J.P.
City Folk.
Earl and I are spending the weekend in Philly visit Earl’s family. It’s been a while since we’ve been down here and it’s good to see everyone and catch up on the family news. Plus there’s a rumour that there might be a trip to Atlantic City tonight, which I think is a great idea since I’m feeling the luck.
We’re staying with Rick and Helen this weekend which is always a good time. It’s nice to be able to sit in their living room with my PowerBook and surf the internet. The fun part is that they don’t have a high speed connection so I’m apparently borrowing a neighbor’s wireless connection. Netstumbling is always a good time.
Rick and Helen have a cat named Jones who needs to learn the rule when Uncle J.P. is using the computer. “Thou shall not nudge the PowerBook.” I think he smells his cousin Tom or something.
The Maligned Mustache.
I was doing a search on Google for some good looking guys (who doesn’t do that from time to time?) and ran across George Eads from CSI. He’s a little too close to the “pretty boy” look for my taste, but nevertheless he is very attractive. Especially now that he’s grown a mustache.
Apparently fans of the show (especially those of the female persuasion) are fit to be tied because their little piece of cheesecake has fuzz on his face now. What a bunch of babies. The man looks great!
I don’t know why there’s this stigma attached to having a mustache. “He looks like a cop.” “He should be a porn star.” I don’t know if anyone has noticed but men naturally grow hair on their face. It’s the way nature intended it. Adult men are not naturally baby-faced and then one day decide to stick some hair on in an attempt to be stylish. It’s work to scrape it off each morning and a task that many men dread.
I once had a boyfriend who threw a fit whenever I grew my mustache. “It makes you look too old.” Who cares? You’re only as old as you feel and quite honestly, I felt better about myself when I had a mustache. So in that respect I was quite relieved when he dumped me. I grew the mustache and didn’t shave it off for a long, long time. When I did shave it off (just to change my look or whatever), I immediately grew it back. I felt naked without it. Years later when I lost a bunch of weight I thought I’d shave it off and go with the trendy “soul patch” under my lip. I didn’t feel trendy though, so I grew my beard.
I have noticed that there is more opposition to a mustache vs a beard. I don’t know why. Food is more apt to be stuck in a beard than in a mustache, so it’s not like there’s men running around with spaghetti hanging out of their mustache or anything. And it makes for such a soft landing spot when you’re planting a kiss.
I am looking forward to future pictures of George Eads with a big, bushy, fireman’s style mustache. I hope he’s an inspiration to men everywhere.
Next time your spouse, boyfriend, significant other, whatever decides to grow a mustache or beard, don’t close your mind to it, encourage him! It’s the way nature intended it to be and at the very least, you’ll save a mint by not buying Mach III blades.
Energy.
It’s been about 48 hours since I’ve downloaded Madonna’s new album, “Confessions On A Dance Floor.” I’ve downloaded both the non-stop and the traditional versions of the CD and have had the non-stop version loaded into the Acura stereo since Tuesday night.
I can not stop listening to this CD. This album is fscking awesome!
While I can’t find a weak track in the bunch, I do have my favorites. I love the ‘smooth’ sound of “Get Together”, I really enjoy “Sorry” (rumoured to be the next single) and I’m diggin’ the trance-disco sound of “Jump”.
It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve thoroughly enjoyed an entire album from an artist, the last one being BT’s ECSM in 1996. I long ago lost faith in pop music and today’s artists, figuring that a pop album with an adult, yet dance appeal was a thing of the past.
I’m happy to say that Madonna proved me wrong.
“Confessions On A Dance Floor” is not sugary but it is full of energy. There’s no anger or rage on this album, just good, melodic, musically complete tracks. If you like good dance music and haven’t added this album to your collection, what are you waiting for?
Welcome home, Madge.
Morning Moonlight.
While quite beautiful, there is just something wrong with waking up by moonlight to start the day. There is something just out of whack with looking out when getting up and seeing the entire lawn bathed in moonlight. When I arise, I want the sun shining beautifully, birds singing their joyous song and gentle, warm breezes carressing my naked body lying on the bed.
Alas, we live in Upstate New York. The sun won’t be seen for days, the birds are vacationing down south and the gentle breezes are most likely the beginnings of a blizzard.
