dunces.
And so far, no major publisher has picked it up to publish because it's not a scary vampire novel. But, there's hope. She's got a new agent and I feel confident it's gonna appear on the horizon soon.
Meanwhile, she's publishing a prequel to the novel, The Value of X, through a small press, Subterranean Press. Go here now and download the first 15 pages and see for yourself how good it is.
I'm dying to read the rest of this novel and the other...
While Anne R*ce has long been associated with the city, there was another horror author out there writing about the city in much more literate and horrific ways... Poppy Z Brite.
Living in NO and working in a bookstore, as well as being pretty active on the Internet, I'm lucky to have somewhat of a tenuous relationship with her. She shops in my store and we converse a bit there and email infrequently. And she's a genuinely nice person.
She's not published a major novel in years. Several short novels and story collections have appeared from small publishers, but no BIG novel. But, she's finished one. And it's not a horror novel. From what I know of it, it's a New Orleans novel. Other major authors who've read the manuscript, Neil Gaiman for instance, have raved about it. Andre Codrescu (who I personally loathe) called it the best New Orleans novel since Confederacy of Dunces.
And so far, no major publisher has picked it up to publish because it's not a scary vampire novel. But, there's hope. She's got a new agent and I feel confident it's gonna appear on the horizon soon.
Meanwhile, she's publishing a prequel to the novel, The Value of X, through a small press, Subterranean Press. Go here now and download the first 15 pages and see for yourself how good it is.
I'm dying to read the rest of this novel and the other...
Sunday, June 30, 2002
I am book happy.
Coraline just rocked my world.
Acid Row by Minette Walters is currently providing me with my British mystery fix for a bit...
And, most importantly, Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds is winging it's way across the Atlantic Ocean to me as we speak... a total score here, because I ordered the hardcover version from Amazon UK only hours before its availability status went to "Special Order, Available in 4-6 weeks". Which means I barely managed to score a true first edition. Whoo hoo. I rock.
Coraline just rocked my world.
Acid Row by Minette Walters is currently providing me with my British mystery fix for a bit...
And, most importantly, Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds is winging it's way across the Atlantic Ocean to me as we speak... a total score here, because I ordered the hardcover version from Amazon UK only hours before its availability status went to "Special Order, Available in 4-6 weeks". Which means I barely managed to score a true first edition. Whoo hoo. I rock.
In email from Dominican Dave today:
sometimes life is really like a movie, huh?
Walking back to the hostel, I passed a little grocery store and they had a stereo blasting out front, like they all do here, but as I got closer I realized that the song I was hearing was "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by the Smiths. That was so fucking weird that I just stopped and stood on the sidewalk until it was over. And the next song was the usual bachatarengue crap. I think it was some kind of sign from God. Although I feel reasonably happy...
sometimes life is really like a movie, huh?
Saturday, June 29, 2002
Does anyone out there possibly have a copy of the movie A THIEF IN THE NIGHT? I would kill for a copy of it, but I don't wanna pay cash to a bunch of evil Xians to get one.
This movie left an indelible mark on my psyche. If you grew up in a Baptist or fundamentalist family of any sort in the 70s, you know exactly what I mean. For years as a child, anytime I found myself completely alone for a minute, I was convinced that I'd been 'left behind'. That the Rapture had come and poor little me had been left to fend for myself against the evil minions of the AntiChrist. That at any moment someone was gonna come around and try to put a barcode on my hand or forehead. That eventually I was gonna meet the guillotine.
So, um... I'd really like to watch it again...
Friday, June 28, 2002
So... um... I don't really meet many people that I really click with as far as dating goes. I'm a bit of a unique individual for a gay guy, I guess. I don't think I'm better than anyone else or more special or anything... I just don't meet many guys that I could see myself getting into anything longterm with.
There really hasn't been even one person since Dave and I broke up, almost five years ago, that I've really felt like I could just totally click with.
So, now... I think I've met someone that could really do it for me... and they live on the other side of the country...
I'm sort of wigging over this a bit... and have been for a couple weeks...
There really hasn't been even one person since Dave and I broke up, almost five years ago, that I've really felt like I could just totally click with.
So, now... I think I've met someone that could really do it for me... and they live on the other side of the country...
I'm sort of wigging over this a bit... and have been for a couple weeks...
Oh yeah... i forgot that I also bought some action figures today. I found the brand spanking new Masters of the Universe action figures at an independent toy store this morning and I just had to get the new He-Man figure. Check him out... is he hot or what?
And I also bought some of the Where the Wild Things Are action figures. I found Max, the little boy in his animal pajamas, at clearance prices, so I snagged him.
And I also bought some of the Where the Wild Things Are action figures. I found Max, the little boy in his animal pajamas, at clearance prices, so I snagged him.
I had my first day off of work in almost a week and it was lovely. I spent most of it watching movies. I saw Minority Report and Sum of All Fears in the theater. And I was a bit shocked that I liked Sum way more than MR. The latter movie had plotholes that you could drive a semi through. And those missing pieces just destroy the whole movie. I won't go into them cuz I don't wanna spoil it for anyone, but I think that this movie is getting way more praise than it deserves. Meanwhile, I thought Sum was a pretty tight and thrilling movie. *shrug*
Then I came home and read Coraline, Neil Gaiman's new children's book. It was pretty darn phenomenal. If you like dark twisted children's lit, check it out.
And then I ended the night by watching Showgirls. heh. talk about UNDERrated movies....
Then I came home and read Coraline, Neil Gaiman's new children's book. It was pretty darn phenomenal. If you like dark twisted children's lit, check it out.
And then I ended the night by watching Showgirls. heh. talk about UNDERrated movies....
Thursday, June 27, 2002
I need to stop reading the press on the whole issue of the Pledge of Allegiance or I'm going to have an aneurysm. Right now, I realize that separation of church and state means absolutely nothing to the fucking idiots we've elected to run our country, especially that raging fuckhead (former cokehead), that some of you idiots elected as our president.
Right now, i'm just completely done with the Republicans, the Democrats and pretty much everything in between.
There is NO FUCKING GOD, you FUCKING idiots.
How the hell did humanity become such a mass of stupidity? Is there no hope for rationality, science or reason ever winning the day?
This is what the major issue of the day is... whether or not our government should exalt the Christian God? It's pretty clearcut, IMO, that it shouldn't. But a cornerstone of our Constitution means nothing balanced against superstitious bullshit. And do you really think all of those politicians believe in God? I sure as hell don't.
Meanwhile, the fucking FBI can go to the library and find out every book I've ever checked out, because privacy also isn't guaranteed anymore...
Police state, anyone? To fight governments like the Taliban ours must become more like them?
Got it... i have no right to privacy and I have to worship YOUR god... is having sex with another guy gonna be illegal next? Oh that's right... it already is in Louisiana...
I'm not sure I haved a lucid point here besides the fact that I'm pissed off...
Right now, i'm just completely done with the Republicans, the Democrats and pretty much everything in between.
There is NO FUCKING GOD, you FUCKING idiots.
How the hell did humanity become such a mass of stupidity? Is there no hope for rationality, science or reason ever winning the day?
This is what the major issue of the day is... whether or not our government should exalt the Christian God? It's pretty clearcut, IMO, that it shouldn't. But a cornerstone of our Constitution means nothing balanced against superstitious bullshit. And do you really think all of those politicians believe in God? I sure as hell don't.
Meanwhile, the fucking FBI can go to the library and find out every book I've ever checked out, because privacy also isn't guaranteed anymore...
Police state, anyone? To fight governments like the Taliban ours must become more like them?
Got it... i have no right to privacy and I have to worship YOUR god... is having sex with another guy gonna be illegal next? Oh that's right... it already is in Louisiana...
I'm not sure I haved a lucid point here besides the fact that I'm pissed off...
Wednesday, June 26, 2002
You know... I've never really thought much about the issues in this court ruling. But, I think the ruling is correct.
It is somewhat personally offensive to me that the Pledge of Allegiance requires me to recognize a god that I do not believe exists. That the currency of our country also takes note of him. As does our national anthem. What's up with that?
Of course, I don't think for a second that this ruling won't be overturned. Because, a bunch of hypocritical judges are gonna kowtow to popular opinion or to their own personal beliefs instead of doing the right thing...
I don't believe in god. I don't need god. And I thought the constitution of my country was supposed to protect me from his believers...
It is somewhat personally offensive to me that the Pledge of Allegiance requires me to recognize a god that I do not believe exists. That the currency of our country also takes note of him. As does our national anthem. What's up with that?
Of course, I don't think for a second that this ruling won't be overturned. Because, a bunch of hypocritical judges are gonna kowtow to popular opinion or to their own personal beliefs instead of doing the right thing...
I don't believe in god. I don't need god. And I thought the constitution of my country was supposed to protect me from his believers...
Friday, June 21, 2002
Thursday, June 20, 2002
I need feedback... are the pics I'm putting on my page showing up as gigantically huge and bigger than the browser? Dominican Dave says they are for him... I see them as smaller size.
Please let me know...
Please let me know...
