My 401K started back up yesterday. It only seems appropriate that the stock market to the biggest one day hit (in terms of points) in history.
September 2008
Opening Weekend.
Earl and I joined our friend Dave and ventured to Connecticut, where we attending the opening night of “A Little Night Music”. Our friend Greg, who I must say is a brilliant vocalist, is part of the quintet in the show. As we waited for the show to start we all noted that his biography in the program took up the most space as he has a slew of credits to his name. I was Greg’s “sound designer” for the Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus earlier this year. He was the music director.
Dave is a big fan of the show and an accomplished performer in his own right. He has been in the show as well and it was very enjoyable to hear his comparison to the production in Connecticut.
Now this is starting to sound like a bio!
Overall the production was quite enjoyable. The theatre is quite small, seating only 100 or so, but it gave the show an intimate feeling.
I’m looking forward to seeing future productions there.
Uh, Yeah.
By now you’ve undoubtedly heard the Really Big News of the week: Clay Aiken came out of the closet and confirmed that he’s gay.
Big woo.
Now, I’m not discounting Mr. Aiken’s step into the public as an out and proud gay man in any way. He’s gotten a little whacky (according to unverified claims of his backstage antics) since his American Idol days but for the most part he seems like a solid individual and will probably be a good role model for others that wish to come out as well. But was he really telling us something we didn’t already know? I’m a little torn on this one. I guess I applaud his efforts but I feel like saying “DUH!”
My sister and I spoke briefly about the subject and she didn’t know why it has to be such a big deal. “He’s gay, who cares?” (Yes, I’m fortunate to have a family that tends to think that way most of the time.) But there are a lot of people that still get all fired up about the gay. Gay is a Big Deal for many people and a Big Bad Evil for quite a few as well. There are people obsessing day and night trying to determine the best way to eradicate the gay from the world (or at least the United States) so in that sense, Mr. Aiken did a brave thing by coming out. I applaud him and look forward to sharing the secret handshake with him at the next toaster points distribution meeting.
But, um, duh.
Side note: “Invisible” was originally done by a group called D-Side. I believe the group is from Dublin. I think you’ll note where Clay’s inspiration for his version came from. Enjoy the video.
Frustration. Determination. Admittance.
Have I mentioned anything about the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections lately? I think I might have. There are some things going on with this election that I find to be ridiculous. For example, I find John McCain to be ridiculous. He’s essentially hit the pause button his campaign so he can save us from the economy, when of course as late as last week he said, “The fundamentals of our economy are strong.”1 Naturally he said this as Wall Street was imploding. To keep things fair I have to admit that I’m not super enthusiastic about Obama but I truly believe he has a lot more to offer than McCain does. I certainly hope that he’ll get the chance to prove me right.
Meanwhile, Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin (she’s the one that can see Russia from her house!) made Katie Couric look angry during a recent interview, as Ms. Palin stammered and stuttered and let Katie know she’d get back to her on a few of the topics they were discussing. I love this recap of the the governor’s interview:
In a 40-minute session with Couric that aired Wednesday and Thursday nights, the Alaska governor defended her puzzling claim that geographic proximity makes her some sort of expert on Russia; went nearly blank when queried about McCain’s achievements as a big-business regulator; agreed America “may find itself” on the road to another Great Depression; and, promoting a troop surge in Afghanistan, casually suggested that it “will lead us to victory there, as it has proven to have done in Iraq.” 2
Katie looks like she wants to just rip the woman’s head off. And I don’t blame her, I mean, aside from giving idiotic answers and IOUs for responses to policy questions, who in their right mind goes hunting from a helicopter anyway? Isn’t that what Sarah does? I believe she flies around in a helicopter and shoots at moose or something. I’m not a fan of hunting in any way, shape or form but the people I know that enjoy the sport actually run around and chase the animals down, sort of in the way that SomeOne intended. Granted, the whole gun thing seems a little unfair to the animals but when you bring into the helicopters into the mix, well that’s just high-flying crazy.
You know what really frustrates me, though? All this talk about religion when it comes to the Presidential election. I don’t know if it’s because the way I was raised or what but who the hell cares what religion anyone is? Personally, I’m not a fan of religion. I think organised religion is dangerous and in most cases a society-accepted scam. Now don’t misinterpret these statements to mean that I’m knocking spirituality because I fully believe that humans are nowhere as significant as we claim to be. I fully believe in a greater cause, a greater good, a higher power and all encompassing love. People don’t pay for that all encompassing love thing so the religious zealots have to scare you to death with talks of hell and damnation.