Oh Mighty Isis!
I recently added the last of the three Wonder Woman DVD box sets to our DVD collection, completing our collection of all things Wonder Woman. I am a huge Wonder Woman fan (especially the Lynda Carter TV series) and am one of the few people that actually taped the “Wonder Woman” movie from 1974 starring Cathy Lee Crosby as Wonder Woman when WTBS showed it in the mid 1980s. It’s painful to watch, but I still treasure that video tape to this day. I actually transferred it from a BetaMax tape to VHS in order to be able to keep on enjoying it! What gay man of my generation hasn’t spun himself around in the living room hoping to turn into some fabulous superhero, complete with flash, thunderclap and orchestral accompaniment.
While I am the rabid Wonder Woman fan, and a Xena worshipper as well, the superheroine I really dig is ISIS.
“Oh Zephyr Winds which blow on high, lift me now so I can fly!”
For those that are superhero impaired, a brief explanation is in order. In 1976, Saturday morning cartoons were accompanied by some live action shows. On ABC, you had “The Krofft Supershow” featuring Captain Kool and the Kongs and ElectraWoman (featuring Diedre Hall!) and DynaGirl. On CBS, it was the second season of “The Shazam / Isis Hour”. Shazam! featured the stories of young Billy Batson, roaming the streets and highways of southern California in a big white Winnebago with an older man named Mentor looking for those that needed help from falling rocks, stupid decisions, etc. Endowed with the powers of Soloman, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury, Billy would yell “Shazam!” and turn into Captain Marvel, played by an older and much more muscular man. It was kind of like Bill Bixby turning into Lou Ferrigno but without the green and nowhere near as menacing.
Anyways, after Shazam! came “The Secrets of Isis”, featuring Joanna Cameron as science teacher Andrea Thomas. Andrea was on an archeological dig in Egypt and came across an ancient amulet. After reading the scrolls enclosed, she found that she was a decscendent of the goddess Isis and was endowed with the ability to control the elements when she posessed that amulet. She would sneak off to a hidden place when someone was in trouble, pull out this amulet necklace and say “Oh Mighty Isis”. She then would be engulfed in smoke, a few ancient drawings would fly by, the glare of the sun and whoosh, there she was… Isis! Much like Wonder Woman’s Diana Price alter-ego, Andrea kept her hair in a ponytail and wore glasses. No one could tell that Andrea was actually Isis, including co-teacher Rick Mason or students Cindy Lee and Rennie Carroll.
Anyways, even though I lusted after Captain Marvel (especially the second one, John Davey, he was quite hot), I was absolutely mezmorized by Joanna Cameron as Isis. To this day I find that she has one of the most beautiful female voices I have ever heard in my life. It is so even, so calm, so soothing. Small wonder that she once held the Guinness Book of World Records for doing the most television commercials of any performer. And I always found her portrayal of Isis so endearing. Some student may have driven a car off a cliff after hitting a nail in the road or accidently shot a hole in a gas tank near a burning building with the gun he had borrowed from his father, but Isis just did her thing and brought the fool to safety. She usually was creative, using the rain to quench the flames of a menancing fire or the winds to bring a broken-down motor boat back to safety ahead of the typhoon. One of the cool things about Isis is that when she flew (like Captain Marvel or Superman did), her arms and hands were held behind and to her side, so ladylike, instead of in front her like the guys do. Kind of like the way Samantha always side-saddled the broomstick in Bewitched.
Here’s a couple of video clips from the show. They are in RealMedia format.
Andrea turning to Isis for the first time
Another clip of Andrea turning Into Isis
Isis Taking Flight
Confessions On A Dance Floor.
What kind of club DJ would I be if I didn’t go out and get the new Madonna album today? Actually, through the miracles of modern technology, I didn’t have to go out anywhere, I simply logged into iTunes and downloaded myself a copy of the album. There’s actually two versions available, a standard CD with individual tracks, and a non-stop version, with everything segued together into one long continuous mix.
It’s been a long while since I’ve enjoyed a Madonna album. Probably since “Erotica” came out, to be exact. But I’d heard all the rumbles about Madonna embracing dance music once again and I am happy to say that I found the album nothing short of awesome.