Monday, June 17, 2002
Okay, you...
(inspired by Jonno's response...)
I love...
New Orleans
dogs and their unconditional love
tattoos and hot boys with tattoos
sushi
Krypto the Superdog
Dave, my ex... my bestest friend for forever
Apple Computers
books, for filling my head with so much information and so many dreams
music, for providing a soundtrack for those dreams and my life
romance
sex
dark movie theaters
my friends, each and every one of them
and on the really really good days...
i just love life
(inspired by Jonno's response...)
I love...
New Orleans
dogs and their unconditional love
tattoos and hot boys with tattoos
sushi
Krypto the Superdog
Dave, my ex... my bestest friend for forever
Apple Computers
books, for filling my head with so much information and so many dreams
music, for providing a soundtrack for those dreams and my life
romance
sex
dark movie theaters
my friends, each and every one of them
and on the really really good days...
i just love life
I've had a terrible self image the past couple days because all of the pics I've taken of myself have been horrible... but someone suggested that i take some in natural light at an hour earlier than 11 pm...
and I think he was right... i feel much better about this...
and I think he was right... i feel much better about this...
Saturday, June 15, 2002
So, today at work we had our big Summer Reading Kickoff party in the kids' department. And I took pics...
They're here, here and here.
Some pretty cute pics. And I'm WAY impressed with iPhoto. It made it extremely easy and unbelievably easy to download, edit and post the pictures to the Web. Seriously... WAY WAY WAY impressed.
They're here, here and here.
Some pretty cute pics. And I'm WAY impressed with iPhoto. It made it extremely easy and unbelievably easy to download, edit and post the pictures to the Web. Seriously... WAY WAY WAY impressed.
Friday, June 14, 2002
Thursday, June 13, 2002
I'm feeling like spending some cash this week...
do I...
1) get a new tattoo?
2) buy a digital camera?
3) buy clothes?
do I...
1) get a new tattoo?
2) buy a digital camera?
3) buy clothes?
Tuesday, June 11, 2002
If you're flash equipped, I suggest a trip to here to see what I think is gonna be a classic children's book...
While reading a few NOLA blogs just now, I came across this post.
I'm not gonna repeat any of the info. You can go there and read it. If you're pro-choice and have the time, emotional stability and energy, help out somehow if you can.
I was a volunteer worker for NARAL (the National Abortion Rights Action League) as well as a clinic escort back in Baton Rouge several years ago. Back in the day when Operation Rescue went from city to city having BIG events where they blockaded clinics, Baton Rouge was their target in the summer of 1992.
It's sort of hard to believe it's been ten years. I have a lot of extremely vivid memories of that period.
In 1992, Operation Rescue was trying to repeat the success of their "Summer of Mercy" the previous year in Wichita. I think they thought they'd find a bunch of idiotic southerners who would pretty much turn a blind eye to them and let them have their way. They were very wrong. The pro-choice community mobilized and the city leaders did an exemplary job of preparing the city. The police department sent people to Wichita to learn all they could about the previous summer. When Operation Rescue arrived in town, they found that the city had blocked off a several block area around the main women's clinic in town and built a chainlink fence around it. The police department controlled the access and trained escorts were inside the fence to provide protection.
As one of those escorts, I began the week spending the middle part of the day at the clinic. By the end of the week, I was basically living at the clinic around the clock. It was July and we had very little shade during the day. And all day every day, we were hit with verbal abuse from the "Christians" on the other side of the fence. The clinic stayed open the entire week though.
Being a NARAL volunteer before the siege started, I had a bit more responsibility thrust onto me than a lot of the volunteers. I spent a lot of time just standing in the corners of the clinic lot with a walkie talkie watching the crowds.
Moments I remember that week...
-watching over the fence while several hundred people rush through the back field towards the clinic after breaking one fence while being chased by the police (they never made it to the inner fence);
-wading out into the crowd of "pro-lifers" once to bring in a woman who I suspected had come to the clinic without her prearranged escorts, trying to confirm her identity against a list I had in my pocket while not drawing the attention of the crowd and then getting her through the police cordon once the crowd realized what was going on. the look on that one woman's face made the whole week worth it...
-sleeping on concrete curled up next to Dave, who came to escort as much as he could, giving up school or work time...
-gatorade... i remember drinking lots and lots of gatorade...
-the cops being surprisingly sympathetic to us, but I guess the fact that they were being screamed at as much as we were helped in that area...
In the end, their Summer of Mercy failed miserably. It sort of broke the momentum that Operation Rescue had built up and they never really managed to have anything on a really large scale again.
I kept working as an escort at the clinic for a while. Finding myself as part of a non-violent human barricade holding crazy people away from the door of the clinic more than once. After a short while though, it took an emotional toll on me and I realized I had to stop for my own sanity. And I did.
And, honestly, i dunno if i can go back and do it again. I have to think about it a bit before I decide to volunteer this time. I want to, but...
I wouldn't, however, change one moment of the volunteer work I did before. So, again, if you feel you can help, please do so...
I'm not gonna repeat any of the info. You can go there and read it. If you're pro-choice and have the time, emotional stability and energy, help out somehow if you can.
I was a volunteer worker for NARAL (the National Abortion Rights Action League) as well as a clinic escort back in Baton Rouge several years ago. Back in the day when Operation Rescue went from city to city having BIG events where they blockaded clinics, Baton Rouge was their target in the summer of 1992.
It's sort of hard to believe it's been ten years. I have a lot of extremely vivid memories of that period.
In 1992, Operation Rescue was trying to repeat the success of their "Summer of Mercy" the previous year in Wichita. I think they thought they'd find a bunch of idiotic southerners who would pretty much turn a blind eye to them and let them have their way. They were very wrong. The pro-choice community mobilized and the city leaders did an exemplary job of preparing the city. The police department sent people to Wichita to learn all they could about the previous summer. When Operation Rescue arrived in town, they found that the city had blocked off a several block area around the main women's clinic in town and built a chainlink fence around it. The police department controlled the access and trained escorts were inside the fence to provide protection.
As one of those escorts, I began the week spending the middle part of the day at the clinic. By the end of the week, I was basically living at the clinic around the clock. It was July and we had very little shade during the day. And all day every day, we were hit with verbal abuse from the "Christians" on the other side of the fence. The clinic stayed open the entire week though.
Being a NARAL volunteer before the siege started, I had a bit more responsibility thrust onto me than a lot of the volunteers. I spent a lot of time just standing in the corners of the clinic lot with a walkie talkie watching the crowds.
Moments I remember that week...
-watching over the fence while several hundred people rush through the back field towards the clinic after breaking one fence while being chased by the police (they never made it to the inner fence);
-wading out into the crowd of "pro-lifers" once to bring in a woman who I suspected had come to the clinic without her prearranged escorts, trying to confirm her identity against a list I had in my pocket while not drawing the attention of the crowd and then getting her through the police cordon once the crowd realized what was going on. the look on that one woman's face made the whole week worth it...
-sleeping on concrete curled up next to Dave, who came to escort as much as he could, giving up school or work time...
-gatorade... i remember drinking lots and lots of gatorade...
-the cops being surprisingly sympathetic to us, but I guess the fact that they were being screamed at as much as we were helped in that area...
In the end, their Summer of Mercy failed miserably. It sort of broke the momentum that Operation Rescue had built up and they never really managed to have anything on a really large scale again.
I kept working as an escort at the clinic for a while. Finding myself as part of a non-violent human barricade holding crazy people away from the door of the clinic more than once. After a short while though, it took an emotional toll on me and I realized I had to stop for my own sanity. And I did.
And, honestly, i dunno if i can go back and do it again. I have to think about it a bit before I decide to volunteer this time. I want to, but...
I wouldn't, however, change one moment of the volunteer work I did before. So, again, if you feel you can help, please do so...
The past several days have been brilliant. I started 6 days off work on Thursday.
So, Thursday started with several hours laying of sun at The Country Club. Then I headed to the Quarter to meet the weekend's special guest, a fellow blogger spending a long weekend in New Orleans. I've been talking to Clee online for a while now and reading his blog just as long, but I'd never met the boy in person, so I was a bit nervous bout the whole shebang. On the way to Good Friends, we arranged to meet, I saw a cute guy on Bourbon Street. After a bit of a doubletake, I realized that the cute guy was Clee at about the same moment that he realized who I was. So, we head to Good Friends for a drink and so I can use the ATM. Then it was on to the Shim Sham for 80s nite.
For some reason, I've never really gotten that into 80s nite. Well, this week was an exception. I was shaking it on the dancefloor all nite. The big discovery for us that nite was that Sweet Child of Mine is very much a dance song. Why didn't I ever realize this in the 80s? It's got a total dance beat. Anyways, Jonathan met up with us at the Shim Sham as well and a good time was had by all.
Post Shim Sham, I wandered the streets a bit with Clee (that's pronounced like a posturpedic would be, by the way... Sealy) before grabbing a cab home. Beyond that all I'm gonna say is that someone is a very good kisser.
