A tasty treat in an otherwise bland day: Earl’s homemade chili with rice and a “secret ingredient”.
Fabulous.
Priorities.
I am looking into updating my DJ gear. As I have mentioned before, all my DJ equipment is Mac based as I use my MacBook Pro to maintain my music library and edit tracks and I use my older PowerBook G4 to spin using a MIDI controller/sound card combo designed for what I do. It’s a setup that has worked well for a number of years. However, the capabilities of my DJ software is limited when compared to what is available on the market today and the PowerBook won’t support anything much faster. I am striving to build a larger presence in the gay community as a DJ. I have dreams of cranking up the crowd in a larger club and making myself known. By spinning at charity events and such, I’m confident that I can make a positive contribution to the community.
Hence, I search for a new solution.
I am really thinking of going in a different direction with all this. I found a new software program and DJ interface that I really like. It cost a little more than what I use today. I’m thinking of buying a Dell (Product) RED XPS laptop to support it.
Shocking, I know!
There are a couple of reasons that I’m looking at the Dell (Product) Red laptop. First of all, tricked out to the specs I need it still costs only about half of what I have invested in the MacBook Pro and that includes a (Product) Red version of Windows Vista Ultimate. I know other Mac fans will proclaim “but it’s Vista!” but with the economy the way it is, I need to be reasonable with my budget. Plus, the more I use and support Vista for work, the more I actually like it.
Secondly, I feel that Microsoft is doing more than Apple in the philanthropic arena these days. It could be that Apple isn’t as vocal about their efforts as Microsoft (and related entities) is. However, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does a lot of wonderful things for a lot of people. And I can’t help but admire that. In addition, both the Dell laptop and the version of Windows Vista that I would run are (Product) Red1. Even if I were to not buy the (Product) Red version of the hardware and software, I would still save half the money that would be spent on a new Mac setup and that money could probably be better used with a local AIDS/HIV charity. Too many people that I know and love are HIV positive and it angers me that the necessary medication is so damn expensive. Plus, more money means more research which hopefully brings us closer to a cure for this disease. There are more important things than having the shiniest computer at Panera and if I can use that money for a better means then that is what I’m going to do.
So now I consider all my options and try to decide what to do. I would really like to hear anyone’s thoughts or experience with the (Product) Red Project or anything else I’ve mentioned in this blog entry.
1 proceeds from (Product) Red support AIDS relief in Africa.
Busy Weekends.
This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of daylight saving time. It is currently 6:46. I am to be to work at 8:00. My body is saying “but it’s dark and therefore we must sleep!” But no, we must drag ourselves out of bed, going against nature because we all know better of course.
I wonder if the world would be a happier place if we lived in harmony with nature instead of railing against it all the time.
I had a three day weekend but I’m not feeling particularly rested. The house is oddly quiet. I guess I got used to having my sister and the baby in the house. We drove them to Toronto Thursday night in anticipation of her flight to Switzerland this weekend so that she could join her husband in Biel-Bienne. We weren’t even in Toronto for 24 hours. I like Toronto. I wish we had time to go into the city and do our thing. But no, the schedule didn’t permit that this time.
Saturday night Earl and I played hosts of another bear night here. It was the busiest yet. The bar was packed and we had no food left. The theme was “OctoBEARfest”. We served brats and bavarian pretzels. Sauerkraut too. The night was a lot of fun. The bear nights are going well. We are going to do another one in December. We also raised a nice chunk of change for a local charity that helps those with HIV and AIDS. I fear that the younger generation forgets about HIV and AIDS. They shouldn’t.
Yesterday I knew it was autumn as I went into some weird happy homemaker mode, washing the sheets on all the beds, organising very odds and ends. I also contemplated baking cookies but then the sauerkraut from the night before started catching up with me and I figured that we had done enough cooking for the weekend. Even though sauerkraut shouldn’t have anything to do with cookies.
Seemed Appropriate.
As Earl and I drove along the New York State Thruway tonight, we tuned into CNN on Sirius radio and listened to the Vice Presidential debate in it’s entirety. As the debate came to a close it seemed only appropriate that we crossed the border into Canada as the discussion came to a close.
O Canada!
Now, what’s that tangerine drink again? I need a boost.
Underlying Feeling.
I mixed together a new DJ SuperCub mix last night, focusing a little more on progressive house and trance music. (It’s available here). I’m finding myself liking the simplicity of some of the tracks I chose last night.
A little search on YouTube turned up the video to the first track in last night’s mix, “Underlying Feeling” by Sylvia Tosun. Her breathy vocals accompanied by sparse instrumentation really presses some of my aural buttons. The video compliments the sensual sound of the track perfectly.
Here it is for your enjoyment.
Timing.
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.
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