When I was in the hospital in 2005 they asked me what my religion was. I was born, baptised and confirmed as Methodist. I didn’t really subscribe to the whole Methodist thing, even though the Methodists seem to be rather broadminded about many topics. I guess Methodist is a nice, middle of the road sort of religion where you can go once or twice a year, drop a hundred buckets into the collection plate and be good until the next religious holiday. I always felt it odd that the minister was up there saying wise things as if they were closer to God than I but I’ve always felt close to the Universe. I don’t need a middle man between me and whatever is out there, up there. Anyways, they wanted my religion in the hospital and I decided to take a stand. My beliefs are closer to Pagan than anything else so I told them that I was Pagan.
This made the admitting nurse take pause.
“Pagan”.
“Pagan. That’s P-A-G-A-N.”
“Yes. Where’s that church?”
“In my backyard.”
“Oh.”
“Naked.”
“I see.”
I don’t know why this made the nurse take pause (nevertheless I giggled) but truth be known I read a LOT of books on Paganism and Wicca and I celebrate all the Wiccan holidays. I even go sky clad in the middle of the night from time to time. Nevertheless, the admitting nurse shrunk a little bit like I was going to turn her into a toad or something.
Why do I discuss this now? Well, it seems that the minister of Sarah Palin’s church is some sort of witch hunter. Now, if he wants to hunt witches on his own free time that’s groovy. If it makes you feel better to chase witches down and brings you some sort of sense of higher consciousness then get out the garlic and shake whatever you shake and go witch hunting. But when all of this gets mixed up with the government of the United States? Uh, nope. Wrong answer. Keep it to yourself.
I mentioned last night that this feels like some weird reality show called “Who Wants To Be President?” I don’t believe that any run up to a recent election has ever been so, well, bizarre. Last night I gave the impression that I was nervous about the outcome of this election.
I’m frustrated. I’m determined to make a difference. And this witch says bring it on.
1 Reference: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/15/mccain-fundamentals-of-th_n_126445.html
2 Reference: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-onthemedia26-2008sep26,0,3542588.story
A Moment Of Thanks.
I would like to take a moment to thank the driver of the rusty Chevy Lumina, New York tags # EKP-4405. In the moments that were flashing before my eyes earlier this evening, you gave me a great sense of enlightenment and realisation.
Yes, thank you driver of the rusty Chevy Lumina, New York tags # EKP-4405 for reversing my beliefs and proving that New York, The Empire State, really does need to become a nanny state to protect us from ourselves and remove us from all responsibility of common sense. Thank you for proving that we need seat belt laws (you weren’t wearing one) and prohibitions against driving while talking on our cell phone (which you were doing).
Thank you, driver of the rusty Chevy Lumina, New York tags # EKP-4405 for allowing me to prove to myself that I am an excellent cyclist. As I made my way down the hill at 33 MPH with all the other vehicles (cars, trucks and one cyclist) lined up in a row coming down the street, you reminded me that as a cyclist, which by the way is a vehicle on the road that wasn’t burning fuel other than the afterglow of today’s lunch, I am not entitled to be a vehicle on the road. As you smoked your cigarette, talked on your cell phone and as your poodle sat on the dash and your ugly mouth breathing daughter looked at me, you ignored my screams and pulled out in front of me as you tried to beat the car coming in the opposite direction. Because of you, I proved to myself that I am nearly invincible as I took my fluorescent clad body and bicycle, at 33 MPH, and made a mad dash of a detour across the lawn surrounding yet another Rite Aid drug store, through some barely manicured bushes, over a storm grate and back on to the road, where I took my place back in line behind you.
Thank you, driver of the rusty Chevy Lumina, New York tags # EKP-4405 for cementing my belief that our country is slowly evolving from the “land of the free” to the “land of the fucked up” as we make our way toward the plot outlined in the movie Idiocracy.
Thank you, driver of the rusty Chevy Lumina, New York tags # EKP-4405 for making me terrified of the latest round of “Who Wants To Be A President?”, currently scheduled for the first Tuesday in November (check your local listings for last minute changes), for it is people like you and your ugly mouth breathing daughter than make me realise that mediocrity is now the standard to which we base all accepted forms of accomplishment and pride.
And thank you, driver of the rusty Chevy Lumina, New York tags # EKP-4405 for glancing around the smoke belching from your face and looking at me in your rearview mirror and then putting your windows up, whilst telling your ugly mouth breathing daughter to do the same to the back windows, because had you not done that, I might have done something that I just might regret.
1 I can make fun of mouth breathers because I used to be one myself when I was a young kid.
2 I am terrified of the fact that the U.S. is truly headed to the scenario painted in that movie “Idiocracy”.
Got Nothing.