Friday, I met Clee back in the Quarter for lunch. I took him to my favorite complete tourist restaurant.... Cafe Maspero's on St Peter Street. Maspero's has huge sandwiches for small prices but it's always way packed with tourists. But, it was all good. Clee then go to experience the tropical nature of New Orleans, because by the time we finished eating, a ferocious rainstorm swept into the Quarter. The streets and sidewalks were flooded like crazy and trying to take cover under balconies did no good, they all leak and drip on you. Clee had to hop a cab to make an appointment in the Marigny for an upcoming artshow he's doing, so I ran into Virgin and browsed before hopping a bus home.
Friday nite, Jonathan and I went for a late dinner at La Peniche in the Marigny. I had a scrumptious shrimp platter. Afterwards, we went to the Quarter to meet up with Clee and Bud, a San Fransisco expatriate that he had dinner with. We all were pretty bushed so we called an early nite of it.
Saturday, back to the Quarter to meet Clee for coffee. We decided to ride around a bit in my car, mainly so we could hit More Fun Comics. Now, here's a guy after my heart... he's happy to go comic book shopping while on vacation. I picked up my weekly comics, including the first issue of The Filth, the latest offering from the brilliant mad brain of Grant Morrison. After comics, I introduced Clee to the yumminess of Juan's Flying Burrito. Then we just spent the afternoon hanging out and talking. A bit after 7, Clee and I met up with Jonathan, Robert and Steve at Lola's. Lola's is an amazing little restaurant on Esplanade Avenue. It's sort of Spanish, i guess... paella, ceviche, gazpacho, lots and lots of garlic. We waited about an hour for a table, standing outside and sipping wine in the humid evening. But, it was all good, good conversation, anticipation of an amazing meal. I was a bit surprised when two of my employees came walking up and said the were driving by and saw me and stopped just to say hi. That made me feel kinda nice, I have to say.
Anyways, dinner really was brilliant. I had calamari, gazpacho and seafood paella. We consumed quite a bit of wine. Conversation flowed as easily as the wine. A pretty great evening. Then we headed back to Robert's for a bit of conversation before calling it another relatively early evening.
Sunday, was another hang out in the Quarter day. I met up with Clee and we just walked around. Then my friend Brian called and met up with us. Then Jonathan called and met up with us. We wound up at Good Friends again, having frozen drinks called separators, just missing a bakesale where a cake was reportedly sold for $300.
After Good Friends, we wandered down to Tea at the Bourbon Pub. I ran into scads of people that I knew. I felt ever so popular. Twas a bit weird actually... Unfortunately, Clee had to leave pretty early to get sleep since he had an early flight out. Jonathan and I tried as hard as possible to get him liquored up so he'd stay longer but we failed... darn it...
So, we then proceeded to stay out until about midnite, getting quite soused, before grabbing a late nite snack at Angeli.
And today has been total 'sit on the couch and watch movies while eating junkfood day.' And I succeeded wildly at this....
A great fucking weekend... now I just have to figure out how to deal with a crush on someone on the other side of the country...
So, Thursday started with several hours laying of sun at The Country Club. Then I headed to the Quarter to meet the weekend's special guest, a fellow blogger spending a long weekend in New Orleans. I've been talking to Clee online for a while now and reading his blog just as long, but I'd never met the boy in person, so I was a bit nervous bout the whole shebang. On the way to Good Friends, we arranged to meet, I saw a cute guy on Bourbon Street. After a bit of a doubletake, I realized that the cute guy was Clee at about the same moment that he realized who I was. So, we head to Good Friends for a drink and so I can use the ATM. Then it was on to the Shim Sham for 80s nite.
For some reason, I've never really gotten that into 80s nite. Well, this week was an exception. I was shaking it on the dancefloor all nite. The big discovery for us that nite was that Sweet Child of Mine is very much a dance song. Why didn't I ever realize this in the 80s? It's got a total dance beat. Anyways, Jonathan met up with us at the Shim Sham as well and a good time was had by all.
Post Shim Sham, I wandered the streets a bit with Clee (that's pronounced like a posturpedic would be, by the way... Sealy) before grabbing a cab home. Beyond that all I'm gonna say is that someone is a very good kisser.
Friday, I met Clee back in the Quarter for lunch. I took him to my favorite complete tourist restaurant.... Cafe Maspero's on St Peter Street. Maspero's has huge sandwiches for small prices but it's always way packed with tourists. But, it was all good. Clee then go to experience the tropical nature of New Orleans, because by the time we finished eating, a ferocious rainstorm swept into the Quarter. The streets and sidewalks were flooded like crazy and trying to take cover under balconies did no good, they all leak and drip on you. Clee had to hop a cab to make an appointment in the Marigny for an upcoming artshow he's doing, so I ran into Virgin and browsed before hopping a bus home.
Friday nite, Jonathan and I went for a late dinner at La Peniche in the Marigny. I had a scrumptious shrimp platter. Afterwards, we went to the Quarter to meet up with Clee and Bud, a San Fransisco expatriate that he had dinner with. We all were pretty bushed so we called an early nite of it.
Saturday, back to the Quarter to meet Clee for coffee. We decided to ride around a bit in my car, mainly so we could hit More Fun Comics. Now, here's a guy after my heart... he's happy to go comic book shopping while on vacation. I picked up my weekly comics, including the first issue of The Filth, the latest offering from the brilliant mad brain of Grant Morrison. After comics, I introduced Clee to the yumminess of Juan's Flying Burrito. Then we just spent the afternoon hanging out and talking. A bit after 7, Clee and I met up with Jonathan, Robert and Steve at Lola's. Lola's is an amazing little restaurant on Esplanade Avenue. It's sort of Spanish, i guess... paella, ceviche, gazpacho, lots and lots of garlic. We waited about an hour for a table, standing outside and sipping wine in the humid evening. But, it was all good, good conversation, anticipation of an amazing meal. I was a bit surprised when two of my employees came walking up and said the were driving by and saw me and stopped just to say hi. That made me feel kinda nice, I have to say.
Anyways, dinner really was brilliant. I had calamari, gazpacho and seafood paella. We consumed quite a bit of wine. Conversation flowed as easily as the wine. A pretty great evening. Then we headed back to Robert's for a bit of conversation before calling it another relatively early evening.
Sunday, was another hang out in the Quarter day. I met up with Clee and we just walked around. Then my friend Brian called and met up with us. Then Jonathan called and met up with us. We wound up at Good Friends again, having frozen drinks called separators, just missing a bakesale where a cake was reportedly sold for $300.
After Good Friends, we wandered down to Tea at the Bourbon Pub. I ran into scads of people that I knew. I felt ever so popular. Twas a bit weird actually... Unfortunately, Clee had to leave pretty early to get sleep since he had an early flight out. Jonathan and I tried as hard as possible to get him liquored up so he'd stay longer but we failed... darn it...
So, we then proceeded to stay out until about midnite, getting quite soused, before grabbing a late nite snack at Angeli.
And today has been total 'sit on the couch and watch movies while eating junkfood day.' And I succeeded wildly at this....
A great fucking weekend... now I just have to figure out how to deal with a crush on someone on the other side of the country...
Monday, June 10, 2002
wake up number 37...
wowzers... i just got through watching The Mothman Prophecies and i'm creeped out of my skin.
great great great horror movie... why the hell didn't i see this one in the theaters?
wowzers... i just got through watching The Mothman Prophecies and i'm creeped out of my skin.
great great great horror movie... why the hell didn't i see this one in the theaters?
Saturday, June 08, 2002
take the cher test.
and go to mewing.net. because laura isn't cher.
And thank god for that... link via my friend, Jonathan, who is 110% Cher... a fact which at this moment is causing me to reevaluate our friendship...
Friday, June 07, 2002
A stupid fact about me...
I've always wanted a Magic Eight Ball. You know, the toy that answers questions. So, all of my life whenever I've seen one in a store, I always pick it up and ask it, "should I buy you?"
Not once in 20something years has one ever given me a positive answer. So, I don't own a Magic Eight Ball.
I've always wanted a Magic Eight Ball. You know, the toy that answers questions. So, all of my life whenever I've seen one in a store, I always pick it up and ask it, "should I buy you?"
Not once in 20something years has one ever given me a positive answer. So, I don't own a Magic Eight Ball.
Thursday, June 06, 2002
So, no work for six days...
I slept late (8 am... sad, huh?) this morning. And quickly dove into some long overdue housecleaning and laundry. Geez, it feels good when you pick up all your crap and clean your house. Maybe there's something to all that feng shui shit... or maybe it just feels good to know I'm not gonna accidentally rip any covers off comic books by stepping on them...
Then the poor doggie got a bath followed by banishment to the backyard to dry off. I think I brushed about a cubic meter of hair off of her.
As I clean... i look around my apartment and realize that I live in the home of a retarded twelve year old... I have action figures and comic book art everywhere, combined with the best furniture that Ikea and Target have to offer, much of it as brightly colored as this webpage and quite a bit of it on big wheels.