I’ve only listened to the entire album once so far. To give it the acid test, I listened to it on my car stereo while driving the New York Thruway at around 70 MPH.
The album feels like Madonna has gone back to her roots, in a 21st century way, and will have you bumping and boppin’ to the way dance music should be, fun, upbeat and hooky.
Go get yourself a copy!
Dreary Driving.
It’s easy to tell that winter is just around the corner here in Upstate N.Y. Everyone’s driving skills have gone from “asshat” to “unbelievable asshat”. Now mind you, it’s not snowing or hailing or anything like that today. It’s raining. While not a torrential downpour, the rain is steady and does warrant some extra caution on the road.
That does not mean slowing down to 35 MPH in the middle of the freeway.
I find it remarkable that some people drive around in a light drizzle with their windshield wipers set to “hysterical”. There’s maybe 50 rain drops on their windshield and their wipers are whipping back and forth as if they’re trying to flag down a funnel cloud or something. It’s crazy. I have noticed that the bigger the vehicle, the more apt the wipers are to be hysterical, so maybe there’s a correlation between small genitalia and fast windshield wipers. After all, the bigger the car, the smaller the dick.
I am not a perfect driver by any stretch of the imagination. However, I am a confident driver. I know what I am capable of and I know what my car is capable of. Regardless of the vehicle I am driving, I consider it an extension of my own body and awareness. It’s not a difficult thing to do; just feel the road and be aware of your surroundings and you’ll be good to go.
And while I’m on a rant, I think the “lights on when windshield wipers are on” law is stupid. The government has no business trying to legislate common sense. However, turning your lights on when your windshield wipers are on is good sense, since its usually darker when its raining outside. If you have to squint to see your speedometer, it’s too dark to be running around with your lights off. If people would think for themselves, the government wouldn’t have to do it for them.
So drive carefully today, regardless of the weather. And more importantly, be confident and drive sensibly.
One Carry-On Per Cubicle.
I’ve noticed a recent trend with professional people walking to their office. They’re dragging their briefcase behind them. On wheels.
What’s up with that?
It wasn’t too long ago that any given businessman or businesswoman on the street was carrying a leather clad briefcase at their side. Inside held all the secrets of the their profession; paperwork about the next deal, a portfolio displaying their abilities, the proposal for the big meeting. Then of course, laptop computers became all the rage, so the hard cased briefcase gave way to the soft-sided carrying bag which was a little larger than the briefcase but still had that “professional” appearance to it. Now everyone seems to be using their airline carry-on luggage to transport their computers and paperwork back and forth to the office. There they are, wheeled suitcase behind them to create yet another obstacle on the sidewalk, bumping along over the cracks in the concrete.
When did people become so lazy that they couldn’t carry their own briefcase?
I find it hard to believe that the laptops of today are heavier than the laptops of five years ago when people actually carried them. You’re not going to convince me of otherwise, because as technology becomes more popular and more affordable, it also makes strides in the direction of miniaturization. And with all this technology at our fingertips, there should be less paperwork, handouts, etc. to cart around in your briefcase, right?
So why have people become so lazy that it’s too much of an effort to carry their own briefcase?
I won’t drag my luggage through an airport by its wheels, let alone drag it to work. Admittedly I drive Earl crazy when we’re traveling, because I insist on actually carrying our luggage instead using the built in wheels that were made for nothing larger than a Hot Wheels car. He says I’m nuts. I prefer “eccentric”, but “nuts” works for me as well.
At least I’m not lazy.
Weekends With Friends Are Always Good.
Earl and I spent the weekend in Buffalo with our friends Tim and Steve. The fun included Buffalo Bears night at Buddies II, which is always a good time hanging out with the great group of guys in the club. It was the variety show night with singing and videos and all sorts of stuff. I didn’t put one of my transporter videos into the show though. Maybe next year. Nevertheless it’s good to be with like minded people.
We always eat well when we’re in Buffalo. Last night we went to “Founding Fathers” for dinner and then to “Cole’s” for brunch today. Excellent meals at both places, both are highly recommended.The buildings in Buffalo are so cool. They’re so comfy in their late 19th and early 20th century feel. It seems like the old buildings around here are all getting ripped down. There’s something to be said for these old buildings and their atmosphere and history.
Now its time to get some sleep.