I’m not feeling inspired tonight. I want to write something engaging, thought provoking, witty and awe inspiring.
Instead I think of things like the pimple on the inside of my nose and the fact that I enjoyed “going commando” in my jeans all day on Saturday. It’s not the things that blog entries are made of.
I could go on and on about the progress of the U.S. elections, the threat of World War III and the dismal state of the U.S. economy, but then it would seem like I’m depressed. I’m not. That’s hardly the case. It’s just that many of written about these subjects much better than I ever could so why put forth the effort.
Today is the first day of autumn. I love autumn. It is my favorite season. I think I’ll go outside and embrace the magic I feel in the autumn wind.
Then I’ll have something.
Shufflin’ Off To A Gig.
I’ve been asked by the Buffalo Bears to DJ at their run in October. Sirius Out-Q’s Frank DeCaro is doing his thing on Friday night and I’ve been asked to spin before and after his set. If the night were a sandwich I’d be the bread and he’d be the meat. I’m not use to that role.
If you’re in Buffalo on Friday the 10th of October, stop by the Century Grill for the fun!
More details here. I’m hoping they add me to the site soon!
Impressed.
Microsoft debuted “Phase 2” of their new ad campaign tonight.
I’ve never been a fan of Apple’s “I’m A Mac, I’m A PC” commercials, simply because as a person that used to write ad copy for a living I’ve always felt that a company does best when they accentuate their positives rather than focusing on their competition’s negatives. When I worked in radio, we just behaved as if we were the only station on the dial. Well, most of the time.
Mac fanboys (and girls) have such a reputation for being obnoxiously smug and overbearingly trendy. I don’t identify with the greasy “Mac” in Apple’s commercials so I’ve always felt kind of alienated. Don’t get me wrong, I like my Macs, a lot, but I’m not about to start sipping coffee I don’t like in a fake turtleneck shirt. Ironically, I felt much more comfortable with the folks in this latest ad from Microsoft1.
Anyways, I have to applaud Microsoft on this latest ad. I think they might be on to something.
This ad is called “I’m A PC”.
1 Hmmm, I do have that unused copy of Windows Vista Ultimate sitting on my desk.
Fruit Pie.
I’m going say right here and now that I hate being called a homosexual. Oh I’m one of the gays, there’s no doubt about that. I’m sure some of you’d be amazed at what you saw if you looked behind the curtain of this blog wizard. But the way the right-wing freaks say ‘homosexual’ is so ridiculous. Homo-sexual. THey must divide up the syllables to give it an air of credibility. Ho-mo-sex-u-al. It’s their attempt to make it sound like a sickness. Homo-sexual. Bah. It’s more fun to say “condom” but they don’t like those either.
I can’t help but be reminded of Anita Bryant when I see Sarah Palin. She’s mildly attractive on the outside. She’s a beauty queen. She has a “non-neutral” accent. And of course she’s big on that whole “pray away the gay” thing. Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous? “Pray away the gay”. That’s like saying “pray that my blue eyes turn brown” or “pray away the freckles” or better yet “pray away the gray”. Why can’t we pray away Wal*Mart?
Going to the extreme, perhaps if her church keeps up this crusade of “pray away the gay” more and more teen gays and lesbians will commit suicide from believing the message of hate. The gay teen prays and prays and then buries away the gay but they still feel the gay. “Pray away the gay”. Once they discover the gay won’t go away they turn to drastic measures: In a paranoid, confused state it makes sense: The gay won’t go away, ergo they’re sick, so they kill themselves. I know that sounds completely fucked up, but guess what, that’s what happens. “Pray away the gay” says Sarah Palin and her church. Gay teen suicides are on the rise and I’m sure the likes of her and her church are contributors to that statistic. Isn’t that a way of saying believe better off dead than gay?
I am really nervous about what is going to occur in November. I do not have a good feeling about the American election coming up. I have a feeling it’s going to be screwed up with errant voting machines, mass confusion, swinging chads, an ugly woman from Florida trying to be important and god knows what else. I have made it known that if I had my druthers, I’d live elsewhere. Earl says we need to stay and fight, no matter the outcome of this election. We can make a difference. I want to believe him. So I’m making a lot of noise about this election. I’m afraid that the sheeple are turning this into a new season of American Idol. What if they treat this vote as if it was “Who Wants To Be A Vice President?” where they just vote for the pretty one. And that’s exactly what the Republicans are betting on. You’ll vote for the one that can see Russia from her house.
Everyone tells me to calm down when I talk politics. “Stop yelling.” Bah.
This ho-mo-sex-u-al has only just begun.