I actually wonder if some people would be surprised to see my apartment. Out in the world, I wear dark colors mostly and tend to be a bit on the quiet and serious side... unless I'm Mr Happy Drunk Boy. So, seeing this fantasia that I live in might be a bit shocking for a few people. I dunno...
Regardless... i'm gonna spend the afternoon baking by the pool at the Country Club. And then I'm gonna spend the nite boogying to 80s tunes at the Shim Sham. With special guest in tow...
I slept late (8 am... sad, huh?) this morning. And quickly dove into some long overdue housecleaning and laundry. Geez, it feels good when you pick up all your crap and clean your house. Maybe there's something to all that feng shui shit... or maybe it just feels good to know I'm not gonna accidentally rip any covers off comic books by stepping on them...
Then the poor doggie got a bath followed by banishment to the backyard to dry off. I think I brushed about a cubic meter of hair off of her.
As I clean... i look around my apartment and realize that I live in the home of a retarded twelve year old... I have action figures and comic book art everywhere, combined with the best furniture that Ikea and Target have to offer
I actually wonder if some people would be surprised to see my apartment. Out in the world, I wear dark colors mostly and tend to be a bit on the quiet and serious side... unless I'm Mr Happy Drunk Boy. So, seeing this fantasia that I live in might be a bit shocking for a few people. I dunno...
Regardless... i'm gonna spend the afternoon baking by the pool at the Country Club. And then I'm gonna spend the nite boogying to 80s tunes at the Shim Sham. With special guest in tow...
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
I am SO FUCKING jealous...
Go now and behold the most charming little romance unfold before your eyes...
Go now and behold the most charming little romance unfold before your eyes...
My life has pretty much sucked for the last week or so. Work has been horrendous. I've been a total bitch to my coworkers. My work schedule has been grueling. I've had hardly any free time. I have bags under my eyes. I'm borderline depressed. The guy I was supposed to have a date with never called me back and when I finally did talk to him said he'd been sick and was gonna call me soon... uh huh...
But one more day and then I have six days off of work... it can't come soon enuff...
But one more day and then I have six days off of work... it can't come soon enuff...
Monday, June 03, 2002
a decent enuff day..
got up a little before 10 and went to brunch with a few friends at Feelings in the Marigny. Oysters, crabcakes and a whole bunch of mimosas.
Which led to a long nap with my doggie.
And then a romp in the dogpark, where I got to meet Iain, the spanking new son of my friends, Brian and Tracy. A total cutie.
And capped the nite off with my friend Steve watching Undercover Brother. Funny movie if you've seen lots of blacksploitation films of the 70s...
The date I was supposed to have this weekend never happened tho... typical... i'm terminally single...
got up a little before 10 and went to brunch with a few friends at Feelings in the Marigny. Oysters, crabcakes and a whole bunch of mimosas.
Which led to a long nap with my doggie.
And then a romp in the dogpark, where I got to meet Iain, the spanking new son of my friends, Brian and Tracy. A total cutie.
And capped the nite off with my friend Steve watching Undercover Brother. Funny movie if you've seen lots of blacksploitation films of the 70s...
The date I was supposed to have this weekend never happened tho... typical... i'm terminally single...
Sunday, June 02, 2002
I don't think I can stand the fact that this book isn't out until October... someone buy me an advance copy off of eBay...
Saturday, June 01, 2002
Sometimes people just amaze me...
I went out a bit ago to walk my dog and drop a burned CD of Bran Van 3000 Discosis off to the guy who cuts my hair. It's a beautiful day out, warm and moist without being overly humid.
On the way back, I noticed a guy with a boxer puppy on the sidewalk, so I went into the street so my dog wouldn't snack on his. He looks over and smiles and says thanks. He's adorable.
My dog stops at the corner. His puppy runs closer. I compliment him on how goddamned cute it is. We talk about dogs for a second or two. We both start to walk away. And he calls out, "have a good day... and you take care of yourself." Which was so damned sweet.
I'm still smiling.
I went out a bit ago to walk my dog and drop a burned CD of Bran Van 3000 Discosis off to the guy who cuts my hair. It's a beautiful day out, warm and moist without being overly humid.
On the way back, I noticed a guy with a boxer puppy on the sidewalk, so I went into the street so my dog wouldn't snack on his. He looks over and smiles and says thanks. He's adorable.
My dog stops at the corner. His puppy runs closer. I compliment him on how goddamned cute it is. We talk about dogs for a second or two. We both start to walk away. And he calls out, "have a good day... and you take care of yourself." Which was so damned sweet.
I'm still smiling.
On the Batman action figure front...
I was shopping at Walmart for various sundries (heh, I just like saying that... "various sundries") and I came across the unexpected... three new Batman animated action figure two-packs.
Whoo hoo.
They were:
Batman & Two-Face
Batman & The Riddler
and
Batman & Robin
The last one is the important one... because it's the Tim Drake Robin (that's the younger one), but he's painted in the colors of the Dick Grayson Robin (that's the older one). Now see.. only a complete geek like me would even understand WHY that's cool...
Just trust me... it's cool...
I was shopping at Walmart for various sundries (heh, I just like saying that... "various sundries") and I came across the unexpected... three new Batman animated action figure two-packs.
Whoo hoo.
They were:
Batman & Two-Face
Batman & The Riddler
and
Batman & Robin
The last one is the important one... because it's the Tim Drake Robin (that's the younger one), but he's painted in the colors of the Dick Grayson Robin (that's the older one). Now see.. only a complete geek like me would even understand WHY that's cool...
Just trust me... it's cool...
So, last nite, I was safely wrapped in my covers in bed, when I happened to glance at the author photograph in the back of my copy of The Standing Dead and noticed an itty bitty web addy. So, leapt out of bed did I, speeding to trusty iMac.
That's right all you google drive-by people... Ricardo Pinto has a website.
I've added a link to it and two of my other favorite authors off to the side of the page.
I've also taken this opportunity to get rid of the Guestbook. Nobody ever used it. So, it's dead. Bye, Guestbook!
That's right all you google drive-by people... Ricardo Pinto has a website.
I've added a link to it and two of my other favorite authors off to the side of the page.
I've also taken this opportunity to get rid of the Guestbook. Nobody ever used it. So, it's dead. Bye, Guestbook!
Friday, May 31, 2002
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Okay... i brought a new book home with me to read tonite, so no big update... but I did just add a link to a blog that I think is worth reading. One that was vastly improved when i went over to read it tonite over the last time I checked it out. The boy seems to have a new attitude.... and I like it!
So, I've been crawling around on different boy's blogs this morning... and it's amusing to me how I can be thinking "gee, this guy is really cute... really cool..." and then i get to the page where they list books or music or movies or general media likes and suddenly I'm, "blech!"...
I'm shallow...
I'm shallow...
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
and the day gets BETTER!
Last nite, I left a spastic phone message for the guy from Sunday nite. And he called back tonite. And we had a nice little chat. And, after we both get thru the next few busy days, we're gonna hang...
yay...
And seriously... this is an AMAZING album.
Last nite, I left a spastic phone message for the guy from Sunday nite. And he called back tonite. And we had a nice little chat. And, after we both get thru the next few busy days, we're gonna hang...
yay...
And seriously... this is an AMAZING album.
I spent a GREAT day today just doing absolutely nothing but baking in the sun and listening to my iPod at The Country Club. A slim crowd made for a nice lowkey atmosphere, although I was one of the few non-naked guys there.
Today's listening consisted of Sigur Ros, Bran Van 3000, Sophie Ellis Bextor and the amazing new Dot Allison album. Visual entertainment was provided by the three cute and one ugly guy in a group grope in the pool...
Today's listening consisted of Sigur Ros, Bran Van 3000, Sophie Ellis Bextor and the amazing new Dot Allison album. Visual entertainment was provided by the three cute and one ugly guy in a group grope in the pool...
Monday, May 27, 2002
the Memorial Day weekend wrap-up... it was a $40 fast cash ATM kinda weekend...
This has been a BEAUTIFUL weekend! It all started with work on Friday. We've been prepping all week for a visit from our Regional Director and our new District Manager. And it went better than we ever could've hoped. They loved us. They loved our store. We really blew them away and it was obvious that we had. When the last thing the RD says to the store manager is, "Thanks, you just made my entire week", that's a very good thing.
Then I went to Toys R Us afterwards and found the new Marvel Legends action figures. I bought Iron Man, the Hulk and Captain America and they're SWEET. Massively articulated and great sculpts. I'm looking at them across my living room right now. *waves at Iron Man*
Friday night, I went out with Jonathan to the Quarter. We started off with dinner at Angeli. Then we wandered over to Good Friends for a drink and the use of the ATM. Then we spent most of the rest of the evening just hanging out and drinking at Lafitte's. Ran into Beau for a brief moment and made plans with him for later in the weekend.
Saturday, I slept late and then salvaged a Weber grill that had been abandoned behind the apartment complex next door. A bit of scrubbing and it was good as new. Then I went to the New Orleans Wine and Food Expo at the Convention Center. I had a free pass to the $75 Grand Tasting and also got my friend Robert into it. A GREAT afternoon spent tasting dozens of wines and champagnes. Robert is a lot (LOT) more knowledgable about wines than me, so having along was a trip.
I've been trying to eat out more at finer restaurants of late and one thing I've discovered while doing so is that I really like nicer wines. So, the Expo was an opportunity for me to learn quite a bit and discover some wines that I might like. A really nice moment was having Robert tell me, "you're good at this" in reference to my attempts to describe the "experience" of each wine. He's not someone to give out untrue compliments. I think I may need to take some wine-tasting classes...
Anyways, after tasting a LOT of wine, here are a couple that I'll definitely be buying (and they're all pretty inexpensive - under $20):
Jacob Creek Chardonnay
Heathfield Ridge Sauvignon Blanc (very sweet, almost tastes like a Riesling)
Heathfield Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (this wine blew everyone I knew at the Expo away - incredibly yummy)
J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon
King Estate Pinot Gris (especially the Reserve, but this has been a recent favorite of mine anyway)
After the Expo, I came home and took a nice nap. Can't imagine why I'd need it after a Wine Expo... and then I used the new to me grill to make some burgers.
Then back out to the Quarter with Jonathan to meet up with Robert. Drinking at Lafitte's again and then dancing at Oz. Not normally one of my favorite bars, but since all the little tweaky fags that I hate (um... sorry, Jonno) were in Pensacola, it was pretty fun. Not so crowded that you couldn't actually dance on the dancefloor and lots of cute toursit boys. I did learn that I need to get over the paranoia that I sometimes have. Early in the nite, I saw this boy continually staring at me and talking to his friend and sort of laughing. I was convinced they were laughing at the way I dance. Later in the nite, the boy walks by me and strokes my arm. So the boy LIKED me, duh. Anyways, home around 4 am...
Sunday, bloody Sunday... Got up around noon and headed to Bywater Bar-B-Que to meet Beau for brunch. Very yummy and we sat in the courtyard (gotta love New Orleans). Then we went to The Country Club for the afternoon to lay out and catch some sun. First time I'd been there during they day and I loved it. Very casual atmosphere, 95% gay, of people just hanging out, swimming, catching rays, being naked if they choose to be so, and etc. A nicely mixed crowd of older, younger, hipper, not so hip and not many divas at all. I'll be back...
After a quick shower at Beau's we headed to the Quarter AGAIN, just in time for Tea Dance at the Bourbon Pub. We bounced from there to Oz to Lafittes over the course of the nite. Beau was on the prowl for a boy. I was pretty laid back.
And then...
I met someone very interesting. I was instantly attracted to a guy Beau introduced me to. Older than me by a couple years, but dressed exactly like I would want my future boyfriend to be dressed. (um... not that I'm getting ahead of myself... seriously) He was a goofy obnoxious guy who was singing along loudly to the 80s retro videos that Lafitte's was playing, and making up his own extremely funny lyrics half the time. He had a great green snake tattoo curled around his arm onto his back. His knowledge of semi-obscure 80s dance music rivals mine. He remixes records as a career (sorta unique for New Orleans). He lives uptown, not too far from me. He's damned cute.
And he interrupted his singing long enuff to tell me that I was cute.
And then he interrupted it long enuff to offer his phone number to me. Which I took.
And the last thing he said to me when we left was, "call me."
And I'm gonna...
Now... I still have two days off of work... what to do... what to do...
This has been a BEAUTIFUL weekend! It all started with work on Friday. We've been prepping all week for a visit from our Regional Director and our new District Manager. And it went better than we ever could've hoped. They loved us. They loved our store. We really blew them away and it was obvious that we had. When the last thing the RD says to the store manager is, "Thanks, you just made my entire week", that's a very good thing.
Then I went to Toys R Us afterwards and found the new Marvel Legends action figures. I bought Iron Man, the Hulk and Captain America and they're SWEET. Massively articulated and great sculpts. I'm looking at them across my living room right now. *waves at Iron Man*
Friday night, I went out with Jonathan to the Quarter. We started off with dinner at Angeli. Then we wandered over to Good Friends for a drink and the use of the ATM. Then we spent most of the rest of the evening just hanging out and drinking at Lafitte's. Ran into Beau for a brief moment and made plans with him for later in the weekend.
Saturday, I slept late and then salvaged a Weber grill that had been abandoned behind the apartment complex next door. A bit of scrubbing and it was good as new. Then I went to the New Orleans Wine and Food Expo at the Convention Center. I had a free pass to the $75 Grand Tasting and also got my friend Robert into it. A GREAT afternoon spent tasting dozens of wines and champagnes. Robert is a lot (LOT) more knowledgable about wines than me, so having along was a trip.
I've been trying to eat out more at finer restaurants of late and one thing I've discovered while doing so is that I really like nicer wines. So, the Expo was an opportunity for me to learn quite a bit and discover some wines that I might like. A really nice moment was having Robert tell me, "you're good at this" in reference to my attempts to describe the "experience" of each wine. He's not someone to give out untrue compliments. I think I may need to take some wine-tasting classes...
Anyways, after tasting a LOT of wine, here are a couple that I'll definitely be buying (and they're all pretty inexpensive - under $20):
Jacob Creek Chardonnay
Heathfield Ridge Sauvignon Blanc (very sweet, almost tastes like a Riesling)
Heathfield Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (this wine blew everyone I knew at the Expo away - incredibly yummy)
J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon
King Estate Pinot Gris (especially the Reserve, but this has been a recent favorite of mine anyway)
After the Expo, I came home and took a nice nap. Can't imagine why I'd need it after a Wine Expo... and then I used the new to me grill to make some burgers.
Then back out to the Quarter with Jonathan to meet up with Robert. Drinking at Lafitte's again and then dancing at Oz. Not normally one of my favorite bars, but since all the little tweaky fags that I hate (um... sorry, Jonno) were in Pensacola, it was pretty fun. Not so crowded that you couldn't actually dance on the dancefloor and lots of cute toursit boys. I did learn that I need to get over the paranoia that I sometimes have. Early in the nite, I saw this boy continually staring at me and talking to his friend and sort of laughing. I was convinced they were laughing at the way I dance. Later in the nite, the boy walks by me and strokes my arm. So the boy LIKED me, duh. Anyways, home around 4 am...
Sunday, bloody Sunday... Got up around noon and headed to Bywater Bar-B-Que to meet Beau for brunch. Very yummy and we sat in the courtyard (gotta love New Orleans). Then we went to The Country Club for the afternoon to lay out and catch some sun. First time I'd been there during they day and I loved it. Very casual atmosphere, 95% gay, of people just hanging out, swimming, catching rays, being naked if they choose to be so, and etc. A nicely mixed crowd of older, younger, hipper, not so hip and not many divas at all. I'll be back...
After a quick shower at Beau's we headed to the Quarter AGAIN, just in time for Tea Dance at the Bourbon Pub. We bounced from there to Oz to Lafittes over the course of the nite. Beau was on the prowl for a boy. I was pretty laid back.
And then...
I met someone very interesting. I was instantly attracted to a guy Beau introduced me to. Older than me by a couple years, but dressed exactly like I would want my future boyfriend to be dressed. (um... not that I'm getting ahead of myself... seriously) He was a goofy obnoxious guy who was singing along loudly to the 80s retro videos that Lafitte's was playing, and making up his own extremely funny lyrics half the time. He had a great green snake tattoo curled around his arm onto his back. His knowledge of semi-obscure 80s dance music rivals mine. He remixes records as a career (sorta unique for New Orleans). He lives uptown, not too far from me. He's damned cute.
And he interrupted his singing long enuff to tell me that I was cute.
And then he interrupted it long enuff to offer his phone number to me. Which I took.
And the last thing he said to me when we left was, "call me."
And I'm gonna...
Now... I still have two days off of work... what to do... what to do...
Friday, May 24, 2002
This has been long tedious week.
The conference that i went to in Dallas was long and boring and I was paired up in a hotel room with a guy that I absolutely can't stand. There was one really cute guy from the corporate offices there though. Not too sure if he likes girls or boys though...
The rest of the week has been consumed with preparation at work for a visit from our Regional Director and our new District Manager. And that happened today.
And it went beautifully. We blew them away.
Now I need a nap...
or a drink...
regardless, I have the next 4 days off work. This is a good thing.
The conference that i went to in Dallas was long and boring and I was paired up in a hotel room with a guy that I absolutely can't stand. There was one really cute guy from the corporate offices there though. Not too sure if he likes girls or boys though...
The rest of the week has been consumed with preparation at work for a visit from our Regional Director and our new District Manager. And that happened today.
And it went beautifully. We blew them away.
Now I need a nap...
or a drink...
regardless, I have the next 4 days off work. This is a good thing.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Friday, May 17, 2002
Monday, May 13, 2002
It is SO totally all about fischerspooner right now. Seriously. They are IT as far as I'm concerned.
I know that downloading music and having fast access is old hat to most of you.... but.... wow. I downloaded more songs off of Audio Galaxy in half an hour this afternoon than I have in the last five days.
And I find it really fascinating when I notice on gnutella that someone is uploading from me a song that I downloaded only a few minutes earlier. Craziness.
And I find it really fascinating when I notice on gnutella that someone is uploading from me a song that I downloaded only a few minutes earlier. Craziness.
Saturday, May 11, 2002
Not much has been going on around here besides work. Work work work. And downloading music. I just discovered (again with the blond issue) that AudioGalaxy does indeed work with Macs. God help me. GOD HELP ME!!!
Now if only Earthlink could get my damned DSL hooked up...
Now if only Earthlink could get my damned DSL hooked up...
Wednesday, May 08, 2002
Ok... someone else did a much better job at setting up a website for Dave, the ex who joined the Peace Corps.
Go visit the site and be a real saint and take part in the tape contest he's conducting. You computer geeks out there can just burn a CD off your computer and then tape it on a cassette. Dave and his fellow volunteers are dying for some good old American music.
Dave's tastes run to Sonic Youth, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Yo La Tengo, etc etc... I'm sending him the whole Hives compilation CD. I know he's gonna dig that.
Seriously, folks, it doesn't matter that you don't know him. Dave would LOVE to get tapes from strangers. And throw a comic book in the box when you mail it.
Go visit the site and be a real saint and take part in the tape contest he's conducting. You computer geeks out there can just burn a CD off your computer and then tape it on a cassette. Dave and his fellow volunteers are dying for some good old American music.
Dave's tastes run to Sonic Youth, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Yo La Tengo, etc etc... I'm sending him the whole Hives compilation CD. I know he's gonna dig that.
Seriously, folks, it doesn't matter that you don't know him. Dave would LOVE to get tapes from strangers. And throw a comic book in the box when you mail it.
Finally, a couple of days off of work...
I spent most of yesterday cleaning my apartment and the dog, after grabbing a quick lunch and CD-shopping trip with Jonathan. (I didn't buy anything!) And a lot of time downloadng music off of Limewire.
I'm starting to think that I'm NEVER going to have DSL. Earthlink and Bellsouth still haven't solved the problems. No DSL signal is getting to my house. Ugh. And Earthlink charged me for my first month of DSL service. Although, I do have to give them props for the fact that after I bitched nicely in an email to them about this, they credited back the entire month to me. Nice gesture. Now if only the tech support people would follow up with me like they keep saying they will.
I get really irritated at the people who decide to download music from me while I'm downloading music. I'm like, "hello, i'm on a modem... it's gonna take you for forever..." But, I let them do it...
I think i'm officially getting old now. This past Sunday's New York Times had a big article about the 80s revival and all the new electro bands that are just bubbling under on the music scene. They even had a side article about Fischerspooner. My second favorite band right now just from the one song I've heard.
My favorite is still The Hives. Even more so after seeing their video on MTV2 last nite. OMG. I want the lead singer. Badly. What a hottie. And he's all angry and screamy. Dreamy.
I also finally saw the video for We Are All Made of Stars last nite. What a cool video. Loved all the little cameos. And I still think that the song is the bomb-diggity.
Today's agenda includes a trip to Baton Rouge to shop at Target. Sad, huh? I can't wait for the New Orleans Targets to open already.
It sounds like the workmen who are rebuilding the balcony on the building next door are about to have a smackdown... so it's time for me to go watch through the window...
I spent most of yesterday cleaning my apartment and the dog, after grabbing a quick lunch and CD-shopping trip with Jonathan. (I didn't buy anything!) And a lot of time downloadng music off of Limewire.
I'm starting to think that I'm NEVER going to have DSL. Earthlink and Bellsouth still haven't solved the problems. No DSL signal is getting to my house. Ugh. And Earthlink charged me for my first month of DSL service. Although, I do have to give them props for the fact that after I bitched nicely in an email to them about this, they credited back the entire month to me. Nice gesture. Now if only the tech support people would follow up with me like they keep saying they will.
I get really irritated at the people who decide to download music from me while I'm downloading music. I'm like, "hello, i'm on a modem... it's gonna take you for forever..." But, I let them do it...
I think i'm officially getting old now. This past Sunday's New York Times had a big article about the 80s revival and all the new electro bands that are just bubbling under on the music scene. They even had a side article about Fischerspooner. My second favorite band right now just from the one song I've heard.
My favorite is still The Hives. Even more so after seeing their video on MTV2 last nite. OMG. I want the lead singer. Badly. What a hottie. And he's all angry and screamy. Dreamy.
I also finally saw the video for We Are All Made of Stars last nite. What a cool video. Loved all the little cameos. And I still think that the song is the bomb-diggity.
Today's agenda includes a trip to Baton Rouge to shop at Target. Sad, huh? I can't wait for the New Orleans Targets to open already.
It sounds like the workmen who are rebuilding the balcony on the building next door are about to have a smackdown... so it's time for me to go watch through the window...
Monday, May 06, 2002
Karma...
So, all weekend... i get the "manager to cashwrap" or "manager to Info" calls over the intercom. And repeatedly get bitched out by insane people who are upset over stupid things. Not one single valid complaint.
So, tonite... i get one of those calls to cashwrap... and this crazy lady launches into a tirade about how upset she was that the bookseller walked her to a book and handed it to her after she asked about it. Evidently, we must think she's stupid and incapable of finding a book herself. *sigh* She bitches. And bitches. And bitches. Loudly. In front of a line of customers.
And then one of the customers, a man about her age, comes towards us. I'm thinking that her husband wants a piece of me too. And then the man turns to her and says, "maybe if you weren't so rude and loud, you'd get better service."
Heh. She was SO not happy about that. And then she leaves.
And every single customer in line apologizes to us for having to deal with such a rude person. It's as though they feel that they need to take up for us. The very next guy to come up even puts his hand out and makes me shake it and says, "you people are always really nice and really helpful and I appreciate it."
A very good end to an icky weekend at work...
So, all weekend... i get the "manager to cashwrap" or "manager to Info" calls over the intercom. And repeatedly get bitched out by insane people who are upset over stupid things. Not one single valid complaint.
So, tonite... i get one of those calls to cashwrap... and this crazy lady launches into a tirade about how upset she was that the bookseller walked her to a book and handed it to her after she asked about it. Evidently, we must think she's stupid and incapable of finding a book herself. *sigh* She bitches. And bitches. And bitches. Loudly. In front of a line of customers.
And then one of the customers, a man about her age, comes towards us. I'm thinking that her husband wants a piece of me too. And then the man turns to her and says, "maybe if you weren't so rude and loud, you'd get better service."
Heh. She was SO not happy about that. And then she leaves.
And every single customer in line apologizes to us for having to deal with such a rude person. It's as though they feel that they need to take up for us. The very next guy to come up even puts his hand out and makes me shake it and says, "you people are always really nice and really helpful and I appreciate it."
A very good end to an icky weekend at work...
Saturday, May 04, 2002
I had about the crappiest nite possible at work tonite and I was about to write that i could really use a couple of nice emails or virtual hugs, and then I decided to quickly read a couple of my favorite blogs. The first one I hit was this one.
Sometimes someone or something out there is paying attention...
The virtual hugs are still welcome tho...
Sometimes someone or something out there is paying attention...
The virtual hugs are still welcome tho...
Friday, May 03, 2002
Wednesday, May 01, 2002
This article infuriates me.
The sheer size of this man's ego is unbelievable.
It's not a good thing that he evidently was not treated with the respect and care that he deserved to have given him. But...
Gee, I hope that made him feel big and safe in his superior intelligence. And I guess it's a good thing I have Spellcheck...
Gee, does the man realize that 99% of the people that he works with at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge are residents of Baton Rouge? As are most of the students he teaches? This should make him quite popular. I guess it's a good thing he commutes from New Orleans. Since he chooses to reside here, I would assume that we're a much smarter town.
I'm not personally a big fan of the Harry Potter books, but I do realize that they are children's literature. And generally the purchase of children's literature and the encouragement of children to read are a good thing. Those children grow up to be adults who purchase adult literature. I'm thinking that not many of them will grow up to want to purchase his literature though. Nor would they be his desired audience, I would suppose.
Oh really? Gee, I never would have guessed that it was personal. The rational and logical tone of the article disguise that ever so well.
Gosh. The power of this man. Because staff members at one store in a chain that blankets the country have offended him, the entire chain will most likely be out of business soon. It might make good sense for the financially minded of you out there to pay close attention to the minutiae of this man's life. (Gee, that was a big word for an illiterate like me to have used, huh?)
According to the author's website, hyperlinked at the top of the article, it's also available at Amazon.com. That small independent vendor of books on the Web... I would suggest however waiting six months or so. Most of his previous novels have been quickly available in remainder and bargain sections because the publisher has had to sell of the large volume of stock that they weren't able to sell to bookstores, chain or independent.
Mr Codrescu, writing in anger isn't a good idea... you'd think an essayist of your supposed stature would know this...
However, believe me when I say that i will celebrate the day that i find out that your agent isn't able to interest a major publisher in your next work of fiction because of the poor sales of your previous works.
The sheer size of this man's ego is unbelievable.
It's not a good thing that he evidently was not treated with the respect and care that he deserved to have given him. But...
Being illiterate is the only qualification for getting a job at a chain bookstore in most places
Gee, I hope that made him feel big and safe in his superior intelligence. And I guess it's a good thing I have Spellcheck...
but in Baton Rouge they've added indolence and dim wits. It's not much of a reading town, so the locals seem content to get their Harry Potters and Idiot Guides there.
Gee, does the man realize that 99% of the people that he works with at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge are residents of Baton Rouge? As are most of the students he teaches? This should make him quite popular. I guess it's a good thing he commutes from New Orleans. Since he chooses to reside here, I would assume that we're a much smarter town.
I'm not personally a big fan of the Harry Potter books, but I do realize that they are children's literature. And generally the purchase of children's literature and the encouragement of children to read are a good thing. Those children grow up to be adults who purchase adult literature. I'm thinking that not many of them will grow up to want to purchase his literature though. Nor would they be his desired audience, I would suppose.
However, this is personal.
Oh really? Gee, I never would have guessed that it was personal. The rational and logical tone of the article disguise that ever so well.
My prediction: Barnes & Noble is going down. Sell your stock.
Gosh. The power of this man. Because staff members at one store in a chain that blankets the country have offended him, the entire chain will most likely be out of business soon. It might make good sense for the financially minded of you out there to pay close attention to the minutiae of this man's life. (Gee, that was a big word for an illiterate like me to have used, huh?)
The book not read by Andrei Codrescu at Barnes & Noble is Casanova in Bohemia, available at independent bookstores.
According to the author's website, hyperlinked at the top of the article, it's also available at Amazon.com. That small independent vendor of books on the Web... I would suggest however waiting six months or so. Most of his previous novels have been quickly available in remainder and bargain sections because the publisher has had to sell of the large volume of stock that they weren't able to sell to bookstores, chain or independent.
Mr Codrescu, writing in anger isn't a good idea... you'd think an essayist of your supposed stature would know this...
However, believe me when I say that i will celebrate the day that i find out that your agent isn't able to interest a major publisher in your next work of fiction because of the poor sales of your previous works.
Not a whole lot going on in my life about now... my doggie seems to be a bit sickly but we're going to the Vet tomorrow morning to see about that. She's sort of drooping and maybe limping a bit. And she ate a bunch of grass and then threw it up. Lovely. At least she threw it up outside.
I went, a bit late in the game, to see Blade 2 today. Ho hum. Pretty pictures, boring story. Why oh why didn't I go see Resident Evil before it went away.... grrrr...
It's new comic book day but I can't really get myself psyched up to go the comic book store. Even though Ultimates came out today... damned fine book...
I found the new Batman Animated 4-pack of action figures at Toys R Us a couple days ago. Very very cool. It has Ra's al Ghul in his proper suit, tie & cape outfit alongside a figure of his daughter, Talia. Oh, and Batman and Robin. Now I just have to wait the months before the other 4 packs with the Penguin and Scarface & the Ventriloquist come out... Yep... geek... i'm a geek...
I haven't been reading at ALL lately. And that's bad. But, Amazon.UK just emailed me to tell me that they've shipped a book I preordered. Whoo hoo. It's called The Standing Dead and it's by a Scottish guy, Ricardo Pinto. His first book The Chosen was one of my favorites a few years ago. He's one of those rare fantasy writers that I don't loathe. Usually, I'm quite adverse to the entire fantasy genre. Books with little magical people bore me.
I went, a bit late in the game, to see Blade 2 today. Ho hum. Pretty pictures, boring story. Why oh why didn't I go see Resident Evil before it went away.... grrrr...
It's new comic book day but I can't really get myself psyched up to go the comic book store. Even though Ultimates came out today... damned fine book...
I found the new Batman Animated 4-pack of action figures at Toys R Us a couple days ago. Very very cool. It has Ra's al Ghul in his proper suit, tie & cape outfit alongside a figure of his daughter, Talia. Oh, and Batman and Robin. Now I just have to wait the months before the other 4 packs with the Penguin and Scarface & the Ventriloquist come out... Yep... geek... i'm a geek...
I haven't been reading at ALL lately. And that's bad. But, Amazon.UK just emailed me to tell me that they've shipped a book I preordered. Whoo hoo. It's called The Standing Dead and it's by a Scottish guy, Ricardo Pinto. His first book The Chosen was one of my favorites a few years ago. He's one of those rare fantasy writers that I don't loathe. Usually, I'm quite adverse to the entire fantasy genre. Books with little magical people bore me.
Monday, April 29, 2002
I just finished up the best weekend I've had in ages and ages.
It started Thursday nite with the great dinner with Beau and his friend Dean. And continued into Friday nite, when I got a call from Beau, who was in the French Quarter, "you've got to come out, the moon is beautiful, the crowd is just right, it's a great nite, come out." So, I went out, convincing Jonathan to meet us out. I knew that it would be an interesting nite simply because Jonathan and Beau had each earlier expressed some interest in the other.
So, I take the streetcar to the Quarter, listening to my iPod along the way, the song "Weekend" by Black Eyed Peas and Esthero being my mantra for a fun nite. I meet Beau at Good Friends for a stoli cosmopolitan, which turns rapidly into two. He's in jeans, a tight striped tank top and some cute Jon Fluevog (sp???) shoes and he's bouncing off the walls. We meander to Lafitte's and Jonathan shows up a bit after that.
Quick side note... how did we ever manage to find our friends out in the Quarter before the mass use of cellphones?
So, an odd thing happens. They both sort of shut down around the other. Beau folds his hands under his arms and gets much quieter. Jonathan begins to studiously stare at the designs that the smoke from his cigarettes is making in the air. It was all a bit fun to watch actually. Even the really cute boys get intimidated and don't really know how to deal with liking or not liking someone. And a bit of both of these was going on.
Regardless, it was a fun evening for me. We drink a lot, run from bar to bar, dance a little, go home around 4 am.
Saturday, I wake up late, lay out in the yard and catch some sun. Beau calls from the Country Club, a bar in the Bywater, which has a pool. I think about going to meet him, but decide i'm much too lazy.
Robert, who I haven't seen in quite a while, calls and says he's gonna be in my neighborhood and would like to stop by and say hi. I say sure. In the meantime, Jonathan calls and we decide to head to the Quarter to walk around and shop. Now, Robert and Jonathan, the first nite I introduced them turned into the dancefloor makeout artists, spoke on the phone a couple times and nothing ever came of it. So, this could be interesting if they both stop by at the same time.
They do.
And Robert is all, "I need to apologize to him" right before Jonathan arrives. And I'm all, "yeah, you do, i'm not doing it for you."
So, the flirtation starts again pretty much immediately. And Robert winds up shopping with us. It's a mostly music shopping trip, with clothes and pralines thrown in on the side. I score a used copy of St. Etiennne's Japanese only CD The Continental for only $13.
We decide we're hungry and head to the newly hopping Frenchmen Street in the Marigny and eat at Old Dog, New Trick, a really yummy vegetarian restaurant. Then home again. Then out again.
I get home and want to do nothing but crash, but Jonathan calls and informs me that he's coming to pick me up and I'm going out. So, I go. And Jonathan's insane stepsister comes with us, informing me immediately that the nite is all about her.
Yay. Oh joy. We shall now refer to her as Moodswing Girl.
See Moodswing Girl be happy cuz she's meeting her sisters at a horrible Bourbon St straight bar. See Moodswing Girl turn dark and scary when her sisters (wisely) leave before she arrives. See Moodswing Girl's lights turn back on at the briefest of attention from gay boys. See Moodswing Girl stare down at us alone on the balcony above the dancefloor as we dance. See Moodswing Girl inform us that we're going home.
Between all of this, a lot of fun is had. Lafitte's plays some excellent music along with videos on their big flatscreen TVs. I flirt across the bar with a cute boy of indeterminate ethnic background. I have fun dancing at Oz! We stand on the street and laugh at the freaks and the sunburned Jazzfest people.
Nice nite.
Sunday, I get up late, get more sun and read comic books. Then i decide to go shopping on the Westbank. I wind up in Marerro, because they have a Toys R Us. Jonathan lives in Marerro, so I call him. And wind up visiting him at his family's house. Which was quite nice. Then dinner at Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. Artichoke ravioli. Yum.
A FUCKING great weekend. Friends are good things. And I seem to have a few good ones of late.
It started Thursday nite with the great dinner with Beau and his friend Dean. And continued into Friday nite, when I got a call from Beau, who was in the French Quarter, "you've got to come out, the moon is beautiful, the crowd is just right, it's a great nite, come out." So, I went out, convincing Jonathan to meet us out. I knew that it would be an interesting nite simply because Jonathan and Beau had each earlier expressed some interest in the other.
So, I take the streetcar to the Quarter, listening to my iPod along the way, the song "Weekend" by Black Eyed Peas and Esthero being my mantra for a fun nite. I meet Beau at Good Friends for a stoli cosmopolitan, which turns rapidly into two. He's in jeans, a tight striped tank top and some cute Jon Fluevog (sp???) shoes and he's bouncing off the walls. We meander to Lafitte's and Jonathan shows up a bit after that.
Quick side note... how did we ever manage to find our friends out in the Quarter before the mass use of cellphones?
So, an odd thing happens. They both sort of shut down around the other. Beau folds his hands under his arms and gets much quieter. Jonathan begins to studiously stare at the designs that the smoke from his cigarettes is making in the air. It was all a bit fun to watch actually. Even the really cute boys get intimidated and don't really know how to deal with liking or not liking someone. And a bit of both of these was going on.
Regardless, it was a fun evening for me. We drink a lot, run from bar to bar, dance a little, go home around 4 am.
Saturday, I wake up late, lay out in the yard and catch some sun. Beau calls from the Country Club, a bar in the Bywater, which has a pool. I think about going to meet him, but decide i'm much too lazy.
Robert, who I haven't seen in quite a while, calls and says he's gonna be in my neighborhood and would like to stop by and say hi. I say sure. In the meantime, Jonathan calls and we decide to head to the Quarter to walk around and shop. Now, Robert and Jonathan, the first nite I introduced them turned into the dancefloor makeout artists, spoke on the phone a couple times and nothing ever came of it. So, this could be interesting if they both stop by at the same time.
They do.
And Robert is all, "I need to apologize to him" right before Jonathan arrives. And I'm all, "yeah, you do, i'm not doing it for you."
So, the flirtation starts again pretty much immediately. And Robert winds up shopping with us. It's a mostly music shopping trip, with clothes and pralines thrown in on the side. I score a used copy of St. Etiennne's Japanese only CD The Continental for only $13.
We decide we're hungry and head to the newly hopping Frenchmen Street in the Marigny and eat at Old Dog, New Trick, a really yummy vegetarian restaurant. Then home again. Then out again.
I get home and want to do nothing but crash, but Jonathan calls and informs me that he's coming to pick me up and I'm going out. So, I go. And Jonathan's insane stepsister comes with us, informing me immediately that the nite is all about her.
Yay. Oh joy. We shall now refer to her as Moodswing Girl.
See Moodswing Girl be happy cuz she's meeting her sisters at a horrible Bourbon St straight bar. See Moodswing Girl turn dark and scary when her sisters (wisely) leave before she arrives. See Moodswing Girl's lights turn back on at the briefest of attention from gay boys. See Moodswing Girl stare down at us alone on the balcony above the dancefloor as we dance. See Moodswing Girl inform us that we're going home.
Between all of this, a lot of fun is had. Lafitte's plays some excellent music along with videos on their big flatscreen TVs. I flirt across the bar with a cute boy of indeterminate ethnic background. I have fun dancing at Oz! We stand on the street and laugh at the freaks and the sunburned Jazzfest people.
Nice nite.
Sunday, I get up late, get more sun and read comic books. Then i decide to go shopping on the Westbank. I wind up in Marerro, because they have a Toys R Us. Jonathan lives in Marerro, so I call him. And wind up visiting him at his family's house. Which was quite nice. Then dinner at Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. Artichoke ravioli. Yum.
A FUCKING great weekend. Friends are good things. And I seem to have a few good ones of late.
Sunday, April 28, 2002
August 2
August 2
August 2
signs
signs
signs
screw Spiderman, screw Star Wars... it's ALL about signs...
August 2
August 2
signs
signs
signs
screw Spiderman, screw Star Wars... it's ALL about signs...
Friday, April 26, 2002
I've been a BAD blogger.
The last couple of days have been a bit blurry. Working and playing. Last nite, I went to dinner with Beau and a friend of his whose name I've forgotten (sheesh) to commemorate the one year anniversary of Beau's 'divorce.' He figured it was better to be out with friends than stewing at home. We went to K-Paul's in the Quarter, Paul Prudhomme's restaurant. You know... the enormous celebrity chef... enormous in size, that is.
The food and atmosphere were both much better than i expected for what most locals regard as a high-end tourist stop. And the company sparkled as well. A really nice evening.
I've been ripping CDs like a madman... i think i'm up to 3 gig on my hardrive/iPod already, with more to go.
I'm off in a bit to spend some time in the Quarter again, with Beau and hopefully Jon Jon. Should be fun, Jazzfest attendees abounding and a big bright moon...
The last couple of days have been a bit blurry. Working and playing. Last nite, I went to dinner with Beau and a friend of his whose name I've forgotten (sheesh) to commemorate the one year anniversary of Beau's 'divorce.' He figured it was better to be out with friends than stewing at home. We went to K-Paul's in the Quarter, Paul Prudhomme's restaurant. You know... the enormous celebrity chef... enormous in size, that is.
The food and atmosphere were both much better than i expected for what most locals regard as a high-end tourist stop. And the company sparkled as well. A really nice evening.
I've been ripping CDs like a madman... i think i'm up to 3 gig on my hardrive/iPod already, with more to go.
I'm off in a bit to spend some time in the Quarter again, with Beau and hopefully Jon Jon. Should be fun, Jazzfest attendees abounding and a big bright moon...
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Okey doke... after almost pushing myself off the edge of sanity by staying up for hours on end with the new computer, ripping CDs, downloading music, etc... i finally got some sleep last nite and made myself spend a great portion of my day off today away from the computer...
the result being a saner, happier, tanner Drew...
I got up a bit late today, downloaded a tune, updated the iPod a bit and then sensibly decided to head to the French Quarter for the afternoon. Listening to my iPod along the way changes everything. I can totally set the tempo and mood for my day by the music i listen to. And that's a good thing.
I spent a large portion of the afternoon at Tower and Virgin browsing CDs. I only bought one CD, a compilation called American Gigolo, which has some amazing electro singles on it. Oh, and a $6 used copy of the soundtrack to Velvet Goldmine at another place.
I ran into another Baton Rouge expatriot, Andy, at Tower while checking out. And wound up going back to Virgin with him to browse DVDs. And we spent almost two hours doing that. And it was a blast. Afterwards, I walked further into the Quarter with him and we had coffee at CC's. I owe Andy a huge debt because he totally knocked me out of the funk I've been in lately. I had a really terrific time hanging out with him.
Then I took a streetcar home and spent a little more time downloading Moby's new single, which I hadn't heard yet. I worry that his new CD may not be that popular. I don't know if this single will attract that many people. Before you rush to think that I don't like it... i think it's fucking brilliant. But, I don't know about everyone else.... it's reminds me of Bowie at his peak. Totally fucking brilliant. This is so gonna be my favorite song for a while.
Then my friend Jonathan called to see what was up in my world. I was going to go see a late show of Resident Evil, but he asked me to go to the Balcony Bar on Magazine with him instead. And I did. And it was fun. A medium sized group of his PJ's (coffee shop) coworkers were there. And they were quite fun. Prior to that, he came by my apartment and I felt quite proud of the way he was lusting after my computer. It's really quite the machine... I also gifted him with a CD that i burned at amazing speeds of some relatively obscure Bjork tracks...
Now, I'm back home and more content than I've been in days... Life is good. And I have the upcoming weekend off... and Jazzfest is coming...
much thanks to Andy and Jonathan...
the result being a saner, happier, tanner Drew...
I got up a bit late today, downloaded a tune, updated the iPod a bit and then sensibly decided to head to the French Quarter for the afternoon. Listening to my iPod along the way changes everything. I can totally set the tempo and mood for my day by the music i listen to. And that's a good thing.
I spent a large portion of the afternoon at Tower and Virgin browsing CDs. I only bought one CD, a compilation called American Gigolo, which has some amazing electro singles on it. Oh, and a $6 used copy of the soundtrack to Velvet Goldmine at another place.
I ran into another Baton Rouge expatriot, Andy, at Tower while checking out. And wound up going back to Virgin with him to browse DVDs. And we spent almost two hours doing that. And it was a blast. Afterwards, I walked further into the Quarter with him and we had coffee at CC's. I owe Andy a huge debt because he totally knocked me out of the funk I've been in lately. I had a really terrific time hanging out with him.
Then I took a streetcar home and spent a little more time downloading Moby's new single, which I hadn't heard yet. I worry that his new CD may not be that popular. I don't know if this single will attract that many people. Before you rush to think that I don't like it... i think it's fucking brilliant. But, I don't know about everyone else.... it's reminds me of Bowie at his peak. Totally fucking brilliant. This is so gonna be my favorite song for a while.
Then my friend Jonathan called to see what was up in my world. I was going to go see a late show of Resident Evil, but he asked me to go to the Balcony Bar on Magazine with him instead. And I did. And it was fun. A medium sized group of his PJ's (coffee shop) coworkers were there. And they were quite fun. Prior to that, he came by my apartment and I felt quite proud of the way he was lusting after my computer. It's really quite the machine... I also gifted him with a CD that i burned at amazing speeds of some relatively obscure Bjork tracks...
Now, I'm back home and more content than I've been in days... Life is good. And I have the upcoming weekend off... and Jazzfest is coming...
much thanks to Andy and Jonathan...
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